After a week of non-stop texting, anticipation hung in the air. Savanna had even tried to get Jessie to pick her up from a bar a few nights earlier. Jessie, wanting their first meeting to feel special, insisted on waiting for the right moment. So on the night of March 12th, 2023, Savanna got ready with her college best friend, Emily. The two spent the evening choosing an outfit and a little snack to bring Jessie, all while Savanna talked and talked about how this one felt different. And it did. Despite the heavy snowstorm outside, Savanna couldn’t bear the thought of waiting any longer. At 8pm, she drove through the snow, heart racing the entire way, until she finally parked at Jessie’s building. From the moment they sat down together, the hours disappeared. Conversation came so easily that neither wanted it to end. By 3am, Savanna finally said she should probably leave after hours of talking and card playing. Jessie’s face dropped just slightly enough to say she didn’t want the night to be over, but she walked her to the door anyway. That’s when fate intervened. Opening the building door, they discovered Savanna’s car buried under snow, the roads impassable with no plows in sight. They looked at each other, laughed, and without hesitation, turned back upstairs. The night stretched on with more talking, more laughter, and the feeling that something important had just begun. Savanna, lucky enough to be on spring break, slept the next day. Jessie, on the other hand, went to work on just two hours of sleep, still smiling. From that night on, they’ve been inseparable.

Jessie proposed to Savanna on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California. For months, Jessie had quietly worked with the Hayes family to plan the perfect proposal. When Savanna suggested a beautiful Mexican restaurant on the beach during their trip, they knew exactly what to do. Before leaving, Savanna jokingly asked Jessie if this would be the trip. She had neglected to do her nails and was tired from packing. Jessie reassured her it wasn’t, so Savanna asked for a ten-day warning next time. Jessie smiled and agreed. Lies. Jessie had secretly arranged something unforgettable. At dinner, Savanna’s brother, Garrett, invited them to watch the sunset at his and his girlfriend Emma’s “spot.” Savanna eagerly agreed and wanted Jessie to sit driver’s side so she could enjoy her first California beach sunset. Little did she know, Savanna's parents placed the ring in the passenger side door. In a quick, subtle move, Jessie insisted on sitting passenger side for more legroom. When they arrived, there was no parking. Garrett said he needed to go to the bathroom and would park, promising to meet them as soon as possible. Eager to get to the beach, Savanna didn’t question it and practically ran ahead as the sun began to set. As they walked, Savanna noticed a group in a heated verbal altercation nearby, distracting her as Jessie’s plan quietly unfolded. Excited to take photos of Jessie on the beach, Savanna had no idea her own proposal was happening in the background. Eventually, Savanna noticed something set up in the distance, glowing in the fading sunlight. Jessie suggested they go check it out. As they approached, Savanna tried to steer her away, joking, “We need to go around; they’re taking pictures!” Jessie stopped, looked at her, and said with a grin, “How about a ten-second warning?” And in that moment, surrounded by the ocean and the glow of the sunset, Jessie knelt down and proposed.