Jonathan and Karissa’s story began on the dance floor. It was Karissa’s first time at line dance lessons and probably Jonathan’s millionth. Karissa noticed Jonathan in his cowboy hat and country attire, and Jonathan noticed her in a cute “cowgirl t shirt” as well from across the room. BUT neither made a move until later in the night, during “couples lesson,” Jonathan saw Karissa about to dance with another of her girl friends. AND he thought, there’s no way that such a beautiful girl shouldn’t have a man standing by her side on the dance floor. SO, Jon asked his other friend to dance and distract Karissa’s friend. This allowed Jonathan to make his move and ask Karissa for “this dance.” On the dance floor, Jonathan and Karissa’s conversations went from small talk to in-depth conversation. They both knew there was a spark. So, they exchanged numbers. On the next day, Jonathan called Karissa and asked her to coffee. A coffee date turned into a lunch date after 4 hours. After that, Jonathan and Karissa began dating and hanging out as much as possible. They chose to date intentionally, aiming to put God at the center and getting to know each through multiple books and experiences. Some of their favorite dates have been horseback riding, a helicopter ride, and hiking. After about a year of dating, Jonathan was sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Karissa, so he asked her dad for her hand in marriage. After her dad gave his approval, Jonathan began planning the proposal.

Jonathan began planning the proposal months in advance to make it as special as possible. With the ring hidden in his suit case, it all went down on a family trip to Gatlinburg, TN (some might now say the most romantic place on Earth) with his parents and Karissa. Jonathan told them all that he wanted to take them to a fancy dinner on the last night of the trip. Before the dinner, Jonathan’s parents bailed (as planned by Jonathan). This left just Jonathan and Karissa to have a romantic dinner on the river at The Peddler Steakhouse (we both highly recommend). After dinner, Jonathan and Karissa walked around downtown Gatlinburg for a few moments. THEN, they drove 40 minutes to a mountain overlook in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. They made it on time despite losing internet and getting lost along the way. Karissa expected nothing. At the overlook, Jonathan handed his phone to a photographer (hired by Jon) that snapped a couple of photos on the phone. THEN, out of nowhere, Jonathan turned to Karissa and told her how much he loved/appreciated her. THEN, he got down on one knee and proposed to her. She said YES almost immediately. And NOW, here they are, about to take the next step in their relationship as embark on the grand journey of marriage !