How Jason and Bethany Met

Jason and Bethany first met at Outback Steakhouse on 9579 Braddock Road—cue Australian accent—in 2016. However, Bethany recalls their first encounter differently. She remembers meeting a cute boy behind the counter at the local Starbucks during her break while grabbing her usual Caramel Macchiato for a quick pick-me-up. Jason had recognized the Outback uniform and asked if they were hiring, to which she replied, "Always!"

Two weeks later, to her surprise, she saw him at Outback ready for his first day. They quickly connected by spending time at the gym, going to restaurants, and becoming the best of friends. A year later, Jason asked Bethany to be his girlfriend—and from that moment on, their love story truly began!

The Proposal

Jason and Bethany visited Meadowlark Botanical Gardens for their annual Christmas date to stroll through the festive lights. Before starting their walk, Jason mentioned that a new attraction had been added and suggested they check it out first. Hand in hand, they made their way to the spot, where they found a charming wooden bench with a beautiful tree behind it.

"This is it!" Jason said. "There's a button hidden behind the bench—turn around and press it."

As Bethany pressed the button, slightly puzzled, the tree lit up with a shimmering white glow. She responded, "Wow this is pretty!" Jason then took a selfie of the two of them. As she stood up, ready to begin their Christmas walk, Jason stopped her.

"Wait," he said. Then, dropping to one knee with a beautiful speech, he proposed!