Jake and Madi both went to Mizzou. They first met in 2012 during Mizzou Homecoming when their fraternity & sorority were paired up. Though they became friends, they never kept in touch after that.

In the spring of 2016, both Jake and Madi happened to be bar hopping in Westport with friends (ah, the good ole days of our early-to-mid-20s) when Madi spotted Jake across the bar. She asked her friend Ashlei to remind her of his name and struck up a conversation with him. There was quick chemistry between them, but eventually Madi went to rejoin her friends.

The next day, Madi messaged Jake on Facebook to keep the conversation going & to say she owed him a drink. After a week or so of witty banter (kind of Madi's specialty...) the two eventually went on their first date to Tom's Town in the Crossroads, followed by some jazz at Green Lady Lounge. Many fun dates happened after that.

Things became official in September of 2017, and while all of what the two have since experienced together was unknown at the time, it was clear that they were very, very much happy to be together, and certainly saw a future with one another. Plus, Jake plays guitar, so it was pretty much a given.

Jake and Madi moved in together in 2018 in Union Hill, then later moved to River Market in 2020 (where they eventually got their pride & joy of a dog, Leo), and bought a house together in Waldo in September 2022 (because millennials buy homes so their dogs can have a good life and a yard.) Jake and Madi's house is within walking distance of almost all of their KC friends' homes, and it happens to be on the same street that Jake lived when they first started dating. They love having a place to host friends and family and are not afraid to throw a good party.

During the time that the couple has been together, they have traveled to new cities and countries together, enjoyed countless fun weekends with friends & family, sang along at so many concerts, supported each other through life changes, eaten amazing meals (their favorite activity), laughed both at and with each other daily, learned how to be the best partner for one another, and created a life together that is filled with more joy and connection than they could've ever hoped for.