BRUNSWICK, Ohio — It’s a love story for the ages: boy, girl and the Cleveland Browns.
As a Northeast Ohio couple prepares to tie the knot on one of the biggest days of their lives, their beloved football team is preparing for its biggest game of the season yet. The Browns’ first playoff game could potentially coincide with their wedding day.
“Josey’s actually one of my best friends’ step-sister. She was home visiting from Chicago,” said Ian Anderson, recounting their first meeting.
Josey Carrino added with a laugh, “I kind of was dominating at cards. And I think how good I was impressed Ian a little bit.”
The young couple became fast friends. Ian invited Josey to a Halloween party. Josey convinced Ian to jump on a flight back to Chicago with her. After several years of dating, Ian asked Josey to make it official.
“I never thought I’d be that surprised. But I did not see it coming, which was super cool,” Josey said of the proposal.
Ian met her at the end of her work trip in Chicago and proposed on Jan. 13, 2023. The date will soon be immortalized when the couple exchanges vows in Cleveland one week from Saturday.
“I knew [wedding planning] was going to be a lot. If I didn’t have a job, it would be fun, so fun. But I do have a job,” Josey said of the year-long wedding preparations.
For the past year, the couple has been meticulously planning every detail, from the bouquets handmade by the groom’s sister to a “Busch station” near the reception bar stocked exclusively with their favorite beer.
For all their planning, they did not anticipate their favorite team could be playing on the second weekend in January. But reality sank in when they watched the Browns defeat the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns stadium and clinch a playoff berth.
“Oh this is really happening. We have to figure out what to do if there’s a game on our wedding day,” Ian recalled.
Both Josey and Ian were born into the Browns fandom. Childhood pictures show them sporting team merchandise. Their current Brunswick home features an entire garage converted into a Browns-themed bar.
“It’s definitely one of the things we both love doing, care so much about spending Sundays together, watching the Browns game,” Ian said.
The playoff schedule won’t be officially decided until after the regular season ends on Sunday. The Browns could play in the Wild Card round on Jan. 13, 14 or 15.
As a contingency, their venue has agreed to bring in big-screen TVs for a Saturday game. But the couple worries about the possibility of a big game and their big day competing for attention.
“Our ducks are in a row if it has to be on our wedding day, but both of us would just love to be fully soaking in that wedding day, not having both of our families surrounding the TVs while me and her have our first dance,” Ian laughed.
Josey joked, “We’d have to cut the music to our first dance and just put the audio of the game on in the background.”
“They would be peeling us away from the TVs too, who are we kidding?” Ian said.
After a joking suggestion from Ian, the bride-to-be sent messages to News 5, the Cleveland Browns and multiple people within the NFL organization, pleading for the powers at be to schedule a Sunday game.
“I will be praying to the Flacco gods above: Please, please, please have the Browns playoff game on 1-14, not 1-13,” Josey read from the brown and orange font email that included pictures of both bride and groom through the years supporting their favorite team.
News 5 also reached out to the NFL, and on Friday, Josey and Ian received a phone call from the chief NFL spokesperson.
He chatted about the Browns’ success and congratulated the couple on their upcoming nuptials.
“He was like, ‘Oh yeah, I know all about you guys. And obviously, I can’t guarantee anything,'” Josie said.
Ian finished her thought, “But he’s going to try to put in a good word for us.”
“Yes, so fingers crossed,” Josey said.
For better or for worse, the rollercoaster of Cleveland Browns fandom has prepared the couple for the ups and downs of marriage.
“I’m just looking forward to spending the future with Josey,” Ian said.
Josey added, “You don’t want to bombard one day with too much awesomeness. You want to spread out the greatness throughout the weekend.”
In addition to the NFL’s response, the couple also received an email from the Browns organization. The representative asked for their favorite players and addresses so they could send over something for their big day.
