How Two East Coasters Found Each Other... in San Diego



Our love story starts with a plot twist worthy of a romantic comedy: two people, one from Fenwick, DE and the other from Westminster, MD, but spent several summers in Ocean City, MD. We didn’t meet at the local bar or around town. Nope, we had to fly 2,700 miles across the country to San Diego, California, and swipe right for fate to intervene.

San Diego gave us sunshine, beautiful beaches, and, apparently, a sense of urgency because after just five months of dating, Jake’s job sent us to move across the country to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Along for the ride was Chloe, Hillary’s beloved dog and the true boss of the house. It didn’t take long for us to realize that moving in together was going to be an adventure. Chloe quickly established her rule over the furniture, the schedule, and basically our lives. But we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Just when we were settling in, Hillary threw another curveball into the mix by getting accepted into physical therapy school. Cue another move—this time to St. Augustine, Florida. Suddenly, we went from being a cozy little family to a long-distance couple. For two years, we learned to live off FaceTime calls, weekend visits, and the occasional “accidental” Amazon package showing up at each other’s doors.

Long-distance was tough, but it taught us a lot: like how to appreciate the small moments and how to pack light. And through it all, Chloe stayed loyal, though we suspect she missed the road trips more than she missed the long hugs goodbye.

Now, after years of crisscrossing the country, countless miles on the road, a deployment and a very patient dog, we’re finally back together in Virginia Beach—our forever town. We’re ready to trade in the chaos of moving boxes for a little peace, a lot of love and a TV that Chloe can watch while pretending she understands what’s going on.

We are excited to celebrate not just the journey that brought us here, but the journey we’re so excited to start together. Here's to east coast roots, California meet-cutes, Florida detours, and finally finding home—in each other.