Jon + Jess(ica)

Cliff notes + timeline of Our Story

2018 | We met exactly 1 week before Hurricane Florence hit the Wilmington coast. After talking on the phone for over an hour, we had planned our first date followed by an appointment to look at the first project we’d work on together for work. The hurricane landed 3 large trees on Jessica’s house, and without hesitation, Jon removed them the next day while she was still at her parents’ house. We felt familiar from the beginning and like we’d known each other for our whole lives. At the same time - in many respects, we were both total opposites of the people we thought we’d fall in love with. We did things backwards… starting with Jess[ica] moving into Jon’s house not much more than a month after meeting while her house got repaired (this turned into almost a year). We were raised differently, we had different passions and interests, but we were both dedicated and hard working - and we were both loyal. We found there was an unspoken connection that neither of us understood and it kept us together even when everything said we shouldn’t be. Jon kept Jessica calm and centered, which was new for her - and Jess encouraged and supported Jon in new ways. (he may have hated that initially) Yes, we did pretty much everything backwards - and instead of things being sunshine and butterflies when you first meet and getting hard down the road… our friendship and relationship has evolved to be better and better with each passing year.

2019 | Jon had a small boat that he spent as much time as he could on, and Jessica always LOVED being on the water… so this was a big plus for him! lol But he tested her - to the point where his dad told him he better start taking her out in good weather! Jon found a 2 acre lot in Burgaw that he purchased with plans to move his shop there. It was a process that they worked through together so that he could get a special use permit and be able to do what he wanted with his company. After Jessica’s house was finished getting put back together from the hurricane, she and their pups moved back into it - soon to be joined by Jon. With his house now empty, we did light renovations to Jon’s house so he could sell it.

2020 | Jon’s house sold in no time and he used the proceeds to build his shop out in Burgaw. Another “construction project” that they both poured everything into. Demo-ing an old house, digging up a pseudo landfill, designing the way he wanted everything laid out and dressing up old buildings in addition to building new… they spent most of their free time out there working on this until it was complete - and it changed Jon’s business. After covid hit, we spent all of our free time on the boat. And spending so much time at home led us to embark on a complete kitchen renovation that fall. It was a roller coaster of a process but turned out incredibly in the end. Unfortunately before we finished it, Jon’s dad got sick and we lost him that winter. It was the most difficult time — it devastated Jon and feeling helpless when wanting to console the person you love was excruciating for Jessica. But we both thank God that we had each other during that time. We both hate Jessica didn’t get to know John (dad) longer, but even in the short time, he had found his way into her heart too, and he is missed daily. You’ll find a Coast Guard flag flown at our wedding in remembrance of Jon’s Dad, and we are confident we will see signs of him with us.

2021 | A year of grieving and learning to communicate… but also enjoy our life on the coast. After spending so much time on the boat during Covid - Jessica insisted we get a bigger boat so that we didn’t have to sacrifice time with friends to be on the water (more than 3 was a bit of a crowd on the original boat). So that was our first purchase together. And if we were out a lot previously, we didn’t have a single free day that we didn’t spend on the water from the moment we got the boat. We went off shore too - which Jessica had never done. It was beautiful - and so fun!

2022 | When Jon’s dream of owning some land he could hunt on came true. We’d been looking since we met, but we went to see a piece of land his client was going to sell in Maple Hill and it was love at first sight. It reminded Jessica of the beauty she found at her parents farm… her favorite places being near the river where tropical plants and mosses meet beautiful hardwoods and the sunlight makes it feel like the woodlands of a fairy tail. Jon of course fell in love with it because it has several different topographies and was going to be great for hunting. He obliged Jessica temporarily by keeping deer stands away from her magical land. lol We both will sit and look through photos of all of the wildlife for hours and love seeing the families come and go. One day, we plan to build a cabin out here where we can get away for a weekend.

Unexpectedly, we also ended up purchasing our dream home that summer. In looking for investment properties, this house Jessica had shown all of her clients 1.5 years prior was still on the market - and at a much lower price. She convinced Jon to just go look at it with her for fun, and he had the same reaction she had the first time she walked through it. It has been a labor of love - and frustration. But it is the perfect combination of both of us - and the design highlights both of our talents equally. It is on the water, which neither of us had ever expected would be possible. We have spent the past 3 years completely renovating it and slowly making it ours. We could not be happier with our life here. We love where we live, what we have, our friends and neighbors … we go to the island where are ceremony will be held several times a week when the tides are right and weather is decent - to connect, unwind, and give thanks for the many blessings we’ve been given.

We did things backwards. We lived together, bought a boat (which turned into 3), renovated and sold our houses, lost Jon’s Dad, bought land, bought our dream house and jumped into a full renovation, lost one of our dogs, went through times that challenged our relationship, and ended up with a life that neither imagined could be so good. Everyone says people don’t change… but we both have - we’ve changed with each other (but without losing ourselves) to make ourselves better for each other because we found that together we could be better than either of us on our own. You’ll now find Jess (Jessica’s alter personality) shooting guns and fishing 70 miles off shore - even touching the fish after 7 years!, and you’ll find Jon dressing up for the occasional fundraising gala, going to a concert or festival, playing games, going on hikes and spending time with family. We love hosting and spending time with other people so you’ll often find we’re not dining alone. We prefer the intimacy of smaller group settings where we can really talk and spend time with our company - so we are trying to incorporate some of that into our wedding celebrations. We make each other laugh, we calm each other down, we dance in the kitchen and in the road and the rain… we are not perfect, but we are everything. We are so excited to start this next chapter of our forever together, and to celebrate with all of you! And - for all of you to meet “us”… as there are still some of our favorite people that haven’t met the other J.