MEMORABLE MOMENT: Lundeen, Swierk engagement

Lundeen, Swierk

Mallory Lundeen of Duluth and Justin Swierk of Plymouth, Minn., plan to be married July 27 in the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn.

Her parents are Russell and Cynthia Lundeen of Duluth. His parents are Walter and Pamela Swierk of Ply­mouth.

The future bride, a 2004 graduate of Proctor High School, graduated from the College of St. Benedict in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and communication, and also earned a master of education degree in special education from Arizona State University in 2010 and a master of education degree in school administration and supervision from the University of Phoenix in 2012. She is a fifth grade special education teacher for KIPP Stand Academy in Minneapolis.

The future groom, a 2004 graduate of Wayzata High School in Plymouth, graduated from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in art - graphic design and sculpture. He is employed by Aschenbrener Bronze LLC in Minneapolis as a director of business development.

The couple’s website is http://www.lundeen swierk.ourwedding.com/

A summit proposal

Justin and I have known each other for nine years, but it took us seven to fall in love. We bumped into one another while picking up pizzas for our siblings during our college’s homecoming in 2010. After that moment, the phone calls, Skype calls and handwritten letters were endless.

After eight months of our long-distance relationship, Justin relocated to Arizona where I was living at the time. In January 2012, we took a weekend vacation in Sedona. Our top priority was to climb the same mountain we hiked a year prior during Justin’s first visit to Arizona.

When we reached the summit, Justin was adamant that we find the same overlook that we enjoyed the previous year. When we sat to rest, he handed me a cupcake. I assumed it was for my birthday, which was two days later. I opened the little brown Sprinkles box to find red velvet with a decorative ring on top. I turned to look at him, and he was on his knee with a blue sapphire. The details after that become hazy, but fortunately, he secretly recorded the proposal!

Tags: milestones, engagements, celebrations