Our Story

When Kyle Met Francesca

Francesca sat behind Kyle in their sophomore-year chemistry class. They knew of each other, and had mutual friends but had yet to have their “meet cute”. Kyle thought Francesca was pretty cute, and Francesca was impressed that Kyle was on the varsity football team as a sophomore. They’d talk a bit, Francesca would flirt, Kyle wouldn’t pick up on it. Francesca found out about Kyle’s upcoming birthday on September 13th, and she gifted him a pack of Big Red gum in honor of his football nickname, “Big Red”. Kyle still didn’t pick up on it.

Fast forward to junior year, and some awkward flirting later, Kyle realized he was ready to make his move. He was ready to ask Francesca to prom but realized he had to act sooner rather than later for fear someone else might ask Francesca first. So, to play it safe, he asked her in March. He did so with a box of chocolates and a note which simply read, “Prom?”. Francesca thought it was the most thoughtful gesture. It was the first “yes!” she told Kyle. They went to prom together: Kyle in a tuxedo and Francesca in a white dress.

Things fizzled over the summer, and Kyle and Francesca hadn’t spoken much. That is until Francesca, then the Student Council President pleaded with Kyle to join the Student Council as the Treasurer because they desperately needed to fill the vacancy. And Francesca had a feeling Kyle wouldn’t say no. Kyle generously said yes, saving Francesca from having to budget herself (another foreshadowing).

At a lasagna dinner before the start of senior year, there was the inevitable spark between Francesca and Kyle, the slow burn finally becoming a lit match. In the next weeks, they texted more, chatting about Kyle’s senior football season and how Francesca joined the cheerleading team with her friends. Francesca said she heard Kyle was made captain of the football team, which was funny because she was made captain of the cheerleading team. This all meant seeing each other more at football games and Student Council meetings.

It was as corny and cliche as it sounds. To take it a step further, at the Homecoming Game on Friday, September 20th, 2013, Kyle and Francesca were crowned Homecoming King & Queen, and they got to celebrate and dance the night away at the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, September 21st, 2013.

After the Homecoming dance, it was sealed that Francesca and Kyle were a couple. They dated the rest of their senior year and all four years of college in Maryland. They bonded over growing up in family businesses, their love of Chautauqua Lake, and realizing their favorite moments were spent with each other. With every year together, they realized how much their lives had overlapped: growing up a three-minute drive from each other, joining the same golf camp as kids, and being raised on Brigiotta’s grated romano cheese.

There was a brief hiatus (four years for those trying to do the math), with Kyle focusing on getting into medical school and Francesca starting her life as a young professional. But don’t worry, they found their way back to each other…

In 2022, Francesca was invited to Kyle’s best friend's wedding in Arizona. Francesca lived in Pittsburgh then, and Kyle lived ninety minutes north in Erie, Pennsylvania. Francesca was on the 2:30pm flight from PIT to PHX, and Kyle was on the 8:00pm flight from PIT to PHX. Then, by some weird, perhaps divine intervention, they were both bumped to the 5:00pm flight out of Pittsburgh and traveled to Arizona together. This is the weekend Francesca and Kyle credit with bringing them back together. The flight was Southwest 544, engraved on Francesca’s engagement ring that Kyle proposed with on June 30th, 2023, at the corner of Madison Avenue and 25th Street in New York City.

Now 11 years from their senior year Homecoming weekend, high school sweethearts Francesca and Kyle will tie the knot back home at their favorite place on earth, Chautauqua Lake, surrounded by their nearest and dearest loved ones. ♡