I know the saying “timing is everything” is SO cliche, but that’s literally us. God’s. Divine. Timing. Jacky was born in Bartlesville and I moved to town when I was 10. We grew up 5 blocks from each other, both went to OU and both were part of the Greek system. Jack was my “protector” during late night Sigma Chi hall parties. Ha! We both graduated in the same ceremony from OU Business School and moved to Dallas. We’d run into each other from time to time as yes, Dallas is big, but not that big. Then he moved home and I moved to Sweden. Next thing you know Jack is spending half his year in Scotland. Starting with the Celine Dion concert (IYKYK) in March 2020, we started running into each other again here and there. Then at the turn of 2023, Jacky started inviting me to things. Nothing worked out until Easter last year when he came to hang out with my family in Tulsa. I wasn’t feeling it but my SIL Kelly and best pal Kleve were already planning the wedding. Beginning of May we went to a concert in Nashville, staying with Landon (who I grew up next door to and is like a 3rd brother) and sparks flew. The rest is history! It was easy, fun, effortless, and safe and went from zero to a hundred overnight. God’s. Divine. Timing.

I’m sure everyone is also wondering how on Earth we went from a small, intimate wedding next summer in the Swedish archipelago to THIS December in our hometown?!

Trust me, I’m laughing harder than anyone. My “happy place” has been Sandhamn, a small island in the Swedish archipelago, ever since I discovered it back in 2011. I go several times per year and it was so fitting that Jacky also fell in love when I shared it with him last winter. AND we discovered there was a chapel on the island! It was the absolute perfect place to get engaged and then host our small party of a wedding. God had other plans. Venue after venue, date after date, I could go on - Wasn’t. Working. Out. My Dad suggested we look into Bartlesville. I rolled my eyes. We were still thinking next spring/summer, but then I spied pictures of our venue at Christmas and minimalist me thought “hmmm…that would be so pretty!” I asked Jack if we were crazy to do a New Year’s wedding, but we know better than to get married during college football bowl season. Ha! The venue was available on December 28th though, which could work! We then realized it would be Jack’s parents’ 61st wedding anniversary and it was as if the stars were aligning. Jacky (and me) truly believe this is a sign from them, looking down, thrilled - and their way of letting us know they are with us. So here we are.

Registry

Our gift registry is set up at MyRegistry.com (linked below). Cash gift funds: If you'd like to contribute to our Honeymoon Fund, the following options will allow you to circumvent third-party fees. Venmo - @jackymanning or @rachel-kent-7 PayPal - jackymanning@gmail.com

Our gift registry is set up at MyRegistry.com (linked below).

Cash gift funds: If you'd like to contribute to our Honeymoon Fund, the following options will allow you to circumvent third-party fees.

Venmo - @jackymanning or @rachel-kent-7

PayPal - jackymanning@gmail.com