Although we grew up just 1.6 miles from each other, and even went to the same middle school, we didn't officially meet until June of 2020 when we were introduced by mutual friends (who are both in our wedding party!). We became fast friends, and soon lived down the street from each other once again, this time in Soulard. It was rare for a day to go by without seeing each other, whether we were spending time with our group of friends, going for walks, or grabbing food and drinks at Jack Nolen's. Jake was even there the day that Kate brought home Pugsley! Fast forward to October 2021, Kate decided to move to Denver. Once apart, it became clear to us that our friendship was something more, and we started dating long distance. During that time, we visited each other as much as possible, and it helped that Kate was often back in town for holidays and her sister and brother-in-law's wedding festivities. By the summer of 2022, we made plans to move to Dallas together for Jake's new job, and we loved getting to take on a new city together. We always knew that we'd return to St. Louis, and once we moved back in June of 2024, Jake had already started planning his proposal. With lots of help from both of our families and our friends, Jake proposed to Kate on November 15th, 2024 at Lafayette Square Park in St. Louis. All of Jake's family flew in from across the country for the surprise, alongside Kate's family in St. Louis, and we felt so loved by everyone who came together to celebrate our engagement.