"It's a much cuter story that way"

Jacob and Heather both attended USC, but didn’t officially meet until Heather auditioned for Jacob’s college improv team, Second Nature. She did not make the cut, despite an objectively outstanding performance. After the audition, Jacob called to personally encourage Heather to pursue improv outside of college because she was (and still is) “very funny.” Heather always remembered the phone call because it was (and still is) definitely high up on the list of nice things anyone has ever done for her. Jacob has very little recollection of the phone call.

However, his memory was jogged six years later when he noticed Heather liking his Facebook statuses, even though they’d been “friends” for years. He checked out her profile, thought she was cute, read her blog, and was compelled to send her a message. But, when he opened up the message box, it brought up an old, mildly flirtatious conversation from 2006 discussing the infamous improv group auditions. After even more online cheeky banter, Heather gave Jacob her number, which he promptly used to ask her out three times before she said yes. They went to get tea, Heather unexpectedly forced herself on his indie improv show that night, and they sat in Heather’s car for 45 minutes until Jacob worked up the courage to kiss her goodnight.
 

"SHOULD WE DO THIS?"

Thankfully, unlike trying to get her to agree to a date, when Jacob proposed he only needed to ask once for her to say, “yes.”

Heather and Jacob got engaged Saturday May 21, 2016, but they both knew they were stuck with each other about two weeks into dating. Last February, on the drive home from the jewelers, where they chose an engagement ring together, Jacob decided he was going to propose the weekend before Heather's birthday. 

On the actual day, Jacob set Heather up with fake plans with a friend after a haircut appointment. Heather came home after the appointment before she was going to “lunch with a friend” to find Jacob playing video games like any typical Saturday. She thought nothing of it, even when Jacob asked Heather if she wanted an early birthday present, to which she said “yes, duh, please.” Jacob went to grab a small flat package with a card. He instructed her to open the present first, a silly iron-on patch for her collection, which she loved. Then he told her to read the card, which did –– falling for distraction while Jacob got down on one knee in their living room and opened a ring box. 

Once Heather realized what was happening, Jacob forgot any beautiful words he had prepared  and instead blurted out the something very romantic, "Hey, should we do this??" Heather cried, they hugged, and their cats, Batman and Moki, paced around them looking for food. Thankfully, Jacob had secretly set up his camera and recorded the whole thing, so now Heather can forever watch herself have a nervous breakdown.

The rest of the day was filled with other surprises Jacob had planned, including flying Heather’s best friend (and maid of honor!), Marissa, out from New Orleans, a dinner with family at their favorite restaurant, and party with their friends at a nearby bar. 

Naturally, Marissa stayed over that night and shared the bed with Heather, while Jacob slept on an air mattress in the office with the cats. They’ve been ready for marriage since Day 1.

AccomModations

Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the Courtyard Marriott in Old Town Pasadena. Several types of rooms will be available, so rates will vary. Mention the Sundell/Reed wedding to receive the wedding group discount.

COURTYARD MARRIOTT OLD TOWN PASADENA

180 North Fair Oaks Avenue
Pasadena, CA  91103
(626) 403 - 7600

Registry

We have registries at the following places:

Our handmade invites were designed by Jacob and pressed by one of his favorite studios, Aardvark Letterpress, in downtown Los Angeles. Each invite was run through a foil embossing process on both sides as well as two runs through a Heidelberg Press to apply navy ink. One additional run was necessary for the  lines that connect the constellations, which had to be applied to each invitation individually to make sure they lined up. Our RSVP cards and return addresses were pressed with an Intertype typesetting machine.

The star map on the invitation is exactly how the night sky will appear from our venue the hour we get married.