Our Story
How We Met
Summer 2024: Jackson was in Bellingham for a few months, half-convinced he wouldn't meet anyone worth the distance. Then his mom, Jen, caught up with her high school best friend, Melissa — and the two decided to play matchmaker for their single kids. Jackson and Michaela went on five dates in three days, said an uncertain goodbye before Michaela left for Japan, and started a long-distance relationship anyway.
A Birthday Surprise
For Michaela's birthday, Jackson planned what she thought was a professional couples' photo shoot on Laguna Beach — he had other plans entirely. When a rising tide flooded their first spot, the two of them scrambled for forty minutes to find new ground, arriving just as the sun began to set.
The Proposal
Right there on the sand, Jackson got down on one knee. Michaela said yes — neither of them noticing the two strangers sunbathing ten feet away until they broke into applause, or the birds circling their abandoned bags.
Celebrating with Family
That night, Jackson surprised Michaela again: he'd flown her mom in from Washington to celebrate over dinner with his parents — the whole thing pulled off without her ever suspecting a thing.
Back Home
Family and friends welcomed the news with a balloon arch and a sign that said it best: she said yes.