Lauren and Jennifer met on the bus in 8th grade in a combined school class trip to Liberty Science Center. They didn't meet again until freshman year of high school, where Lauren challenged Jennifer to remember her name. She did not, but they managed to forge a friendship regardless! They spent their high school years pretending they were native French speakers, trying out every alt fashion look they could create from their combined wardrobes, and obsessing over Anne Rice. Since then, there has been lots of laughing and crying together, getting lost in the same dreams, and planning out how they'll spend their golden years, perhaps in the South of France...

Stuart and his wife Heather met Alexander for the first time on New Years Day of 2020. Jennifer was very excited to introduce these two very important people in her life to Alexander, and planned on many get togethers to follow. Of course, the pandemic put a hold on everyone's lives, and they went another year and a half before they hung out again. They have since made the time in their busy lives to have many good meals, take a trip to Disney, and stand in more than a couple of ridiculously long lines together. And in those long lines Alexander and Stuart got to know one another and form a friendship of their own that will no doubt carry over into their relationship as brothers-in-law.

Emily and Jennifer met in 5th grade when Emily changed schools. Their early friendship was built around watching Hitchcock films and Talk Soup, and dishing about which boys were cute. At some point, Jennifer decided Emily was her best friend and didn't give Emily a say in the matter, despite some occasional resistance. Luckily it stuck, and by the time Emily got married, Jennifer was her maid of honor. Close to 35 years of friendship have gone by and they live 1,535 miles apart, but Emily and Jennifer remain the kind of friends that know the other is and will always be there to get them through every challenge life offers.

Upon meeting Ben for the first time, Jennifer was determined to ensure Emily wasn't dating a schlub, and he was not a fan. As it turned out, Ben was anything but, and he became not only Emily's partner for life, but a dear and close friend to Jennifer. And for those who don't know him, dude's funny af. Even after Ben and Emily left the east coast to move to San Francisco, Jennifer would spend hours at a time on the phone with them, laughing until her face hurt. It has been too long since they've lived driving distance away, but the time and the miles haven't stopped the bits, schticks, and skits that make it a privilege to call someone like Ben a best friend.

Alexander won the lottery with his amazing kids. Kind, silly, smart, creative, and not afraid to be who they are. Jennifer didn't know how it would go when she finally got to meet them, but both Laurana and Lill were quick to accept her and invite her into their lives. The marriage of Jennifer and Alexander is not just about the two of them uniting, but all four of them becoming a complete family.