Jacob & Marian first met at Coldsmoke Coffee, where Marian worked, in August of 2021. At that point, Jacob hadn't even been living in Bozeman for a month. They both vividly remember meeting each other that day! Occasionally, they would see each other in the halls at church and at the coffee shop where she worked, but other than that, they ran in different circles. However, over the course of the next few years they would have some pretty awkward interactions with each other.

One summer evening, they both happened to be at an Ian Munsick concert. Jacob says that he was scanning the crowd and his eyes met Marian's, who he immediately recongized. He went over to say hi to her, and awkwardly decided to give her a hug as well (ya know, trying to be a nice guy and all). After the fact, Marian recounted how it was super weird and low key a breach of her bubble. Instead of a "hug" happening, Marian awkwardly stiff armed Jacob despite his commitment to the hug. Jacob walked away embarrassed, and Marian's friends told her "whatever that was, don't ever do that again".

Another awkwardly memorable interaction occurred that same summer! Jacob was working at Mackenzie River, a pizza place downtown. One fateful evening, he took the trash out the back door of the restaurant and standing right outside the door was Marian... doing the "I'm about to pee my pants" dance. She was at Music on Main that night and had been running around trying to find a restroom to use. She told him that she desperately needed a bathroom, and Jacob, risking his job, snuck her in the back of the kitchen to the employee bathroom and guarded the door for her.

A long time went by without seeing each other, but eventually, Jacob and Marian reconnected through a mutual friend at the same coffee shop they first met at years before.

Group hangouts quickly became a way in which they could spend time together "as friends". On May 1st, 2023, they met for coffee to "address the elephant in the room" and decided to date... and a little over 15 months later they were engaged!