We’re getting married!

We are so, so excited to share this special moment in our lives with you. Our journey together has been full of love, laughter, and memories we’ll cherish forever, and it means the world to us to celebrate this next chapter surrounded by the people we love most. As we come together and step into marriage, we’re keeping God at the center of it all, trusting in His plan for our lives and our future together. “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” — Gospel of Mark 10:9 Thank you for being such an important part of our lives. We truly can’t wait to celebrate, hug you all, and begin forever together as husband and wife. With all our love, James & Nikyla

It all started at a rodeo Nikyla and James met at a rodeo in Sedalia, where Nikyla had gone with her friend just to enjoy the horses and the country atmosphere, not knowing her life was about to change. While walking in, she stopped at a jewelry stand that caught her eye, and at that same moment, James—who was there with his friends—noticed her and walked up, asking if she wanted a bracelet, which she shyly said yes to as he bought it for her. After the rodeo, they stood in the parking lot talking and laughing, not quite ready to leave, before exchanging social media and continuing a conversation that never really stopped.

Fireworks and Forever On the Fourth of July, surrounded by family, food, and celebration at James’ family’s backyard BBQ, James’ dad casually introduced Nikyla as his girlfriend—and she went along with it, both of them smiling like it just felt right. As the night went on and fireworks filled the sky, they found themselves talking about it, replaying the moment that suddenly made everything real. Later that night, James looked at her and said, “Wait… so are you really my girlfriend now?” and just like the first time he offered her that bracelet, Nikyla nervously laughed and said yes. That simple, unplanned moment turned into something official, something real, and from that day on, they were inseparable. —making July 4th the day their forever truly began.

A Yes at Nikyla’s Dad’s Graveside Nikyla spent a peaceful day fishing, something that always made her feel close to her dad who had passed away, visiting a few different spots and thinking about the memories they shared even though she didn’t catch anything. Later that evening, James could tell her heart was heavy and asked if she wanted to go visit her dad’s gravesite, and she said yes. When they got there, she started looking everywhere trying to find his spot, walking around searching and unable to find it. What she didn’t realize was that James had already found her dad’s gravesite before she did. As she finally made her way over, she looked up and saw James already there, down on one knee at her dad’s graveside, waiting for her. In that moment, he told her he wished he could have met her dad and asked for his blessing in person, but still wanted him to be part of something so special, and with the ring in his hand he asked her to spend forever with him. Through all the emotions, she said YES!!

What we look forward to most in our marriage is building a life that is deeply rooted in faith, love, and purpose. We are so excited to grow together in a marriage centered on God, allowing Him to lead us, guide us, and strengthen our love through every season. We can’t wait to serve one another with grace, to choose each other every single day, and to stand side by side through every high and every low. With God at the center of it all, we are confident that we can face anything together with unwavering love and commitment. We dream of building a beautiful, joy-filled family grounded in faith, laughter, and strong values. Above all, we are excited to walk hand in hand through life, growing closer to each other and to God with every step we take together.