Let's celebrate

Erika & Jordan met while studying at Ohio University in the winter of 2012. It began in a Media and Leadership Development class with one of Erika’s best friends and now bridesmaid, Erin. Class started on the first day of the quarter at 9am on a Monday. Erika and Erin were catching up but the rest of the room was virtually silent, so when their professor told them to pair up with someone they didn’t know for a quick introduction, Erika and Erin needed new partners. Erin grabbed the only other person on that side of the classroom and as Erika was looking around for someone to team up with this cute guy Jordan walked into class! As he was looking around for a seat, Erika waved him over before anyone else could catch his eye. The assignment was to learn about the other person and introduce them to the class. Jordan shared that he had recently traveled to Jamaica with his Aunt Brenda and that the previous year he had broken his collarbone biking and had to finish his quarter of sign language class with his arm in a sling. Meanwhile, Erika told him that she had just returned from studying abroad in London and had gone skydiving the previous summer. They instantly bonded over their love of travel and craving for adventure! After that initial assignment, Jordan and Erika got partnered together on a research paper for the rest of the quarter and got to know each other well. The two were dating by the end of the school year and each pursued their love of travel & adventuring after graduation. Eventually they both relocated to Los Angeles where they have built a life together along with their 7 1/2 year old Russian blue, Bagheera.

Erika’s family has an annual summer tradition of traveling to the sleepy little beach town of Cayucos on the central coast of California. After canceling the big family get together in summer 2020 out of concern for Covid-19, the whole extended family were able to gather in summer 2021 for the first time in two years. During that trip, it was decided that they should take family photos along the Cayucos Bluffs where the tiny town and pier could be seen in the background along the coast. Erika’s cousin and bridesmaid, Ky, was snapping pictures when Jordan and Erika stepped up to the vista point for Ky to take their photo. At the time, Erika didn’t notice the rest of the family gathering closely behind Ky. Jordan pointed out across the ocean and asked Erika if she could spot the sea lion (her favorite animal) out in the distance. She turned around to look and saw nothing but ocean. However, the disappointment was short lived, since when she turned back around Jordan was on one knee with a ring!