They were young when they met. Babies actually. Bridget says it all started in 2009 at the Washington County Fair. “I was with my best friend at the time and she and Jason were in the same 4-H club. I said to her, ‘That boy looks so familiar. What’s his name?’ Of course [when she told me], I said, ‘No way. The little turd and I went to the same daycare.'”

It was from that moment on, however, that their relationship began, although even that took some time. “I was a stubborn little thing so it took Jason some time to actually figure out how we going to get me to go out with him on a date. He knew I was into running and [one night after his baseball practice] he just said to me, ‘I am coming into town to your house and we are going on a run.’ That run turned into two hours.”

They still weren’t officially dating though and so when Jason went with her family to a St. Louis Cardinals game, he decided to ask her. “We got back to Washington at 4:30 in the morning and he asked me before I went to bed if I would be his girlfriend. I, being stubborn, said I had no idea and proceeded upstairs. Then I turned around and told him I was just kidding and said, ‘Finally after 6 months of talking you ask me to be your girl!'”

I met up with Jason & Bridget a few days ago for their farm engagement session, complete with Jason’s tractors and a dirt road he used to play on as a child.
Jason is a farmer through and through and you can tell by his work ethic that his heart and soul are in it. He farms with his dad, grandpa, and uncle and he said if he could do anything, anywhere in the world for any amount of money, he would farm the whole county of Washington. As an afterthought he added, “We would also go to Jamaica for a month.” I have a feeling he’d be itching to get back to the Iowa soil though long before vacation would be over.

After dating for 10 months, Bridget went with Jason to his senior prom. “A couple of weeks before prom, Jason gave me a promise ring. The ring had our birthstones and our names engraved in it. He told me that he wanted me to wear it until he replaced it with an engagement ring. With our two years age difference, I thought, ‘WOW…I am in 10th grade and [have met] the man of my dreams.’ That fall Jason was going off to college and I was so nervous how our relationship was going to go. I kept telling me mom (and myself) that if it wasn’t meant to be, he would never have given me this ring. I know that we will get through the distance, but it may not be easy.”

Jason did replace the promise ring with a stunning engagement ring. He got family involved; his sister had a manicure party with Bridget the night before (Bridget had always told her that she wanted her nails done when she gets engaged), and had a friend set up with a camera to photograph the proposal.

“On Saturday night I told Jason I wanted to take him to Iowa River Power for his birthday dinner, but little did I know we would be getting engaged. In the car ride to Iowa City, he kept asking me when I want to get married. I said I didn’t know because I wanted to finish college first. We got to the restaurant and had dinner. I was clueless about what was going on. After dinner I kept telling him to go, let’s go do something else and he kept making me sit there and answer all of these questions. He kept asking me what I wanted for Christmas. I kept saying nothing. He kept asking me to guess what he had gotten me for a gift. I said I didn’t care. After some time I said to him, “Jason, we have been through this three times. Obviously you aren’t going to tell me.'”

“He then wanted to walk outside by the water and I said, ‘No, it’s winter and I’m in a dress and heels.’ But we went outside anyway and the next thing I know, he is down on one knee right beside me with this beautiful ring!”

If Bridget looks familiar, it’s because she’s Zach’s sister and was in this beautiful bridal party just earlier this summer. I’m so excited for another Nebel wedding!