We wish we could tell you a dramatic story about how we serendipitously met on an airplane flying to an exotic country, or that Jackson heroically appeared one day to rescue Emily from a burglary and she fell for her knight in shining armor. But, alas, our story begins in a far more modern way—on Hinge.

Though Emily initially thought meeting online was a bit anticlimactic, we’re both incredibly grateful for the platform that brought us together. It allowed us to connect over shared values, laugh together, and become each other’s deepest friend and sweetest love. From the very beginning, our conversations were effortless, and we knew we had stumbled upon something special.

Our first date was on August 19, 2023, just a week after Emily moved to Durham to begin her graduate degree at Duke University. What started as a simple coffee date in downtown Durham turned into something so much more. That first date lasted five hours, and we didn’t want it to end.

A month later, Jackson officially asked Emily to be his girlfriend, solidifying what they already knew—that this was something more than either of them had experienced before. And while it’s still up for debate who said “I love you” first, it’s undeniable that they’ve been each other’s perfect match from the start.