Garrett and Jessica started dating in 2017. While it may still be up for debate, Garrett insisted on waiting until Jess was officially in high school — because who could ever be caught dating a middle schooler? High school quickly became the setting of their own Hallmark love story: Friday night football games, locker notes, walking each other to class… and of course, their parents driving them everywhere. Two competitive athletes who maybe pushed each other just a little too much — but always made each other better. In 2018, Garrett was drafted to the USHL and later that year to the Shreveport Mudbugs. He went on to play four seasons in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Jess supported him through every second of it. She remembers watching his games every Friday and Saturday night — even from the middle of the homecoming dance circle. Truly his biggest cheerleader. During his time there, Garrett won a national championship, served as captain for two years, and played over 200 games. Jess didn’t miss one. Shreveport became more than just a hockey stop — it became part of their story. Meanwhile, Jess was building a championship résumé of her own. She won multiple district titles, a regional championship in basketball, and a state championship with her club soccer team. She later spent four years in Grand Rapids at GVSU, where she met some of her very best friends and grew into the woman Garrett always knew she’d become. Love knew no distance for these two. They always knew they would get married, so long distance simply became their “normal” — until it didn’t have to be anymore. In the fall of 2024, Garrett got down on one knee at Revel Run, surrounded by the people they love most. In 2025, they bought their first home in Grass Lake, Michigan — the beginning of their next chapter. But the greatest part of their story has always been the people in it. From parents who drove them everywhere, to teammates who pushed them, to friends who showed up for late-night calls, long drives, and every milestone in between. Long distance may have strengthened their relationship, but the community around them built the foundation. And now (9 years later), how incredible is it that all of those favorite people get to be in one place this August?