Jake and Ashley met during their undergrad studies at Saginaw Valley State University.

At the start of the fall 2012 semester, Ashley mentioned to one of the students she was tutoring that she was not looking forward to her programming class that semester. That student said he had a buddy that was going in to computer programming and could probably help her out. So this student gave Jake her name, and Jake found Ashley on Facebook.

Jake first messaged Ashley at the very end of August, giving her his number and offering to help whenever needed. The first month, Jake and Ashley met a few times to go over some programming projects. Then, in mid-October, a mutual friend messaged Ashley informing her of Jake’s crush! Ashley, not always the most observant to flirtatious advances, was happy to hear that since she also had a crush on Jake. That Saturday, Jake and Ashley went on their first date, which also happened to be on Sweetest Day. Jake and Ashley officially became an item on November 1, 2012, and they’ve been together ever since!

 

The Romance

The PROPOSAL

Jake popped the question on Saturday, January 5, 2019. It was a gorgeous day up in Traverse City. The sun was shinning, just a slight breeze, and the temperature in the mid-forties. Jake and Ashley had lunch at a pizzeria, spent some time downtown walking around and doing a little shopping, and later ended up at the yacht club’s piers. Jake and Ashley had the end of the west pier all to themselves. It was a beautiful view overlooking the bay! It was the perfect spot for Jake to ask Ashley to marry him.