danabout

ABOUT DAN

Dan claims Honey Grove, Texas (population 1,973) as his hometown. He studied photography/visual fine art at The University of North Texas until he spontaneously enlisted in the US Navy months after 9/11 as a photographer. While serving his term as a photojournalist for SEAL teams at Little Creek Amphibious Base at Virginia Beach and the Pentagon he completed his degree at Thomas Edison State College in New Jersey. Since his enlistment, Dan has worked as a producer for everything from local news stations in Virginia and Baltimore, to national reality television series, to feature films. In September 2014, he relocated from Los Angeles to Dallas to settle down. In addition to maintaining his freelance producer business and photography practice, he now works for Time Warner Cable Media. He’s an avid lover of music, a crafter, builder, auto repairer, do-all-doer and remodeler. He’s also smokes the best brisket in Texas. Seriously.

 

OUR STORY

Tara’s and Dan’s first date was on an unseasonably freezing March evening in Dallas. Tara thought Dan was charming. Dan thought Tara was intriguing, but couldn’t help mentioning her uncanny resemblance to the over-caffeinated squirrel from the movie, Hoodwinked. That didn’t go over so well.

On their second date to the White Rock Lake Dog Park, Tara was more impressed by Dan’s dog, Dozer*, than she was with him. She agreed to another date, but had every intention of breaking it off. She obviously underestimated his resilience.

With enough persistence and dedication from Dan, Tara showed up for their third date. Dan dazzled her with his witty antics, a mix tape, and his highly impressive IQ of music and movies. For the first time, a spark was ignited between them.

The next day, Dan listed a “Missed Connections” ad on Craigslist describing Tara. This served as kryptonite to her soul. His quirky Casanova acts continued throughout the months ahead. As fate would have it, these romantic gestures were straight out of the playbook to win Tara’s heart.

On May 12th, 2014 while listening to Tara’s favorite Band of Horses song, Dan proclaimed his love for her and even held her hand . Tara responded with, “Thank you.” Two weeks later, Tara admitted that she also loved Dan.

The two realized, in addition to loving one another, they also shared a love for pizza, travel, records, all things Home Depot, crafting, family, puns, camping, art, and most importantly, Jesus. Over the next year their relationship continued to bloom.

On their one-year anniversary of meeting one another, Dan surprised Tara with a stargazing trip to the mountains of New Mexico. As they shivered under the constellations on the moonless evening, the words ‘Marry Me’ lit up a hillside across the way.

The coyotes began to howl songs of “Congratulations!” (or threats…it’s hard to tell.) And thus, happily ever after began.

 *Epilogue: Dan’s pitbull has since lovingly welcomed Tara as her soon-to-be mother. Tara’s cat, Leo Baby, remains less than thrilled about the upcoming merge. He’s not invited to the wedding. Obviously, after enough time, Tara said, ‘Yes’ to Dan.


tarabout

ABOUT TARA

Tara grew up in Gillette, Wyoming (population: 17,000) and moved to Texas when she was 13, where she attended and graduated high school in San Antonio. She then went on to HOOK ‘EM at The University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated with a B.S. in Advertising. Along the way, she worked at a guest ranch in Colorado (where she truly discovered the Lords grace), served a year with Americorps (domestic version of the Peace Corps), and nannied for several families (all of whom now have teenage children, which makes her feel quite old!). Tara is in the eighth year of her career as a copywriter at The Richards Group – the nation’s largest independent advertising firm. She's also a smitten aunt and a doting animal lover. When she’s not writing websites, TV spots or radio ads, she’s either teaching life skills classes at Lew Sterrett County Jail, rehabbing old furniture, working out, or … best-case scenario, doing all three alongside the love of her life, Dan.