On St. Patrick's Day in 2012, Danielle saw Jeff as she walked through a packed Brew Co in Newport Beach. She thought he was handsome but decided not to go up to him, allowing fate to take its course. Not long after, Danielle was sitting with her girlfriends at the bar exactly where a server dropped off Jeff's chicken nuggets. She looked to her right and locked eyes with him. After smiles were exchanged, a conversation began which led to Jeff sharing chicken nuggets with her. Danielle, feeling grateful for his offering, hilariously offered Jeff a meatball she had saved in her pocket from Mama Ds. When Danielle's friends indicated they wanted to leave, the two quickly exchanged numbers. Later that evening Jeff met Danielle at Rudy's where they talked, laughed and danced. Upon learning that Danielle and her friends were leaving as the bar began to close, Jeff leaned closely toward Danielle and asked permission to kiss her. Danielle flashed her beautiful smile and looked back into Jeff's eyes granting him that permission. Once their lips touched a spark that could rival the explosion of an atom bomb ignited and the two embraced in heated passion. Following that first kiss, Danielle and her friends jumped into a vehicle to go home, leaving Jeff and his friend Ethan standing alone in the middle of the street. As the vehicle's door closed, sending Danielle off, Jeff began jumping excitedly in the middle of the road grabbing and hugging his friend Ethan while exclaiming, "Dude I think she is the one!" Stunned and bewildered, Ethan looked at Jeff like he was crazy exclaiming: "Really bro? You just met her!" Days later a first date followed over sushi. Originally meant to be a one-on-one date, a mishap at the restaurant turned into a double date with Jeff's best man, Cameron. Ever since that date, the flame ignited by the spark of that first kiss has kept the two inseparable ever since.

The story starts on a random weekday, late in the winter of 2017. Jeff realized he was coming up on the 6 year anniversary of the day he had met his favorite mini-human and one-and-only love, Danielle. He made a random excuse to run out to the store to look at fishing gear and get groceries. Instead, he ended up at a jeweler, picking the customer service representative’s brain about different band styles and types of gems with the intentions of creating a ring suitable to drop the long-awaited question. The representative at the jeweler asked if he would like a drink. Jeff responded, “I only drink water and coffee.” He also joking added, “Well, and beer.” The representative laughed and replied, “We actually do have beer…” Jeff laughed out loud and accepted a Corona. The conversation proceeded with Jeff carefully analyzing the options available and then selecting a custom ring set-up. Knowing that the ring was going to be ready any day, Jeff made several attempts at coaxing Danielle into hiking the Santiago Peak Trail in southern Orange County. In his head, Jeff imagined dropping to his knee to Danielle with an epic backdrop featuring an enormous view of Southern California. However, an 8-hour hike, during an unusually inclement winter and spring season proved to be a difficult sell to Danielle. A large storm then impacted the region just before their anniversary, which was St. Patty’s Day. The hike was no longer an option and the trek would likely be treacherous if even possible at all. Yet, fate had other plans for the two love birds that led them to Big Bear. Jeff recalled when he met Danielle, they shared a mutual interest in snowboarding, and they had both spent time living at major ski resorts in the years prior to meeting one another. When Danielle brought up the idea of going to the mountains for the weekend he excitedly agreed as he now had the perfect scenario to make his love for her known to the world.

The left pocket of Jeff’s snowboard jacket, usually reserved for his old-school iPod, was currently occupied by a ring nestled in a square box. He nervously fidgeted with the ring, trying to make sure it was concealed from Danielle’s view. On the way up the chair lift, Jeff mentioned how he wanted to get a photo for their anniversary, hoping to get Big Bear Lake in the background. He recalled an area where he knew a great photo could take place, but it required pushing with one foot up a hill to the other side of the mountain. Once off the lift, Jeff took off without saying anything. Frustrated and confused, Danielle exclaimed: “Where the heck are we going!?” Jeff ignored her comment and pushed up the hill knowing she would follow. When they arrived at the other side of the mountain, Jeff had found his place. He spotted two couples, posing for photos in the exact spot he intended to make his intentions known. He asked them: “Would you like a photo? If so, I will take one of you and then maybe you can take one of us? It's our anniversary.” One lady happily agreed. When Jeff saw the beautiful background of the lake, and the perfect lighting, he knew this was his time. Danielle was slightly confused why Jeff had his hand in his pocket instead of around her but smiled for the picture anyways. All of the sudden Jeff was down on one knee holding this gorgeous ring and Danielle looked over in shock hearing Jeff ask, “Will you marry me?” Caught off guard, Danielle exclaimed “Shut up!” which made Jeff laugh. Danielle, happy and smiling said “Yes!” Then she kissed him passionately and the impromptu photographer yelled out in shock while shedding tears of joy, “No way!” It was on this day, March 17th, 2018, under chair #6 at Snow Summit Ski Resort, 6 years after the day they met, that Jeffrey Stoutenger and Danielle FitzGerald made their love for one another known to the world.

We are so excited to celebrate this next chapter of our lives with you! See you in San Diego!