Rebecca and John Paul met at Sewanee. JP was a football star, and Rebecca was involved around campus. John Paul's great, great uncle was Al Tomaini, the tallest man on earth. Rumor had it that his wedding ring could be worn as a bracelet by the average person. This was a big part of his Sewanee lore. Rebecca doesn't have any famous relatives, unless you count her father, Mark Sanders, as he was always confused with another Mark Sanders who was a famous songwriter in town. JP and Rebecca remained good friends over the years and enjoyed catching up at milestone events. On one random evening a couple years ago, they were FaceTiming and decided to plan a visit. JP came to Nashville after an arborist conference and fell victim to the sorcery of Bearded Iris Homestyle IPA, Robert's hamburgers, and all the Sewanee folks in town. After that first trip, the couple poured their hearts, souls, and finances into Southwest Airlines (and each other, duh). JP inevitably moved to Nashville, because he's an angel and a saint and knew Rebecca was too obsessed with her friends and family to relocate too far. He also knew she was really anxious about moving the cats. He has been an incredible boyfriend, husband, and best friend to Rebecca and the two strive to help each other feel safe, seen, and never waiting in long lines. Eventually, John Paul became the coolest arborist in town, and he saved Nashville with his northern attitude! The pair received the keys to the city at the Justice A.A. Birch Courthouse on November 21, 2025 during their civil ceremony. Rebecca and John Paul still reside in "East" with their two cats, Cosmo and Wanda. They love their community, each other, their amazing families and friends.