We can't wait to celebrate with you!

Our story begins at the University of Iowa, where we both went to school, but somehow never crossed paths, despite having countless mutual friends. It wasn’t until March 2020 that our worlds finally collided. The weekend of St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, Jess had big plans for a celebration, but a certain virus—something we all soon came to know very well—began causing a stir and put a wrench in those festivities. Instead of heading out for the planned St. Paddy’s day celebrations, Jess ended up meeting up with a different friend from Iowa, and that’s where fate stepped in. Jess & Michael were introduced to one another and spent the day exploring Chicago, laughing, singing karaoke, and enjoying each other's company, all while the world around us was changing. The very next day, the world went into lockdown. Cities were shut down, and both of us found ourselves living in different places—Jess in Chicago and Michael in Milwaukee—with nothing open and no easy way to meet up. Our first official date? Over Zoom, of course! Despite the distance and restrictions, we made it work. Nearly every weekend, we found a way to visit each other, our connection growing stronger with every trip. When Jess moved back to Iowa for PA school, the miles between us changed, but our commitment never wavered. Our weekends became filled with long drives, countless Hawkeye games, and more memories than we could count. Then, on a windy July day during a road trip to the Apostle Islands, Michael decided it was the perfect time to ask Jess to marry him. And of course, it was an obvious yes! After five years of long-distance love, we’re finally together in Milwaukee, ready to celebrate the next chapter of our lives. We couldn’t be more excited to share this special day with all of you and are endlessly grateful for the journey that brought us here. Here’s to love, patience, and finally being in the same place—forever.