Despite living only seven minutes away from each other for nearly 6 years, Gene and Jay had never crossed paths. A Bumble match led to their first date on September 21, 2021 at a restaurant called Zanzibar in Downtown Cleveland that Gene chose. Gene showed up with the largest bouquet of flowers, and the chemistry was palpable. When her friends texted her to ask how the date went, Jay replied "Excellent. Like very very well." Almost two years later, Gene got down on one knee and proposed at The Apurva Kempinski hotel in Bali, Indonesia on September 13, 2023. The rest, is history.