KJ Couples: Lauren and Garrett

Posted by Angeline Weiss on

We love your love! That is why we have decided to reach out to a few of our amazing Kasia Family members, new and returning, to tell their stories. Love is powerful, beautiful, diverse and worthy of honoring through your unique story. By sharing these openly with you, we intend to spread joy in a time when we need it the most. We understand the privilege it is to be a part of your story, and we hope the sincerity of these couples will reflect the very special relationships we aim to have with everyone who walks through our doors (whether in-person or virtually).

Next up, we have Lauren & Garrett, two fun-loving LA natives with such a special story.

When did you know that your partner was THE ONE?

Lauren: There was never a single “aha” moment for me, it was more subtle. After having the privilege of dating him for as long as I had, I couldn’t imagine going through life's future big milestones without him and I knew I wanted him to be my family for life. 

Garrett: As with Lauren, I can not pin point an exact moment I knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But there was one moment when I knew that I definitely liked Lauren and wanted our summer camp romance to last more than one summer. It was halfway through Bruinwoods, the summer camp where Lauren and I met, and one of the 4th grade campers in my group, Quinn, also was friends with Lauren. One lunch time at camp he really wanted to show both Lauren and I the piece of pottery he had painted. Campers over the summer never do this and the ease at which Lauren and I reacted to his out of the ordinary  request was something I remembered. Quinn was so excited to show us this pottery and we both went along and encouraged this camper’s excitement. I even have a picture from this moment: 

What is one thing you love about your significant other?

Lauren: One thing is so hard! He’s literally the best person I know, but one thing that always stands out is the way he shows up for the people he cares about. He’ll always be there, go the extra mile without asking and is so thoughtful. Also it doesn’t hurt that he runs his own bakery,  Tommy and Atticus (@tommyandatticus), and will leave fresh baked goods on my nightstand as little good morning surprises.

Garrett: Picking one thing is so incredibly tough, so I’ll pick one primary thing and then two close seconds :) Throughout life Lauren experiences everything with so much passion that I love simply watching Lauren experience all of life’s highs and lows, especially since we joke that I am robot, who’s emotions barely fluctuate. One day I wish to be half as excited about anything as Lauren is simply eating a Din Tai Fung soup dumpling.
I love that Lauren has unconditionally supported me as I have pursued my baking passion. I love that Lauren continuously challenges both of us to grow into the best versions of ourselves.

What is an activity you love to do together?

Lauren: We love to do a lot of things, really anything to be honest. Of course we love traveling, backpacking and eating at new restaurants, Garrett is a baker after all. I will say some of my favorite moments with him are simply doing the most mundane things like going to the grocery store. When you’re with the person you love the most, the mundane things are opportunities to create beautiful memories.

Garrett: With my baking schedule, we don’t get to do nearly as much anymore. But backpacking with Lauren is one of my favorite activities to do with her. Just the two of us being in nature and having everything that we need to survive on our backs is a fun experience. Coming to the camp site and setting up everything is always fun and we each have our role and things we are best at during the process. Not having any cell service and simply cooking, playing camp games and talking with her is always a great activity..

How did you two meet? (Give us as many details as you’d like!)

We met at a camp for UCLA Alumni and their families called Bruin Woods. Lauren was working at the Bear and Grill, which is like a snack shack,  and Garrett was a Kodiak counselor which meant he was paid to play kickball with 9 and 10 year olds. Garrett would strategically make his campers meet outside of the Bear and Grill so he could casually run in to “get a gatorade” but really he just wanted to say “sup” to Lauren. Garrett has always been super smooth (lol). After that summer ended,  Lauren was convinced Garrett would never talk to her now that he was an “adult” (that’s what happens when you graduate college right?), but Garrett had other plans. After “hanging out” for the first couple of months after Lauren went back to UCLA Garrett was tired of being introduced as her friend and officially asked her out. Fast forward a casual decade and that’s where we are today, newlyweds running a local South Bay Bakery.

How did he/she propose?

Garrett: It was early in the pandemic days, April 2020, and I had the ring and was ready to propose. I wanted to get out of the house + Lauren and I love hiking so I thought a beautiful hike would be a great way to pop the question. The state was talking about closing hiking trails so I knew I had to do it before that happened. I knew of a cool trail in the Angeles Forest that overlooked Los Angeles. We were driving up the Angeles Crest Highway and not only was it packed with people, but the mountains were COVERED in snow.  When does it even snow in LA, let alone in April!?  Needless to say we were not dressed appropriately and the hike I had planned was at the top of the mountain and there was so much snow we couldn’t even get to the trailhead. So we had to pivot. I suggested pulling over and enjoying the snowy view. Luckily Lauren did not push back, other than the fact that she wanted to find a spot where no one was (we’re both pretty COVID cautious) which worked out perfectly for what I had planned. After some driving we found a spot, walked out to a beautiful overlook and I popped the question! Then we went back home and I had coordinated a special dinner from Bavel complete with a nice bottle of champagne to celebrate!

How does Kasia Jewelry fit into your story?

Lauren: I honestly feel that Kasia Jewelry has played such a big role in our engagement and into our general wedding  story. Garrett and I went and looked at rings together, which was SO MUCH FUN! I never thought I would want to do that (pick out a ring with my partner), but I can’t recommend it enough. Kasia Jewelry’s store is so cute, and the experience there was so welcoming, comfortable, and more special than any other store we went to. During our visit looking for an engagement ring the designer, Kasia, even came out and helped us find the perfect ring which really felt so special.  I was stuck between two rings and I remember her saying to put them on and look at myself in the full length mirror. I did that with both, and she and Garrret both said I lit up when I looked at myself with the Ariel ring - and they were right. It was perfect.

Kasia’s work is so nuanced, original, and unique but somehow still manages to be timeless and universal. Going into the appointment I thought I wanted a standard solitaire oval diamond with a thin gold band, but ended up with the most beautiful salt and pepper diamond, surrounded by small pear shaped diamonds. The ring is INSANE. It’s nothing I had ever seen before and like nothing I thought I wanted. But going into the store and trying on different rings really changed everything for me and I am so thankful both for the experience and my stunning ring.

I get so many compliments on the ring and still, 2 years later, catch myself just staring at it smiling. My engagement ring is so unique and different and is a beautiful symbol of our relationship. 

Don’t even get me started on the wedding bands, both of ours are equally stunning and were the perfect way to commemorate our commitment to each other.

 

 

Photos by Katie Edwards.

 

← Older Post Newer Post →