Love is in Bloom

We are pleased to share with you the romance of Jenna and Aaron, friends from high school whose lives took them on separate journeys, yet they found their way to the Young Friends Sunset Soiree at the Museum last summer, where their fates were sealed. Read this excerpt from an e-mail Jenna sent us describing how their great friendship blossomed into upcoming nuptials this August.

When high school ended, Aaron and I went off to our respective colleges; he was at Harvard while I was at Penn. We stayed in touch because Aaron's close friend at college was one of my close friends from summer camp. After college, Aaron moved to New York, and I moved to Israel for one year, and then went to Harvard Law School. During law school, I became very friendly with a bunch of Aaron's college friends, which gave us more reason to stay in touch.

After law school, I moved to New York, and that's when Aaron and I really reconnected. Aaron had just started his company, Tutorspree, and I was starting my job at the Education Law Center, so we had many conversations about students, parents, learning, and education reform. During the first few months of my time in New York, we met for hot chocolate on a crisp fall day. At the time, we were both dating other people. My sister met us afterwards, and mentioned to me later, totally unsolicited, that I should marry Aaron. At the time, I just laughed.

Over the next few months, Aaron and his company moved to California. We were in touch constantly, but still, it was strictly a friendship. When Aaron came home from California, we both attended the wedding of our good friends. Aaron says that he decided at the wedding that we should be together, but he didn't tell me then.

In the summer of 2011, on Aaron's birthday, we both attended an event at the Museum of Jewish Heritage for young professionals. We spent most of the evening together. After the event, a few of us went out for birthday drinks. By that point, I realized how comfortable and happy I always felt with Aaron, and suddenly felt this spark. During the cab ride home, Aaron mustered up the courage to tell me how he felt, and asked if we could go on a proper date. We did, just a few days later, and have been together ever since. We are very excited to be planning our wedding for this August!

Photo: Jenna Statfeld and Aaron Harris at their engagement party held at the Museum earlier this summer.