The Love Story

We know you only came here for the tea...I mean, what is a wedding RSVP website without the juicy details of the love story, anyway?

So...without further ado, here is how this beautiful match was made! (As told by Jeremiah...you should probably confirm the details with Erik...just saying.)

February 2024

One afternoon in early February, Jeremiah decided to create a Hinge account (an online dating site for people who are really serious about actually dating). Why an online site? It's 2024...how else do people meet these days?! Don't judge us!

Anyway, about a day after creating the profile, Jeremiah received a like on one of his pictures (that picture over there on the right! ➡) from a very handsome guy in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He quickly responded and started a conversation. It didn't take long to realize that this handsome guy was way more than just a cute face...he was a person with a lot of depth and complexity, and Jeremiah really enjoyed every conversation they had online, and eventually over text.

The third week of February, Jeremiah had a business trip to New York for a training. He flew out of the Detroit airport, and it occurred to him that he could maybe meet this handsome guy, Erik, for a first date on the way back. Jeremiah would be driving within about 30 minutes of Erik. Erik agreed, and the first date was set...for the evening of February 29!

Needless to say, that first date went amazing, and the rest is history! Wait...what's that? You want the REST of the story? Ok...grab a cup of coffee...we will wait.

March 2024

Got your coffee? Alright, let's dive in. So, after that first date, Erik told Jeremiah he wanted to visit Auburn and see DeKalb County and spend a day together. Jeremiah was excited to spend more time getting to know Erik! They made plans for the weekend after that first date and spent the following Saturday touring the Garrett Art Musem and getting to know each other better. That evening, they were at the coffee shop Jeremiah had opened in 2012 (and later sold in 2020) and Jeremiah saw his parents walking toward the door. He asked Erik if it was ok to introduce them, and Erik agreed.

Jeremiah went to Kalamazoo for a day the next weekend and got to see all the sights and Erik's favorites places (and try some wild cheeses at a local cheese store). The pair could feel this was only the beginning...by the end of March, they were spending the entirety of every single weekend together and had committed to an exclusive dating relationship!

May 2024

In May, Erik convinced Jeremiah to go on a camping trip with him. That's right...tent camping. TENT. CAMPING. Jeremiah agreed...so you know he was falling in love. I mean, why else would he agree to sleep on the ground, in a tent, with a campfire?!? (OK...there was an air mattress...but still.)

This camping trip was an important turning point in the couple's relationship: It was the first moment they both said "I love you" to each other!

June 2024

Erik invited Jeremiah to go to Charlevoix, Michigan (Erik's hometown) for a long weekend to meet his parents. They spent Saturday with his dad, and discovered the most amazing barbeque smoked ribs at a gas station, of all places. Erik and Jeremiah still talk about those ribs!

Sunday was spent exploring little tourist towns in the area with Erik's mom. Jeremiah was so happy to find that he connected with both of Erik's parents...something that is often a challenge in relationships. But, this one just one more sign that this connection was meant to be!

This trip also marked the start of a special thing that Erik and Jeremiah have shared: looking for rocks. Now, before you roll your eyes...hear us out. These aren't just random rocks...each beach in Michigan is known for a specific type of rock, i.e. Petoskey Stones have fossilized coral in them, Lelenau Blues are very specific shades of blue, and the Upper Peninsula beaches are filled with copper and a special "yooper light" stone that glows under black light! Erik and Jeremiah learned something about each type of stone at each beach they went to over the summer and collected some of each. It was such a special part of this first summer that Erik even had a small locket filled with the same stones and made into a necklace for Jeremiah!

July 2024

Jeremiah and Erik visited Copper Harbor, in the upper peninsula of Michigan, to see Erik's sister. It was a great trip, they saw some of the most beautiful scenery on the long drive there and back, and they had a wonderful time with Erik's sister! (And Jeremiah discovered he had an ally to pick on Erik with...when he needs it!)

This is also the trip when Erik and Jeremiah starting talking about a life together. They started thinking about marriage and what that might look like, and truly dreaming about the future together.

September 2024

Erik moved in to Jeremiah's! (Actually...it was the last Friday in August.)

And, so began the journey of learning what a life together looked like...how the chores get distributed, who does the cooking, how each of them feels when work is over, how they truly spend their evenings on a regular basis (and not just the weekends when they are together). They discovered that they just absolutely love being together and spending time with each other!

Those conversations about marriage and the future became much more serious, and it was obvious that it was no longer a question of "if", but "when".

Erik and Jeremiah also began looking for a house to make into a home together. But, this is a whole story in itself, and we won't go down that rabbit hole today.