Makenzie and Kobe first met at Coopersville Homecoming in 2017. When the first slow song came on (“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran), Makenzie spotted Kobe by himself, so without hesitation, she walked over and asked him to dance. That one dance turned into a never ending conversation, and by the end of the night Kobe gave Makenzie his number. Not long after, they started spending more and more time together, and what began with a single slow song turned into something real. On October 10, 2017 they officially started dating — and the rest is history.

Makenzie and Kobe took a day trip to the Clearwater Aquarium while vacationing in Florida, and while it was a great trip, Makenzie left a little disappointed because they missed out on meeting capybaras — which she was very obsessed with at the time. Not long after they got back, Kobe started planning the proposal. He bought the ring, and on his way back to East Lansing, he stopped by Makenzie’s sister’s house while her mom was visiting. Before leaving, he pulled her mom aside and asked for her daughter’s hand in marriage. She said yes… and immediately followed it with, “Are you sure?” Kobe didn’t hesitate. A little later, Kobe was at work when he heard that Lewis Farms had capybaras for the summer. He quickly booked a meet-and-greet so Makenzie wouldn’t miss her chance again. After they met the capybaras, Kobe suggested they go to Pentwater, one of their favorite camping spots. Kobe wanted to hike to the top of Mt. Baldy since they always go hammocking there while camping. When they reached the top, he got down on one knee and asked Makenzie to marry him. She said yes — and they headed home engaged and so excited for the future ahead.