Ours is an unlikely love story, one shaped by happy coincidences and God’s divine timing. It’s the story of how Deven from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Jordan from Frederick, Colorado, found each other despite the odds of distance and circumstance. How unlikely is it that two people from such different places would meet, fall in love, and build a life together? Yet, here we are, and we have serendipity—and a little help from our friends—to thank for it.

Deven grew up surrounded by a close-knit community of families through Holy Spirit Elementary and O’Gorman Junior and Senior High School in Sioux Falls. It was there that he became good friends with Owen Holmes, who would later become part of our story in the most unexpected way. Alongside Owen, Deven also knew Lilly Hosek, another Sioux Falls native, from their early school days. So, when you ask, “How does Jordan fit into all of this?” you’ll find the connection isn't as random as it might first appear.

Jordan, on the other hand, hails from Frederick, Colorado, and ventured off to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for college. It was there, in the first month of freshman year, that she met Lilly—who quickly became her best friend, and, as it turned out, a master matchmaker.

If you ask Jordan, she’ll tell you Lilly had her matchmaking hat on from the very beginning. Back in October 2021, shortly after the friends first met, Lilly was already saying how perfect it would be if Jordan dated Deven, Owen’s amazing friend from South Dakota, so they could double date together, and planted the seed. Jordan wasn’t exactly eager to entertain the idea of someone she didn’t know from a state she’d never been to before, especially in the whirlwind of her first year at Lincoln.

If you ask Deven, his story starts with a missed opportunity. He was invited to a winter weekend at Lilly’s lake cabin at Okoboji, where he first heard about Jordan—though fate wasn’t quite ready for them to meet. He couldn't make it, but the seed had been planted.

Then came July 3rd, 2022. Jordan was visiting Lilly and Owen at the lake for the Fourth of July, and the three found themselves on the dock, enjoying a perfect summer day. Owen, yet another matchmaker in their story, joked that it would be great if there were another guy there for Jordan to meet—and, to his surprise, she was all in. "Make it happen," she said. So Owen did what any good friend would do: he sent Deven Jordan’s number.

A few minutes later, Deven was texting Jordan, and the conversation immediately took off. Without hesitation, Jordan invited him to join them at the lake the next day. To her surprise, Deven actually showed up. From that moment on, the two chatted for hours, their connection igniting with fireworks that night (literal ones, too).

If you ask Deven, he’ll admit that he was nervous as could be but still managed to work his flirtation skills throughout the evening.

If you ask Jordan, she’ll tell you she found Deven’s awkwardness endearing—especially the way he fumbled his words just to try to impress her.

The rest of the summer was filled with long, late-night phone calls. Deven, working his summer job in Clarinda, Iowa, and Jordan, back in Colorado, spent hours getting to know each other. As the end of summer approached, they started planning an opportunity to see each other again.

When Jordan mentioned that the next time she'd be back in the Midwest was to move into her sorority house, Deven enthusiastically accepted her invitation—with the caveat that he’d be meeting her dad (yes, the first official date was with Dad in tow). Bonus points for Deven—Jordan thought it was incredibly sweet and intentional.

The dinner went off without a hitch, and after dropping Jordan’s dad off at the airport, Deven and Jordan continued their first date, wandering around the Old Market in downtown Omaha. That evening on August 8th, 2022, was full of laughter, getting to know one another, and, by the end of it, Deven asked Jordan to be his girlfriend.

The next two years were a beautiful blend of travel, adventure, and, yes, plenty of long-distance challenges. Whether it was lake weekends in Okoboji with Owen and Lilly, road trips between Brookings, South Dakota, and Lincoln, Nebraska, or visits to Jordan’s hometown in Colorado, Deven and Jordan made it work. And all the while, they strengthened their bond through fun dates like trying new restaurants, jet skiing on summer days, and cooking together.

In the summer of 2024, Jordan landed an internship in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, wanting to be closer to Deven. The couple was blessed with another piece of God’s puzzle when Jordan’s internship turned into a full-time career opportunity after her graduation in December. With Jordan’s move to Sioux Falls, it felt like the perfect time to take the next step together.

That fall, Deven secretly flew to Colorado to ask Jordan’s parents for their blessing—something Jordan had no idea about. With a resounding “yes,” Deven picked out the perfect ring and began planning a surprise proposal with the help of Jordan’s family.

On November 26, 2024, during a family photoshoot at the Westenbroek family Thanksgiving trip in the stunning White Tank Mountains near Phoenix, Deven dropped to one knee. Overwhelmed with joy and love, Jordan said yes without a second thought.

And now, here we are, knee-deep in wedding planning and eagerly anticipating October 3rd, 2025 when we’ll celebrate the best decision we’ve ever made: spending the rest of our lives together.