It's happening !

It all started with Amber’s best friend and maid of honor, Tracy Wagner. She went to college at Western Illinois University alongside Jake. Although Amber had visited WIU multiple times, she never met Jake (well - not that either of them remembers…). New Year’s Eve 2015 was a week away and Tracy asked Amber to attend a Sam Hunt concert, without hesitation, Amber said YES! Tracy began to tell her it was in this town “called New Berlin.” Amber, naturally, began to question where in the world is this town and concert?! The two stayed the night with Tracy’s college friend (soon to become Amber’s good friend and future bridesmaid), Ashley Neuman. That night, Amber met most of the “New Berlin Group” and, though she was single at the time, she may have told a few too many people she was taken (which gets back to Jake). Unfortunately, she did not meet the future love of her life until the next day. Very hungover and tired from the concert, the new group of friends was informed that they would be attending the New Year’s Day Bar Crawl. So, in a typical Amber and Tracy fashion, they threw on hoodies and some boots. Had Amber known she was about to meet her future husband, she most likely would have showered that morning. But she didn’t. At some point that day, Ashley texted “Bartnick” saying, “Hey, come to the bar crawl - I have two hot friends with me!” So, Jake followed instructions, grabbed a friend, and met up with everyone at the Bar Crawl. On that day, Amber met her new friend, “Bartnick.” For the next year or two, Amber took advantage of her Snapchat to let Jake know when she was coming to town as she did not yet have his phone number. Until one “Wine Wednesday…”

While Amber was living in Bolingbrook, IL, attending “Wine Wednesday” at Gordon Birch became a regular thing. While Tracy, Cailin (another bridesmaid), and Amber “wined” about the men they were recently with, Amber told her girls, “You know who would make the perfect boyfriend?? Plus he has a really cute dog…Jake Bartnick!” He had everything Amber was missing in her past relationship - and Myah the Malamute was the icing on the cake! A few glasses of wine later, Amber reached for her phone to send Jake the most important text of her life…”Are you single??” Jake responded with an enthusiastic YES! As Amber continued to tell Jake what a great boyfriend he would make, he couldn’t help but agree! The two talked all night and then Jake asked if she was free…”I would really like to see you!” Amber has never been one for timing and this was no different - she was flying to Amsterdam for two weeks on that Friday. Jake and Amber texted constantly while she was away, regardless of the 8 hour time difference. After her 10+ hour flight home, Jake convinced Amber to make the 3 hour drive to go on a date. He took her to Busch Stadium on May 5, 2016, for their first date. Shout out to Aunt Will for watching Myah that day so Amber could borrow her dad. After that perfect date, Jake and Amber continued to talk everyday and live almost 180 miles apart. The distance didn’t last long, though, as Amber packed up everything and moved to the town she’d only visited a few times to be with the man she loves. The move happened so fast that Amber forgot to tell her father she was moving in with a boy…sorry, Dad. And the rest is history. The couple owns a home in New Berlin and have the most adorable fur-babies, Myah and Ace. Life is good and it’s only going to get better and better.