Technically, our first encounter was 15 years ago at Alexa’s Bat Mitzvah—though Jake spent more time eyeing the dessert table than making a lasting impression. He likes to joke that he pined for Liz for years before finally asking her out. (He didn’t.)

Fast forward to a more recent chapter: Helyne and Michelle were busy transforming Helyne’s house with their signature flair, while Jake was grinding through his first year at Tufts Dental School. Meanwhile, Liz was living her best travel nurse life in NYC—until a rogue rollerblading adventure on the West Side Highway ended with a broken wrist and an unexpected return home to Swampscott.

Enter: Helyne and Michelle, the real MVPs of this story. With a spark of inspiration (and maybe a little scheming), they decided it was time to set us up.

On that first date, Jake opened the car door for Liz; something only her grandfather had ever done. In that moment, she knew he was different.

By the third date, Liz came home all smiles, and Michelle took one look at her and said, “I think this is it.”

Jake and Liz moved in together in Boston during his last year of dental school, where Liz graciously endured the joys of living with a dental student (rogue teeth and dental tools everywhere). From there, they took their next big leap and moved to Brooklyn, New York—where they live now with more houseplants than either of them intended.

We’re just as surprised (and delighted) as you are that it all worked out. But we wouldn’t change a thing. Because somewhere between a Bat Mitzvah dessert table and a broken wrist, two people who didn’t see it coming found something unexpectedly perfect.