You're Invited to Camp Jam

After getting engaged and deciding to have a wedding, we envisioned a fun party outside with all of our favorite people. We love the outdoors, we love you, and we love a loose theme. Hence, Camp Jam (Jo+Sam) was born! As much as we'd like to have a big sleepover with all of you in tents, our celebration will be more of a "day camp." But expect s'mores and good times to be had!

Jo and Sam’s story starts in PT school at the University of Delaware, despite having grown up a little less than an hour apart. Jo primarily grew up in the Poconos, and Sam just west of her in Hazleton, PA. It wasn’t until they were grouped together for a semester-long project in their neurophysiology class that they got to know one another (Thanks, Dr. Reisman!). They bonded over a mutual love of good sushi (hard to find in Delaware...), shows like Arrested Development and Parks and Rec, and having some of the same friends. It wasn’t long before they were spending an increasing amount of time together outside of their classwork, and they shared their first kiss at their friends’ Christmas party. After a few months of “will they won’t they,” they officially started dating after PT prom when one of their classmates candidly asked, “so like.. what are you guys?” After grad school, they started clinical rotations. For one of these rotations, they lived with their mutual friends in Baltimore. This welcoming environment of meaningful friendship and shared experience proved to be a solidifying component of their relationship (and gave them a trial run at living together). This pattern of nurturing tight-knit shared friendships continues to be a cornerstone of Jo and Sam’s relationship. Post-graduation, Sam and Jo bounced back and forth between Rockville and Baltimore while they lived an hour apart for their jobs. Jo joined Sam in Rockville in the spring of 2020, and another defining component of their relationship entered the scene: Griffin. They brought home this rambunctious and exceedingly vocal beagle/cattle dog rescue, and it remains one of their greatest decisions ever. He strongly bonded to them both immediately, and their mutual affection and caring for Griff only further deepened the love and connection Jo and Sam already had with each other. A few months later, they decided to make their way back to Baltimore. Since Jo graduated from Johns Hopkins and lived in Baltimore for 6 years prior to PT school, she already had an appreciation and love for the city. Sam, as is his nature, was more skeptical of living in a city. It took a little time, but the more he experienced different parts of Baltimore, the more he came to love it. The most significant factor in deciding to live there, was that Baltimore was well situated in proximity to many of their friends who were either in the city, or living a couple hours drive away. Eventually, they bought a home in the quiet neighborhood of Locust Point in the Southeast corner of the city. Despite their choice of city living, Jo and Sam’s favorite shared activities primarily involve the outdoors. They often wonder if any of their fellow row home owners also have hiking/camping gear and 2 mountain bikes and snowboards stuffed into their closets or other coveted storage spaces. Of all their adventures, there’s one hike in particular that stands out… One Friday last spring, Sam came home from work and told Jo to pack a weekend bag for a surprise trip. He then went to the basement and returned with already-packed bags full of food, alcohol, and Griffin’s belongings. Jo was so thrown that her first question was, “should I pack a bathing suit?” It was the end of March, and it had recently snowed. A few hours later, they pulled up to a perfect little cabin perched on a cliff overlooking the mountains of West Virginia. Sam had brought all the fixings to make Jo’s favorite foods for dinner along with their favorite cocktails (French 75s for Jo, Old Fashioneds for Sam). On Saturday, they went on a hike in a nearby state park where Sam proposed with his great grandmother’s ring (on what happened to also be her birthday) in a beautiful custom jade box. Jo of course said yes, and Griffin sniffed around nearby, unbothered. Jo and Sam feel so incredibly lucky to have you all in their lives and to be able to celebrate with you! Thank you for continuing to be such an important part of our story.