Lauren Gayle Frese of Sheffield and Alex William Schmidt of Manlius are announcing their engagement and approaching marriage. She is the daughter of Tim and Adrienne Ries of Sheffield, and Dan and Lorie Frese of Mendon. He is the son of Scott and Patricia Schmidt of Byron.

The bride-elect graduated from Bureau Valley High School in 2008 and received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Northern Illinois University. She is finishing her secondary teacher certificate and student teaching at Dixon High School.

Her fiancé graduated from Bureau Valley High School in 2007. He served in Army National Guard from August 2006 to August 2012, and was deployed in Afghanistan from September 2008 to September 2009. He graduated paramedic school from Waubonsee Community College in December 2012. He is pursuing an ADN at Sauk Valley Community College.