Aaron can still remember the moment that Becca walked into Bonaventure Roller Rink. He zipped over to pow wow with his fellow floor guards about who was going to introduce him to the cute newcomer. Meanwhile, Becca was working the snack bar and admiring Aaron’s skating moves from afar. Jesse, Aaron’s sister, acted as a wingman, introducing the two of them with a funny anecdote making them laugh and blush.

It wasn’t long before Aaron picked Becca up for their first date. He met the whole Lanci Clan and was awarded his first nickname by the patriarch … ‘Ponytail Aaron with the purse’ ... a strong and honorable name!

Becca remembers that as the best first date she’s ever been on. Aaron was funny and didn’t allow any awkward silences on their drive from place to place. Becca was instantly comfortable with him … and crushing hard! After a few more dates Aaron sent Becca a handwritten letter from college with instructions that she wait to open it until the next time they saw each other in person. In that 5 page letter he asked to be her boyfriend; she said YES! with no hesitation.

They were head over heels; those days were filled with love and fun. They couldn’t get enough of each other … they'd wake up at 5am on Sundays just so we could spend a few more hours together before Aaron had to leave to go back to college.

Eventually life interceded. Aaron’s Lyme disease reared its head and forced us to part company so he could focus all of his energy on slaying that dragon. It felt like one of those "the one that got away" moments.

Though in that moment they weren’t ‘together’ it seemed nothing could keep them apart. They spent nearly as much time together after the parting as they had before it. Becca was at the Ozimek house so much that it was as if she was a part of their family and they visited each other at college. When school finally ended, Becca accepted a nursing job in Florida, where Jesse was living. They became roommates and the best of friends.

During Becca’s Florida years, Aaron was finishing his chiropractic and functional neurology degrees in Georgia. They saw each other from time to time throughout the years, a visit here … another there, but the timing was never right to rekindle their romance. Time passed and Becca decided to pursue an advanced degree in midwifery; she moved back to Michigan. Though they were states apart, they kept in touch, saw each other periodically, and were always rooting for each other to succeed, knowing the other was growing into a super cool person.

One weekend Becca got an itch to spontaneously visit her parents on Michigan’s east side. As fate would have it, and to Becca’s great surprise, Aaron was also visiting Michigan’s east side that weekend. He took Becca to lunch where he told her that he’d finished his treatments for Lyme and was again healthy. They chatted for hours, and spent a great deal of time together; it was like old times. They were sad to part when the weekend was over.

The following week Becca was watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy; a character was saying that if you love someone you MUST put yourself out there and tell them. Becca took this advice to heart, and much like the letter Aaron had started their relationship with years before, Becca wrote a letter to him. She professed her love and desire to be with him.

At the time, Aaron was opening his first chiropractic practice in Georgia; he was in the middle of a big life transition. Becca was on the edge of her seat while she waited for a reply.

Becca was set to attend the Bonnaroo music festival for the second year in a row that June. At the last minute, she ended up with a spare ticket. Her sister, Sam, suggested she invite Aaron. She did, and Aaron said yes … it was a magical weekend! They knew they had to date again, even if it was going to be a long distance romance.

It wasn’t long, only a couple months, before they were planning their future together. The following spring, May of 2019, after Becca graduated from her midwifery program, her dad helped her move down to Woodstock. Aaron and Becca have been together ever since.

Their life together in Woodstock was amazing! They had a blast exploring that summer; but that fall they were struck by the winds of change one day as they headed out on another adventure; they were in a car wreck. In that moment, everything about their lives changed, save one thing … they had each other. As Aaron and Becca worked to recover, they grew even closer … they found new ways to have fun. They became big board game fans, falling in love with cooperative games where they could defeat the monsters and dungeons together. They faced life’s trials with love, hope, and joy in their hearts. Who could have imagined that navigating that storm would strengthen their commitment to each other and help to forge the unbreakable bond that they now share?

A few days before what would be their 5 year anniversary of being together again, July 4th 2023 (the 247th anniversary of our nation's birth), they were having a heart to heart, gushing about their love for each other when Aaron, overcome by his love for Becca, asked her to marry him. She, overwhelmed herself, immediately said yes; Aaron had always been, and will always be, Becca’s forever love. The sky lit up bright that night when it heard the good news!

Since the proposal was spontaneous and unexpected, Aaron didn’t have a ring. He needed to get and present one to Becca. He’d planned a second proposal, this time with a ring, in their town square. They went to lunch, but as it turned out the day was so hot that he couldn’t convince Becca to walk to the square in the heat. He ended up making the second proposal on a balcony at a wedding venue tour they’d scheduled for that day after lunch. Aaron surprised Becca with a custom made white star sapphire ring; it was beautiful and so was she.

On April 8th, 2024, our extended family went to view the total solar eclipse together. Distracted by this once in a lifetime cosmic event, Becca had no idea that Aaron was planning to propose for a third time; this time with the most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen … but he did! Hard to say which was most spectacular … the eclipse, the ring, or the surprise and joy on Becca’s face!

We are excited to begin our life journey together as one, and so happy to have you all standing with us as we take our first steps.

A&B

Wedding Day