Jackie & Kacie - 10.23.21

The Meeting

Jackie and Kacie met in 2015 while working for the same agency.

We spent a year working cooperatively, each challenging the other to grow within our field as Therapeutic Recreation professionals. We credit the chapter we spent as colleagues as the primary contributor to us building such a solid foundation of open communication and mutual respect. In 2016, Jackie assumed the role of a plus one at a wedding for two of Kacie’s former rugby teammates and the two of us quickly realized that life was far more colorful and adventurous with one another, in and out of the office.

The Moment

As cliché as it sounds, once we discovered that we both had feelings for one another, life clicked into focus, each of us the focal point for the other. We shared not only a passion for our careers but also the same values and interests. We felt ourselves growing and thriving as individuals and as a couple. Making a lifelong commitment through marriage was one of our shared values.

The Song

[We share] many! Music has been a strong thread throughout our relationship. Jackie had the privilege of turning Kacie on to live shows, and Kacie had the honor of calling Jackie out on her inability to memorize lyrics or have coordinated dance moves. The music produced by Vance Joy has always been a staple in our relationship. We were thrilled when Cary Kono agreed to play acoustic versions of our favorite songs for our ceremony. Our first dance song was “Beautiful Thing” by Grace Vanderwall. The lyrics had always resonated with us, and we each have engravings from the song on our engagement and wedding rings.

The Proposal

On the weekend of June 13th, 2019, Jackie, Kacie, and several close friends headed to Fennville, Michigan, for a weekend getaway. Jackie had spent weeks leading up to the trip planting a fake timeline for a proposal, stating that she had “set the date” to meet with her father over breakfast the week after they returned. Equipped with this white lie, Kacie went into the weekend unsuspecting of what Jackie had in store. Jackie also hinted that it could be fun to have their friend Stephanie conduct a summer couples shoot down by the lake.

However, this was a total cover-up and a great excuse to coordinate outfits and have the special moments of the secret proposal captured on film. The plan worked, and Kacie was totally caught by surprise! Jackie encouraged her to keep things quiet until they returned home (a big ask for sure). With Kacie in agreement, Jackie was able to end their engagement weekend with one last surprise- a surprise family celebration at their favorite pizza place.

The Wedding Day

Jackie and Kacie celebrated their wedding with us on October 23, 2021.

Our favorite part of the day was finally seeing one another at the end of the aisle; so much ugly crying for such a beautiful moment. We chose to spend the night before separate and forgo first looks so we could have this special moment. We had imagined it so many times, playing on loops for months, and it was better than we could have ever imagined.

The Venue

[We chose The Haight because] The aesthetic and the feel of our wedding location was important to us. We had toured three other venues before we met with Nicole from The Haight. As soon as we stepped foot into the building and saw the layout and aesthetic we were sold. The strong planning assistance and communication from their team was a bonus, and the fact that we could go back to The Haight to enjoy events like Yoga and live music, was the cherry on top. The feedback from our family and friends about the venue and amenities validated our enthusiasm. The Haight is truly a gem.

The Advice

The best advice we received that we love to give to others is to spend time at your reception to enjoy what’s happening around you. During dancing and fun at our reception Jackie and I took a few moments to step back out of the light and watch the party. We were able to appreciate all the hard work and stress we had put into our celebration and were also able to see how many people we were surrounded and loved by.

The Marriage

In our first year of marriage, we have become closer than ever as we spent time on projects including rehabbing one home and having purchased another with many projects that really tested our patience and creativity. Marriage has been a continuous process of learning new things about one another, just when we thought we knew it all. It has allowed us to value a new type of relationship and entity, the Jankowski family. The dedication, love and patience has only increased because there is something more at stake than simply a relationship, it’s a life we have built together.

The Shoutouts

We cannot imagine our day without the help of all of our family and friends and also the vendors who helped our wedding dreams become a reality. True Cuisine, Inspired Eye Photography, Divas Salon and Spa, Alliance Bakery, Artistic Elements Floral, Jessica Draper Calligraphy, Fox Jewelers, Cary Kanno, Shutter and Sound, Style Matters DJ.