We will be officially married in Washington, D.C. in early October, but no celebration would be complete without our friends and family across the pond. We are so excited to spend the night dancing and laughing with all of you, and can't thank you enough for helping us kick off this new chapter as husband and wife!

It was James' fourth day in America, having just moved here from England for a diplomatic posting. Jen's friend (and bridesmaid), Brittany, was working at the British Embassy and given a plus one to the embassy’s annual holiday party. Jen has never been one to miss out on a free meal and an excuse to get dressed up, so she gladly said yes and went along to the party with Brittany. Jen noticed James on the dance floor and he introduced himself at the bar shortly thereafter. They spent the rest of the evening dancing and talking, and eventually exchanged numbers at the end of the night. They went on their first date the very next day, and the rest is history!

Surprising Jen was always going to be tough (if you know her, you'll know she doesn't miss much). So I went through a few grand ideas before I realised that the simplest might also suit us the most. Dancing at home together has been a consistent theme of our relationship. We rarely go out without first sharing a drink and dancing in our kitchen. We rarely have a night in without music. So I bought the ring - made by a jeweller on the London street next to ours - and waited for the right moment. Typically for us, that came after an evening where we balanced an evening out with Jen working late and this was no exception. We'd just finished dinner on a Saturday night and as we arrived home around midnight, the music went on, the dancing started and I knew it was the right time. Midway through one of our favourite songs ('Movement' by Hozier) Jen turned around to find me on one knee...and so as of 2am we were officially engaged! The next night, we saw Hozier live in concert (not a coincidence) . We were in the front row and Jen pointed out her new ring - he noticed from the stage, asked us the story, and then announced it to the crowd who responded with a standing ovation. An unforgettable moment in and of itself, it was somehow topped just minutes later when he played "Movement" and dedicated it to us. I couldn't have planned it that well if I'd tried, but it was a perfect celebration of our engagement and one of many incredible memories we share.