Tiffany Brooks-Lawrence and her husband, Michael Lawrence, go together like a slice of cheese on a burger. Just make theirs a slider.
That’s the meal they shared on their first date as teenagers at a White Castle restaurant on the West Side nearly 25 years ago. Their love connection was immediate. Marriage and children followed a few years later.
But because they married young, Brooks-Lawrence said they weren’t in a position financially to have their dream wedding. The couple plan to renew their vows for their 20th wedding anniversary in April and finally have that grand event with friends and family.
The couple and dozens of their friends will celebrate on a Royal Caribbean cruise. They plan to renew their vows when the ship anchors in Haiti.
But first, to commemorate where it all began, they took a royal cruise back to White Castle.
The Brooks-Lawrence’s bridal party — which includes their four daughters — threw Brooks-Lawrence a bridal shower Saturday at the chain where it all started, transforming a White Castle in Berwyn into a white-linen banquet hall.
“It was a true testament of our love and our commitment to each other,” said Brooks-Lawrence, 43.
Red, white, blue and gold balloons decorated the walls of the restaurant at 7155 W. Ogden Ave. Strawberries covered in gold and other treats were carefully arranged on a table draped in an elegant red-sequinned tablecloth, matching Brooks-Lawrence’s dress, in honor of Valentine’s Day.
And navy blue chairs surrounded tables covered in white linen, tying the room together in the nautical theme of the party: “Anchored in love.”
Though the space might not have looked like a White Castle, the restaurant’s menu didn’t change because it’s Brooks-Lawrence’s favorite. She sees a bit of herself in those bite-size sliders.
“White Castle has a signature taste. Their burgers are not the same as everyone else’s, like the small portions and everything,” she said. “It pretty much describes my personality to just be unique, not trying to be or do things like others.”
Brooks-Lawrence said she’s loved the restaurant since she was a child. Thoughtfully, Lawrence, 44, arranged their first date at the White Castle at 3901 W. Madison St. because she had mentioned how much she loved the food.
“I’d rather go to a White Castle than I would a five-star restaurant,” she said.
If you doubt that, look to where they plan to spend Valentine’s Day. As they do every year, the couple will celebrate at White Castle, which turns participating locations into fine-dining establishments on Feb. 14, complete with tableside service and hostess seating.
Both grew up in the West Garfield Park area. Though they didn’t “officially” meet until they were in high school, the two were connected long before that — they just didn’t know it.
After being together for years, they realized that they went to the same grammar school, and were even in the same second-grade class for a while before Lawrence transferred to another school.
“I’m like, how didn’t I know him?” Brooks-Lawrence said.
They first locked eyes during choir rehearsal at a church on June 1, 1998, when she was 17 and Lawrence was 18.
“We kind of made eye contact, and then after rehearsal, I walked up to him and was like, ‘Hey, how you doing?’” Brooks-Lawrence said. The two exchanged numbers, and that night had a conversation that changed their lives.
“We literally stayed on the phone until the next morning,” Brooks-Lawrence said. “I knew right then and there just from talking to him there was something different about him, and he knew there was something different about me.”
They welcomed their first child in 2001 and now have a total of seven — four girls and three boys — ranging in ages from 3 to 22 years old.
The Lawrences live in west suburban Maywood. Brooks-Lawrence is an administrative assistant at Proviso District 209, and Lawrence works as a facilities manager at Chicago Collegiate Charter School in Roseland. Brooks-Lawrence is also the president of Legacy Land, a nonprofit organization for people with autism and other diverse learners. Their youngest child was diagnosed with autism, she said.
Brooks-Lawrence credits her and her husband’s faith, as well as their deep commitment to each other, for their long marriage.
“Even when things get difficult, things get hard, you can’t give up your vows. We said for better or for worse, and we take our vows serious,” Brooks-Lawrence said. “We’re still loving each other, so stick to the process and stick to love because love conquers all.”
And don’t forget to enjoy a few sliders along the way.
