We met in the romantic way all elder millenials meet - on a dating app! Bumble to be exact, because we're both feminists, obviously. How Jessica swiped right on a guy with a dog, we're all still confused about, but Jakob somehow made it through her vigorous screening process and here we are. However, this origin story actually stretches back all the way to 2004 in Austin, TX where a debate nerd with a goatee and an eyebrow ring decided to work with a local high school debate team as his college gig (a debate team Jess was a part of, as were many of her good friends!). While Jess and Jakob never officially met, they did discover a photo of him in her Junior Year yearbook just one page in front of her Drill Team page. They both moved to several cities across the country and eventually each found their way to Houston. On October 8, 2019 they had their first date where they spent their time drinking a bottle of wine and primarily discussing their mutual love of musicals. Their second date was a trip to the Hobby Center to see a production of Spring Awakening. They shared their first kiss that night and Jess says she had this feeling she had just kissed her future husband. Jakob is more akin to a turtle and it took him a minute to catch up. Shortly after their relationship began the whole world entered into the pandemic and they spent the next year-plus cooking dinners, taking bike rides, binging tv series, as well as the entire Marvel franchise - which Jess got through in less than week (she has true dedication when she sets her mind to something). Unable to travel like we all could pre-pandemic, Jess and Jakob planned a 10-day roadtrip up to DC and back. They figured if they still liked each other after that, they could probably make it for the long haul. In January 2021, they moved to the Heights and got an apartment together. In order to cohabitate with a dog, Jess demanded they adopt a kitten. Neville* (named for Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter) joined their family, initially to Obie's chagrin. However, Neville and Obie became best friends and now spend their days napping together, chasing, and wrestling with each other. Jess and Jakob have already begun building their life together and are so excited to make it official-official, in celebration with all of you, on October 8, 2023 - exactly 4 years to-the-date from their first date! *Check out Jess' instagram for the Harry Potter inspired sorting hat song she wrote to announce Neville's adoption - it's pretty fantastic, if she does say so herself.

Jess and Jakob officially got engaged on June 11, 2022 in Central Park. We say officially, because, unsurprisingly, Jess had been encouraging the engagement for quite some time (she gets antsy and likes to make things happen once she makes a decision!). With a trip already on the books, Jakob knew New York was the perfect place to pop the question. They also had plans to see a musical and bike around Central Park - two things they absolutely love to do together. Jess loves the city, and Jakob knew how special it would be to her to get engaged there. On a bike ride around the Park (or more accurately, a walk around the Park with bikes), Jakob asked Jess to take a seat on a rock overlooking the Lake and Bethesda Fountain. He said some really sweet things and asked if Jess would marry him. She of course said "YES!".