Connect How did your love story begin?

Our story started at a bonfire on Rabbit Ears Pass in 2024. Jackson had everyone around the fire laughing, me included. I remember thinking, “I want to get to know him,” even if it was just as friends. One of my closest friends happened to be friends with him, so I made sure he kept getting invited to our get-togethers. Before long, we were spending evenings bonding over hilariously terrible movies, and somewhere between the laughs, we fell in love.

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

Dinner in Ishigaki, Japan. It was our first trip abroad together, from skiing in Hokkaido to exploring Tokyo before ending on the tiny island of Ishigaki, which you can drive around in about 90 minutes. We bought fresh wagyu from a farm down the road for under $40 and cooked an incredible dinner. Afterward, Jackson took me to the rooftop, asked what I was most excited for that year, then got down on one knee when I asked him the same question!

What would you do with $20,000?

We’d use the $20,000 to invest in two dreams: getting married in Steamboat Springs, where we built our life together in our little trailer home, and buying land for our future. We hope to grow a big garden, raise a few animals, provide for our future family, and share the abundance with our local community. This gift would let us celebrate our wedding without delaying the dream we’ve worked so hard to build.