Jake and Emily met in Upstate New York in the Spring of 2019. Jake was a Captain in the Army stationed at Fort Drum, NY and Emily was earning her stripes at the Oswego County Health Department. Both of them were wading through the desolate tundra of the North Country and stumbled across each other on the dating app Bumble. They had their first date in Oswego, NY on April 28, 2019 and what a beautifully awkward occasion it was. Emily does not like to talk when she eats and Jake does not fair well in overly sunny conditions; dinner in a greenhouse was a fine idea for a first date. After a few more awkward dates and a plea to redo the first kiss, Emily and Jake were well on their way to falling in love. Fast forward a couple years, they have forged a strong and loving relationship by surviving a pandemic; a long distance relationship; several inter-state moves; and the beginnings of new careers. They have settled down in a lovely townhouse in Old Town Alexandria, VA and welcomed a furry roommate into the relationship in September 2022!

On October 30th, 2021 Jake had planned a luxury picnic to surprise Emily with a proposal along the Potomac. Sadly, a titanic storm also agreed that it was a good day to visit Old Town. Determined to not let the cancelled picnic stop him, Jake enlisted the help of his friend Zach and Emily's sister/maid-of-honor Marissa. The group covertly pivoted, after some mild panic, and planned to capture the moment along the city's historic Captain's Row and its spooky décor. Jake lured Emily to the location with a plan to meet his friend for drinks (thanks Dan!) where the co-conspirators laid in wait to capture the moment. After a missed opportunity or two and a few laps around the block, Jake finally got Emily into position and popped the question!