05.21.26

Some love stories begin with a grand gesture ours started with a simple walk down the aisle. At our mutual best friends’ wedding- Ryan and Mariah!, we were paired up as wedding party partners. The butterflies were there, but the timing wasn’t right. Ross was in charge of DJing on the party bus playing what Juanita could only describe as grungy lullabies. With no one dancing, she didn’t hesitate to call him out: "Your music sucks." Ross quickly changed the playlist, and the party came to life. According to him, this was the moment he knew he needed a spicy Colombian in his life. Though, at the time, he didn’t realize it would be this spicy Colombian; especially since two years would pass before they spoke again. Then, on the evening of September 23, 2022, fate—or rather, Juanita’s curiosity—stepped in. A casual Instagram DM turned into long conversations, late-night texts, and a spontaneous weekend trip. Ross made the journey to Chicago for what would become their first date. They had big plans—professional hockey and basketball games, a fun-filled weekend ahead. But when we arrived at the Blackhawks game, Ross proceeded to ignore the sport they were there to watch and instead delivered an unsolicited TED Talk on Michael Jordan. The sheer number of basketball facts was absurd. This date was not going well. Juanita, convinced this was now just a “friendship” situation, started mentally preparing her exit strategy. But then—redemption. Somewhere between awkward small talk and endless MJ trivia, Ross turned on the charm, and turned things around. After this weekend, neither of them could wait to see each other again. What followed was a whirlwind of weekends spent traveling back and forth. On their third date, Ross—overcome with emotion (and perhaps fueled by a weekend of celebration at Michael and Paige’s engagement party)—blurted out, “I love you.” To his relief, Juanita said it back. After countless FaceTimes, concerts, and adventures, Juanita made the bold move to Iowa. Ross helped her move to Des Moines. She took a travel contract—just in case things didn’t work out. Spoiler alert: they did. A year later, they moved in together, shared in many friends’ weddings, and soaked up every moment of life together. They both met each other’s parents, and that was fantastic—but the best part was that their parents loved each other so much. Christmas and Thanksgiving were shared with each other’s families. There were plenty of trips to Florida filled with great company, food, drinks, and dance nights. Then came May 2025—an unforgettable trip to Greece. With the Aegean Sea as their backdrop, Ross got down on one knee and popped the question. Easiest. Yes. Ever. We drank, we danced, and we celebrated. And while this is just the beginning of our adventure, we’ll update this story as life unfolds—mainly so we have a reason to tell you all how many more times Ross embarrasses himself with basketball facts. Oh, and the sports rivalry? Well, Ross is still an extremely passionate (and often embarrassing) fan of basketball—especially his beloved Cyclones. On the other hand, Juanita enjoys Colombian soccer, though it's definitely not to the same level of intensity (no one could ever match Ross’s devotion). But here's the twist: Ross has agreed to become a Colombian soccer fan, no matter who they play. Commitment, right? Juanita loves to experiment with weird foods, which is something Ross definitely doesn’t share a passion for. So, every night, Juanita enjoys her "girl dinner"—which could be anything from sushi to something that’s probably not even a real food—and Ross? He’s over there with his trusty chicken and rice. Every. Single. Night. But hey, for the wedding, we promise there will be normal food. We’re beyond excited for our wedding day. We’re just crazy in love—and can't wait to celebrate the day with each other and all of you! (Also, we’re pretty sure the open bar is going to be a highlight). Stay tuned... the best is yet to come!