Jon and Kara met in the most Jon and Kara way possible - on a Congressional campaign on the East Coast. Kara had just graduated from Mizzou and was looking for her first job in politics. Jon had been drifting aimlessly across Texas and decided to take a job at the behest of a friend from college. The first time they met was at a staff meeting in Annapolis, and Kara was thoroughly unimpressed. After weeks of conference calls and G-chatting, they decided to meet for dinner in DC one night in August. Kara was so late that hardly any places were still serving dinner. After getting lost on Capitol Hill (because Jon famously walks as though he always knows where he's going), they had their first meal together at Legal Sea Foods in Chinatown. After the campaign ended, they both went their separate ways. We don't know if it was Jon's irresistible charm, or Kara's hair that led them to drive back to DC together the following January. By then, Jon was hooked, Kara was hooked, and the rest was history.

Anyone who's ever met Jon knows that he's a planner. An obsessive planner. Such a planner that it took him nearly 8 years to pop the question. Jon planted the seed as soon as August recess began. As the weeks went by, Jon started peppering in little details. There was only one hitch - the pair were set to head off to Napa Valley on Thursday, August 30th. Jon convinced Kara to pack early for their trip, because they were most likely going to have to attend a dinner after the happy hour. Little did Kara know that this would not be any normal dinner/happy hour. They would be meeting on the Speakers Balcony, overlooking the National Mall. Jon ensured that Kara was pre-cleared by Capitol Police so that she could enter without being tipped off. She wandered through the Capitol up to the Speaker's office, she found it to be unusually quiet, considering she thought a happy hour was being held. Jon escorted her out to the empty balcony, and began telling her a story that ended with him on one knee. Luckily, Kara's sister Tori reminded Jon to find a photographer, so he enlisted one of his friends to hide and take candid photographs. Jon arranged for champagne to be waiting for them on the Speakers porch, so they could toast to their new lives together, and of course facetime their overjoyed families. Afterwards, they enjoyed even more champagne at their favorite restaurant. Within 12 hours, they were meeting Kara's family to celebrate in wine country. We look forward to celebrating with all of you in Rosemary Beach this fall!