Ellie and Jamdan first met in 2013 when Ellie visited her sister, Becky, at the University of Nebraska. Ellie got to meet all of Becky’s friends in the dorms - a meeting that Jamdan doesn’t remember.

When Ellie started attending the university in 2014 and spent more time with Becky and her friend group, Jamdan and Ellie got to know each other during intramural flag football games and pickup volleyball games at the rec.

In 2016, Jamdan and Ellie became closer friends when they had a public relations class together. Ellie was also able to convince Jamdan to join one of the clubs she was in.

It wasn’t until two years later - after Jamdan had finished grad school and Ellie had moved to California and back to Nebraska again - that the timing was right and Jamdan and Ellie started dating.

For their first date, Jamdan tried to take Ellie to a restaurant that hadn’t opened yet – a bold choice – but Ellie was graciously unfazed by this, and they ended up having their date at Lazlo’s.

Their relationship has followed them through many of life’s big moments: first “real” jobs, multiple apartments, events with family and friends, travels, and, of course, living together through the pandemic. Through it all, their love grew stronger, and the decision to spend forever together was an easy one.

In August 2021, after weeks of Jamdan asking Ellie to get her nails done, she was still surprised when he proposed. Jamdan asked Ellie to marry him in the privacy of their apartment – something that Ellie asked for.