It was 2016, and the bass was dropping... it was Chicago's North Coast music festival and there they were, strangers on the dance floor. Leila looked over, laughing out loud, and in a very sarcastic tone, asked Jack "Is that your girlfriend?" She was not, thankfully... A gorgeous woman not only started a conversation with Jack (rare), but roasted him?! In four words, Leila secured dream-girl status. After the set was over, Jack scored her digits and did what any sensible 21 year old would do - slid into her DMs, leaving just his number and an over-confident "see you in Bloomington." The next meet up in Bloomington was on Leila's birthday. Their relationship blossomed through Tap fries, water longs, and constant laughs. Months later, Jack invited Leila to Windsor, Canada for a luxurious formal at Ceasar's Palace. After a day of rolling the dice, Jack rolled one last time and asked Leila to be official. That's where it all began. Funny enough, Leila's ride home left her in Canada that weekend and she had no choice but to return to St. Charles, IL.... where she was forced to meet Jack’s parents 24 hours into their relationship. Leila powered through, as she always does, and left a great impression. After she left, Anne (Jack's Mom) whispered to Jack "I see why you like her, my god she's so beautiful". A few months later, Jack met Leila's Mom (Deirdre) and Grandfather (Hasip) in Bloomington. He was blown away by Deirdre's kindness & Hasip's genius. Hasip, or Dede, was a hugely influential figure in Leila's life. At the time, he was ~90 years old. Upon greeting Jack, Dede kissed him on both cheeks, told tales of Mardin, spoke in 5 languages, and ordered a hot dog off the kid’s menu. Jack, having never met either of his grandfathers, was sure Dede was the most interesting man in the world. Later that year, Jack graduated and moved to Washington, DC. With his move came long distance, the first of many challenges Leila and Jack would conquer together. From all-night facetimes to hyperactive visits, they survived the 2.5 years, making amazing memories along the way. Leila spent her summers in DC, where Leila and Jack (+ another, very important Jack) lived together. The following year, Leila moved to Chicago and Jack fled DC to join her. A week or two after Jack returned to Chicago, COVID raged and quarantine began. Initially, at Leila's apartment, where her roommates got to live with a drifter (Jack). Then in the burbs, where they quarantined in the Dellostritto's basement. It was a trying time, wiping down oranges with Clorox wipes and stripping in the garage before mandatory chemical showers. If they could survive quarantine in their parent's basement, they could survive anything together. Leila and Jack decided it was time to move out of the basement and into the city, with their baby - Toby. They moved to River North and got their first taste of the Chicago food scene, late nights at the bars, and walks along the river. They spent that year celebrating their sisters’ weddings and traveling the world together. Leila's friends became Jack's friends, Leila became 'one of the boys', and Toby established himself as the center of their lives. Although Jack had always known, it was in the West Loop where Jack decided to ask Leila to spend the rest of her life with him. On a sunny August evening, Jack forced Leila to come to a 'corporate happy hour' in Lincoln Park, where he dropped down on his knee and popped the question. Miraculously, given Jack’s spontaneous paralysis, Leila said yes and the rest is history. Leila and Jack will get married in Cape Cod, home of the Temizer family and a frequent destination for the two. We can't wait for you to be a part of our next chapter, and to celebrate all the laughs, love, and life we've shared throughout the years. Cheers to the next chapter, see you on the Cape!