We're getting married!

It was a beautiful fall day in 2020 when Eric first showed up in Jess's house to set up a bunch of cameras and microphones... Jess lived in the Challenge Girls House, where Christian Challenges' Tuesday Night messages were broadcasted live every week. Eric helped run the livestream for Challenge and showed up in Jess's house every week, like clockwork. It didn't take Jess long to notice Eric and a crush quickly developed. In the spring of 2021, Jess decided to try disc golfing (partially because it sounded fun, but mostly because Eric would be there). Through disc golf, Challenge, and other activities, Eric and Jess became better friends and mutual feelings developed. On June 5, 2021, after the wedding of some sweet friends, Eric worked up the nerve to ask Jess on a date. With the help of some of Jess' friends, he got her alone and asked her to have coffee with him the following Monday. The answer was a definite yes... even if they both felt awkward. Their first date came quickly, on June 7, 2021. Eric picked Jess up and brought her flowers. He prepared a jar with 20 questions that they would take turns asking each other throughout the date to get to know each other better. They went to Daycamp Coffee, she got a chai latte, he got a mocha. The conversation was easy and the chemistry was undeniable. It was an easy yes for the second date. On June 21, 2021, Eric and Jess had their third date. They ordered sushi from Big Tuna and took it to go. They watched Pride and Prejudice (Jess' favorite movie) and enjoyed being together. After the movie, Eric asked Jess to be his girlfriend. It was the easiest yes she ever said... well ... the second easiest yes.

After 2 and a half years of dating (nearly 6 months of that being long distance), Jess was expecting a proposal at any moment. Eric, knowing that fact, did everything he could to surprise her. On December 28, 2023, Jess expected Eric to propose... and he didn't. Because of that, Jess assumed he wouldn't propose until April. Little did she know, there was another plan behind the scenes. On December 29, 2023, Eric and Jess said goodbye, and Eric went back to Huntington Beach. After that, Jess' good friends Ellie and Slaney made plans to go ice skating in Paradise with Jess. Unfortunately, Jess had a dentist appointment and couldn't go ice skating. In a panic, Slaney and Ellie asked Jess to reschedule her dentist appointment so they could have a fun girls' night together. Jess conceded and rescheduled her appointment, but was suspicious. On January 3, 2024, Ellie and Slaney picked Jess up to take her to go ice skating. They had Jess convinced it was just a normal girls night. But then they made a pit stop at Lookout Point in Paradise. There Eric was waiting for Jess, a wonderful surprise. Eric asked Jess to marry him, and she said yes!

After the wedding, Eric and Jess will settle down in their one bedroom apartment in Huntington Beach. Eric will continue to work at Seabreeze Church, working with technology and with college ministry, and Jess will continue to teach math.