Emily and Jack like to say they met “through mutual friends,” which is technically true… if you count 111 mutual friends and the Hinge algorithm as one very determined wingman. After matching on Hinge, the two met up on Jack’s birthday at the Cabaret in Ankeny for their first date. As they started talking about their love for the Cyclones, tailgating, mutual friends, and favorite places, they realized something almost unbelievable, they had been in the same place at the same time at least 5 or 6 different times over the years without ever actually meeting. Somehow, life kept putting them in each other’s orbit until the timing was finally right. What started as a casual night out quickly turned into something neither of them could ignore. It didn’t feel like meeting someone new, it felt like finally finding someone who had been part of the story all along. From the very beginning, they were inseparable. Whether it was spontaneous adventures, quiet nights together, or a trip to Arizona just one month into dating, life simply felt better side by side. The ordinary moments became their favorite because they were sharing them together. On September 13, they bought the place they now get to call home in Elkhart, a home filled with love, laughter, and the life they’ve built together. Then on December 19, Jack got down on one knee and asked the girl from Hinge to marry him. What started with one swipe became the kind of love that feels steady, effortless, and meant to be, proof that sometimes the right person has been crossing your path all along. ❤️