The Reindels

Alaina and I matched on a dating app and had our first date on July 31, 2021, at a local brewery in Perrysburg, OH called Inside the Five. I was actually speechless the first time I saw her. We stayed at the brewery until they started closing down and putting the chairs on the tables around us. To this day I couldn't tell you what I talked about or if I was speaking in coherent sentences. But I do know that we continued to meet on little dates, including August 14, 2021 when we went to an Oliver Hazard concert in downtown Waterville, OH, where we danced and laughed and kissed, and she officially became my girlfriend.

For my 30th birthday weekend, Alaina and I booked a trip to Hawaii. We love exploring new places together, and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been on my list of places to visit. A couple days after my birthday, we went to explore a beach where I thought we could find Olivine crystals in the sand (green sand beach). While walking along the shore in a rocky area, Alaina set up her phone to record a video. We sat next to each other with the ocean in the background. After a few minutes I wondered why we were sitting there so long with the video recording. When I stood up, she pulled the ring out of her pocket and then we both blacked out. She started saying some real cute stuff followed by "will you marry me?" It was so sweet and I was totally surprised! (Totally surprised but with the ring that I sent her a picture of months prior lol). We had a couple more days in Hawaii together to celebrate and it was perfect. Two months later, while we were in Ohio visiting family and friends for the holidays, I decided to propose back to Alaina. I had ordered a ring with the same stone as mine (moss agate), and it arrived in time for the holidays. We had an engagement photoshoot scheduled on December 28, 2022 in Oak Openings Metro Park. I told our photographer that I was planning to propose back during the photoshoot and she loved the idea. Alaina says she she had no idea until I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket and started reading her a poem I wrote. I ended the poem by getting down on one knee and asking "will you marry me?" I had a pretty good idea she would say yes, and of course she did :)

Shortly after we started dating, I (Jenna) moved to Colorado in October 2021. We had a long distance relationship until Alaina moved in with me in March 2022. We have loved living in Colorado so much, but our future goals and plans are taking us to Columbus, OH in October 2023, just before our wedding date.

Before moving back to Ohio, Alaina and I plan to elope in the beautiful mountains of Colorado, just us two. By doing this, we get to hold this piece of our lives, Colorado and the mountains, close to our hearts forever, and we get to bring it home and share it with our dearest friends and family. Keep in mind, this is why we will be celebrating our anniversary date as 9/21/23.