Lauren Class Schneider, daughter of Charlotte and the late Irvin Schneider of St. Louis, and Lawrence J. Moss, son of the late Henry and Barbara Moss of Chicago, have announced their engagement. 

Lauren and Larry met at the beginning of the new millennium, January 2000, at the bat mitzvah of Kayla Cornblath, daughter of Lauren’s Ladue classmate Glen Cornblath and Marci Koblenz. The bat mitzvah was at Camp Chi. A former Herzl camp counselor, Lauren was instantly attracted to Larry, a former OSRUI camp counselor, as the song leader after Shabbat dinner. The Torah portion was Parshat Bo, which ever since has maintained significance.

Living in Manhattan, with a brother in Chicago, Lauren planned to spend some time there. After meeting Larry, who lives in Chicago, her plans changed. Their first date, was the Monday after the bat mitzvah. It was lunchtime and a cold, snowy day. Lauren suggested a restaurant near Larry’s office. 

Their unconventional romance began when Larry suggested swimming at his health club. Lauren lamented that she had left her swimsuit at her brother’s. Larry’s solution was to buy her gym shorts and a jog bra for their swimming first date. Lauren didn’t know that Larry had been a scholar athlete at Columbia University — but had read his bio at the law firm where he was a partner. 

She thought she was on a date with a nerdy Jewish lawyer and while in the pool, felt safe to say, “Wanna race?” He said yes. They raced. She lost. Fast forward to Larry being the coach of a U.S. Masters Swim team in Chicago, and Lauren being the gal bringing in the most blue ribbons for the team.

Last year Lauren and Larry celebrated a significant birthday at Sandals, South Coast Jamaica, and returned there to celebrate her birthday this year. On July 1, during a lovely sunset, they strolled to a private jetty, with an Adirondack loveseat to cuddle in, listened to the sea, watched the stars appear and felt the warm ocean breeze. With cufflinks that belonged to Lauren’s dad, commemorating her parents’ wedding anniversary, they formalized their marriage chats and she proposed to Larry. He said “yes.”

On the same Adirondack loveseat, at around the same time, on July 4, with a meaningful engagement ring, Larry proposed to Lauren. Sparkling fireworks, indeed. She said “yes.” The location is now known as “Engagement Pointe.” 

The ring has sweet symbolism. Their favorite cake at Junior’s has a chocolate rose that she always eats off of Larry’s cake. The ring has a chocolate diamond, set in rose gold, AKA “Chocolate Rose.”

Celebrating 20 years since they met, Lauren and Larry will marry in a private ceremony in January, during the week of Parshat Bo, at “Engagement Pointe.”