Jacob and Amanda first met in 2022 as coworkers at Oakland Middle School. What started as casual conversations turned into a growing friendship—especially during their beloved Friday happy hours at Gerbes grocery store. Everything changed the day before spring break. Jacob’s travel plans to Ireland suddenly fell through, and in a moment of spontaneity, he jokingly asked their happy hour crew if anyone wanted to come with him instead. Amanda, always up for an adventure, replied, “Sure, I’ll go!” And just 36 hours later, the two were on a plane to Ireland. That week of travel brought them closer than either expected. On the final night of their trip, during a pub crawl in Dublin, Jacob shared his feelings—and Amanda felt the same. When they returned home, they went on their first official date on April 4, 2023, and have been inseparable ever since. On January 25, 2025, Jacob proposed, and Amanda said yes! They now live in Columbia with their sweet dog, Pippi, building a life full of laughter, love, and plenty of grocery store happy hours.