Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Jeff Klassen and Desiree Slane

Temecula surfer to wed punk-rock accountant

Desiree Slane and Jeff Klassen
Desiree Slane and Jeff Klassen
  • Met: April 2001
  • Engaged: July 10, 2003
  • Wedding: September 25, 2004

Desiree Slane and Jeff Klassen both grew up in Temecula. They went to the same high school: he was a surfer dude with long blond hair; she was a punk rocker. “I thought he was cute,” Miss Slane, 25, says at sunset on a grassy knoll near the end of Carlsbad Village Drive. “He didn’t know I was alive.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

After Mr. Klassen and Miss Slane graduated, he in 1996, she in 1997, they both headed off to San Diego State. “I saw him on campus,” Miss Slane says. “I still thought he was cute.”

One night, the pair ended up at the same college party. “It turned out we had a lot of mutual friends,” Mr. Klassen, 26, explains. “I didn’t even know there would be Temecula people there.” Mr. Klassen saw Miss Slane at the party but didn’t talk to her.

Later that evening, the two found themselves in the same place again. “We both went to Jack in the Box,” Miss Slane explains. “He said, ‘You look familiar.’ He ended up asking for my number. He was so excited to meet me, he forgot to order his food.”

Mr. Klassen, now a civil engineer with close-shaven hair, smiles. “All my friends had already ordered.”

He called Miss Slane five days later. They went on their first date at Chili’s off Mission Gorge Road near the SDSU campus. “I knew he liked me because he wanted to take me to the movies after dinner even though we hadn’t planned on that.” They saw Blow.

“When I dropped her off after the movie, she gave me a kiss,” Mr. Klassen remembers. “A real kiss. I thought, ‘She likes me.’”

A couple days later, Miss Slane and Mr. Klassen started hanging out together. They both knew the relationship was serious after a month. “He’s so sweet and accepting,” Miss Slane says and smiles at Mr. Klassen. “He’s loving and patient, and he has a good heart. We’re opposites. I’m louder and more high-strung. I really love his sense of humor.”

Mr. Klassen returns the compliment. “What set Desiree apart was that she was well-spoken and intelligent. I could really have a conversation with her. She wasn’t just pretty.”

The couple planned a trip to Hawaii with the graduation money Mr. Klassen received from his parents. “Before we left, I took her dad out to lunch and asked if I could marry his daughter.”

“He was thrilled,” Miss Slane confirms. “My dad loves him.”

“We went to Maui,” Mr. Klassen continues. “I didn’t know exactly where I was going to propose. For the first three days, I carried the ring in the box everywhere we went. I was worried she’d wonder why I always had a backpack with me. Finally, the third night we were there, we took a walk at sunset. There were a lot of people on the beach. I wanted to walk farther to get away from everyone. Desiree said, ‘Let’s just sit here. ”

“I was tired,” Miss Slane protests.

“I said, ‘No, let’s go a little farther.’ Then she says, ‘What, are you going to propose?’”

“I was totally joking. I had no idea.”

“I was caught off guard. I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ We walked about ten more steps. Then I dropped down on one knee and asked her. She didn’t cry.”

“I was in shock. I was shaking.”

Miss Slane said yes. Mr. Klassen gave her the ring — a princess-cut diamond set in white gold surrounded by channel-cut diamonds. The former punker girl, who is now an accountant for KPMG in downtown San Diego, will marry the former surfer dude this September. The wedding will be at Heart’s Home Farm in Hemet, not far from Temecula, where they started.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

East San Diego County has only one bike lane

So you can get out of town – from Santee to Tierrasanta
Next Article

Victorian Christmas Tours, Jingle Bell Cruises

Events December 22-December 25, 2024
Desiree Slane and Jeff Klassen
Desiree Slane and Jeff Klassen
  • Met: April 2001
  • Engaged: July 10, 2003
  • Wedding: September 25, 2004

Desiree Slane and Jeff Klassen both grew up in Temecula. They went to the same high school: he was a surfer dude with long blond hair; she was a punk rocker. “I thought he was cute,” Miss Slane, 25, says at sunset on a grassy knoll near the end of Carlsbad Village Drive. “He didn’t know I was alive.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

After Mr. Klassen and Miss Slane graduated, he in 1996, she in 1997, they both headed off to San Diego State. “I saw him on campus,” Miss Slane says. “I still thought he was cute.”

One night, the pair ended up at the same college party. “It turned out we had a lot of mutual friends,” Mr. Klassen, 26, explains. “I didn’t even know there would be Temecula people there.” Mr. Klassen saw Miss Slane at the party but didn’t talk to her.

Later that evening, the two found themselves in the same place again. “We both went to Jack in the Box,” Miss Slane explains. “He said, ‘You look familiar.’ He ended up asking for my number. He was so excited to meet me, he forgot to order his food.”

Mr. Klassen, now a civil engineer with close-shaven hair, smiles. “All my friends had already ordered.”

He called Miss Slane five days later. They went on their first date at Chili’s off Mission Gorge Road near the SDSU campus. “I knew he liked me because he wanted to take me to the movies after dinner even though we hadn’t planned on that.” They saw Blow.

“When I dropped her off after the movie, she gave me a kiss,” Mr. Klassen remembers. “A real kiss. I thought, ‘She likes me.’”

A couple days later, Miss Slane and Mr. Klassen started hanging out together. They both knew the relationship was serious after a month. “He’s so sweet and accepting,” Miss Slane says and smiles at Mr. Klassen. “He’s loving and patient, and he has a good heart. We’re opposites. I’m louder and more high-strung. I really love his sense of humor.”

Mr. Klassen returns the compliment. “What set Desiree apart was that she was well-spoken and intelligent. I could really have a conversation with her. She wasn’t just pretty.”

The couple planned a trip to Hawaii with the graduation money Mr. Klassen received from his parents. “Before we left, I took her dad out to lunch and asked if I could marry his daughter.”

“He was thrilled,” Miss Slane confirms. “My dad loves him.”

“We went to Maui,” Mr. Klassen continues. “I didn’t know exactly where I was going to propose. For the first three days, I carried the ring in the box everywhere we went. I was worried she’d wonder why I always had a backpack with me. Finally, the third night we were there, we took a walk at sunset. There were a lot of people on the beach. I wanted to walk farther to get away from everyone. Desiree said, ‘Let’s just sit here. ”

“I was tired,” Miss Slane protests.

“I said, ‘No, let’s go a little farther.’ Then she says, ‘What, are you going to propose?’”

“I was totally joking. I had no idea.”

“I was caught off guard. I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ We walked about ten more steps. Then I dropped down on one knee and asked her. She didn’t cry.”

“I was in shock. I was shaking.”

Miss Slane said yes. Mr. Klassen gave her the ring — a princess-cut diamond set in white gold surrounded by channel-cut diamonds. The former punker girl, who is now an accountant for KPMG in downtown San Diego, will marry the former surfer dude this September. The wedding will be at Heart’s Home Farm in Hemet, not far from Temecula, where they started.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Secrets of Resilience in May's Unforgettable Memoir

Next Article

Live Five: Rebecca Jade, Stoney B. Blues, Manzanita Blues, Blame Betty, Marujah

Holiday music, blues, rockabilly, and record releases in Carlsbad, San Carlos, Little Italy, downtown
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader