Kristen and Jake met while they were in high school. As the story goes, they were both invited to a mutual friend’s party, and the two hit it off immediately. Jake knew his life would never be the same after meeting Kristen (we’re not sure she felt the same way just yet). They would stay up late talking on the phone, and started to fall for each other, one lengthy text message after another.

The two kept touch through high school, and as they moved into and through college they became each other's best friend and support system. There were many car rides from Ewing to New Brunswick to visit each other, and countless laughs along the way. As graduation neared, Kristen secured a job in Nashville as a high school teacher. Jake had another year left of school, so the happy couple would need to move things long distance. Back to their roots of late-night phone calls and paragraph-long text messages, Kristen and Jake knew that their feelings for each other were far greater in scale than the distance between them.

As their year of long distance came to an end and with Jake’s graduation date nearing, Jake accepted a teaching role at the same high school as Kristen. They made the leap, and moved in together in a 600 square foot apartment in Nashville. They lived, worked, and grew into adults together. Their bond was only strengthened when they adopted their chubby shepherd and best friend, Winston. Together, their little family would live and grow through tornados, break-ins, career changes, and countless drives from Nashville to New Jersey to be with their families for the holidays.

As the years passed, and the variables of their lives changed (new jobs, new homes, and a new city), the only constant was their love for each other. It was obvious that the two were meant for each other. While on a family vacation in Anna Maria Island, Jake decided to ask Kristen for her forever. Jake would probably admit he was 3-4 years late on this ask. They are now happily engaged, and excited for the future seasons of life that they will create and share together.