1979-2005

On July 26th, 1979 (a day that would turn into an annual week of celebration for many) a baby boy with a perfectly shaped head was born to Dan and Pam Donaldson at old Abbott Hospital. Their first and they named him Bryan Paul, but they would forever know him as Budzy.

A little more than twelve months later, on August 6th, 1980, a yet to be named baby was a surprise edition to the family of Bob and Mary Lou Keran. She was later named Kristen Mary, but would forever be known to her brother Tim as Krank.

Bryan grew up in Minneapolis before his twelfth birthday when his parents moved him to Bloomington, where he met many good friends whom he still has today. He was involved in band and baseball, and, along with his brother, was the pride of his parents. Bryan attended the University of Minnesota and while there landed an internship at the Minnesota Twins baseball club where he remains employed today working in community relations.

Kristen grew up in Roseville before her twelfth birthday when her parents moved her to Lake Elmo. She attended Hill Murray High School and met many good friends whom she still has today. She was involved in theater and music, and, along with her siblings, nieces and nephews, was the pride of her parents. Kristen attended Gustavus Adolphus College, and after graduation moved to Nashville, TN to pursue a career in the music industry. In 2005, she returned to Minnesota and was hired by the Carl and Eloise Pohlad Foundation.

2005

Bryan's side of the story:

I met Kristen in May when we worked together on a joint community program between the Twins and the Pohlad Foundation. I didn't know much about her at the time, but I thought she seemed nice enough. However, like most major league baseball employees, I didn't have time during the season to think about romance.

She invited me to lunch a few weeks after we had met, using the ruse that she "wanted to know more about my work". My friend Matt Noll warned me that this may be a date, but I was a naive boy. The lunch went well, and we talked about more personal things then work. As we parted she begged me to "show her around Downtown Minneapolis" someday as she was an east-sider, and unaware of the big, glamorous city to the west. When I returned to work, I told my friend Matt that I feared he may have been right.

Kristen and I carried on email correspondence for about a month and I found myself eagerly anticipating her next email. However, the rigors of my job prevented me from carrying the relationship farther at that point.

In July, I invited her out to celebrate the purchase of her first home. We had a really nice time, but I had to go to a previous commitment for my friend Nick's birthday party. While I wish she could have joined me, I feared my boisterous friends would have surely driven her away before she really got to know me. However, she would soon meet my friends as she and her friend Mary partook in their first Bryan Donaldson Birthday Week event at Canterbury Park.

After much more email conversation, I invited her on our first real date to see "Batman Begins" the movie. Soon after, we joined my friends Dave and Aimee for our first Minnesota State Fair visit together. That evening, after enjoying more proto pups and cheese curds than we could handle, we relaxed at Kristen's condo. She played me a new song her friend Corrine had written and then, after a month or two of being a chivalrous gentleman, I kissed her.

The time has flown by ever since that night, and I cannot remember what it was like before I wasn't madly in love with Kristen Keran.

Kristen's side of the story:

Here's what really happened: I gave Bryan many, many chances to ask me out from the time we met in May to that August when we went to the State Fair. I invited him to drinks after work, I hinted about movies I wanted to see, etc. etc. Frankly, I was just about to give up on him! Thankfully, he finally made his move!

When I first met Bryan I thought, "He's cute. Too bad he works for the Twins!" The Foundation and the Twins didn't have the best relationship, and I figured he probably wouldn't give me the time of day. I set about to change that by inviting him to lunch soon after we met. We went to the Newsroom on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis and had a great time! After that it was a long summer of hilarious emails and hanging out occasionally, and I slowly but surely fell head over heels in love.

Just for the record, when we went to see the movie Batman Begins, I emailed him and said I really wanted to see the movie. He responded, "If you wanted to go, I would go too." Romantic, right? No! In late July during the annual "Bryan Donaldson Birthday Week" Mary and I went to Canterbury Downs with Bryan and his friends. We had so much fun! Afterwards I said to Mary, "Do you think he likes me, because I'm just not sure." She responded, "Hmm...I don't know." Bryan certainly kept his feelings under wraps!

Despite Bryan's dating clumsiness, before the baseball season was done I knew I had found the love of my life! When Bryan survived meeting my large family, and enjoyed spending time with my nieces and nephews as much as I did, I knew we'd be together forever.

2007

One morning in March, Bryan interrupted Bob and Mary Lou's morning with their daughter Katie and granddaughters Bailey and Maya to ask their permission to ask Kristen to marry him. Shortly after, Bryan and Kristen flew to Mazatlan, Mexico, for what Kristen thought would be nothing more than a relaxing vacation on the beach.

After Bryan sweated a little getting the ring through customs in his pocket, they checked in to the Oceano Palace Hotel, a place both Bryan and Kristen had spent time at in their youth.

Bryan convinced Kristen to watch the sunset on the beach with him. Just as the sun set into the Pacific Ocean, Bryan snuck the ring on Kristen's finger and asked her to marry him. She said yes.

2008

Today, Bryan and Kristen are busy preparing for their two wedding celebrations. One for a small group of family and close friends in August at Stout's Island Lodge in Wisconsin and one for their extended family and friends at Bob and Mary Lou's home in Lake Elmo in September.

Kristen has started a new job at Achieve!Minneapolis, a nonprofit serving youth, and Bryan has been promoted to Director of Community Relations at the Twins. When they are not working or planning a wedding, Kristen volunteers for Minnesota Business Venture youth business camp and Bryan serves on the boards of nonprofits Salvation Army Harbor Light and Mobility for Independence.

They both look forward to celebrating their new life together.