Welcome to our website! We are so happy to have you share in our big day!

The year was 2021, the month was January. The first COVID vaccines were coming out, we could finally see an end to the pandemic that had radically altered the world, and Jeff was finally feeling ready to dip his toes into the dating world. Still fearing the general risk of meeting new people (little known fact, Jeff is an asocial moth), he decided to start his forays with app based dating, specifically, Bumble. After plying his profile, lovingly and helpfully curated by his female cousins so as to be putting his best foot forward, for 4 months, Jeff was just on the verge of abandoning his quest when a quirky woman messaged him on the ride home from UCSF, asking what he likes to do on a rainy Sunday. A week or two of trading book and board game recommendations led to Jeff and Emily's first video meet up, which was *not* helped by Bumble quizzing them on sports trivia, almost all of it hockey based. Suitability humbled, the pair nevertheless proceeded to set and keep an in-person date to the local Heather Farms park, where they shared some boba tea and people watched from beneath an oak tree in the park's rose garden. It was there, with the subtlety of a sledgehammer through a plate glass window, that Jeff started talking about the wonderful world of Dungeons and Dragons, and how marvelous it would be to share it with someone who has never played. Taking the rather massive hint, Emily was treated to an hour long character creation session for their second date, over portabella mushroom burgers and fries, and while Luna Lovegood has yet to make her appearance in a game, Emily has gone on to portray several dynamic, good hearted characters. In the months that followed, a pattern was established- intense weekend sprints spent together, with constant texting and regular Wednesday video dates to catch up on shared Marvel and Star Wars media (thank you Disney Plus!). Mutual love of the outdoors took Jeff and Emily to Muir Woods, the backtrails of Tilden Park, and the Tahoe Rim trail. Wine tasting in Napa, ziplining at Granlibakken Tahoe, and many local voyages together nurtured the respect and fondness for each other until it grew into a persistent, warm love. Throughout their adventures, the most base of Emily and Jeff's story, the commonest clay that is the foundation of their relationship, is their absolute lack of guile towards each other. Neither can keep a secret from the other without grinning like an idiot, and struggle to hide the tension they feel when apart. For all the times that Jeff has leaned on Emily when mourning the loss of a particularly special patient, or Emily sought comfort following adverse events in her nursing career, the division of sorrows and pain between the two of them forged a bond that runs deep and does not allow for obscuration. Both Emily and Jeff are excited and relieved to be taking this step forward in their lives together, and are busy planning and executing this matrimonial ceremony for all of you. We look forward to sharing our day with you, and appreciate any well wishes, hopes, or prayers you might have for us. In the wise words of Brandon Sanderson's Order of the Knights Radiant, "Life before Death, Strength before Weakness, and Journey before Destination." - Jeff Sicotte, Voracious Reader

Emily's side of the saga either begins in the spring of 2020, or the spring of 2021, depending on how one looks at it. Back in March 2020, Emily was finishing her final year of nursing school. Yes, there were rumors of a mysterious virus going around, but after 5 years of hard work, Emily was very excited to be completing a long, hard journey and to resume things that she enjoyed. One such activity was seeing if she could find a church which might have more young people attending. Emily did some research and landed upon the Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church. Little did she know, this was the church where Jeff and his family had attended for many years. After mustering her courage, Emily decided that when she finished her nursing preceptorship on March 14, 2020, the following Sunday she would try attending this new church. Instead, something else happened..... Flash forward a year, and Emily was finally beginning to work as a nurse. Emily's first job offer was to provide Covid-19 vaccines at UCSF to employees. Little did she know, this was where Jeff was working. However, just as she was about to accept that job offer, she was offered and accepted a much closer job both providing vaccines, and assisting on a COVID-19 floor at John Muir. However, the universe appeared to be determined to have Jeff and Emily meet. So, only a short while after beginning to use the dating app Bumble, she sent a message out to someone named Jeff Sicotte. While Emily was initially unsure of what she was doing in the dating world, Jeff was understanding, kind, wonderful, and a true gentleman. On their first in-person date, Emily and Jeff were scheduled to meet at 1:00pm. Emily, being perhaps little too much of a prompt person, was there 5 minutes early. As she was arriving, Jeff texted Emily that he was going to be late. Feeling a little disheartened, Emily had texted back when he thought he'd arrive. His reply: 1:01pm... Butterflies in her stomach, Emily walked outside of the store she'd been perusing and found Jeff outside. Yup, he was one minute late. At that moment, Emily felt like she'd found the one for her, and each subsequent date proved her right again and again. Jeff and Emily have many running jokes, one of which is in regards to a competition as to whether Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts are superior. After nearly 2 years, Emily thinks they can split the difference and make the determination that such a relationship results in a whole lot (or maybe sometimes a little too much) planning ahead, organization, and attention to detail. It also results in a love of the outdoors, hiking adventures, and crafting. Sometimes Emily wonders how exactly she managed to find someone quite as wonderful and perfect for her as Jeff, but then she reminds herself that of course this is what happened when a Boy Scout meets a Girl Scout. Emily is so happy, and she wouldn't have it any other way, “I love you. / I know.” -- Leia Organa and Han Solo -Emily Wright, Jaunty Outdoorswoman