by Victoria Hinde
This Valentine’s Day, we are sharing the story of Candy and Francis Lanois (MAcc '12), two graduates of the Master of Accounting program who may not agree on the story of their first date but agree that they saw something special in one another from the start. After fatefully meeting in their fourth year of studies, their love was sparked with romantic star gazing dates in St. Jacobs, and many bubble tea and ice cream outings. Now happily married, their advice is to never stop dating.
What programs at the School of Accounting and Finance did you graduate from and when?
Candy: We both graduated from the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program in 2011 and the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program in 2012. Back then, I was in the public accounting stream while Francis was in the financial management stream.
Where did you two meet?
Francis: At the SAF student lounge in our fourth year. It was WATcase week, a case competition for SAF students, and Candy walked into my group study room to say hello. Having been off stream from each other, we didn’t get a chance to meet until that last undergrad term. It turned out that we were in the same classes for three of the four mandatory classes that semester, and the rest is history!
What did you do on your first date?
[Editor’s note: Their answers had some discrepancies.]
Candy: Francis invited me to watch one of his basketball games. I’m anything but athletic so it took a lot of courage to attend a sporting event. When I showed up, it turns out that half the class was also invited. It was not the first date I had in mind. Thankfully, we ended up going out for ice cream afterwards, just the two of us.
Francis: To be brutally honest, neither of us can remember our first date…it was either a bubble tea outing or an ice cream outing. Regardless of which one it was, these describe a lot of what we like to do together – eat food and desserts!
Fun fact: We got married in 2014 in Toronto and had to have an ice cream truck to commemorate our first date.
When did you know that this person was someone special?
Candy: Cheesy but true—I knew from day one that Francis was special. I just had to somehow convince him that we were meant to be. I remember on one of our ice cream dates, he shamelessly asked the cashier for extra loyalty stamps on his ice cream card because he claimed there was a ‘Friday special’. To my surprise, he actually got it. His charm and confidence continues to impress me.
Francis: I knew Candy was special from the get-go. She is someone that is intentional, passionate, and driven. She knows what she wants and will work hard to go and achieve it, whether in professional or personal endeavors. We are very different, yet share many similarities, such as our values, work ethic, and faith. She is one of a kind and I am lucky to be on this journey of life alongside her.
What is your fondest memory of your time together at UWaterloo?
Francis: Driving out to the middle of nowhere to go stargazing. There is minimal light pollution in St Jacobs which really allows the stars to shine through. We still visit St Jacobs every now and then and always get their apple fritters.
Do you have any marriage advice you’d like to share?
Candy: Learn to adapt and grow through different seasons. The person you married will not be the exact same person 10 years later, and you won’t be the same either. Be curious and continue to pursue one another in love. Don’t forget to do the small things, because those small things, add up to big things.
Francis: Two things:
1) Love each other intentionally and practically; be patient and kind with one another; give each other the benefit of the doubt; be quick to listen and quicker to forgive.
2) Continue to date and pursue each other even in marriage.