A Stroll into Marriage

DIANA (BCom 1996 UC) : We met once in second year and then again in fourth year, when I threw a birthday party and Yan showed up with our mutual friend. I was waiting at the bar, and I saw a really good-looking guy come in. I realized who he was, and said hello. It sounds shallow, but I remembered him for his muscles, crewcut and general military good looks. We danced that night and then went for coffee. He was really respectful and chivalrous, always opening doors for me. Now, work and family have taken more of a front seat, but he’s always kind to me. We live in Calgary, and we love to drive around in our convertible and go skiing. My favourite thing in the world is still just sitting down with Yan and having a cup of coffee.

YAN (BA 1996 VIC): We complement each other really well. She’s very passionate and gregarious and I’m a little more reserved. Her perseverance and resilience have really helped us get through some things, including long-distance years. She was living in London, Ontario, and I was living in Toronto and then Montreal. It was long before Skype, so there were a lot of phone calls and we took turns taking the train. Every moment was quality time. Deciding to get married was a pretty easy decision after spending that time apart. One snowy winter afternoon, I took Diana down to Philosopher’s Walk with the intention to propose. Near Bloor Street, I told her that I wasn’t feeling so great and asked if we could sit down on a bench. When she sat down, I took out the ring. After some tears, she said yes. We just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary, and we now have a 10-year-old daughter. When we take a look back, it’s really amazing how much we’ve grown together.