WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!

Melissa and Jake go way back. Their first real memory together was at a Fourth of July pool party in 2011. Jake, bold and 12 years old, tried to flirt with Melissa while swimming. There are still Facebook messages from that year where Melissa called him out for it. Jake never responded… and Melissa definitely hasn’t let him forget that. Fast forward 11 years to July 2022. Melissa was working as a news anchor in Myrtle Beach, SC, while Jake was vacationing with his family in Oak Island, NC. One morning, his mom turned on the news and, to her surprise, there was Melissa on TV. She called Jake over to show him, and something clicked. A few weeks later, Jake sent Melissa a birthday message. Nothing came of it. Then came November — and maybe a little (or a lot) of Tito’s. Liquid courage helped Jake reach out again, this time asking to take her out when she was home for Christmas. Melissa said yes, and they haven’t stopped talking since. Their first date was December 26, 2022 and the rest was history. A true “when you know, you know” moment. At the time, they were long distance. Melissa in Myrtle Beach, Jake in Pittsburgh. It wasn’t always easy, but they made it work. Jake racked up plenty of miles visiting South Carolina throughout 2023 and 2024. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder and that proved true when Jake proposed on May 11, 2024. Melissa moved back to Pittsburgh in July 2024 and now they’re counting down the days until May 16, 2026.