welcome.

James & Jasmine made their way to Seattle to begin their first road trip - driving down the coastal highway and visiting friends across multiple cities. While there were a lot of great sights to see on the way down, they made a special stop to visit the Redwoods - a series of forests that are home to some of the largest trees in the world. They decide (somewhat foolishly) to take advantage of this opportunity and embark on a 13-mile hike to see all that the area had to offer. Throughout this hike, they crossed forest paths, fern canyons, and even a beach (tip: waking on sand with shoes is very difficult). Needless to say, this was an incredibly memorable, yet equally challenging experience. About three-fourths of the way through the hike, James suggested that they hop a bit off the path, setup the camera, and take a photo together (although he was secretly setting it up to record a video). After mentioning he had a gift and she should close her eyes, James got on one knee and made the proposal. After Jasmine said "YES," a new challenge was raised - the sun was setting and they still had a couple miles to go. Luckily for James, his new fiancee seemed to have a burst of energy and somehow led the way - both through the end of the hike.. and into a completely new type of adventure for the couple.

James & Jasmine are both long-time members of New Song Church, but didn't actually cross paths until after their college years. Jasmine grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil and didn't fully move to the US until she attended Parsons School of Design - at which point, James moved upstate to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institue. As fate would have it, they both ended up serving as Youth Ministry teachers (James joined in 2014 and Jasmine in 2015). Between sharing stories about faith, serving students with love, and their families coincidentally moving to the same street (actually), it was only a matter of time until they began officially dating in August 2016. Since then, James & Jasmine have shared many experiences and adventures together, but their to-go remains to be meaningful talks over coffee (& latte) and watching new movies. Although they each went through a difficult career change, James & Jasmine have continued to support each other, serve students + God, and developed a deep relationship built on mutual support. This relationship would not be what it is today without the continued support of their friends and communities, who provide not just guidance, but an environment for them to grow in. As they look to celebrate their first steps of marriage, James & Jasmine sincerely hope that you'll join them - as witnesses before God, as trusted friends to celebrate with, and as a community continuously invested in the growth of relationships (maybe over a coffee.. or a latte).