Wedding Date on May 12, 2018

In today's busy world, finding time to go out and meet new people can be difficult. This was especially true for Samantha, a medical student up to her eyeballs in schoolwork, and Jacob, a high school teacher and coach who was often at practice until dinnertime. Luckily, advancements in technology provided the two with a simpler option. Using the cell phone app Tinder, a simple "swipe right" allows users to connect after viewing one another's profile. On January 16, 2015, Samantha and Jacob both swiped right, opening the door for Jacob's next move: a message that said, "Hey Samantha, I like shoes and food too!" in reference to the very brief (but essential) information on her Tinder profile. Having those two things in common seemed to do the trick! After a week of getting to know each other through text messages, they decided to go on their first date. A night filled with bacon cheese fries (they hadn't had the vegetarian talk quite yet so Samantha picked around the bacon), Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and late-night conversation led the two to believe that Tinder was right; they really had found their match. Before long, that belief turned to certainty. Eventually they moved in to their first home with their two sweet cats, and knew it would only be a matter of time before taking the next step. Two and a half years later, a family vacation would change everything. Jacob spent weeks planning a trip that he told Samantha was a surprise for finishing her third year of medical school, but kept the location a secret. After what seemed like an eternity on the road, they reached their destination: Orlando, Florida. Samantha was incredibly excited to spend the weekend at Universal Studios but still didn't know what Jacob had in store. The next morning started with Jacob picking out the perfect shorts that would both conceal the ring in his pocket and provide him with enough mobility to get down on one knee. Luckily Samantha didn't think anything of his stretching and kneeling maneuvers while he was getting ready. Once they made it to Universal, everyone was asked to empty their pockets in line for security -- but if Jacob did that, Samantha would see the ring and the surprise would be ruined! With some quick thinking and sleight of hand, he sneakily passed the ring to Samantha's stepdad. He was relieved to have dodged that bullet, albeit narrowly. Now that they were inside the park, Samantha's mom suggested taking a lap to "scope everything out." She knew what Jacob was planning and was trying to make it happen early in the day before it got too hot or too crowded. Samantha had something else in mind though, and insisted on riding every rollercoaster they passed. The lines were short and she had no idea what was in Jacob's pocket! Jacob held onto the ring for dear life with every twist and turn, praying that it would reach solid ground unscathed. They finally reached Harry Potter World and Samantha could not have been more excited. She is a huge Harry Potter fan, having read all seven books multiple times and even converted Jacob after a weekend-long movie marathon. In awe of their surroundings, Samantha asked to take a picture in front of Hogwarts. After a few photos, Jacob suggested that they take one facing the castle. When they turned back around, Jacob was on one knee and popped the question!! Of course Samantha said yes! They were met with applause and even received a congratulatory Butterbeer. Samantha and Jacob were over the moon for the rest of the weekend (especially after celebrating with a 14-inch cannoli filled with two pounds of cannoli cream), and returned home eager to begin the rest of their lives.