The Kirk of the Hills

Ceremony

Brookdale Farms -The Silo

Reception

Wedding Day

Our Wedding

How we met (Jenni’s perspective) - I was sitting on my parent’s couch in June 2020 and my mom was sitting in a chair across from me. All of a sudden she starts to giggle and looks up at me and says, “You want to read an email I just received?” Knowing my mother very well, I already knew she was up to something. I said, “sure” and she starts reading an email from a lady named Gayle Darby. Apparently, several YEARS ago, my mom and Gayle talked about how they had children around the same age and that one day they should meet. (Or what I would later find out is that my mom had told Gayle in 2015 that “it would be great to know and be friends with the in-laws”…). Anyone who knows my mom can totally see her saying that. Haha! Well, my mom isn’t alwayyyysss right, but I’ll give her this one. After reading the email, she asked me if she could give my number to Gayle to give to her son Greg. I thought about it for a minute and figured, “what could I lose?” 2020 had been a downer so far, and the guys I had recently dated weren’t going to be The One, so why not? Fast forward through a week of texting, in July 2020, I met Greg in person for the first time. He asked me out on a picnic date to Creve Coeur Lake. We talked about everything that evening, just getting to know each other. After leaving our first date, I called my best friend and told her, “I think I just met my future husband.” Those were my exact words. Never before had I ever left a first date feeling pretty positive that I was going to marry the guy. I mean, that’s insane, right?! But something was VERY different about Greg, and I truly felt God telling me that I had found The One. Fast forward to August 2020 where Greg asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes! However, there was a bigger yes coming several months later. A year after I was sitting on my parent’s couch rolling my eyes at my mom for the ridiculous idea of meeting some random boy, that “random boy” got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I have never in my life given a more excited “YES” than I did on June 17, 2021. I can’t wait until June 18, 2022 when I get to say, “I do!” How we met (Greg's perspective) - All good relationship stories start with your mom setting you up on a date, right? That’s how my story begins! Back in 2018, I heard rumors from my sisters that my mom was interested in setting me up with a friend’s daughter from church. My sisters had very few details, but one thing mentioned was that this friend’s daughter lived out of town, so my mom wanted to wait on making the connection. Fast forward to June 2020, and thanks to some Facebook sleuthing, my mom discovered this friend’s daughter had moved back to Saint Louis, so her plan was ready to be set in motion! Towards the end of June, my mom asked me if I would be interested in talking to her friend’s daughter from her church named Jenni Jurgenson. I said something to effect of “sure, why not”. The only details I knew about Jenni were that she went to Tulsa for undergrad, had just finished her first year of audiology at WashU, lived in Dogtown, and that her parents knew my parents from their church. On June 25, 2020, my Mom reached out to Jenni’s mom Sandy, who got Jenni’s approval to give me her number. Armed with Jenni’s phone number, I decided to give it a day or two before texting her for the first time, not trying to seem too aggressive. Saturday June 27th, I got the courage up to text Jenni for the first time. I’m not a smooth talker or texter, so I spent a lot of time typing and retyping that first message, trying to say “Hi I’m Greg, your mom gave my mom your number…” without being awkward! Even though I didn’t know Jenni, I was nervous and excited to send that message and wait for a response. A few hours later, she graciously responded in her cheerful, Jenni way, saying that it was nice to be introduced and from there we started texting. For not having met yet in person, the conversation flowed easily, and we had a lot in common and plenty to talk about. As the days went by, I learned more and more about Jenni and quickly realized this was a woman I had to meet in person! After about a week of texting, I asked her if she would like to go out on a date with me. That was the second time I was very nervous to text her and anxiously wait for her response. Jenni said yes to a first date and in July 2020, we went to Creve Coeur Park for a picnic dinner and walk. I still remember that first date like it was yesterday. It was the best first date I’ve ever had. I was so excited afterwards; I went to the gym to burn off all the energy I had. We texted that evening and agreed to go on a second date. It was clear from the start that God was telling me Jenni was the woman I would marry, I just had to hope and pray she felt the same way! Second date turned into a third, then a fourth, and by the fifth date in August 2020 we became officially boyfriend and girlfriend. I was beaming ear to ear driving home from that date, pinching myself that the woman of my dreams wanted to be my girlfriend! On June 17, 2021, I got down on one knee and asked Jenni to marry me. Spoiler alert: she said Yes! I can’t wait until June 18, 2022, when I get to say, “I do” and start the rest of my life with Jenni!

Our Story

Photos

In August of 2014, I met up with Meghan who I had never met before for breakfast at First Watch.  Her aunt and uncle are friends with my parents and knew that their niece was going to The University of Tulsa in the fall like I was.  She was from Pennsylvania and was passing through St. Louis on her way to Tulsa.  They had asked me if I would meet up with her so that she would know someone going to TU.  Little did I know how much my life would change that day!  I would meet the sister I never had.  I would meet the person I would call every Monday night after we graduated college.  I would meet the strongest person I now know.  I would meet the girl who would, 8 years later, be my Maid of Honor!

Meghan Harrison

Alyssa's maiden name was Johnson.  This was a good thing because my freshman year of college I was in choir with her.  We sat in our sections in alphabetical order.  Jurgenson sat next to Johnson.  We quickly became best friends and realized that we were both from St. Louis!  Alyssa is my go-to person for life advice as she and I think a lot alike.  We even made it our goal (and succeeded) in making our moms friends with each other.  She and I have loved living in the same city as each other again after a few years apart!  I had the honor of being Alyssa’s Maid of Honor in her wedding in October 2018.  Now I have asked her to be my Matron of Honor in my wedding!

Alyssa Bergman

Going through recruitment for my sorority was never my favorite thing.  My junior year of college I decided to be a recruitment counselor so that I didn’t have to go through the normal “rush” activities but rather lead the new freshmen girls in finding their new home.  Claire was one of the freshmen girls in my group.  Not only that, but after recruitment was done, she joined Theta and RUF with me!  Throughout the fall of 2016, I watched Claire grow so much in her faith. I started out mentoring Claire, but honestly I think she mentored me.  She has been such a great friend to me over the last several years and I’m so excited that she is going to be my bridesmaid!

Claire Statton

I’ve known Morgan since 2009. 14-year-old Jenni was awkward.  What 14-year-old isn’t awkward? Thank goodness Morgan didn’t care about how weird I was!  Morgan and I went to Westminster for 5 years together and never once had a class together.  Our senior year of high school we didn’t even have lunch together.  However, none of that mattered for our friendship! She and I got to grow up together and encourage each other as we joined adulthood.  She has been a constant in my life for MANY years and I am so excited to have her be my bridesmaid!

Morgan Koetting

There aren’t too many people I’ve known longer than Mallory.  I’ve known her since 1995.  She and I are cousins, 2 months apart in age, and grew up down the street from each other!  It was always fun having a built-in-best-friend at family gatherings! We’ve been on so many family vacations together and have spent almost every single holiday together for 26 years.  I had the honor of standing by her side as a bridesmaid in her wedding in July 2019, and now I’m so excited that she is standing by my side as a bridesmaid in my wedding!

Mallory Evans

I met Kate in the basement of a random family’s house my freshman year of high school for a family party.  My brother, Drew, had just started at a new school called Heritage.  It was a super small school that had a lot of family events.  Any time that I would go to these events, I would hang out with the kids my age.  Kate was one of those people!  It’s crazy how we are such good friends when we didn’t go to the same school or church growing up.  We have remained friends for all of those years and I am so excited that she is a bridesmaid in my wedding!

Kate Pryor

In 2007 Hope and I were in a spelling bee together.  That was the last time we interacted until officially meeting each other in 2016, a solid 9 years after our Kirk Day School glory days.  Hope is one of the most supportive friends I have ever met.  She was there for me during the ups and downs of college; always standing by my side.  Hope and I have managed to randomly be in the same state as each other on multiple occasions (11 states and counting).  We always say that we were destined to be friends because somehow we are always at the same place at the same time as each other.  Instead of standing up spelling words at Kirk, I'm excited to have Hope stand up as I marry my favorite person at Kirk.  That's what I call a full circle.

Hope Dabney

Fall of freshman year of college was a rough one for me.  However, thanks to Jennifer, my freshman year did a solid 180.  Jennifer became my roommate in the spring of 2015 and also joined my sorority.  Very quickly Jennifer became one of my go-to people at TU.  She is the definition of a loving friend.  She was the reason I went to football games.  I had to see my favorite cheerleader!  I'm so thankful that Jennifer moved back to St. Louis after graduation so that I have a wonderful friend just a few minutes down the road from me.  I love watching her be a wife and a mom.  It's crazy to think that only 7 years ago we were laughing at silly cat videos in our dorm room and now we are "adults" doing "adult things."  I can't wait to have Jennifer be my bridesmaid as I was one in her wedding in 2018!

Jennifer Dykas

Geno and I met back in early high school when he joined our soccer team, the Saint Louis United. It took us a while to get to know each other, but I remember after a few months on the team, I gave him a ride to soccer practice, and we hit it off from there. We stayed close through high school and college and have been through thick and thin together. I have so many great memories with Geno including high school soccer, football games, hanging out, and talking about life. Geno has always been there and supported me through the ups and downs, and he has an amazing, supportive, caring heart. I’m honored that he’ll be standing next to me at the altar as my best man. 

Geno Pagano

Chris and I met in high school through school events and our soccer team. We lost touch some going to separate colleges, and then reconnected the last five years when Chris moved back to Saint Louis and we both got into golf. I have a lot of great memories with Chris through sports, whether it was playing soccer tournaments in the freezing November cold, getting up for an early Saturday morning round of golf, or just swapping notes on fantasy football. Chris has a great dry sense of humor and is very easy to talk to.

Chris Poetz

Rob is someone I look up to as the father to my niece and nephew and husband to my sister Hope. Rob has an incredible heart, is compassionate, dependable, and strong. I’ve known Rob for almost a decade and have so many great memories with him at family events, vacations, and hanging out with Hope and their children Lydia and Luke, our flower girl and ring bearer. 

Rob Varwig

About six years ago, Joe and I met through the company that we both worked for at the time. The hours at work were long and those late nights and difficult projects forged our friendship. Over the years, Joe and I have played countless rounds of golf on the weekends, enjoyed many a happy hour together, and conquered many work projects. Joe is one of a kind and always brings the entertainment and crazy story with him.

Joe Moritz

I’m excited that Drew will be my future brother-in-law. Drew is Jenni’s younger brother and has been a big part of our relationship. Drew is highly intelligent, loves to learn, and enjoys talking about complex subjects. He’s always up for a card game and is highly competitive. Drew is a great partner in crime whenever we want to give Jenni a hard time. I’m excited that Drew is a groomsman and is both friend and family. 

Drew Jurgenson

Matt has a refreshing, blunt, honesty and a witty sense of humor. He calls it like he sees it and isn’t afraid to share his entertaining, outside-the-box views on life. I’ve known Matt for more than a decade and he is a great husband to my sister Laura. Matt and I share a love of football and being disappointed by Mizzou each year. 

Matt Rose

Caleb is one of the more entertaining, charismatic people you’ll meet. He’s inquisitive and has an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Caleb is a wealth of information on any topic and is equally comfortable talking about options trading, vertical farming, his disdain for cars, and fermenting apple cider. Caleb is that friend that you can talk about anything with and seamlessly go from deep topics to something goofy. I met Caleb through our church and have been fast friends ever since. 

Caleb Ellis

I met Jameson through church and community group and have quickly become close friends with him since he moved to Saint Louis. Jameson and I share mutual interests in sports and outdoor activities and he’s quickly become a Blues fan! Jameson is a very intentional friend that goes out of his way to check in and support in any way he can. We regularly meet up for breakfast during the week to catch up on life, and share struggles and prayer requests. I’m very blessed to have Jameson in my life! 

Jenni & Greg

Jenni & Greg

Q + A

Q + A coming soon!