Our story starts at a fateful Sig Ep Toga or Yoga cocktail event...
Jake needed a date, and Betsy needed a reason to wear a toga, so she agreed to be set up by a mutual friend as Jake’s date. Kelsie, a friend of Betsy’s from high school, was visiting Chapel Hill that weekend. They didn’t have much time and had lots to see, so in true Cinderella fashion, Betsy left the ball early, with a promise to meet Jake at Supdogs for some cheesy tots at the end of the night. Unfortunately, Jake’s carriage must’ve turned back into a pumpkin, because he did not make it to Supdogs. Betsy dropped off an order of tots and left them at his door on her way home, thinking that might be the end of that.

Fast forward through a couple more sig ep events, a run at the national championship, a few chain-restaurant dates, and it was the end of the year, with Jake ready to study abroad in Spain for the summer. There was a question of next steps: did they really want to start their relationship off with a 6-hour time difference? But, “amor” must’ve been in the air because both decided to take the plunge.

The universe had big plans for that summer, insisting that Jake head up to Betsy and Jake’s future home, Washington DC, before he left for Spain. Betsy had been planning to go back down to Chapel Hill to visit Jake, but ended up with a case of mono instead. Upon hearing that she was sick, Jake hopped into his car and immediately drove up to see her. They spent the day and night driving in DC, along George Washington Memorial Parkway (forever known as “their” road, at least to them.) It was then that Betsy and Jake first told each other they were in love, not yet knowing that several years and a couple miles down the road, they’d be getting married.

It’s early 2023, and Betsy and Jake have now lived together in DC for a year and a half. Noticing an increased frequency of questions on what the hell he was waiting for, Jake decided it was time to look for a ring. With some consultation (i.e. direct input from Betsy) he found the one and began to plan the proposal. At this time, Betsy had had a multi-year bit on how she dreamed of him proposing in a hot air balloon. While Jake has an adventurous spirit, the combination of shaking knees and floating 500 feet in the air was a little too terrifying (I mean what if he dropped the ring?!) Instead, he decided on a place slightly safer, their own living room.

So, on July 14, while Betsy was out, Jake prepared the house. He decked it out with flowers, candles and yes, hot air balloon lanterns hanging from the ceiling (who doesn’t love playing into the bit!) and awaited as she came home. When she walked in, Jake dimmed the lights, queued up “Love Song” by Lana del Rey, and asked Betsy to marry him. Spoiler: she said yes!

Of course, Betsy is perpetually refreshing locations on Find-My-Friends, and Jake is famously not a good liar, so while it wasn’t a complete surprise, it was certainly a magical day. They capped it off with dinner spent with family and friends at their favorite neighborhood spot, Little Cocos, before ending the night at Le Mont Royal. A month later, they finished the celebration with a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings.