J & M

Jake and Maddie were both engineering students at Michigan State. Being civil and environmental engineering majors, they had some classes together. They were acquaintances and knew each other in classes but nothing more. A year after Maddie graduated, Jake reached out to Maddie, they reconnected, got to know each other on a deeper level than just classmates, and it's been a love story ever since.

Jake and Maddie were long distance their entire relationship, as Jake lived in Sault Ste. Marie as an engineer on the Soo Locks and Maddie lived in Grand Rapids. Jake got a new job in Grand Rapids that started at the beginning of May. They were training for a half marathon so they went for an 11 mile run as part of the training plan. Jake suggested they go for a picnic lunch at the North Ottawa Dunes afterward. So they hiked 3 miles to the Lake Michigan beach, had lunch, and then Jake popped the question. This spot was their first date after officially being boyfriend and girlfriend, so he made it full circle by asking Maddie to marry him there too.