J&J

Though we both walked the same halls at Brookwood High School and shared mutual friends, our paths didn’t truly cross until years later in Athens, Georgia. On an ordinary night downtown, Jessica approached our friend Joey—and standing beside him was someone she'd noticed many times before but had never met: Josh. With a smile and a whole lot of confidence, Jessica turned to Josh and said, “I see you at the Park Hall bus stop every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30.” It was bold, slightly forward, and completely unforgettable. For Josh, that was the moment he knew he had just met his future wife. A few days later, fate worked its magic once more—Josh walked into Jessica’s general chemistry class. Recognizing her from that serendipitous encounter, he sat behind her and started gently tossing paper balls her way. And there it was... the chemistry. The two began studying together and were quickly inseparable. Since then, they have shared ten years of memories with one another! They shared many more nights downtown in Athens, GA; have attended numerous concerts, some of which were Josh's; have went on multiple vacations; have each graduated from the University of Georgia; have gone on to attend (and Josh having graduated from) Mercer University School of Medicine; have moved into a rental house they made home; and have adopted 3 of the greatest dogs on planet earth. They are so excited to commemorate 10 years of dating with the best celebration imaginable - a WEDDING, to celebrate with all the people who’ve cheered them on along the way. To our family and friends, thank you for walking alongside us and helping to nurture our relationship. And to Joey, thanks for being the link in our love story; we are so glad to have returned the favor.

On April 5, 2025, Josh got down on one knee and popped the question in the very spot that Jessica first laid eyes on him - the Park Hall bus stop. The two had returned to the city that introduced them for a "residency match celebration" with their friends from home, a perfect decoy for the actual plans to propose! Josh told Jessica that they would first go to their friend's Joey and Christine's home, which was just a short drive from Athens, for cocktails before heading to a celebratory dinner at Porterhouse Grill in downtown Athens. This was a perfect reason to get Jessica dressed up and for all of their friends to be conveniently at the same place. They carpooled with friends, Eric and Meredith, to the restaurant, who he made prior plans with to announce just short of the destination that they had "forgotten" their ID and credit card necessary for dinner. This prompted Josh to suggest that he and Jessica just get out and walk the short distance to the restaurant while their friends returned for their belongings. Jessica, being directionally challenged, had no idea that the direction Josh was leading her was opposite of the restaurant and toward the Park Hall bus stop. When the landmark was in plain site, she caught on and realized the plan all along. Before getting down on one knee, Josh recalled sweet memories of that exact spot, reminding Jessica of that first night they met 9 years prior. Her ecstatic "YES" was captured by a hidden photographer! The two took a few engagement photos before making their way to "dinner," except behind the doors was yet another surprise - a room filled with the people nearest to their hearts to celebrate at a surprise engagement party! Josh had truly thought out and planned every detail to make the day unforgettable! The bloopers: Jessica got into the wrong person's car at Joey and Christine's. Since only Eric and Meredith were privy to the proposal plans, Josh adamantly requested that she exit the air conditioned vehicle to ride in Meredith and Eric's car, whose A/C had conveniently went out days prior. If you know Josh well, you'd know he's a sweater. And if you know Jessica well, you know her hair tangles sitting perfectly still, so she refused to allow the windows to be rolled down.