JB So you’re probably asking yourself, how does a charming, talented, brilliant girl from Minnesota end up with a bird-hunting, Alaska-fishing, political junkie from Virginia? Well, to tell the truth, I still ask myself that sometimes. You can trace this all back to a cold and gloomy Friday in February when I was coming off of a particularly challenging week at work. One of my college friends, Evan Jacquez, came to town and invited me out with a group of his friends. It was just the change of pace I needed, and it was made particularly interesting by one of the most beautiful people I had ever laid my eyes upon. KM I'd just moved to Richmond from Chicago and was enjoying the sun being up at 4:30pm. I remember meeting him there, but I certainly wasn't expecting to meet Mr. Forever at "World of Beer" ... JB Now, at the time, we were both busy leading our own lives. But as so often happens we were reconnected by another dear friend, Cassandra Burba. I invited her to a local favorite, Legend Brewing Company. With a nice view of the river on their outdoor patio and my favorite band Holy Roller playing, I heard all about this Minnesota badger, and how she found her way to Richmond. KM We couldn't see the river ... but it is a great spot with great music. A rainstorm was brewing on the horizon, and someone kept saying "ohh it'll skirt right past us." spoiler it didn’t. The skies opened up and dumped buckets of rain like only Richmond can. It was pretty cute to see him whisk me under the covered patio and keep on as if nothing were wrong. JB A few months later, I really put her spontaneity to the test: a bird hunting trip to Salina, Kansas. I warned my buddies: “here’s the thing, either she will hate this and she’ll never speak to me again... or this will all go well and I’ll wind up marrying her.“ In the first hour of her arriving she opens the fridge to find it full of fresh pheasants and quail, a fact I was particularly proud of. She was... startled. KM For context: “hunting” and my name had never appeared in the same sentence previously. I opened the fridge expecting LaCroix and got a half dozen birds staring me down. Thank God for his dog Bonny or I might’ve caught the next flight home. JB As far as I could tell, she hardly missed a beat and fully embraced the experience. And then, as if she had anything more to prove, she stuck out three hard days of frigid temperatures, blasting wind, and many miles of shoe leather. After that, we made a trip out to Denver to visit her childhood friend Kaitlin Bloom. KM Denver was a really good time, but more importantly, Denver was my cover story. You see, at this point John was still "not that serious". As far as my family knew, it was just a trip to see Bloom, I’d conveniently left out the “hunting in Kansas” part. But by the end of it, I realized this boy might be more than “not that serious.” JB From that moment on, I have been incapable of imagining life without Kaitlin by my side. A year and a half later at the gazebo on my family farm, I asked Kaitlin if she would do me the honor of spending the rest of her life with me. I have come to know and love her entire family. From the start I was struck by how often, easily, and joyfully they all laugh together and include others in that joy. Every single one of them, in their own special way, brings a bit of joy to our relationship, and I am so grateful to be joining their family. KM I am wildly blessed to have a remarkably close family but was nervous at the prospect of not having that with my in-laws. After meeting the Begala's I knew I had nothing to worry about. All of John's family is delightful. They are the kind of people that make you feel loved, welcomed, and appreciated. I couldn't be happier to be included in their big happy family. JB & KM We're so excited to celebrate our love with you all, our closest family and friends. We wouldn't be here without you.