Tori and Jake, despite both graduating from the same school in 2018, managed to go through life without ever speaking. They’d been Snapchat (a social media messaging app) friends since 2017, but it wasn’t until August 11 of that year that Tori took the plunge and messaged him about a truly hideous spider he had posted a video of. They exchanged a few messages, but that brief interaction faded, and life went on as usual.

Fast forward to June 2021—Jake shared a video of himself working outside in the pouring rain. For reasons unknown, Tori felt compelled to message him again. She complimented his work ethic (not the most original line, but it worked!), and he thanked her. Once again, they drifted apart.

Then, in mid-to-late July 2021, Jake replied to one of Tori’s posts, sparking a conversation that quickly became a daily routine.

At the time, Jake was in the Marines, training in Twentynine Palms, California. He sent Tori beautiful sunrise photos every morning, despite his spotty service and busy schedule. Their chats were often brief, but Jake made sure to respond to every message.

After a week, Tori confided in her friend Kate about her newfound connection. Kate recognized Jake’s name from high school and, in a cheeky move, grabbed Tori’s phone and asked him out on her behalf. To Tori’s surprise, he agreed almost instantly.

They chatted nonstop while Jake was in California, both eagerly anticipating his return. His decision to stop and buy flowers for his mom on the way home was a big win in Tori’s book. They had planned a date for the first Saturday after he got back, giving him time with his family first. However, he couldn’t wait and picked Tori up for lunch the very next day, meeting her parents right off the bat. A few days later, she met his family too, and they officially became a couple on August 2, 2021.

These past few years have been the happiest of their lives!