Janet Blake and Joe Gutierrez have been friends for nine years. They were both hired in the same school district as library technology aides and met in a staff meeting. (Janet is now a science teach in another district and Joe works in the technology department in the district they started in when they met.) Despite their long friendship, it was only in the last year and a half that they started dating and became a couple. As with most first dates, they were a little nervous, but by the second date, they knew they would be together forever. And so, after dating for about 16 months, Joe proposed to Janet this summer when they were traveling in Hawaii. (So jealous!) Just like their engagement, their wedding will also somewhere special. In March, they are getting married on a beach in Florida, and their wedding sounds amazing! About 40 family members, including Janet's three kids and grand baby (there is no way that she is a grandma!) and close friends will join them for an intimate ceremony and celebration after, complete with pizza, tres leches cake and s'mores on the beach! It sounds absolutely wonderful.
Obviously travel is one of their favorite things to do. They also enjoy other live entertainment like concerts and live music and sporting events. One of the things we bonded over during their engagement session was TV. Like us, they enjoy a lot of variety ... our TV discussion all started when we spotted someone near the Grand Basin at Forest Park that looked like Rachel Brosnahan as Mrs. Maisel, and we ran the gambit from comedy ("Ted Lasso") to drama ("This is Us"), sci-fi "Stranger Things") and more. It was great talking TV with them! And that was just one of the things that made their session so much fun!
Janet and Joe are very clearly in love, and it showed in everything they did. They held hands while we walked, talked about each other and their lives together so fondly and laughed along the way. We started by the Muny and gazebo, where were able to edge our way in to the beautiful backdrop that is the Muny ticketing area. From there were walked along the paths and ended up at the Grand Basin (with an overwhelming large group of kids there for homecoming) and up to the World's Fair Pavillon.
But most of all, they each consider themselves to be the luckiest people in the world and love each other deeply. Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding Janet and Joe! Enjoy it and your life together!