Sydne Waldrop & JJ Shaffer: A Hoover Wedding

August 22, 2020

Photos by Sarah Partain

How We Met: JJ played baseball at Auburn, and I (Sydne) played softball at there. JJ grew up in Auburn (his dad is the diving coach), so going to Auburn for him seemed natural. I had always dreamed of going to Auburn. We actually were in the same room at a pre-party in Arizona for the 2010 National Championship and had no idea the other person existed. We met freshman year in biology class, and we started off as friends in our group of freshmen. Once sophomore year began, JJ and I remained close and began dating.

The Proposal: I moved back to Birmingham after I graduated college. JJ received his MBA immediately after undergrad, so he stayed in Auburn for another year and a half. After MBA graduation, JJ accepted a job in Birmingham as well. On the one-year anniversary of JJ moving to Birmingham, he proposed. My best friend flew in from Indiana and set up the entire thing in my backyard. We walked to their favorite restaurant, Gianmarco’s, for dinner. Upon walking back home, JJ stopped me before entering the back gate and reminded me that it was the one-year mark of him moving to Birmingham. The backyard was setup with twinkle lights, decorations and our two dogs waiting. JJ got down on a knee in the backyard with a custom, three-stone diamond ring from Swansons Diamond Center. The middle stone was Sydne’s late grandmother’s wedding diamond. We were engaged on Jan. 18, 2020.

Favorite Moment: The entire day! Planning a wedding during COVID-19 made us so thankful for the chance to get married accompanied by family and friends. Also, our two dogs, Lola (French bulldog) and Hank (golden retriever), were able to be there with us.