Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

Rehearsal

Jess’s Parents Home

Rehearsal Dinner

Ceremony (Online)

Ceremony

The Barn At Raccoon Creek

Reception

Our Wedding

Our story began one fateful 2023 summer day on a dating app, as they all do these days. I had been swiping away for weeks, months, years? And dating incredibly unsuccessfully. Derek had logged right on and got lucky, coming across me. We hit it off right away, our humor and personalities aligning immediately. We bonded right away over our mutual love of an obscure Netflix show and love of country music. We found very quickly that our morals and life plans aligned incredibly well. In early July, we made the switch to talking on Facebook Messenger, since I was hesitant to give my number out after all the unsuccessful dating experiences. We talked through all the concerts and adventures we wanted to go on together, how Derek was an “old man”, I convinced Derek to become an F1 fan, and just continued to get to know one another. I expressed some hesitancies toward dating with kids involved, to which we were able to have honest and vulnerable conversation, but our connection far outweighed the fears and we both expressed that we hadn’t had a connection like this before. Soon, we were planning our first date. We planned our first date to Little Man’s Dang ice cream location, at my recommendation, because of my love of fries and ice cream. I met Derek at his apartment where I saw an old man waiting out front and convinced myself that I was being catfished. When Derek showed up, I was greatly relieved, ensuring Derek that he was a lot more my type than the old man. We immediately were laughing and the connection was so easy, with me eagerly waiting for Derek to hold my hand all night. We ended the night on Derek’s apartment rooftop, talking late into the night (3 AM was it?) before I headed home. We continued dating for a few weeks, wanting to confirm that we were very serious about each other and wanted a future together, with all that that included, before choosing to officially start dating. On August 4th, 2023, Derek officially asked me to be his girlfriend outside of Woody’s Pizza in Golden (while Taylor Swift’s “Long Live” was playing, of course). As many of you may know, our time in relationship could be described as nothing short of a rollercoaster, with constant custody battles, time of us being withheld from Derek’s kids, late nights of research/court investigations, court dates, legal fees like you wouldn’t believe, and just dealing with people who cared more about hurting Derek than what might be the best thing for the kids. Despite all the rollercoaster that was the past 2ish years, our relationship stayed strong throughout. In the darkness, we would lean on each other and our faith. We would sporadically plan a weekend trip to get away from the stress, and we found that in the hard times, we had each other. We went to Derek’s first concert, Ian Munsick, at the Colorado State Fair (where he became his biggest fan), went to the Sand Dunes, went out on so many date nights to Happy Camper or other cool spots we found, celebrated my birthday (for the first time in forever?), roadtripped to the mountains, made the most of the holiday seasons with all the Denver activities, rode the railway up Pikes Peak, went to a Broncos game, went to the National Western Stockshow (one too many times), went to the Paint Mines, celebrated Derek’s birthday in Steamboat Springs at the hot springs, saw Ian Munsick at Red Rocks (where Derek made us matching shirts), saw Morgan Wallen at Empower Field, rode the Georgetown Loop railroad, celebrated our first anniversary in Nashville, saw Cody Johnson in concert, adventured Vail, celebrated Jess’s birthday (for the second time in forever?), adventured back to Omaha and my favorite spot Vala’s, enjoyed another Denver holiday season with so many activities, adventured to Fort Collins, more National Western Stockshow adventures, went to a Nuggets game, more mountain adventures, celebrated Derek’s birthday in Black Hawk, saw Post Malone at Empower Field, adventured to Salt Lake, saw all the Cheyenne Frontier Days concerts (including Ian Munsick in his home state of Wyoming), saw Bailey Zimmerman at Red Rocks, and celebrated our second anniversary with dinner and a walk at Wash Park (where I thought maybe Derek would propose). On August 9th, Derek planned a trip up to the mountains to Sapphire Point Overlook. I had a sneaking suspicion that this might be the proposal, since I’m the planner and Derek made a plan and asked that I drop all other plans. I made sure to look my finest and that my nails were done just in case. We drove up to Sapphire Point Overlook, where we stopped at the main overlook point, where there were far too many people. We walked along the trail to a more secluded overlook spot. I could tell Derek was planning something, because he was deep in his phone and had us walking back and forth between the spots. I suggested we go back to the secluded overlook and sit there for a bit. That was where Derek popped the question, and I of course said yes, since I’d only been waiting for forever. When we turned around, my sister Grace was standing there taking photos of us, who Derek had flown in from North Carolina for the occasion. My mother also appeared out of nowhere (who I’d sworn I’d seen on the trail earlier, but had convinced myself it was not her) and they both took photos and celebrated with us. Grace told me about an engagement dinner Derek had planned for us later that night at Olive Garden, since we both loved pasta. Upon arrival at Olive Garden, Derek surprised me with an engagement party with all of our closest family and friends. We are now looking forward to our future together!

IF YOU ASK JESS…

Our story began one day in mid-2023 when I just decided, what the heck, let me try this dating app. I didn’t have any high hopes at all and was actually really close to not even signing up. I don’t even know how long I was on the app. A couple days? Just swiping away. I dont know if I messaged Jess first or just liked a picture and said, Hey, what the heck, let’s see if she messages back. I honestly thought Jess would be a catfish and I just went along with the messaging. Our messages were novels and were actually pretty interesting and a conversation that was worth putting effort into, which is why I didn’t delete the app right away. The conversation with Jess wasn’t a boring conversation like the typical “get to know each other” conversations, so we exchanged Facebooks and continued talking. We didn’t rush to try to hang out, and we continued our novels. We later started planning to hang out. Jess was trying to convince me to go get ice cream and fries with her, but she didn’t know yet that I didn’t like sweets. Jayden encouraged me to go on the date because I just didn’t want to and felt over dating as a whole. When Jess showed up and I confirmed that she wasn’t the 47 year old man smoking on the rock outside my apartment, I felt like I’d made a good decision in going on the date. She was far more attractive than her pictures and definitely not a catfish. I was honestly quite surprised she wanted to even ask me on a date and didn’t drive off when she saw me. I think the creepy old man on the rock gave me my fighting chance. Right away, I noticed that she was very funny. The whole car ride was a constant conversation and endless laughs. I secretly signed up for the two things that I do not care for, which was fries and ice cream. The whole fries with ice cream thing was extremely weird to me, but I had to shove it down so l could possibly have a second date. What was supposed to be a simple ice cream date night ended up back at my place and continuing our conversation on the roof deck until 4 AM on a work day. Our conversations carried on for weeks until we felt it was appropriate to exchange phone numbers. Time was flying by and still enjoying every minute we had together. It was such a huge shock to me that Jess hadn’t run away yet with my busy schedule and two kids, especially a 1 year old at the time. I knew things were starting to look up and I was sure I wanted a relationship with this person but didnt know when. Jess kept pestering me about when I wanted to make things official and asked what I was waiting for. I had it in my mind that she was too perfect and could possibly still be a catfish or walk out at any minute.On August 4th 2023, I had it in my mind that I had thought about my decision and wanted to take things to the next step. I asked Jess to be my girlfriend finally in front of Woody’s pizza in her car. She says Taylor Swift was playing, but I wish she wasn’t so it didn’t seem like Taylor Swift inspired me. Our relationship for the next several months were very adventurous, with traveling and, at times, rough co-parenting issues. Jess kept things so relaxing and remained so positive in my life. Jess also gave me the strength to stand up for myself. Riddled with court appearances and court bills throughout all of our relationship, Jess continued to remain by my side with the kids and fight for them too. Each day was a struggling battle, but I couldn’t have got to where I am today if it wasn’t for her. Stepping into such a huge role with someone who already has kids is frightening and hard when you want that lifestyle of your own. Jess was never forceful and to this day has boundaries she has set so she wouldn’t be overstepping. She has been incredible to the kids and always going above and beyond. Throughout this journey I have done things I could only dream of, like taking out of state trips or attending my first concert, to now being an expert at concerts and even purchasing concert tickets for the both of us. We have traveled with the kids out of state and just got to see the look on their faces with joy. I now have my own personal banker and have better control with spending, let alone fixing my savings. Now I am a legit adult y’all! I couldn’t imagine life without Jess and everything just feels at home. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, and my journey closer to God throughout this time has been incredible. Everything that I have been through in my past has been washed away and now I feel this is the journey I belong on. It was easy choosing what I wanted next in life and I did not need any longer to verify if this was the person I wanted to be with for the rest of my life.In July 2025, I had been asking Jess’s closest friends and family for advice regarding ring decisions and proposal ideas. I am super glad I asked because it quickly showed that I had no idea what I was doing and had no idea what Jess even liked. I started to feel like I didn’t even ask her any of these questions in the getting to know each other process. The original ring i had picked was hideous, let me tell you. Planning was going decently and then I decided to reach out to Jess’s sister, Grace, for some ideas on proposals. I am glad Grace is so creative and got my mind going a little bit because if it wasn’t for her, the proposal probably would have been just as terrible as my original idea of ring choice. Grace mentioning the idea of Sapphire Point for a proposal brought back so many memories and felt so meaningful to Jess and I that that was the obvious choice for a proposal destination. Ideas flew in and the plan came together quickly. My soon to be sister-spy-in-law flew in from North Carolina so that she could hide in the bushes and trees to capture our greatest moment. The patience it took for Grace and Jess’s mother, Cindy, to wait in the mountains for over an hour until we showed up for the proposal was so amazing, until I could quit being a wimp to propose. Jess is extremely nosey and has a great sense when something is happening, so she was alert and looking around when all of this was happening. She may have known of a possible proposal, but she did not know her sister had flown in from North Carolina, or that her mom was hobbling around trying to blend in with the crowds and feed chipmunks. The surprises didnt stop there and continued following up, with a small engagement dinner planned for “just me and Jess”. As we waited a few hours until reservation time, Jess did not know what she was walking into. We arrived to an Olive Garden near Highlands Ranch, on the opposite side of town, which wasn’t suspicious at all. As we walked into the building, the front desk worker let us know that our party was in the back room (Thanks Olive Garden guy). Thankfully, Jess didn’t completely hear him. We proceeded to the back room and Jess panicked, saying they must have thought we were attending someone else’s party and that we were going the wrong way. I ignored Jess’s comment and pulled her with me until she saw our friends and immediate families who had shown up for a surprise engagement party. The look on Jess’s face was priceless and made me feel accomplished, knowing that she didn’t know everything going on. This was one of the best days I’ve ever had and I am truly grateful for our journey and for our two families to become one. I am the luckiest man.

IF YOU ASK DEREK…

Our Story

Jess has known Grace for Grace’s whole life… since Jess is her older sister. While their relationship through childhood was one of a little sister annoying her big sister, their friendship grew as Grace got into high school and Jess was a new college grad. From country concerts, their mutual love of puns, a shared sense of humor, and so many adventures/trips, Grace has become one of Jess’s closest friends.

Grace Zielinski

Jess and Moriah met freshman year of high school, when both of them knew no one. They quickly bonded over their love of math and goofy sense of humor. Jess soon became the lost third daughter of Moriah’s family. From engineering schools, to Jonas Brothers concerts, to Austin trips, their friendship has continued to evolve, and they now bond over their love of Chick-fil-a and Target.

Moriah Holland

Jess and Christie met when they were 5 or 6 in the back of their brother’s boy scouts meeting. They became quick friends when they learned that, despite living far from everything out in the country, they only lived 7 minutes from each other. Their friendship went from drawing dream homes and making beaded snakes, to sledding off of Christie’s backyard cliffs, to high school carpools, to Pittsburgh trips and roadtrips, to a shared love of Noah Kahan.

Christie McKernan

Jess met Trixie when she booked an appointment to get lash extensions. Jess and Trixie would talk for hours about all the life things, from dating to jobs to family. They decided one day to get together outside of the appointments and their friendship grew! From trying out new Denver spots from their Instagram finds to sitting on the couch for hours talking about all the life, Trixie and Jess have gone from client to friend. 

Trixie Jordan

Jess and Ary met in Jess’s first Catholic Sports team playing frisbee. While Jess was incredibly non-athletic at frisbee (and even left a game with a black eye), Ary and Jess quickly connected over their mutual love of all things country and their eagerness to meet other young Catholics looking for friends. After hanging out with the team in several settings and later attending the Greeley Stampede and a country concert, their friendship was solidified and they’ve been close ever since!

Ary Velasco Valdivieso

Despite having very similar life paths through college, Jess and Krista didn’t meet until a mutual connection recommended they get together when Krista had moved back to Colorado. Jess and Krista were right away able to talk for hours about all the life things, from their similar career paths, shared Catholic religion, talkative natures, and Type A personalities. Jess and Krista became fast friends and were often shutting down restaurants from staying too late talking!

Krista Lemming

Derek and Andrew met in middle school, where Andrew would pay Derek to drink random things out of milk cartons (how all good friendships begin). They started hanging out at each other’s houses every weekend, playing video games and watching sports. They were pretty inseparable through high school and became money savvy, buying cheap Nuggets tickets and reselling them for profit. Their friendship continued into life, where their love of sports has only grown.

Andrew Trigg

Derek and Jayden met when Jayden came out of the womb, when Jayden became Derek’s permanent roommate. For some odd reason, Jayden looks exactly like Derek. They both have a love of all things scary, from haunted houses to scary movies to Ghost Adventures. The two are attached at the hip, and Jayden is Derek’s twin, sharing all the same likes and personality traits, aside from Jayden’s love of volleyball.

Jayden Cardona

Derek and Mathew met through family… since they are cousins. Derek and Mathew quickly bonded since they were always at family functions and similar in age. Their similar laid back personalities has helped them maintain a close friendship all their life, and Mathew has always felt more like a brother than a cousin to Derek. They always enjoy each other’s company, no matter what they’re doing, and they laugh a lot together.

Mathew Madrigal

Derek and Jaime met through Derek’s sister Christina, since Jaime is married to Christina. Even though Jaime has terrible taste in sports teams (as a die hard LA sports fan), Derek has always enjoyed watching sports with Jaime, from fight nights, to rooting on Derek’s favorite Denver sports teams. Jaime is always the comic relief and makes Derek laugh. Derek and Jaime have both bonded over their love of family. Their friendship has only grown over the years!

Jaime Perez

Derek and Dante met at their work since they are both security guards. They bonded quickly as they shared many of the same interests, including all the Denver sports teams. Dante has made coming to work feel like less of a job, since Derek feels like they can just be themselves at work in each other’s company. Their friendship has felt like they’ve been friends for years, and their hang outs outside of work has helped to get Derek back into sports. 

Dante Williams

Derek and Noah met at their work since they are both security guards. They bonded quickly as they shared many of the same interests, including all the Denver sports teams. Noah has made coming to work feel like less of a job, since Derek feels like they can just be themselves at work in each other’s company. Their friendship has felt like they’ve been friends for years, and their hang outs outside of work has helped to get Derek back into sports. 

Yapheth Noah

Wedding Party

Photos

TRANSPORTATION

We recommend you drive or use ride-share to get to and from the venues. The venues are located about 20 minutes apart, with no easy access to other forms of public transportation. Please let us know if this may be an issue for you and we can assist with coordinating a carpool option!

ACCOMMODATIONS

We have not reserved any hotel blocks, as many of our guests are local or intend to stay with local family. We’ve done a little research for hotel options in close proximity to the venues and we invite you to look into these locations!

This hotel is under 15 minutes from both venue locations

WoodSpring Suites Littleton-South Denver

Courtyard by Marriott Denver Southwest/Littleton

This hotel is under 20 minutes from both venue locations

Residence Inn by Marriott Denver/Southwest Littleton

Courtyard by Marriott Denver Southwest/Lakewood

Residence Inn by Marriott Denver Southwest/Lakewood

Travel

Welcome to the Mile High city! There’s so much to do here - we invite you to go adventure around town to some of our favorite places during your stay!

PLACES TO EAT

Jess’s favorite brunch spot in Denver! Jess’s favorite is the OMG French toast with a side of hashbrowns. Jump on the waitlist before you go to avoid a long wait. And cross your fingers for one of those special center tables that make you feel like a celebrity.

Snooze an A.M. Eatery

One of Jess’s favorite spots for cronuts (croissant donuts). Jess’s favorite is the Blueberry Hill, but you really can’t go wrong with any of these cronuts! Parking can be validated inside if you want to stick around for a bit, otherwise you can grab your box of delicious cronuts and be on your way!

Parlor Doughnuts

Derek’s all-time favorite wings place, hands down. Derek’s favorite is the original hot wings. Call ahead to place an order or plan to grab a bite and enjoy the views in Morrison! And don’t forget to grab ALL the napkins.

Willy's Wings

Jess’s favorite late night spot for seasonal drinks, cheesy breadsticks + marinara (yum), and all the vibes. If you’re planning to check out this spot on the weekend, make sure to place a reservation in advance! This spot is also in Jess’s favorite area in Denver, LoHi! Don’t let the lack of parking turn you away… there’s so much to see and do in this area, so grab a parallel parking spot and prepare to see the best that Denver has to offer.

Happy Camper

Our first date was at a Little Man location, so we have to include one in the recommendations! Little Man is a staple in Denver and a must visit location for all the ice cream cravings/touristy adventures. Just don’t get the salted oreo… Jess makes that mistake every time.

Little Man Ice Cream

PLACES TO HIKE/WALK

South Table Mountain is where Jess first met Jayden, and it is a hike near and dear to Jess’s heart as a Mines alum! We recommend that you parallel park in the neighborhood off of Belvedere Drive and enter the trail from there, which enters the hike from the west side. The specific GPS location for this spot is 39.75310° N, 105.21104° W. Follow the trail and make your way to the northwestern end to climb up on the rock that overlooks Golden!

South Table Mountain

This is the first hike we did together on our first trip, and also the spot we got engaged! The perfect short walk with the best views! This hike is located in Dillon, so add it to your trip up to the mountains! There is a parking lot adjacent to the trail, and the hike is located at 39.58821° N, 106.04390° W.

Sapphire Point Overlook

This state park is near to our venues and such a stunning area that Jess has adventured before. Check the park hours and buy your day pass, and you’ll be in for a world of beauty! There are plenty of trails that weave you through the red rocks.

Roxborough State Park

Wash Park is one of the spots we find ourselves on a warm summer day, but if the weather’s right, we recommend you check it out while you’re in town! Stop by the Wheel Fun Rentals booth at the north end of Wash Park, just south of Smith Lake to rent your swan boat, water bike, and multitude of land bikes to adventure around Wash Park! You’ll find parallel parking along the outskirts of Wash Park.

Wash Park

ACTIVITIES

From a morning hike, to a touristy stop, to a concert on the rocks, Red Rocks has limitless options! We saw our first (real) concert together here - Ian Munsick! If you’re planning to stop for a visit, we recommend you park at the top and save yourself the hike up the rocks!

Red Rocks

This is our go to spot for fun, with vintage arcade games, bowling, a rooftop skydeck, and plenty of other activities to keep you entertained. Grab yourself an arcade card and get to playing some pinball, one of our favorites! Or get some food and find yourself a comfy spot on the rooftop skydeck.

Pindustry

Call us basic, but we are major fans of Buc-ee’s. While a bit of a trip to get up there, we think it’s well worth every minute in the car for those under $1 drinks, potato chips of Jess’s dreams, and all the soft gummies of Derek’s dreams. There’s far too many choices to choose from so grab yourself a basket and pray for your bank account. You’ll never see another gas station store like it. 

Buc-ee's

You can’t have a Colorado recommendations list without Casa Bonita. And lucky for you, this is just down the road from our venues! While we haven’t been able to go together yet, Derek is now a black card member (for loyally joining the waitlist way early on in the rebuild). Make sure you make a reservation so you can go see this new and improved restaurant for an experience you won’t be able to beat! From cliff diving, to caves, to sopapillas, this place is a must visit.

Casa Bonita

Outside of me, of course, the Nuggets are among Derek’s favorite things! He never misses a game (even on date nights, the Nuggets are our loyal third wheel). Find your way to a Nuggets game and you won’t regret it! Make sure to buy your parking pass beforehand or catch the lightrail!

Nuggets Game

It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that E-Days is the same weekend as our wedding! E-Days stands for Engineering Days and is a pivotal part of all Mines students’ experience. The weekend includes a cardboard boat race down Clear Creek, a Tesla coil demonstration, a fair, and fireworks! Parking may be limited around campus, but it’s worth the walk! See engineering students acting like normal college students for one weekend a year, at Jess’s alma mater.

E-Days

PLACES TO EXPLORE

Breckenridge is one of our favorite places to visit. Plan yourself a trip up to the mountains and you won’t regret it! With possible ski traffic, we recommend you head up early in the day to beat the traffic, and head back early into the afternoon! Our favorite stops in Breckenridge are Empire Burger, the Trollstigen trail, all the shops, and riding up the gondola for the most scenic sites! We recommend finding parking on the west end of downtown or in one of the large ski lots. 

Breckenridge

Golden is one of our favorite places for date night, and as a Mines alum, Jess loves to get back to the area as often as she can! Our most frequented spots are Woody’s Pizza (for “pay by the slice” pizza) and Denver Biscuit Company/Atomic Cowboy, but we also love walking along the streets and checking out all the shops! Clear Creek is to the north of downtown, where the Golden Mill is located, one of our first few dates! Parking is on the east side of downtown, in or around the parking garage. 

Golden

LoHi is where Jess’s favorite Happy Camper is located, as well at Little Man ice cream. This area is perfect for walking around, and there’s plenty of restaurants and cool bars to check out! This is a great spot for your late night plans. The best parking is usually located off of Central Street, just west of the highway! But don’t fret if you have to park a bit further out - this area is worth the walk!

LoHi

Things to Do

Our dress code is formal attire. We ask that you wear a suit or jacket and tie. Alternatively, an evening gown or a midi- or knee-length cocktail dress would be appropriate.

We are getting married in a Catholic Church, therefore we ask that, out of reverence for Our Lord, everyone dress modestly. We want each guest to feel handsome and beautiful while keeping the priority of the ceremony centered around Jesus in the Eucharist.

Please refer to the following for specific details on formal attire: <a href="https://www.theknot.com/content/formal-wedding-attire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.theknot.com/content/formal-wedding-attire</a>

Derek & Jess

Derek & Jess

Schedule of Events

1:30 PM GUEST ARRIVAL

2:00 PM CEREMONY BEGINS

3:15 PM CEREMONY ENDS

3:15 PM FAMILY PHOTOS

5:00 PM COCKTAIL HOUR

6:00 PM RECEPTION BEGINS

6:20 PM WELCOME / BLESSING

6:30 PM DINNER

7:40 PM SPEECHES & TOASTS

8:10 PM DANCES

8:20 PM DANCING BEGINS

8:25 PM CAKE CUTTING

10:00 PM SPARKLER SEND-OFF