Jake and Marianna met on a cold, questionable night in December 2021 when everyone was either sick, getting sick, or pretending not to be. Marianna and her best friend Joe decided it was the perfect night to go out. After circling Lakeview for over an hour looking for parking, they almost bailed — but they were committed to the bit. At the pregame, a stranger walked in with a friend of a friend. It was Jake. Marianna immediately dragged Joe into the kitchen to whisper about how cute Jake was. But don’t get it twisted — she kept her cool the whole night. They chatted about how he was newish to Chicago and before long, he asked for her Instagram like the gentleman he is. Weeks later, Marianna finally made the first move and Instagram messaged Jake and the two started talking. Their connection at first was solely built on sending each other unhinged memes and bonding over their niche humor. In between the laughter, though, they both found themselves constantly checking their phones, sneaking away at work just to talk. Finally, on February 6, 2022, Jake asked Marianna out for drinks at Remedy. It was the first time they’d seen each other since the night they met. But from the moment they sat down, it felt like they had known each other forever. They laughed, they danced, and from that night on, they were inseparable. A few months later, they dropped the L-word. And a year later, they moved in together. Marianna had always joked she wouldn’t get engaged until she lived with someone for a year. Jake took notes. So a year later, they took a vacation to the Amalfi Coast. And on June 20, 2024, Jake suggested a “casual sunset walk”, which ended up being a twenty-minute uphill hike in ninety-degree heat. Marianna complained the whole time (of course) and Jake was patient and kind. The perfect match. When they reached a scenic overlook, to Marianna's surprise he got down on one knee and proposed with a beautiful, heartfelt speech. They both blacked out from excitement, so we can’t quote it here, but it was perfect. Obviously, she cried and said yes. Now they’re planning a wedding, raising three spoiled pets, and still making each other laugh every single day.