Celebrating "I Do"

Jake and Alaina met just after college, both beginning their careers and stepping into a new season of life, when they connected modern way—on Hinge. For those unfamiliar, Hinge is where you answer prompts, post photos, and hope someone notices your personality. What started with a simple message about Alaina’s love for tamales quickly turned into something much deeper. As two teachers, their conversations naturally drifted toward their shared passion for supporting others, their values, and the kind of lives they hoped to build. It didn’t take long for something meaningful to take root. Alaina still remembers the moment she felt it, that quiet certainty, when Jake told her, “You seem to have a good mind and a strong heart, and I’m charmed by that.” A week later, they met at Egg Harbor Cafe, and from the very beginning, everything felt easy—like they had known each other far longer than they had. It was the kind of connection you don’t have to question. The kind that feels like coming home.

Over the next few years, their lives grew—individually and together. Jake built his career with Walgreens, while Alaina followed a new path from teaching into ed tech. Along the way, they created a life filled with love, resilience, and shared dreams. They moved into their first apartment during a global pandemic, adopted Penny (the purr-fect sister to Kounoupi), and eventually found their way into their first home—a charming 1920 cape cod that holds so many of their memories. Through every change, one thing stayed constant: they chose each other, again and again.

Their home has a small piece of history—a vintage brass doorbell with a delicate “Turn” key that rings a bell inside. It’s old, charming, and a little unexpected… much like the moment it would come to hold. One afternoon, as they were heading out for lunch, Jake asked Alaina to grab his wallet. As she walked through the house, she heard the old doorbell ring—a rare sound. Thinking it was just a delivery, she opened the door without a second thought. But instead of a package, Jake was standing there. With a smile and a bit of his signature charm, he told her he “wanted to give her a ring.” And then, in a moment that felt both surreal and perfectly them, he got down on one knee and asked her to spend forever with him. After she said yes, he gently took her hand and said, “Now it’s time to pick up your ring.” Together, they went to the jeweler—stepping into the next chapter side by side. Alaina held back her tears at first, taking it all in… but once they stepped outside, the emotion caught up with her in the most beautiful way.