Jessie swiped right on Bumble in November of 2022, and the rest is history! After meeting for the first time in person just 1 week later, we both knew we were soulmates. Although if you ask Jessie, she knew before ever meeting him in person. Despite Jessie getting scared and ending things TWICE, she knew he was the one and just couldn't let him get away. About 6 weeks later, Jessie was sitting in an ER waiting room with her ill grandmother when Stephen unexpectedly showed up with a McDonalds Dr. Pepper after driving all the way back home from Atlanta to ask her to be his girlfriend. Of course, she said yes! In May of 2023, we got our first apartment together in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Things were moving very quickly, but we had never been happier! We spent the summer of 2023 meeting each others families, celebrating our friends weddings, vacationing to Riviera Maya, experiencing the Cardinals opening day, spending every free minute at the pool, walking our sweet pup, Nala, and just enjoying being in love! On November 19th 2023, exactly one year after our first date, Stephen proposed! It was the most perfect day. We were taking Christmas photos in Pacific, MO. Stephen had secretly reached out to the photographer to plan the proposal and get it all on camera! It was truly a day we will remember forever. One week after the engagement our world was flipped upside down when Jessie's mom was placed on a ventilator after a very serious, life threatening illness. Through the traumatic rollercoaster, sleepless nights, and the reality that her mom may not survive, Stephen never left Jessie's side. Just when she thought she couldn't love him more, he supported her through the worst experience of her life and was her strength when she felt like her world was crumbling. She fell in love with him all over again. Thankfully, her mom made it home just in time for Christmas! A true miracle. We rang in the New Year with Stephen's childhood friends and dove deep into the fun of wedding planning! Jessie knew she always wanted to get married in the mountains, as she grew up doing all things outdoors. From hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, bird watching, she truly is an outdoorsy girl (something she gets from her dad). We made the decision as a couple to have a very intimate ceremony in the mountains of Colorado with the agreement that we would have a big reception back home with our family and friends. Fast forward to October of 2024, we bought our first home! We decided to move back to Illinois to be closer to our families and bought an adorable little house in O'Fallon. The first two years together have gone by in the blink of an eye. We have been through so much together already but we can't wait to see what the future holds for us. We're looking forward to turning our new house into a home and hopefully, lots and lots of babies! ;)

Thanks for reading our story! We can not wait to celebrate with you all!