Although JuliAnna and Jake both hail from Texarkana - JuliAnna is from the Arkansas, side, and Jake is from the Texas side (emphasis added) - they first connected in 2018 while living in Fort Worth. They first hung out with mutual friends (cue Mitch Karam and Haley Roeser, both of whom are in the wedding party) at the Scat Jazz Lounge in downtown Fort Worth over Memorial Day Weekend 2018. Both were somewhat intimidated of the other, but eventually, sounds from the live funk band led them to the dance floor for their first "official" dance together. JuliAnna was very impressed by Jake's dance moves (her words). To their dismay, their first dance was short-lived, as it was the band's last song of the night. Despite seeing each other in social settings once or twice more in the months that followed, the timing just wasn't right, and the two did not reconnect until several years later in June 2022.

All those years later, Jake finally texted JuliAnna one day to ask her out and cleverly referenced the Scat Jazz Lounge in his ice breaker (he also recounted fond memories of a late night shrimp scampi dish JuliAnna whipped together at Haley’s apartment). Their first date was a few days later at Press Cafe. Jake arrived 15 minutes early and waited at a table outside. JuliAnna arrived on time and waited at the bar. Each wondered if they were being stood up. Of course that wasn’t the case, and the rest is history.

Little did Jake know, he would soon be drawn to not one, but two outgoing and fiery blondes - we must not leave Dolly out of the story! And little did JuliAnna know that she would soon become a lifelong lover of all things Dave Matthews Band.

Thank you all for loving and supporting us! We cannot wait to share our special day with each and every one of you!

Sending joy,