Kate and Jonathan met when Jon’s job playing trombone at the North Carolina symphony aligned with Kate’s stint as a soprano in the North Carolina Master Chorale. The two organizations collaborated on concerts, and Jon and Kate noticed each other right away. Eventually, Jon reached out over social media for a casual coffee, and after a couple of dates and a few weeks of playing it cool, they each admitted to admiring the other from afar.

Their first date was in downtown Raleigh, where they topped off dinner at a rooftop restaurant with drinks at a jazz club. Jonathan impressed Kate when half the musicians playing greeted him by name. Kate impressed Jonathan when she could name a few famous trombone players. They were both intrigued.

After getting the approval of his dog, Minnie, Jon gave Kate’s parents a call to ask for their blessing and their help with a proposal. He hid the ring in her Christmas stocking, and her parents did an excellent job of keeping the secret until he was down on one knee. That particular Christmas marked Kate and Jon’s second roundtrip drive from Raleigh to Marion, Ohio, to Long Island, New York, to spend time with family. They’re looking forward to many more roadtrips in the future!