It was the first Friday vespers of college – outdoors, with stage lights hanging above and COVID-19 monitors making sure we stayed 6 feet apart at all times. And then, out of nowhere, a curly-haired guy walks up to me and says, “Hi, I’m Gabriel.” Little did I know that reluctant Jessica would someday be head over heels for this guy and eagerly waiting for him to come back from the Philippines so we could get married. But of course, it wasn’t that easy…

The first “hello” was only the beginning. Suddenly, Gabriel was everywhere. Any and every event, there he was – planning, driving, and convincing me to stay out longer just so he could get some extra time with me. Weekends came and went, and despite his best efforts, no luck. But then, he started to wave the white flag, and that’s when it hit me: What am I doing? I’m about to lose the perfect guy! The guy I’ve been praying for!

Desperate to change my mind, I called my brother – the one person I thought would convince me to just focus on studying. Ironically, we ended that call with him saying, “You’re going to marry the guy.” I laughed. And after a long conversation, I found myself confessing my love to Gabriel. Of course, he had to make up for all the waiting I put him through, but lucky for both of us, a few months later, we became official.

Since then, a lot has happened. Gabriel joined the fire department, I graduated, Gabriel started studying theology, I got my first job at an elementary school, and Gabriel spent an entire year as a student missionary in the Philippines. Now, after fours and a half years of being together, countless waiting periods (thanks to God’s timing), and many fun challenges along the way, we finally get to celebrate our love and get married. A day we knew was coming from the start, but took us a while to get here – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

It only gets better from here… to forever.

Your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift of all! If you'd like to honor us with a gift, we’ve created a registry to help us start our new life together. Thank you for your love and support!