Danville Golf Club | Danville Virginia Wedding | Catherine + Jeff

We met in 2012 at the Homestead in Hot Springs, VA at the annual Virginia Bankers Association conference. Both of our dads are in the banking industry and had known each other for a few years. Our parents had spent time together at several other meetings and business trips so they were already good friends. We both happened to be at this conference in 2012, so our parents introduced the two of us at a cocktail party one evening. We did exchange numbers, but neither one of us really thought much of it and went our separate ways. We had sporadic communication over the next year, but it wasn’t until we saw each other again the following year (2013) that we really hit it off. At the beginning of my senior year of college at Virginia Tech, Jeff came to visit and the rest is history. We have been together 4 and a half years!

The one thing I love most about Jeff is his selflessness and positivity. He ALWAYS does for me before he does for himself. He is incredibly considerate, kind, and patient with me (even on my worst days). He accepts me fully as I am and I couldn’t love him more for it! What I love most about Catherine is the combination of her nurturing nature and her unrelenting work ethic. Even though she will have numerous balls in the air at any point, she will always make a point to avail herself of anything I need help with. She is truly a selfless servant. I am honored to be able to soon call her my wife!

Catherine’s birthday had been the prior weekend, and while I had secretly been hoping to ask her then, no family or friends were around at that time. So I told Catherine that I was going to take her out for a belated birthday dinner, the following Saturday night. All I told Catherine was that we had dinner reservations at the restaurant, Heritage, at 6 pm. In the hour before dinner, I was at her apartment while she was getting ready. During this time, I was in the living room and she was in the back. When she was finishing up, she walked around the corner, into the living room, where I was waiting for her on one knee with the ring in hand. She immediately froze, floored. She actually had stopped several feet out of reach from where I was, so I slowly motioned and asked her to ‘come here (closer)’. After she stepped closer, I told her that I loved her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, followed by THE question. Fortunately, she stuttered out a ‘Yes’! I had purposely wanted to propose in a quiet place, with no one else around. Before we began to share it with our family and friends, I wanted this moment to be something that we could share privately and experience together. Before leaving, we called my parents, who were in Montana at the time and broke the news to them. Afterward, we went to the restaurant, where I had told Catherine’s parents and my two brothers to meet us, under the auspices of a belated birthday dinner for Catherine. I had told both sides to keep it a secret from her and also did not tell them that the others were coming. I made a point for them to arrive a few minutes before we did, as well. When my brothers walked in and saw her parents there as well, all of the pieces fell into place. When Catherine walked in, she was completely surprised and burst into happy tears! It was wonderful to share dinner with representatives from both families, after which I gave her a final surprise. I had told a number of our friends for them to meet us for “birthday drinks” at the Quirk Hotel at 8 pm. When the six of us walked in, she showed her left hand and they erupted in cheers. We had a great evening, scaling up the announcement as the evening went on. It was a fantastic beginning to what has been a wonderful engagement period!