Thank you so much to all who made our wedding happen. It was a small, intimate ceremony but we were able to make vows before God with our families present. For that, we are grateful. The video is posted below and we are so excited for all who want to join in! Thank you and we cannot wait to celebrate properly, in person. The wedding video starts about 10 minutes into this facebook video https://www.facebook.com/1579980088/videos/10222874160634112/

https://www.facebook.com/1579980088/videos/10222875356063997/

This is the video of the surprise toast that our brother Jason wrote and coordinated for us! Along with our first dance and Keila's dance with his mom! https://www.facebook.com/1579980088/videos/10222875964199200/

(Updated on 24 December 2020) Hey there! First and foremost, please know that in a perfect world we would be honored to request your attendance at our wedding on 21 December, 2020. Unfortunately, due to current Washington State Mandates, our ceremony in Lakewood, Washington will be limited to 30 people. If the regulations change in time for us to plan, we will adjust accordingly. We will also be streaming the ceremony online for those who cannot or chose not to attend, with the link posted here. For those we are asking to participate with us virtually, we are going to host a celebration of our marriage sometime next year! The details on this gathering are to be determined, and we are grateful for friends and family who bear with us during this interesting season of life. We want to honor those who have been a part of our journey, and cannot wait to see you all soon! **UPDATE** Hey there! Thank you so much to everyone who helped make our wedding possible. We were able to get married on December 21st despite last minute changes and ever-changing COVID-19 guidelines. We are very excited to celebrate with everyone when we're able but for those who are joining and want to see the wedding we'll be posting the video here! Thank you again and we will make it clear when the time comes for us to all celebrate together in person.

Jess and I (Keila) met our freshman year at West Point, by a chance encounter. Even though we weren't allowed to talk outside of our rooms during our first year, I just HAD to introduce myself to the young lady I saw reading a book outside the mail room in the basement of Washington Hall. We started noticing each other more in the hallways and at Church, but didn't really talk until one long weekend when we found ourselves without plans. We found ourselves walking, eating, singing, and debating heavily. We were just friends throughout school, occupied by different clubs, social circles, and relationships with other people. We graduated, and I chose to post closer to home at JBLM, WA while Jess picked the adventurous post of JBER, AK. After some major life changes for both of us, we reconnected. Despite not really talking for several years, Jess decided to come to Washington to hangout with the Pritchard Family. During that time I realized the heart of the woman I felt so strongly about my freshman year was still beating strong in Jess four years later. I told her I wanted to pursue her, and one week later we were dating. Long distance dating for Army folks is tricky but common, and through weekend trips between Anchorage and Seattle, multiple hours of daily FaceTime, or written correspondence we got as many touch points with each other as we could. While Jess wasn't so sure initially, I felt like I knew this woman would be my wife from day one and I felt blessed and called to pursue her. We feel like the more we learn about each other, the more confident we are that we want to spend our lives together.

It's safe to say no two relationships work exactly the same. That statement is exceptionally true when you're referring to big life changes in 2020. Due to Army imposed COVID-19 restrictions a few months after we started dating, seeing each other was limited. With the help of multiple people we found a way to make the engagement happen in a way that involved, as best I could, the things that mattered most. After I got word that I would be allowed to come visit, we scheduled a few days for Jess's parents and I to spend a few days traveling in Alaska. I knew it would be important to gain the support and practical aid of our dear friends, Anna and Rachel, and Jess's sister Sarah. We decided to pick a spot along the Anchorage coast for the actual engagement, and Anna and Rachel coordinated a nice dinner to celebrate after the event. I knew that I wanted Jess and I to be centered on three things, The Lord, those closest to us, and something that she loved. Rachel and Anna worked on getting Jess to dress up (Alaska is notoriously casual), and Anna set up a blanket in a park along the coast for me to actually pop the question. While Anna hid in the bushes in about 2 feet of water for photo opportunities, a blanket with a Bible, a note from Sarah, and candles set up on was waiting for us as symbols for the staples in our lives. The Bible, representing the Lord's place in our life. The letter from Sarah, was to represent how we would find ways to involve and keep close those who helped make us who we are today. And, finally, the candles, something that Jessica loves for that allowed me to show her that while she might be marrying me, I never want her to feel like she can't maintain the things she loves.