AUGUST 22, 2020

Ryan and Jess have decided they cannot wait to start their married lives and are therefore moving forward with a small intimate wedding on August 22, 2020! They ask for well wishes and blessings as they start their forever during this unprecedented time. The soon to be new Mr and Mrs Jaeger look forward to findings ways to continue their celebration in any way possible with all their family and friends in the future! --Much love from the Bride and Groom

The day was December 13th, 2014 (12/13/14), a special date not only for the sequential digits but also the first time that Ryan and Jess would meet. For on this day was also the famous (or maybe infamous) day of the Twelve Bars of Christmas Bar Crawl (or simply TBOX) in the quiet neighborhood that is Wrigleyville, Chicago. Ryan was sporting a very fashionable black ugly Christmas sweater, with embroidered snowmen, and Jess was doing her best impression of a Christmas Tree, in a green dress with ornaments and silver garland attached. On this day, much like the date, the stars would align and the two of them were introduced by their mutual friend, Kierra. Somewhere between drinks at the classy establishment of Deuce’s Major League Bar and late-night pizza Ryan and Jess exchanged phone numbers but then parted ways to go on with separate friend groups. The next day Ryan messaged Jess and to his dismay found out she was driving back to Iowa, as that is where Jess was living at the time. Unperturbed by the distance the two began messaging back and forth daily, finding more and more that they shared many common interests. Finally, Ryan asked if Jess would be visiting Chicago again any time soon and was happy to learn she would be back for NYE. She had evening plans for with friends, but no daytime plans! He asked her for a real first date and she accepted! They went Ice Skating downtown at the Ribbon Rink and once again parted ways, but this time with a promise to see each other again soon.

Fast forward to March 2015. After many weekends of the two driving back and forth between Davenport and Chicago, Jess decided to move to Chicago for a new job and to be closer to potential PA school programs. Being closer to Ryan was a nice perk too. Less than a year later she would be accepted to one of those programs and begin her journey to becoming a PA. It would be three years later in November 2018, just a month from Jess’ graduation that Ryan would finally pop question. Under the guise of a double date, Ryan lured Jess into the loop. Wouldn’t you know it the other couple suddenly had an “unforeseen” flat tire and could no longer make it, leaving the two to have a romantic meal just by themselves. Feeling full after dinner, Jess asked if they could take a walk in the park. Unbeknownst to Jess Ryan had previously walked through the park and found the perfect spot to propose and staged friends to be waiting. Jess had played right into his plans. A walk sounded wonderful! There on the bridge that leads to the Ribbon Rink, Ryan got down on one knee and asked Jess to be with him forever. Very surprised, but without any hesitation (but with tears already in her eyes) Jess said yes! The two had finally come full circle from that first date.