Jarod and Bekah first met while in middle school, passing each other in the hallways when leaving their music classes. Throughout their middle school years, Jarod tried relentlessly to get closer to Bekah and be more than friends. After many failed attempts and being "like a brother" to Bekah for years, Jarod's determination finally broke through.

They officially started dating in 2016, their sophomore year of high school. Even while Bekah was playing soccer and horseback riding, and Jarod was playing baseball, along with both of them working jobs, they still made the time and effort to see each other almost every day. They attended every school dance together, had countless date nights at the movie theater, and made so many memories together all while figuring out what they wanted to do with their lives after graduating from high school.

After graduating from high school, Bekah went to Cleveland State University for Nursing while Jarod went to the University of Cincinnati to study Information Technology. They had some tough conversations that summer before college started and eventually made the decision to try to make it work and have a long-distance relationship.

Their first two years of college, they only saw each other a handful of times throughout the school year but they spent every night they could on Facetime. Jarod even made a surprise trip to Cleveland, with the help of her roommate London, for them to be together on their 3-year anniversary.

Every long-distance relationship comes with their challenges but Bekah and Jarod did everything in their power to make it work.

When the COVID-19 pandemic put everybody into lockdown, both Jarod and Bekah returned to Youngstown as their universities went remote. At the same time, Jarod was able to continue working his corporate job remotely. He knew he wasn't going to be able to work from Youngstown forever, so he began looking to get his first apartment. Both Jarod and Bekah were unhappy with being so far away from each other, so he asked her if she would move to Cincinnati with him.

They officially moved in together in June 2020 and Bekah transferred to The Christ College of Nursing.

Over the last 4 years since then, they have dealt with the ups and downs of being young, in love and living together for the first time. They had so many "firsts" while living together - their first dog together (Astro), their first argument over bills, and their first "when are we getting married" talk.

Jarod finally graduated from UC in April 2023 and less than a month later, on May 6, he asked Bekah to spend the rest of their lives together. Bekah, sobbing with tears of joy, eagerly accepted.

R&J

Ceremony

Reception