The Clarks

Darby and Jacob’s story began in the spring of 2017, shortly after Jacob transferred to Rockwall High School. Before ever meeting in person, the two discovered an unlikely similarity during early conversations: each had one parent living in Rockwall and another just outside Kansas City. A few days later, on June 24, 2017, Darby invited Jacob to sand volleyball at Rockwall Golf & Athletic Club, where they met for the first time. Darby remembers first noticing Jacob’s height, easy confidence, and summer tan. Jacob, meanwhile, was immediately drawn to Darby’s beauty and outgoing personality, though he quickly realized she was there more for the social scene than the volleyball itself. What began as a high school summer romance quickly evolved into something far more meaningful. After officially becoming boyfriend and girlfriend on January 1, 2018, the couple navigated their first season of long distance when Darby began her freshman year at the University of Kansas later that fall. Football would soon become a defining thread in their story, bringing them first to the University of Minnesota in 2019 and later to Missouri State in 2022. Through college years, cross-country drives, changing cities, and seasons apart, they grew up alongside one another — something they now consider one of the greatest gifts of their relationship. On July 25, 2025, Jacob proposed during what Darby believed was a casual evening in Dallas with Rachel and Colin. After months spent planning alongside family and friends, designing her dream ring, Jacob arranged an intimate proposal at Marie Gabrielle Gardens near downtown Dallas. As the group walked through, Jacob took Darby’s hands and told her that through every version of life, every move, and every unknown ahead, it had always been her. Completely surprised, Darby said the easiest yes! The surprise proposal was only the beginning. Still under the impression they were heading to dinner at The Henry, Darby was unknowingly led to Tequila Social, where a much larger surprise awaited her. Inside, their closest friends and family were gathered to celebrate alongside them. The evening became a reflection of the life they had built over the years: deeply rooted in family, enduring friendships, and showing up for one another through every season. Now, as they prepare for a June wedding at the iconic The Adolphus Hotel, the couple looks ahead to the next chapter with the same certainty that has carried them through each one before it. As Darby describes it, “No matter what, we have each other. Home is wherever Jacob is.”