By: Sarah Vahlkamp

The words of the famous Nicholas Sparks, “Every great love starts with a great story,” could not more perfectly describe the circumstances which led to the union of Bryan Gibbons ’14 and Rachel Deters ’15.

In the fall semester of 2011, Rachel was introduced to Bryan through a mutual friend. Unaware that they had just met their soulmate, Rachel and Bryan talked only when passing each other on campus or at house parties. It wasn’t until the next year that they began seeing each other more when Sam, the mutual friend, brought them together and invited Rachel to visit Bryan in Chicago with her over summer break.

“This is when Bryan and I became inseparable,” said Rachel.

Later that summer, Rachel decided to take a trip to Chicago alone to visit Bryan. While there, they visited the Navy Pier, and it was on top of the Ferris Wheel that their relationship officially began when Bryan asked her to be his girlfriend.  The two returned to Quincy and continued their relationship. Bryan graduated from Quincy University in 2014 and accepted a job in Quincy so he could stay close to Rachel.

Two years later in October 2014, Rachel’s family scheduled family pictures at their farm and invited Bryan to join. Little did Rachel know, Bryan was planning to propose and her entire family was in on the plan. He got down on one knee, and the photographer was able to capture the whole event. Rachel said yes, and the bride-to-be instantly began planning her wedding.

“I planned the wedding in five short months due to (my) graduation in the spring of 2015. I wanted to have his last name on my diploma and my RN license,” said Rachel.

Bryan and Rachel Gibbons were married in the Quincy University Chapel on March 7th, 2014. They currently still live in Quincy and will celebrate their first wedding anniversary next month.

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