James and Kate first crossed paths at the Mustard Seed Coffee Shop in Stanwood in May of 2025, where something quiet and certain began to take root. James was drawn to the warmth in Kate’s kindness, and Kate to the calm steadiness of James’s attention. In that small space, over simple cups of coffee, a larger story began. One date became another, then another still, unfolding across the long light of spring and summer. Together they wandered Snohomish and Island Counties, climbing toward the mist at Wallace Falls and the sweeping heights of Three Fingers Lookout, tracing the Centennial Trail on two wheels, carving bright arcs through Whistler snow, and strolling beside Kate's dogs along the shores of Camano and through the forests of Larrabee State Park. With each step, each turn, each shared horizon, their bond deepened, something both grounded and quietly expansive. In time, they discovered a harmony beneath it all: a shared devotion to family, a love of the wider world, a steady faith, and a belief in laughter as both refuge and release. A question lingered softly between them, growing clearer with each passing day—might this be the life they were meant to build together? In March and April of 2026, they carried that question with them to Spain’s Camino de Santiago. Mile by mile, they learned the rhythm of “us,” how to walk side by side without rushing or falling behind, how to choose a path together, and how to listen, speak, rest, and press on. Through the winding ways of Asturias and Galicia, they found not just the road to Santiago de Compostela, but a deeper understanding of one another. On April 9, in the Plaza Mayor, standing on cobblestones worn smooth by centuries of pilgrims, James knelt and asked Kate to walk the rest of life’s journey with him. She said yes, and the square, alive with strangers, answered in a joyful chorus. Now, with full hearts, James and Kate invite you to join them for the next chapter of their story: their wedding on Saturday, July 18. They cannot wait to celebrate with you.