It’s wild how our paths crossed. Jess grew up in a suburban town in Fishers, Indiana, while James grew up in El Paso, Texas. After graduating from Ball State University, Jess moved to Dallas, and James moved back there after a stint in San Antonio. In May 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, fate brought us together through an online dating site. We both were a bit over the dating scene, and were about to delete the app, it's a good thing we didn't! Our first date was at James’s apartment in Dallas, where he set out wine and cheese and we stayed up talking until the early hours of the morning. James swears it was love at first sight. We connected over our shared goals for the future, our past, and passions. In early 2022, we made the move to Cincinnati, adopted four cats (yes, four 😻), traveled all over the U.S., and navigated career changes, big decisions, and plenty of ups and downs, always together. James is a photojournalist and restaurant manager who is passionate about street photography and capturing stories, while Jess studied Hospitality but now works in HR and loves helping people grow. On July 5th — our five-year anniversary — James proposed in the stunning white sands of New Mexico. It was the perfect moment to start this next chapter of our lives. We are so blessed to be able to celebrate our love, honor James’s culture, and tie the knot in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, surrounded by our favorite people. We hope you can join us!

James had been secretly planning this for months. Back in January, he started researching where and how to propose, and remembered how Jess had always dreamed of visiting White Sands National Park in New Mexico, a place they’d never quite made it to on previous trips to El Paso. Once that was locked in, the ring hunt began. Jess had one specific request: a Moss Agate stone. It wasn’t easy to find, but James was determined. After visiting countless jewelers and reaching out to multiple online designers, he finally found the one. Before moving forward, he traveled more than 2,000 miles to visit both sets of Jess’s divorced parents in Indianapolis and Dallas — earning their blessings (and their excitement). In early spring, James crafted the perfect cover story: a “family reunion” in El Paso. He even had the whole family in on it, complete with fake invitations to throw Jess off the scent (she’s not easy to surprise). He told her to pack a nice dress for “family photos,” and she didn’t suspect a thing. The day arrived, their five-year anniversary; and while Jess was a little bummed they couldn’t celebrate it properly, she was excited to meet more of James’s extended family. On the way, they made a “quick stop” at White Sands. As they walked up the dunes, Jess just knew. James got down on one knee, and the rest was a blur. Right after, Jess still thought the next stop was the family reunion, until everyone was like nope!! The whole reason for this trip is because of this! His whole family was waiting at a winery nearby to celebrate. The love, thought, and care James poured into that day meant the world to Jess. White Sands will forever hold a special place in their hearts.