Jake and Shelby met during their freshman year at DePaul University. They worked together on a school-wide event called "Little Siblings Weekend" as members of Residence Hall Council and spent time together with mutual friends.

For their first date in sophomore year, they bought same day tickets to a White Sox vs Guardians game. While walking laps around the stadium, Jake gave Shelby an animated crash course in baseball. As they talked, Todd Frazier's walk up song Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra played again and again, becoming their song.

In their junior year, Shelby studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland, working for a member of parliament. Jake met her in Germany to celebrate Thanksgiving together. They went sightseeing in Berlin and Hamburg, which included discovering their favorite restaurant in the world (Das Dorf) and enjoying opening day of the Christmas markets.

In their senior year, Jake studied abroad in Vienna, Austria, becoming fluent in German. Shelby visited with the entire Binder family to celebrate Christmas with a tour of Europe, including Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary; and Prague, Czechia.

In the summer of 2019, Shelby and Jake graduated from DePaul and moved to Columbus, Ohio. There, they weathered graduate school, joining the workforce, a pandemic, and acclimating to a new community together.

In the spring of 2021, following Shelby's graduation from The Ohio State University, they moved back to Chicago to set down roots. Jake and Shelby love being back in the city they call home, surrounded by many of their favorite people.

In the fall of 2022, after 6 years together, Jake proposed to Shelby in the beauty and privacy of Lincoln Park's lily pool. They were overjoyed to share the news with family and friends.

On a perfect spring day in 2024, Jake and Shelby were married by her Boppy in an intimate lakeside ceremony with their parents, siblings, and grandparents present. They cannot wait to celebrate their wedding with all their loved ones present this fall!