Sean Palmer and Jackelyn Rockwood’s bond grew even while the pair were continents apart from each other
By Emily Davis | Photo by Fervent in Spirit Photography
Wedding Date June 3, 2023
Occupations Jackelyn got her master’s in occupational therapy from UNC and now works at health technology company Unite Us. Sean earned his bachelor’s degrees in business management and marketing from Appalachian State University and is a software engineer and a drummer in a local band.
Crossed Paths Sean, who grew up in Durham, matched with Jackelyn on the dating app Bumble while she was a student at UNC. After they sat down for their first date, Sean told Jackelyn that he would be leaving for Europe in a month on a one-way ticket to travel for an unknown period of time. But the pair hit it off and kept in touch throughout the trip, with Sean sending Jackelyn a postcard from each of the 31 countries he visited. On Aug. 20, 2016, Jackelyn told Sean that she was not interested in seeing other people while he was away. That same day, Sean had mailed her a postcard from Norway asking her to be his girlfriend. Seven years later, the couple has visited five continents together and are going to their sixth in January 2024.
The Proposal Sean sent Jackelyn a postcard from Greece on that first Europe trip, telling her he was excited to bring her back to such a beautiful place one day. He did just that in October 2021. Jackelyn’s dad passed away unexpectedly six months before the trip, which happened to be booked over Jackelyn’s parents’ wedding anniversary. The couple thought it would be fitting for Jackelyn’s mom, Connie Rockwood, to join them in Greece. Little did Jackelyn know, Connie was now helping Sean pull off his proposal. On their last stop in Santorini, Sean asked Jackelyn to marry him, referencing his postcard from years before. Connie got to witness the special moment and capture plenty of pictures of Jackelyn’s surprise.
Now, “I Do” Jackelyn and Sean’s June wedding will take place at Southern Grace Farms in Angier, North Carolina. The pair live in the Brightleaf at the Park neighborhood with their Weimaraner, Dante.
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