We first met through a mutual friend at the Crookston Dairy Queen. At the time, Kristine wasn’t looking for anything romantic, but we quickly became friends. A little while later, we ran into each other again—this time at IC Muggs on Kristine’s birthday. Jake was the only person who wanted to stay out late and celebrate on a week night. That night ended with Kristine giving Jake a ride home from the bar… and from then on, we were pretty much inseparable.

While on an Alaskan cruise to celebrate Jake’s birthday, we took a scenic train ride on the White Pass Railway in Skagway. It happened to be an unusually hot day, so Jake spent most of the ride out on the open-air platform, enjoying the fresh air and breathtaking views. He asked Kristine to come join him, and just as she made her way outside, the train entered a pitch-black tunnel. When they emerged on the other side—surrounded by stunning mountains and cascading waterfalls—Jake got down on one knee and proposed.