J & C

Sometimes the best love stories start long before you even meet… and ours began with a surprise group chat, and a whole lot of perfect timing. In March 2024, Callie met Jared’s parents at Marc Jacobson’s 60th birthday celebration in Kohler, Wisconsin. Later that year, Marc sadly passed away, and his loss was felt deeply by everyone who loved him. In a way, his celebration became one of those meaningful moments that stayed with us—and ended up connecting our lives in a way none of us could have predicted. Not long after, Jared mentioned to his parents that he was finally ready to date again. Their response was immediate: “Oh… we have a girl for you!” Enter Jeff (Jared’s dad), who sent a group chat to Jared and Callie with absolutely no context, just: “Jared’s going to call you.” Sure enough, Jared did. He was in a hotel room in Michigan, running late for dinner, and Callie was at work. That phone call was supposed to be quick… but turned into an hour-long conversation that neither of us wanted to end. Jared mentioned he was “in Chicago all the time” and would be there even more soon—despite the fact that he lived in Rockford and had only been through Chicago once that summer (we still laugh about that part). The very next weekend, we met up on St. Paddy’s Day for dinner—and it was officially the shortest dinner Callie had ever had. It ended so quickly that she left and ate her dinner after. But the story was just getting started. That same week, Callie was heading to Naples, Florida… to meet Jared’s parents again. And somehow, “Jared just happened to be there too…” We spent the weekend together in Naples with Callie’s sister, Chelsea, and it didn’t take long for Jared to realize his best move was winning over the people Callie loves most. Chelsea (as only Chelsea can) spent two full hours grilling Jared about his tattoos—and even offered alternative tattoo suggestions. Jared took it all like a champ, and honestly… it was entertaining for everyone. By the end of that weekend, and after a long paddleboard ride, Jared officially asked Callie out on a real date. From there, everything moved fast in the best way. Callie was traveling constantly, and Jared was persistent about getting on her calendar (aka the “Callie-ndar”). He drove four hours round trip just to take her to dinner, again and again, proving early on that he wasn’t just interested—he was all in. Once we started dating, we talked on the phone every night for over an hour. We truly couldn’t be kept apart. Two weeks after meeting, Jared came to Callie’s dad’s 70th birthday party, where he met over 100 friends and family members in one day. Somehow, he survived, and we both knew this was becoming something real. As our relationship grew, Jared asked one of the most Jared questions of all time: “So… do I need to convert?” And then came the moment we’ll never forget. In October, in one of our favorite places in the world—Aspen—Jared planned a horseback riding day with family friends. There were only two horses available, so Jared stayed behind while Callie rode in to meet everyone for lunch. It was a perfect sunny day: bright blue skies, beautiful clouds, crisp air—one of those moments where you think, how could this day get any better? As Callie arrived on horseback, Jared was waiting, ready to help her down like he always does—opening doors, helping her out of the car, always being thoughtful and chivalrous. But this time, he got down on one knee. Callie was so shocked she couldn’t speak. She just stood there completely filled with joy. And it was an absolute yes. We celebrated at our favorite lunch spot, and Callie couldn’t stop staring at her ring (when she wasn’t too happy to even look at it without shaking). Since that day, we’ve been floating—grateful, excited, and so happy to be building a life together. Most of all, we’re grateful for the families and friends who have loved us, supported us, and helped bring us together. We can’t wait to celebrate with you.