Cupid’s Arrow Lands at the Archery Center...Nolan and Jesse Hiemstra

By John Grossi

Jesse and Nolan met as teenagers in their church youth group at the Emmanuel Reform Church in Paramount. They were part of the same broad friend group but nothing was romantic for about 6 years. In 2014, when Jesse was 21 and Nolan 19, they were at a mutual friend’s house when Nolan overheard Jesse was single. The two started talking. He found her on Facebook the next day and gave her his number. After that, Jesse and Nolan began texting and talking almost every day. It started as just friends, very casual and friendly, but “was pretty much all day every day,” says Jesse.

The First Date

Jesse had a feeling something was going to happen when Nolan was “behaving a little weird;” and told her he had a special day planned of fun things to do. After a bite to eat at Panda Express, Nolan took her to the El Dorado Park Archery Center where he taught Jesse to shoot a few arrows. Then he suggested they go across the street to El Dorado Nature Center… she could tell he was getting seriously nervous. They finally made it to the lake in El Dorado Nature Center and sat down on the bench where Nolan, physically shaking with nerves asked Jesse to become his girlfriend. She, of course, said yes.

The Rest is History...

Jesse says it was the simple act of grocery shopping together, at WinCo soon after their first date, when she realized how much she liked Nolan. The two were married in 2017 at The Long Beach Wedding Center on Elm Ave. in Long Beach.

Date Ideas from Nolan and Jesse

• Try out something new like archery for the first time at El Dorado Park.

• Take in the amazing nature in our backyard at the El Dorado Nature Center.

• Go on a “mundane” chore together like grocery shopping to see if you’re a good fit!