Our love story begins before the holidays in 2023.
Let me first start off by saying, although Jake and I both were hoping to find love again in our life, we had both come to the realization that it just may not be in the cards for us.
That God might have a different plan for us.
We’ve both been on several dating sites over the years, but neither was successful in finding a godly soulmate.
Although I had checked the website off and on, very seldom would I respond.
You know it’s funny, they say when you meet the right one, the one for God’s plan, not our plan, that we would know.
I’m here to tell you that it is true!
Just before Thanksgiving, 2023, I received an email from the dating app with my chosen matches.
At the top of the list was a very handsome man. I immediately was intrigued and reached out to him.
Jake - said around the holidays, dating apps always try to get you to join again if you haven’t found a mate yet. He was lying in bed one evening and heard his phone ping.
He thought it was his work and opened it up to see what was going on.
And to his surprise, it was an email from the dating site.
It had a picture and a note.
From that day forward many texts and emails followed. It continued long enough that we both decided to exclusively pursue each other, and I ended my profile online before I even met him.
He was going out of town for the holidays, and so we planned to have a blind date and meet on New Year’s Eve.
We both recorded a video and sent it to each other so we each knew it was a live person we chatted with. Other than that, we had not spoken on the phone, and we had not done any FaceTime or video chatting at all.
I wanted to meet on top of that Empire State building on New Year’s Eve.
That was a little unrealistic. But he assured me he would plan something fantastic, and we both anticipated the day to come. During the holidays when he was gone, we continued to correspond anxiously waiting for New Year’s Eve. I received some very beautiful flowers, and they were from Jake.
As I am old-fashioned, I wanted him to come pick me up for our date on New Year’s Eve.
The day came and my dad was here waiting to meet him. Jake showed up dressed fantastically. You wouldn’t believe it but we matched exactly!
I will share the pictures. My dad took a video and some pictures of us together. We looked so cute!
He surprised me by taking me to the Buck Owens Crystal Palace for the New Year’s Eve concert and dinner. It was a fabulous night, and I even received a kiss, at midnight as the balloons dropped.
This last year has been filled with many things, good and bad, for both of us. But we were there for each other and our love grew.
We both knew we wanted to be with each other forever.
Fast-forward to the holidays for 2024. Jake surprised me with a trip to Vegas, Reno, and Monterey.
In the back of my mind, I thought maybe we would get engaged during that trip, but we did not. However, it was a fantastic trip. It was my first time to Vegas, and it was so much fun! We had a great time experiencing Vegas and all the lights. Other firsts on the trip included first time to NFL raider game, REO Speedwagon concert, and an ice show wrapped up the Vegas trip. We proceeded to Reno to spend Christmas with his daughter and her in-laws. It was a lovely trip, and I was happy to meet everybody.
On Christmas Eve Jake sat me down and told me “If you don’t get anything for your finger for Christmas, don’t worry because it’s all in the plan.”
He’s always talking about this plan.
So, Christmas came and went, and we rounded up our trip in Monterey at my sister’s home. We celebrated her husband Briggs’s birthday.
The next day we headed home.
It was a fabulous trip.
The following week would be our one-year anniversary. Jake had something planned. He said don’t worry. It’s all on plan.
He picked me up and surprised me again at the Buck Owens Crystal Palace. It was their annual New Year’s Eve concert and dinner.
Three bands played that evening. The dinner was fabulous. It was prime rib, and we were dancing the night away.
When the third band was playing, Jake excused himself to the restroom.
The next thing I know he’s on the stage with a microphone.
Recruiting me to this stage, I knew in that moment that he was going to propose.
I went on stage, and he reached into his pocket and took out a box. He opened it up with a beautiful diamond ring inside.
He asked me to marry him.
He said it wouldn’t always be easy, but if we stick together through thick and thin, we could love each other till the end, and asked would I marry him.
I said yes, and kissed him, and he put the ring on my finger.
The live band dedicated the next song to us.
It was called, “Stand by Me.” They played and sang the song to us as we danced on the stage. Then they announced congratulations to Jake and Mandy.
We danced the night away and again I got my kiss as the balloons dropped at midnight.
And so, the wedding planning begins.
My sisters Lisa Lathem and Melanie Dees, along with numerous friends and family, are all pitching in to make sure our wedding is beautiful and unforgettable.
We will be married on May 3, 2025, at 1pm at the beautiful Carmel River State Beach in Carmel, California.
Reception to follow at the Latham Estate.