our story

Today J & I have been married four glorious months.
Time seems to just fly by.
Here is our tale.
From them until now and on to forever.

J meets K

By Jordan Ray with thoughts and comments from Kaitlyn Ray

It All Started in Rexburg

The first time that our paths crossed was while Kaitlyn and I were both attending school at BYU – Idaho in Rexburg. My roommate was the first to lay eyes on her. He had spotted her cheering as a BYU – Idaho cheerleader at a school basketball game. He was instantly obsessed with going out with her! We soon learned that Kaitlyn was friends with our neighbor, when one of my roommates saw her hanging out next door. I decided to intervene in my roommate’s pursuit of Kaitlyn by conspiring with our neighbor to play a little prank on Kaitlyn and my roommate. My neighbor called Kaitlyn up and proceeded to tell her that he had just been over to his neighbor’s house (my house) and noticed that his neighbor’s (me) screen saver was a picture of her. She started to freak out, and my neighbor continued telling her that I was begging him for her number, so he gave in and gave it to me. At this point Kaitlyn was pretty hysterical and angry with my neighbor for giving out her number to some creeper (me). Throughout the semester my roommates and I would gather together and I’d make prank phone calls to Kaitlyn. She never answered my phone calls, so I’d leave her creepy voice mails about how I wanted to hang out with her and get to know her better. She of course never returned any of my phone calls. The prank soon escalated when I continued finding myself at the same parties as Kaitlyn. My neighbor helped preserve the joke by pointing me out to Kaitlyn as the creepy voicemail guy, and I did my part by staring at Kaitlyn from across the room until she noticed that I was looking at her. She would quickly look away and all of my friends in the room would look at each other and laugh. By the end of the semester, I had successfully convinced Kaitlyn that I was a total creep, and she had satisfied my roommates and I’s immature humor.


Months Went By...

Semesters went by and my roommates and I had lost interest in our prank and retired the phone calls. My neighbor had admitted to Kaitlyn that it was all a joke. I don’t think she thought it was as funny as we did. I even tried to approach Kaitlyn to validate that it was a joke, but she didn’t seem too interested in what I had to say


Huntington Happened

Before graduating college, I had secured a job in NYC. I graduated in December, but I didn’t have to start my job until that summer, so I decided to spend the next six months in Huntington Beach CA learning how to surf. I loaded up my car with everything I owned and headed off to HB. While living in Huntington I had become good friends with a local resident, who unbeknownst to me at the time happened to be Kaitlyn’s brother. One night while attending a party at his house, I literally ran into Kaitlyn. We were both shocked to find each other there years after the stalker prank. I asked her what she was doing at my friend’s party, and she told me that my friend was her brother! She was much less apprehensive towards me since the last time we talked. I guess she finally accepted the past as a joke. We ended up hanging out later on in the week because Kailtlyn’s brother and his girlfriend really pushed for us to go out on a double date with them. They were unaware of our past history and the awkwardness of me approaching Kaitlyn to go on a real date. Kaitlyn made it easy for me and asked me if I’d like to go out with her brother and his girlfriend on a double date. We had a great time together on our first date, and we stayed up talking all night and into the early morning of the next day. We decided to walk to the beach early the next morning to watch the sun rise, but half way there we remembered that the sun rises in the East. We ended up hanging out again the very next day, and we were rarely seen apart that entire summer. By the end of the summer we had become a big part of each others lives. At that time I had to move to New York City to start my job. I was really sad to leave Kaitlyn because we had had such a fun summer together, and I knew that we had something special between us. Even though I hoped for it, I realistically didn’t anticipate that our relationship would go any further after I moved to NYC and she went back to college.


Then There Was New York and London

After I had left Huntington, it wasn’t long before Kaitlyn and I were missing each other and talking to each other on the phone every day. Kaitlyn came out to visit me in New York a few months after I had moved out there. We managed to squeeze just about every fun thing there is to do in New York into her first visit. While on a carriage ride through central park I turned to Kaitlyn to tell her for the first time that I loved her and instead said “Kaitlyn…..you’re precious,” After seeing the confusion on her face as to how to respond, I quickly got out the “I love you,” to which she replied that she loved me too. So now we had made it to Mormon third base. During her winter semester at college, Katilyn decided to study abroad in London. I planned a trip to visit her over Valentine’s weekend. I had told her that I wouldn’t be able to make it there until the day after Valentine’s, which was disappointing to her. However, I was really planning a Valentines surprise for her. I arrived in London the morning of Valentine’s Day and dropped off roses in Kaitlyn’s room while she was at her morning class. Her roommates helped me with the surprise and told Kaitlyn that a delivery service had dropped off flowers from me. The card with the roses wished Kailtyn a happy Valentines, and expressed my regret that I couldn’t be with her on Valentines Day. Later in the day I had one of Kaitlyn's roommates leave a dress on her bed that I had bought for her in New York. A card next to the dress revealed the surprise that I was already in London and instructed Kaitlyn to wear the dress and be ready for me to take her on a Valentine date that night. Kailtyn and I had so much fun together in London and at that point I think both of us were starting to think about a permanent future together.


New York Again

After Kaitlyn returned from London she moved to New York for the summer to do an internship with a fashion photographer. We were so excited to be together again. We hadn’t lived in the same city since the previous summer in Huntington. We found Kaitlyn a place to live just up the street from me. We had another great summer together and had so much fun exploring NYC together. We ate a lot of good food, and I got more fat and more poor.

More Rexburg

After New York, Kaitlyn returned to college to finish her last year. We’ve managed to see each other about every other month since she left. Dating long distance was challenging, but it always made for such an exciting airport reunion.


Engagement....

On Kaitlyn’s last visit to New York she left with diamond on her finger. (detailed description on proposal page)


We Knew (from both of us)

Jordan-
Never would I have guessed in a million years that I would end up marrying the girl I played the stalker prank on back in college. I don’t recommend using stalker pranks to find a wife; in fact I think you’re probably more likely to be hit by lightning while being attacked by a shark in the ocean on the same day that you’ve just won the lottery than marrying a woman that you’ve successfully convinced you’re a creep. I guess odds were thrown out the window in our case and we we're just really meant to be. I feel so lucky to have found Kaitlyn, and I’m so excited for our life together and all the good times still ahead.

Kaitlyn-
It's true Jordan's original tactics may have been, well unconventional, but it was just all for the sake of a good laugh with buddies. Little did we both know it would turn into much more. Nothing seems as natural as spending my life with Jordan.

Empire State of Mind (from K)

On being married...

Now it has been four months since we were sealed together forever and I for one have loved every minute of it. Somehow we have made a home of our Upper West Side walk-up. It's been amazing to see how naturally our lives have merged... what a testament to the importance and sanctity of marriage. While it was has been wonderful, it hasn't always been easy. It's not always a fairytale, but that's what makes it a real romance. I have found in those difficult times that there is always an opportunity for me to practice a more Christ-like attitude. It has become more and more clear to me that marrying Jordan was the best choice I ever made not because, he is a perfect prince charming, but because he helps me to be a better woman. He practices patience and understanding regularly and he gives me the opportunity to do the same. He supports me while still letting me be independent. He excels in areas that I lack and we truly compliment each other. I can not imagine a life without J as a partner and I feel lucky to have made him mine. As Julie would say,"He is the bread to my butter"