Our story began October 14, 2023, with what was supposed to be a simple coffee date at Saba Café in Fort Langley.

Ryan bought a fresh pair of Nike Jordan Lows (he likes to look his best) and figured we'd be sitting inside for coffee. But, the café was packed, so Jada suggested a walk along the Fort Langley trail. It had been raining, the paths were muddy, and those brand-new shoes didn't stay clean for very long. Ryan didn't say a word at the time and went along with it—but later admitted that he got his new shoes dirty... only for Jada, and totally worth it!

From that first afternoon, everything felt easy. Conversation flowed, and one date quickly turned into another.

We went bowling, wandered the path to enjoy the lights at Lafarge Lake, and shared countless dinners and adventures together. One evening at Mainland Whiskey stands out in particular—we talked for five hours straight without ever running out of things to say (with one washroom break, which allowed Ryan to switch seats and get closer to Jada😊). By the end of the night, we both knew this had the potential to become something truly special.

Just before Jada left for a family trip to Mexico, we became "official" on December 21, 2023. A couple of months later, on Valentine's Day, Ryan said "I love you" for the first time—he wrote a poem and shared it over dinner. Jada returned the three words (phew!).

From there, life only became better. We travelled to Cabo with Jada's family, spent summers at the cabin in Osoyoos with Ryan's family, challenged each other at the gym, enjoyed countless walks through Fort Langley, and discovered a shared love for the driving range after Ryan introduced Jada to golf. Through every adventure, big and small, we continued building a relationship rooted in friendship, laughter, faith, and the excitement of dreaming about the future together.

One of our favourite places quickly became Tofino. We attended a wedding there and spent hours talking about our future, goals, and the life we hoped to build. Somewhere in the midst of those conversations (and the sound of the ocean), we found the start to our forever together.

A year later, Ryan had a surprise for Jada at Chesterman Beach. He packed a charcuterie board, wine, champagne, and settled in beside a beach fire as the sun began to set. As the sky turned to a golden just-right hue, Ryan suggested taking a few sunset photos together. There was just one problem—while setting up the tripod, one of the legs snapped clean off. Somehow, he managed to get it standing long enough to capture the moment...

Ryan got down on one knee...

And yes... he was wearing the very same Nike Jordans from their first date. Just like before, they got dirty—this time in the sand instead of the mud—but somehow that fit the moment perfectly.

Now, we are preparing to begin our next adventure as husband and wife. We're overwhelmed with gratitude for our incredible family and friends who have supported us along the way. Thank you for being part of our story and for celebrating with us. We can't wait to create many more memories together, and we're so grateful to share the beginning of this next chapter with all of you.