Jake and Joanna both reluctantly decided to attend a mutual friends birthday BBQ in Seattle. Jake reluctant because he had just returned from a bachelor party and was still recovering, Joanna because she had just gotten done with another event and wasn’t in the mood. Luckily for Jake, Joanna’s phone was dying and he had a phone that didn’t hold a charge, so he was constantly carrying around his charger everywhere he went. When she walked into the party in search of a charger, his broken phone was finally going to pay off. It was a whirlwind from there, with Jake constantly wanting to hang out and Joanna wondering “who the heck is this dude?”. Alas, he convinced her to go on their first official date to play putt-putt (where Joanna says she won, still up for debate), and they never looked back. After spending close to a year dating, and Jake confessing his love to Joanna drunkenly in a bathroom at a bar while vacationing in Oakland, CA, and her telling him “we’ll talk about what you just said when you get home”, they decided to move in with each other in March of 2020, and then covid hit. It was during this time they realized they wanted to be together forever, and that they could handle the trials and tribulations of life, no matter what it threw at them. Jake (FINALLY?!) made the decision to propose to Joanna on November 19,2023, at the Ballard Locks. He was nervous, and couldn’t quite get the speech out that he had practiced numerous times, but she said YES! Jake and Joanna chose San Diego as their wedding destination due to Jake’s deep family ties to the area, he likes to tell anyone that will listen that he was born there, and Joanna’s love for the beach, warm weather, and the area in general. She has also grown quite fond of Americas Finest City after taking numerous trips there with Jake and his family in the years since being together. They are thankful for all of you, happy that you are considering being a part of their story, and hopeful you will be able to attend their tying of the knot!