Jillian & Max are Engaged

It all began with books…and now they are engaged.

When they met…

Jillian and Max met their sophomore year at Motlow State Community College in Ms. Grissom’s English class. Doesn’t surprise us that they opted to begin their engagement photo shoot at Crying Cat Books. Little did they know that three years from that fateful meeting they would be engaged.

Jillian first noticed Max their freshman year at Motlow in Mr. Cejka’s English Lit class. She had a crush on him from day one and would come to class an hour and a half early just to talk to him. He didn’t put two and two together. So, being the strong willed woman that she is, Jillian made the first move. She asked him out to a dinner and a movie.

Opting to go see The Black Panther, Max was immediately intrigued. Could this fun, smart and vivacious girl like Marvel movies?? She sure does! And here’s a fun fact for you. The new Black Panther movie is coming out a week before their wedding. They are already planning their first “married” date night!

These two are always having fun, sharing laughs and teasing each other. In fact, Max often teases Jillian about how she first approached him. She walked over to him and said, “Do you live here or something?” It was a rather unusual way to striking up a conversation. Inquiring about residing in an English lit class and all. Needless to say, it got his attention!

Shared passions…

Over the course of four years and through a pandemic they have shared their love for each other. They have also shared their passions. Max and Jillian both love taking long walks together. They find they have the most interesting conversations when they are just wandering the streets hand in hand. Jillian loves sharing her love of Studio Ghibli movies. She grew up watching those. Max grew up watching Mel Brookes, so he always gets her to watch those with him. We can see where his sense of humor comes from!

Their biggest passion, outside of the love they have for each other? Their sweet cats. Papa and Oreo are a father daughter duo! These sweet tuxedo cats are almost as snuggly and cuddly as our nearlyweds. One is doubled stuffed and the other is like the OG Oreo. Yum! (Who else wants cookies now? Just me??)

Even Papa and Oreo are thrilled they got engaged. And certainly the entire team at Weddings & Events by Raina is thrilled to celebrate the nuptials of one of our own team members!

A bit about the bride…

Jillian is actually a professional wedding and event planner with Weddings & Events by Raina! When she isn’t planning hers or everyone else’s celebrations she can be found nannying two sweet children.

While she loves getting her chocolate cream cold brew from Starbucks she’s also got a real soft spot for supporting local. She is a huge fan of the many Rutherford county coffee shops. Red Bicycle, where the second half of their engagement photo shoot was held is definitely a favorite!

Jillian loves love. When she hears someone is engaged she always needs the full story. In fact, when she isn’t planning weddings she’s usually reading a romance novel. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren is her favorite in the genre of love. She also really enjoys kicking back with the RELAX! podcast with Colleen Ballinger and Erik Stocklin. Not surprisingly, when asked, she said that her favorite blog is the Weddings & Events by Raina blog. “No joke,” she said, ” I use our blog for all questions I have. It’s so chock full of info!”

A bit about the groom…

Max is a long time associate at Lowe’s. He can pretty much fix anything or tell you, in great detail, how to best get the job done. We are so glad to know someone so skilled. It’s definitely come in handy!

Knowing what a coffee junkie Jillian is, Max is always on the hunt for the next new local brewhouse. Surprisingly, however, he doesn’t care for coffee or tea. “It’s Coca-Cola for me!” he says. Well, we all have our favorite way to get a caffeine fix.

Max is a very involved groom. He loves being engaged and we absolutely love that about him, too!! It’s a big day for both of you. You want to make all those decisions, large and small, as a team. When he isn’t helping his future bride plan their wedding he can often be found listening to his favorite podcast. Review of Death: A Doctor Who Podcast. While waiting for a new episode to drop he can usually be found curled up somewhere re-reading Doctor Who Novel of the Film.

Wondering who his favorite Doctor is? Read on to find out!

A bit about the nearly weds….

Jillian and Max both share a love for Marvel. I mean, The Black Panther was their first date. Anyone else surprised by this? They will even host film festivals. They (and anyone who wants to join) can watch all the Marvel movies like a series. Watching every episode of “The Circle” on Netflix is also a favorite pastime. Occasionally they will switch over to sports. Max is a diehard Titan’s fan and Jillian always cheers for the Harlem Globetrotters. (You’ve gotta love that!) They enjoy escaping the southern summers by going up to New York…and not just the city like most folks. No sir! They will often explore the mountains and dense forests of the upstate areas as well. And when they just want a quiet night in? They love nothing more than cooking and baking together.

We are so glad that Max and Jillian got engaged right after graduation. Aren’t they just the sweetest?!

Because we know you’ve all been wondering…

Max’s favorite Doctor is the 10th Doctor and Amy Pond is is favorite companion. Wonder if its because she’s a ginger like Jillian???

Jillian’s favorite Doctor is quickly becoming the 14th Doctor who is currently flying around in the Tardis companionless, so she chose Amy Pond as her favorite companion as well. (Good choice! We like Amy, too!)

Photos by Mikaela Rose Photography