We're Getting Married!

...and in true Jared and Jillian fashion, they both found themselves on the dance floor at a local bar. In case you're wondering what they were dressed as, Jared was a police officer (water gun included) and Jillian was Fred Flintstone. After bonding over their shared Maryland heritage (and if you know Marylanders, you know they're VERY proud of their state), Jillian gave Jared her number and they parted ways. A few days later, Jillian was sitting at her cubicle and got a text message from a mystery number. It was a short message - three words to be exact (and no, not the three you're thinking of...yet). It read, "Yabba Dabba Doo." Very clever, she thought, as she responded to Jared's first of many texts to her. Side note: Years later, it surfaced that Jared had enlisted the help of his friends to craft the perfect initial text message to woo Jillian. Credit is given to those mentioned in the "Groomsmen" section of this website. After some standard witty banter, Jared called Jillian one afternoon to ask her on a date. (Yep...you're thinking what Jillian was thinking, "Who actually CALLS someone to ask them out anymore?!" She was impressed.) For their first date, Jared had remembered that Jillian studied abroad in Spain and they went out for tapas. But that was just the beginning of an unpredictable evening full of talking and laughter. By the end of the night (aka early the next morning), they had played basketball at an arcade bar, met up with multiple friends, gone dancing and finished the date by eating way too many buffalo wings at one of the best dives in the city. They didn't leave each others' side the entire time. So maybe it wasn't love yet, but Jared and Jillian were well on their way after their ten-hour first date.

A lot happens in nine years of a relationship. Jared and Jillian grew both together and independently, supported each other's ambitions and traveled the world. Guess you could say that together, they each became the best version of themself (cute, isn't it?). On one particular adventure in September 2018, Jared and Jillian found themselves in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. They were staying "in the bush" as experts say, meaning in tented camps right in the middle of the park. Jared asked Jillian on multiple occasions, "Is this the best vacation ever? Is this your favorite trip we've ever taken?" To which Jillian always responded with some variation of, "ARE YOU KIDDING THIS IS AMAZING LOOK AT THE BABY ELEPHANTS!!" But Jared had a secret. He was baiting Jillian, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to ask her a big question and make it truly the best vacation. It finally came one night with a new moon and the stars shining incredibly brightly in the sky. After a romantic campfire dinner (which he expertly orchestrated), Jared asked Jillian to stargaze with him (cue the "awww's"). Albeit a bit hesitant because she didn't want to become hyena food, Jillian joined Jared in the bush. They were staring at the night sky when Jared took both of Jillian's hands, squared his shoulders to her and took a deep breath. Before he could say a word, Jillian promptly lost her sh*t. As Jared got down on one knee, she started sobbing. And not dainty movie-star crying. We're talking about shoulders shaking, tears fogging up her glasses kind of crying. It wasn't cute (they've both concluded). Overcome with emotion, she doesn't remember a thing Jared said to her. Conversely, Jared, also overcome with emotion, didn't even make it through his prepared speech. At some point, Jillian said yes, and the rest of the vacation was, in fact, the best. After many hugs, kisses and spotty Wi-Fi calls to their parents, Jared and Jillian returned to the U.S. as fiances.

To our family and friends, We are so incredibly humbled by the outpouring of love we've received over the past few months. You all are the most special people in our lives. You've shaped who we are, you've been our unwavering support system and you mean so much more to us than we can ever put into words. Many of you have even dealt with us during our teenage years, so kudos for making it through that phase. But seriously, we wouldn't be the Jared & Jillian we are today without all of you, so thank you. We can't imagine starting our biggest adventure yet without you all by our sides. We're beyond excited for all that's to come over the next weeks, months, years...but first, it's time to party. We love you and we can't wait to see you. Love, Jared and Jillian