Jerren and Ally met the modern way—on Hinge—after both being encouraged by their friends to put themselves back out there. Jerren was immediately drawn to a volleyball director named Ally, and after matching, he tried his best to keep the conversation going… but, as Ally will tell you, “he wasn’t exactly the best texter.” Right before she left for a girls’ trip to Fredericksburg, their conversation fizzled. Still, after the trip, Jerren decided to give it one last shot. Ally responded with a random photo of a rhino from the weekend, and somehow, that led to a date.


Their first date was at Uni Sushi. Ally almost bailed at the last minute because of being tired but when she saw Jerren walk in, she instantly got butterflies. Jerren, on the other hand, thought, This girl is going to change your life—either for better or worse. Conversation flowed easily, almost like they’d known each other for years. Ally ordered two blueberry cocktails, and Jerren spent an embarrassingly long time trying to drink from his straw—completely unaware that a blueberry was stuck in it. They laughed, talked, and lost track of time.


After dinner, Ally gave Jerren a ride to his car, and when she discovered he drove a Subaru, she thought, This could be really great… or really terrible. (Spoiler: it was really great.) From then on, they were inseparable—meeting in the Target parking lot before dates, sitting for hours listening to music, and even watching Jerren’s old college singing videos.


One of Jerren’s favorite things is bowling, and both of them are fiercely competitive. After a couple head-to-head games, they quickly realized it was safer for their relationship to be on the same team.


Just a couple months in, they were driving to a friend’s football game, listening to “Good Things Fall Apart.” Ally was in the passenger seat, snapping pictures of businesses she passed for her new sales job. Jerren kept glancing over at her, completely caught up in the moment, when the words just slipped out. “I love this,” he said. Ally looked over, confused. “You love what?” He smiled and said, “You.” Her heart skipped a beat, and without hesitation, she said it back. And in that moment, they both knew—it was the start of forever.


Fast forward to May in Kauai, Hawaii. Jerren had been dropping hints for months about a dinner reservation at The Dolphin, but on the evening of May 18th, he drove right past it, saying they were early. He suggested a walk on the beach—a move so out of character for him that Ally was instantly suspicious. He asked a nearby woman to take their picture, and as Ally looked toward the ocean, Jerren got down on one knee. The “random photographer” was actually someone he had hired, and while he forgot most of the speech he had planned, he remembered the most important part: asking her to marry him.


Their story has been fast-paced, adventurous, chaotic, and full of laughter—but most importantly, it’s been built on love. Love for each other, love from their family and friends, and love from God. They are so excited to start this next chapter together and celebrate with everyone who has been part of their journey.