They met at East Tennessee State University in a college ministry group called Lutheran Student Movement, and they stayed friends all through college and throughout the following years. Occasionally, they would meet up with each other if they were both back in TN. A while later, they began a relationship after 7 years of friendship and remained long-distance throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. On a September evening Jacob asked Nicole, "would you marry me"? She said yes! They began the next step in their wonderful journey together!