February is the month of LOVE and what better way to celebrate than to feature the love story of a beautiful couple who go married right here at our Lubbock wedding venue? When it comes to love stories, call us hopeless romantics! You can attribute that to the fact that The Willows Event Center is not just any wedding venue. Our beautiful garden and courtyard make the most romantic setting for any love story! We reached out to Josephine and Jackson Starr, a recent Willows couple, and asked them a few questions. Read all about their love story below!

How did you meet? Jackson and I met in high school. We are both tennis players and were on the varsity tennis team as a freshman and a sophomore. We became really good friends and developed our friendship and love story throughout the years. 

What did you do on your first date? We went on our first date picking out pumpkins and getting lost with our friends at the corn maize. Every year, we go back to the corn maize to celebrate and to reminisce on where everything started. Though he took me on a date in September, we didn’t officially start dating until December after a sweet breakfast date at iHop and opening our Christmas gifts for each other. 

Tell us about your engagement story! For a girl that doesn’t like surprises, Jackson pulled off the ultimate surprise! I left in January 2019 for the International Program of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. We spent two weeks of our Global Health Trip in the Philippines while Jackson was across the world in Lubbock, Texas. During the trip, my friends and I were joking about how our boyfriends would never propose to us anytime soon, yet at the back of my mind, I knew that whenever Jackson decides to get down on one knee, I would say yes. When we flew back to Texas, Jackson picked me up from the airport. He took me to my favorite spot in Dallas, got down on one knee, and asked me, “Will you marry me?” It was a surprise I will never forget.

Do you have a song? Well, we have a few… For our last dance, Jackson chose “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. While dancing with each other, we both fell in love with the song and every time we hear it playing, we always reminisce on our wedding day. Another song of ours is “Overjoyed” by Matchbox twenty. This song always reminds me of Jackson and the start of our relationship 7 years ago. We were so young and innocent, and even though we’ve gotten a few years older, we still have the same love we have for each other since we were 15 years old. 

What is your favorite thing about each other? Josephine: What I love the most about Jackson is that he is tenacious in the best way, never giving up and an earnest person. He is someone that I know will always be by my side but can also be honest and be the first person to tell me if I am wrong. He makes me and others laugh and smile, but one of my favorite things about him is that he truly was my best friend before we fell in love, and even with all the changes we’ve had, we are still each other’s best friend through it all.” Jackson: What I love most about Josephine is her passion, and the best example of it is in her work at the pediatric hospital she is at. I love hearing her talk about her shifts, all of the memories she created with her coworkers and her patients, all of the happy experiences and the sad ones, and especially all of the work she puts into each and every one of her kids. I already knew how special Josephine was when I asked her to marry me, but it still amazes me every day to hear the stories and to see how much she cares for those that surround her. 

What made you choose The Willows Event Center for your wedding ceremony and reception? I fell in love with the Willows the moment I entered through its doors. The Willows is truly a hidden gem in the middle of 82nd street and after touring the garden and courtyard, we knew we had to get married there. The Willows’ gorgeous garden, willow trees, and pristine pond makes everything effortlessly beautiful. It was so unique compared to the other Lubbock wedding venues we toured, not only because of the Willows itself, but through their people and employees. Alyssa was so kind and easy to communicate with from the start of this process, so I knew she was going to be a really great person to work alongside with. She and Camryn were with us through every step of the way and helped make the wedding of our dreams become our reality. 

What was your favorite thing about your wedding day? One of my favorite things about my wedding day was when we received a Bible that had our new last name monogrammed on the cover, and a sweet message written by the Willows staff. It was truly such a heartwarming, special gift to receive and it shows how wonderful this local wedding venue and its staff are.  Our last dance was one of the special moments of our night. It was our last effort to really take everything in and just dancing with each other under the lights is something that I can’t ever forget. I loved running up the stairs after our dance and seeing each of our friends and families lined up, ready to wish us off. Because of them, Jackson and I are where we are at now. 

What unique traditions did you include in your wedding to make it special? We decided to include a few unique traditions for our wedding. We chose four couples as our “marriage sponsors” who will guide us throughout our marriage. These couples have been in our lives and have marriages that we would try to model our own after.  Another unique tradition we had was signing our marriage certificate during our reception. It is a special thing we decided to do because we had all our closest friends and families be the witnesses of our wedding and signing.  Our gifts for our guests were mini jars of honey. The honey is special because not only was it locally produced from our good friends, but “honey” was mine and Jackson’s first nicknames for each other. Personalizing our wedding with our jars of honey, writing our own vows, tennis ball and racket wedding cake, they turn into the special memories that Jackson and I will never forget.

What a beautiful story that perfectly showcases the love Josephine and Jackson have for one another! We are so thankful that this couple chose to start their lives together at The Willows. When choosing a Lubbock wedding venue, remember how our romantic and enchanting garden setting can make your love story even more breathtaking! We welcome you to come see our venue in person!