Come & celebrate in California!

Like all great love stories, ours starts on the dance floor. God brought us to Nashville a couple of months apart, but it wasn't until one "Motown Monday" at the Five Spot in Nashville that we finally connected. Jonathan was intimidated by Jillian's moves, so he took a little too long to follow-up... So, when he did, she said she was too busy. So, Jonathan got creative. Jillian was working the night shift at Vanderbilt, so he convinced her to let him bring her lunch at midnight. It went well enough to secure a second date during the day, and he gradually wore her down with more promises of food and dancing. We experienced the adventure of falling in love, while going on adventures together. A birthday trip to Austin City Limits, visiting our families in California and Virginia, camping all over central Tennessee, SCUBA diving in the Caymans, weddings across the country, and watching the rare, magical synchronous fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains. There are lots of ways we're different—extroverted vs. introverted; West Coast hippy vs. East Coast preppy; morning bird vs. night owl; science nerd vs. literature geek—but we've always been united around the most important things: our shared love for Jesus and our deep desire to help people with the gifts we've been given. We also both come from incredible families, and want to prioritize starting one of our own. Add in the shared obsessions for food and dancing and books and travel and anything competitive, and you can see how we might enjoy spending time together. We've also both found professions that, though we feel called to them, definitely stretch us. After Jillian helped support Jonathan through a particularly tough stretch, he just couldn't wait any more: it was time to start planning.

To provide a bit of context, you have to know that our first trip together was when Jonathan surprised Jillian with a trip to Destin for her birthday, shortly after we started dating. "Bring snow ski gear, a bathing suit, soccer clothes, a fishing pole, hiking boots, and camping gear." That's what Jonathan told her, to keep her from guessing the location. Little did he know, at that point, how much she loved camping. So, she was definitely excited to arrive in Florida... but a bit disappointed to be staying in a condo. Whoops! So, this April (almost 2 years later), Jonathan wanted a shot at redemption. He gathered some of Jillian's close friends, for another birthday trip to Destin... but this time, we camped on the beach! Jillian likes to say that Jonathan used her birthday as a sort of magician's assistant: a perfect diversion. "Oh, hey, look over here! Thisss is why we're going on this fun trip!" After a long road trip, and a delicious meal of fresh, grilled-fish tacos, she's very happy, but he's still mysteriously anxious... Until, the morning of her birthday, Jonathan asked Jillian to take a sun-rise walk on the beach. Knowing his life-long opposition to the early-morning hours, she already recognized this as a bit unique, but didn't suspect his intention: So, as the sun was rising, he asked to take some pictures of her... first facing him, and then facing the pretty colors. When she stopped hearing the shutter click, she turned around and saw him on one knee. SURPRISE!! LET'S GET MARRIED! Frankly, it's a blur, but she definitely did say "Yes," and we called our parents (3am PST... sorry, Witzkes!) and did a lot of happy dances. ... And we haven't really stopped. We're so grateful to all of the people who have shaped our lives and this relationship... and we're looking forward to dancing for joy with you, in September!

— Formal Attire, Dancing Shoes Encouraged —