Jack and Vanessa met at the University of WI-Stout, after Jack transferred in 2013. Vanessa was on the soccer team, and Jack on the baseball team.

One of their mutual friends, Jess (Vanessa's bridesmaid), seemed to think that they would be a pretty good match. At first only Jack agreed, and Vanessa was pretty hesitant. After a few months, they appeared to be on the same page. Jack and Vanessa chatted a few times that semester, but then summer came around and they knew it would be a while before seeing each other again.

Jack happened to have a family wedding in Chicago, IL that summer, and stopped in Rockford to see Vanessa. They took a long walk around the lake and talked for some time. Later that summer they planned to head back to Menomonie, WI to see each other again.

By the time fall of 2014 came around, and they were back at school, they were pretty attached, and started dating that August! Vanessa's friends and family were pretty curious and wanted to meet him before they could make any judgement. They were finally able to "meet the parents" that semester at a baseball game and a soccer game.

After that, they moved around a few times, and became pup parents to little Olive Oyl. They were living in Eagan, MN when they got engaged in December of 2017. Jack proposed to her in the best, and most fitting way possible for these two. He had cooked dinner (HIS favorite meal....Chicken Alfredo), and had a glass of wine poured for her when she got home from work one Friday night. She felt something slightly off, since wine was already poured and Jack had his "nice" Christmas sweater on for dinner at home, but she let it go. After dinner, they sat to watch one of their favorite Christmas movies, in their Christmas pajamas, cuddled with the pup....typical Friday night for them.

They had a running tradition of exchanging ornaments every year. As they were sitting there, Jack seemed pretty eager to start the exchange. Vanessa went first and gave him the ornament she made. It was a ball with sawdust inside that said "Sawdust is man glitter", and she thought it was pretty clever. Then he told her that she had to get hers from her stocking, but had to hand it to him before opening it...... well OK that's inconvenient right? She wandered over, grabbed the handmade, wooden, ornament box and gave it to him. He then knelt down and asked her to marry him. What a night!

The next day was their annual, family Christmas party, so they were able to celebrate accordingly.

Since then, they have purchased a home in Chisago City, MN, and started a their own business together. They couldn't be more excited to celebrate with everyone on their wedding day!