We give thanks every day for the life and music of John Denver and for the love that Laura's mom, Sue McKibbin, had for his music. Because of these two things, the stars aligned and paved the path for us to eventually meet at “Aspen In October,” the annual celebration of John Denver's life and music. Ron's first year in Aspen was 2011. Over the years, Ron has become a beloved John Denver tribute artist, inspiring many at the nightly singalongs and performing his annual JD tribute concerts. Laura's first year was 2017, the year her mom passed away. To honor her mom's spirit and love for John Denver, Laura travelled to Aspen to spread some of her mom's ashes and attend some of the JD events. Laura thought 2017 would be a "one and done" trip. However, she caught the magic of John's music and the special people who gathered in Aspen each year. She especially took note of the larger-than-life spirit of a certain cute musician banging away on his guitar and leading the nightly John Denver singalongs. In hopes to get a closer glimpse of this cute Nashville boy, Laura returned to Aspen in 2018. She got more than just a glimpse; this time, when Ron & Laura locked eyes, a mutual spark and curiosity ignited. This marked the beginning of a three-year friendship with the occasional shout out to each other via social media. In 2021, we had our “first date” which is captured in the photo below. A passing stranger who noticed the sparkle in our eyes exclaimed that she just HAD to take our picture. It was a sign! In December of 2022, Ron visited Laura in Arizona for the holidays. It was during that visit that we knew we had to be together. Ron returned to Arizona the following March to help Laura pack up her condo, load the truck and bring his “gurl” home to Nashville. We became engaged on December 25, 2024, with a pledge to spend at least 30 healthy years together! We can’t wait to celebrate our special day with you at our wedding on October 4, 2025!