Danny and Jackie meet in their Screen Acting program freshman year! They don't know it yet, but they will work on shows together and become great friends. They will find out that they have so much in common; a love of movies and music, the same taste in beer and coffee, a love for dancing and a shared love and gratitude for their friends and families. And they really don't know that they'll both pursue completely different career paths and wind up engaged and madly in love!

After celebrating the conclusion of junior year, Jackie and Danny find themself in a romantic situation after many drinks and bar hopping (AKA a drunk hookup)...There are no photos from this infamous night (thankfully). And the two will enter into a tumultuous and fun game of cat and mouse (on both Jackie and Danny's front) for the ENTIRE summer of 2018. The two FINALLY decide to make things official (and admit they're really into each other in a SERIOUS way) on August 31st. The legend goes that Danny was ready to give a whole speech about "putting his foot down" and "calling things what they are"... and asking Jackie to be his girlfriend... but he never got to give that speech because Jackie had a whole speech prepared and beat him to it. August 31st, 2018 is their dating anniversary... that whole speech Danny never got to give? Remember that because he'll use some of those words when he later proposes in 2024.

Their "official" first social media post together, the hard launch of their new titles as BOYFRIEND and GIRLFRIEND. Jackie and Danny attended a Halloween party together in a COUPLES costume. Jackie was already planning to be Dora... and Danny said "Can I be Backpack?" not Boots.. or Swiper.. but Backpack. And then the two went to Goodwill and bought all the items needed to successfully execute the costume. (The purple short shorts were Danny's idea). This would be the start of many couples costumes, and show us how these two can't help but have fun when they're together.

"How the Grinch Stole My Heart" - need I say more?

Jackie's first trip to San Francisco to meet Danny's family.. things were getting serious. Jackie was absolutely blown away by how beautiful the Bay Area was. She had truly never seen anything like it. Danny took her to one of his favorite places, Sutro Baths, the remains of an old bath house turned into a serene park. This place would forever stay in Jackie's heart as one of the most beautiful places she's ever seen. The two would visit Sutro baths many times throughout the years, sometimes to take a nice hike, grab a coffee and breakfast sandwich and just sit and people watch, or to show friends visiting from out of town the magic of San Francisco. And, little did she know that Danny would choose this as the place he would propose 5 years later.

Jackie and Danny both graduate from Chapman University. Danny graduates with honors from Screen Acting and Jackie graduates with a double major in Screen Acting and Peace Studies. Jackie has accepted a job teaching 2nd graders through Teach for America, and Danny has decided to follow her, pursue his acting career, and move all the way to Houston, Texas. Love makes us do crazy things.

Danny gets cast in his first post-school show at Stageworks Theatre! Right out of college and right on stage, he'd go on to do a few shows with them (Mamma Mia- pictured here, try and find Danny!) This is the start of us falling in love with our new city, Houston!

Jackie makes it (mostly) through her first year of teaching! She had the best supporter in Danny. Little did they know a global pandemic was about to hit, and this would be the last and only group photo Ms.Palacios would get with her first ever class. Weeks later the world would be shutting down. Jackie was sad she didn't get a proper goodbye with her students, so Danny helped design t-shirts for the students (called the STARS obviously) and he drove her to drop off goody bags and t-shirts at the end of the year to each and every single student. They left packages on doorsteps, and greeted kiddos from a far. No one knew how we would get through this weird time.. but we knew we had each other. And Jackie knew that Danny was a total keeper.

On Oct 7th, 2020 Jackie's mom, Elvira Palacios passes away. Danny supports Jackie and her family in this time. They plan a family trip to the beach her mom loved, in Port Aransas, Texas. Still in the middle of the pandemic, life looks so strange and will never be the same. But with love, there is always hope on the horizon.

The pandemic inspires Danny to apply for law school. He begins studying in the Fall of 2020, he takes the LSAT in Jan/Feb of 2021, and by May he has accepted an offer at U.C San Francisco School of the Law (formerly known as Hastings). And, just like that they were moving back to California!

Jackie's first trip to Maui! Danny's family invites Jackie on a trip to Maui and shows her around the beautiful island. On this particular day they go on an outrigger canoe and witness a baby whale breaching in the water right in front of them and a beautiful pod of spinner dolphins swimming and jumping alongside the canoe in the open ocean. Many Hawaiians believe that the ocean is in-between Earth and Heaven, and that the creatures in the ocean are often our ancestors and loved ones saying hello and checking in. This was such a special trip. To celebrate, the crew got mango daiquiris (recommended by their guide, Jaime.)

Jackie and Danny move in with Sara and Jazzi, some of Danny's best friends from high school. Jackie was so grateful to be getting closer to Danny's friends. This house and these friends would share so many amazing memories together. This would truly be a golden chapter in their lives. Little did they know it, but Sara and Jazzi would later help Danny plan a surprise proposal. And... Jackie would ask both of them to be in her wedding party. (Sara and Jazzi are basically Jackie's friends now, because she stole them)

After a summer working in San Francisco, Danny surprises Jackie by telling her that he applied to work a summer internship at a law firm back in Houston. He said he was really impressed by the firm, and this would give them more opportunity to spend time with Jackie's family. Jackie never knew moving back to Texas was even a possibility, she loved California but of course would love to see her family too. As always, she supported Danny. Danny accepted the internship, and their lives would never be the same. A few months later, Danny would be offered a full time job as an attorney in Houston. He'd work for this firm throughout his last year in law school and Jackie and Danny would move (yes, a cross country move AGAIN) in a years time... but they didn't know any of this yet. And, this internship provided Danny some extra cash that he started putting away for something special...

He did it. Danny (with the help of Sara, Jazzi, Robbie, and Carrie) planned a beautiful surprise proposal. They got Jackie good. She had no idea, and ALMOST wore a cheetah print tube top. Thankfully, her friends intervened. Danny even flew Jackie's dad (Boni) out to witness the proposal. Danny proposed at Sutro Baths, one of their favorite spots (also pictured earlier). He led her around a corner where there were rose petals and flowers laid out, the Golden Gate bridge behind them and the ocean all around. This was exactly what Jackie wanted, to be surrounded by friends and family for the easiest "yes" of her life. She did not hesitate, and he did say it was time he "put his foot down" and "time to call things what they really were" just like in the speech he never got to give when he was going to ask Jackie to be is girlfriend.. he got to give that speech now as he asked her to be his wife.

Danny graduates from law school, accepts a job, and they are moving back to Houston, again. Life is a whirlwind from here on out, the two make an effort to see friends and family before the big move. They feel blessed to be loved by people in Texas and California. They feel grateful for everything.

Danny passes the bar and the two travel to Mexico City to celebrate! They visit Jackie's family in Guadalajara, drink good drinks and eat good food. They know this is the last hurrah before Danny really enters the workforce and has to put his head down and grind.

Jackie and Danny attend a Warriors/Rockets playoff game. Rooting for the Warriors of course, Jackie and Danny celebrate the W. They also celebrate 1 year living in Houston, wedding planning, and all of life's twists and turns. Danny keeps working hard, and Jackie starts attending pilates classes like her life depends on it. Life is different, but it's still fun and they've still got each other. (Legend has it this photo was the last time Danny had fun.. LOL JK) the two will celebrate their 7th anniversary in August. They're also planning a joint bachelor/bachelorette party in New Orleans. Thank you for reading our story, there are many chapters left and we can't wait to celebrate with you soon.

Beignets and Besties!!! Jackie and Danny had a BLAST in New Orleans celebrating with their best friends in one of their favorite cities! They saw gators, live jazz, ate (and drank) until their heart's content! We're so grateful to have such awesome friends. The celebration is just getting started, see y'all in February!