On 11.11.23, we met in the most unexpected way — playing in a volleyball tournament in San Diego. And somehow, we just knew. Dyl wants to note she texted her closest friends that very day: “Mark my words, I just met my future husband, John Cook.” She even dubbed her teammate as the flower girl if it worked out. What she didn’t know at the time? John went home that night thinking the exact same thing. The next day, Dyl drove to her parents’ house, and the whole Nieman family gathered in the living room to (lovingly) debate what her very first text to John should say. Mom chimed in. Dad chimed in. It was a full Nieman family effort. Thankfully, it worked. John replied immediately and asked her on a first date. There may or may not have been literal dancing in the living room. On the drive to Ocean Beach, Dyl called her best friend and said, “I think I’m about to go on my last first date.” And boy… she was right. John had planned the sweetest evening — a stroll through the farmers market and dinner afterward. In true rom-com fashion, it poured rain. Dyl brought an umbrella. John “forgot” his (strategic or not, we’ll let you decide), so we shared hers the whole night. The market was rained out, but we wandered through the city, laughing, a little damp but very happy, before warming up at dinner. Lost in John's eyes, Dyl didn’t notice her chicken was severely undercooked… After dinner we grabbed a drink and invented some random board game at a local pub. And then — plot twist — full-on food poisoning. Dyl made a very abrupt exit with minimal explanation. John put his hoodie on her, kissed her goodnight, and sent her home. She drove away feeling violently ill… and completely smitten. Cloud 10(ish). From that night on, we were inseparable. Park dates so John could meet sweet Oakley. Bowling so Dyl could show off her competitive side. Sunset walks filled with childhood stories and big dreams. Just a few weeks later, John bought Dyl a flight to meet him in NYC during Christmastime while he was there for work. She told her family she was flying across the country to meet a guy she’d known for barely two weeks… and no one was surprised. She’d already been calling him her husband since day one. (He found this out much later.) To be fair, she did have multiple backup escape plans — safe girl energy with East Coast family on standby. Spoiler: she didn’t need them. John was a complete gentleman. She met his closest college friends, and while ice skating in Central Park, he asked her to officially be his girlfriend. Two weeks later, John rang in the New Year in Hawaii with Dyl’s entire family — sink or swim, right? He swam. And since then, we’ve been adventuring nonstop. Mexico. Backpacking through South America. Scuba certified in Belize. Hiked 13,000-foot volcano in Guatemala. Zip-lining and whitewater rafting in Costa Rica. Somewhere early on, John even wrote in his journal: “Marriage with Dyl — TBD 2025.” Since that first rainy date, we’ve been each other’s best friends. We’ve walked through moves, transitions, high highs and low lows — always choosing each other. John has been Dyl’s steady, patient anchor through every life change, cheering her on when she decided to start teaching again in San Diego. Dyl has been John’s greatest encourager, teammate, and adventure partner in every sense. We feel incredibly lucky — not just to have found each other — but to have gained each other’s families. The love and support surrounding us has been one of the greatest gifts of this journey. So it only felt right to make it official on our lucky day: 11.11. We had a simple, meaningful courthouse ceremony in Santa Barbara — just the two of us and our parents — in one of Dyl’s favorite sunshine-filled places from her college days. It was intimate, joyful, and perfect. And now… it’s time for the wedding. We cannot wait to gather our favorite people in one place and celebrate this next chapter with you. Thank you for being part of our story. ✨