Seattle will always hold a special place in Jack and Maddie’s story. After finishing her first year of teaching, Maddie was ready to spend the summer meeting new people and settling into her new life in the Pacific Northwest. Around the same time, Jack had just moved to Mukilteo to start his job at Boeing and decided it was time to jump into the Seattle dating scene. Despite the odds, they both downloaded Hinge to see who was out there. After a few weeks of messaging and getting to know each other, Jack went all in and asked Maddie on a date to Thai Waterside in Mukilteo — unaware that it was a 45-minute drive for her. Maddie had never been to Mukilteo before and figured that even if the date didn’t go well, she’d at least discover a cute new spot. What they didn’t expect was hours of effortless conversation, incredible Thai food, and the discovery of countless random connections — from Virginia and Bozeman to the Breezewood Bob Evans in Pennsylvania. By the end of the night, it already felt like the beginning of something special. But what truly sealed the deal? Jack surprised Maddie with homemade chocolate-covered strawberries on the beach as they watched the sun set over the water. They both left that first date completely smitten — and certain it wouldn’t be their last. And it wasn’t. From an international third date in Vancouver, BC, to a biking adventure on Bainbridge Island that ended with their bikes briefly “swallowed” by the Puget Sound (don’t worry — they got them back), to a winter trip to Capilano Suspension Bridge where Jack officially asked Maddie to be his girlfriend — their story only grew more adventurous. There were beach cleanups that turned into six-hour efforts to walk a mooring line off the shore, countless ski days (and plenty of falls from Maddie), numerous coffee shop dates (and Rummy competitions), hiking and camping expeditions, and even navigating a torn ACL and recovery together. Through every adventure — big and small — they built a life rooted in laughter, resilience, and showing up for each other. Knowing they had something truly special, Jack and Maddie decided to collide worlds in the summer of 2025, moving to the Eastlake neighborhood of Seattle to begin their next chapter together. While Maddie’s ACL recovery temporarily paused their more adventurous outings, it made room for slower, sweeter rhythms of life — cooking dinners together, playing card games late into the evening, and simply enjoying coming home to one another. On December 14th, Jack brought their story full circle. At the very place he had asked Maddie to be his girlfriend two years earlier — Capilano Suspension Bridge — he got down on one knee and asked her to spend forever with him. This time, she said yes to even more. Although their next chapter will take them to Los Angeles, the Pacific Northwest will always be the place where it all began — and where their greatest adventure first took root. Cheers to love. Cheers to adventure. Cheers to forever. Love, Jack and Maddie