Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1489591
WINTER / SPRING 2023 43 In a dating scene dominated by apps and social media, Jessica Gockel and husband Garrett Nelson like to say they met the old-fashioned way—in person at a WAC event! at was almost six years ago. Jessica and Garrett were both attending a WAC pub crawl of local sports bars. As luck would have it, they got to talking during the last stop of the day. "We made eye contact at the previous bars in the crawl," Garrett recalls. "en I found out she was in real estate, too, and I was like, 'Really …?'" Not wanting the night to end, they came back to Hagerty's. ey since have attended many Club events together—including Jubilee and e Main Event—and quickly became regulars around the Clubhouse. Fast forward to September 2020. e pandemic canceled most weddings that year, but Jessica and Garrett carried on. Although the pandemic derailed their plans for a rehearsal dinner at the Club, Jessica booked the Elliott Bay Suite at the Inn at the WAC for the night before the wedding. "We met here … and we wanted the WAC to be our home base where we got ready and stayed the night before," Jessica says. Beyond sentimental value, the WAC also offered much more than other venues, Garrett says. "And the WAC had catering included with no hassle to us." e ceremony ultimately took place at Jessica's high school alma mater, Holy Names Academy, and Jessica's parents hosted the reception at their home in Bellevue. "We celebrated under a beautiful white tent with string lights and lots of candlelight," Jessica smiles. Two years later, Jessica gave birth to the couple's first child, Oskar. Soon aerward, they called the WAC to add him to their membership. "I even sent Membership an email from the hospital," Garrett says. Jesa Gel & Gart Nelson K H U L E T T P H O T O G R A P H Y Ever since the Washington Athletic Club opened its doors in 1930, the Club has maintained a commitment to fostering community and bringing people together. It comes as no surprise, then, that Cupid's arrow oen finds its way into the lives of our fun-loving members. Whether facilitating the discovery of true love or helping Seattle transplants grow roots in their new city, the WAC plays a pivotal part in the relationships of many members. Here are three of their stories. WINTER / SPRING 2023 43