It all began with two texts from a dear friend.

"Hi Hannah, I’m wondering if you’d be interested in being set up? He’s joyful and easygoing, and he has a deep, rich relationship with the Lord. You’ve mentioned a few times that you’re looking for a man with good character, and when I think of single men with great character, he immediately comes to mind!"

"Hi Ryan, would you be interested in being set up? She’s cute, bubbly, and also very wise. You both have huge hearts for helping others grow. You're both BSSM grads, but open to wisdom from many different walks of life..."

With such great recommendations for each other, we both agreed. Ryan reached out to set up a date, and on May 26th, 2024, we met for a round of mini-golf.

Ryan's POV:

Having been set up on multiple blind dates over the years, something felt different about this one. Standing outside Oasis Fun Center, I saw a smiley brunette pull up in a Subaru. Excitement began building—I was pretty sure it was Hannah., and thankfully it was :}

Even in these initial moments when caution and excitement are running side by side, Hannah instantly hooked me in with her smile, her fun-loving adventurous side, inquisitive nature and beauty. Needless to say, I was smitten.

I admired Hannah's willingness to go outside despite the 100-degree heat. I could tell right away that I wanted to ask her on a second date, which I did while we enjoyed iced tea after her mini-golf victory.

In the weeks that followed, Hannah and I enjoyed getting to know each other through walks, visits to Crystal Creek Falls, hanging out at Barnes & Noble, and simply spending time together. On July 11th, I asked Hannah to be my girlfriend and she said yes

Over the following months, we met each other’s friends and family, explored Northern California’s beautiful landscapes, watched The Office, and grew more deeply in love. We kept choosing each other every day.

When people ask how I knew Hannah was "the one," I tell them it’s not about finding the one—it’s about recognizing that I don't want to do life without her.

Here are just a few reasons I knew I wanted to spend my life with Hannah Elizabeth Jones:

Her pure and undivided love for Christ; she has fully surrendered her life to Him.

Her self-awareness and willingness to own her mistakes while calling me out on mine.

The fun we have together, the way we can laugh and adventure side by side.

The ease with which we can have hard conversations, knowing we both have a solid foundation for connection.

I can trust her completely.

I’m excited to build a life with her and do life alongside her.

The Proposal – February 9th:

The day before, Ryan asked if I’d like to go for a picnic after our pre-marriage class the next day. I agreed, thinking nothing of it—we always went on a date to talk after class. But on our way to the picnic that Sunday, Ryan asked if I’d prefer to go to the falls instead of the lake. Suspicion started to creep in. It was a sunny day, but quite cold, and we hadn’t been to the falls in a while. I agreed, and we hiked out to the falls with multiple blankets and a cooler. It had recently rained and snowed, so the falls were especially beautiful.

As we arrived, I stopped to take pictures, while Ryan subtly looked around to make sure everything was in place. I noticed a picnic set up at the base of the falls but thought nothing of it—perhaps it was for someone else, given it was near Valentine’s Day. When Ryan told me he was going to hike down to the base of the falls and asked me to wait at the top, my suspicions grew stronger. He came back to get me, and we hiked down the steep trail together, both of us carrying blankets and the cooler (all a decoy to throw me off).

When we reached the bottom, we found a beautiful picnic set up at the base of the waterfall. Ryan picked up a single rose resting on a heart-shaped pillow. As the worship song "Goodness of God" played softly in the background, he shared a heartfelt speech, got down on one knee, and proposed. And, of course, I said… “YES!”

Ryan’s Version:

Having had the ring for a few weeks, I was taking my time, waiting for the perfect moment to propose while also planning a surprise. I thought I might’ve given it away one night when I was late meeting Hannah—what she didn’t know was that I had just returned from Chico, where I’d bought the ring.

After spending some time in prayer, I felt a sense of peace and knew the timing was right. I decided to propose on Super Bowl Sunday, two days later. The weather had been rainy for weeks, but I knew Sunday would be clear and perfect for an outdoor proposal. Since Hannah had plans on Saturday, Sunday seemed like the ideal day. I enlisted the help of friends to set up a picnic by Crystal Creek Falls—a place that holds special meaning for both of us.

While Hannah was at a birthday party, I went shopping for flowers, items for a charcuterie board, and scouted the area. The next morning, I gave the supplies to my friends and went to pick up Hannah. Given the significance of the falls, I couldn’t fully hide the surprise, but my friends did an amazing job setting up the picnic in an incredible spot at the base of the falls. Funnily, I didn’t even see the picnic until I hiked down to the base of the falls. Once I saw it I led Hannah down to it, and picking up the rose I shared my heart, love and desire to spend the rest of my life with her, then, dropped to one knee, and proposed.

R&H