Our love story
The very first moment I saw him my heart did a cartwheel in my chest. It sounds ridiculous, and I didn’t think love at first sight existed, but the Universe / God / that Something Bigger has a funny way of showing us that what we don’t believe is actually possible if we let It.
For our first date we met at Hi Lo, a small Normaltown bar in Athens, for beers and fries. Mid-date Jake returned from the restroom, sat back in the booth, and abruptly asked me what I was looking for; I’m pretty sure I said something like, “Nothing serious. Just casual dating. I’ll probably be moving to France soon.” He kind of laughed and nodded, but as our first date melted into the second and third and forth, it was unavoidably clear that this was much more than either of us expected.
We met on Hinge, a dating app, in the midst of COVID at a time when we were both navigating huge transition.
I imagine that finding love is always, in some way, unanticipated. I mean, HOW IN THE WORLD does a stranger wander into one’s life and voila! That’s it. ?! It’s true, though. That’s what happens.
Our love story is pretty simple, considering we have been inseparable since we met, barely spending any time apart, and even venturing across the United States for seven weeks living out of Jake’s Ford Expedition, Spaceship.
We met. And that was that.
I asked Jake what to say about us: “We share all of the same foundational principles while playing off of each other’s quirks (which we both have plenty of!)” Effort and ease. Strong and soft. Safe and adventurous. Our partnership is the perfect blend of complimentary dualities.
Life since September 23, 2020 has just made more sense.
Coming into each other’s path was a portal into another dimension where the future became clear for the very first time. We have a vision of our life together, and we are elated for you to be here helping us celebrate our union, now until forever. xo Ruby
Jake breaks the ice - September 19, 2020
Plans for the first date... and beyond - September 23, 2020
Camping mugs for our 7 week road trip <3
Zion National Park, Utah - January 2021
Kanab, Utah - January 2021
Athens, Georgia - March, 2021
Nashville, Tennessee - May. 2021
Geary Lake State Park, Junction City, Kansas - May 2021
Roxborough State Park, Denver, Colorado - May 2021
Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado - May 2021
Mesa Verde National Park, Montezuma County, Colorado - May 2021
Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah - May 2021
Arches National Park, Moab, Utah - May 2021
Goat Lake, Stanley, Idaho - June 2021
Little Bayhorse Lake, Challis, Idaho - May 2021
Elkhorn Lodge, Polaris, Montana - June 2021
Missoula, Montana - June 2021
Glacier National Park, Montana - June 2021
Avalanche Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana - June 2021
Phelps Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming - June 2021
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming - June 2021
South Dakota with Kate - June 2021
Devil's Tower National Monument, Wyoming - June 2021
First moment back in Athens after 7 weeks on the road! - July 2021
Lake Blue Ridge with Molly + Kai - July 2021
Housesitting for Ellie the pup - September 2021
1 year together! - September 23, 2021
Lake Blue Ridge - September 2021
Benton MacKaye Trail, Blue Ridge, Georgia - October 2021
Quail Lake, Colorado Springs, Colorado - October 2021
Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado - October 2021
Hiking near Aska Road, Blue Ridge, Georgia - November 2021
Thanksgiving 2021
Celebrating Caleb + Kendra's wedding, Manassas, Virginia - December 2021
Happy New Year! - January 1, 2022
First day in Colorado! - Garden of the Gods - January 31, 2022
Monarch Pass, Salida, Colorado - February 2022
Rampart Reservoir, Woodland Park, Colorado - February 2022
We're engaged! - March 11, 2022
Cheyenne Cañon Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado - March 26, 2022
Celebrating our engagement! - Palmer Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado - March 26, 2022
More about us
-
Ruby grew up in Blue Ridge, a small town in the North Georgia mountains. She has a degree in Music Education from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee where she lived for five years before moving to Los Angeles in 2015. Later that same year she moved back south to Athens, Georgia, where -in 2017- she established a flourishing business and community at her yoga studio, Shakti Yoga Athens. Ruby sold her business early in 2022 so she could relocate with Jake to Colorado.
As an entrepreneur, Self Study Coach, and writer, her primary work at present is as the co-founder of the Duality Project, a business started in 2015 to ‘help you bridge the gap between who you are and how you show up.’
Ruby loves deep conversation, monochromatic outfits, everything pertaining to *food*, music that you can’t help but dance to, a fresh manicure, sunshine on her face, the color lavender, and adventuring with Jake.
She learned to appreciate music, friendship, and the ocean from her late father, Ken Chandler.
According to Jake, Ruby is - in 3 words - Active, Conscientious, and Beautiful.
-
Jake is from Ila, Georgia, located in Madison County, just outside of Athens. Jake got his first degree from the University of Georgia in Finance. He quickly realized that wasn’t quite the right fit for him and took 2+ years to travel, primarily in New Zealand and Australia. While he was there he had an array of short-term jobs, including working as a Shepherd. In 2018 he ventured back to Athens and acquired an additional degree from the University of Georgia, this time in Computer Engineering and Computer Science.
His current job with Caliola Engineering involves satellites, radios, and encryption software, offering products and services to the US Government; Jake will tell you that ‘everything else is classified.’
He is also co-founder of The Show Portal, software designed to streamline the show entry form process for livestock shows throughout the US.
Jake enjoys brewing craft beer, talking about outer space, shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing’, baking sourdough, everything Star Wars, adventuring, building things, the color orange, and sharing with Ruby.
According to Ruby, Jake is - in 3 words - Clear, Imaginative, and Generous.
March 11, 2022 - Collegiate Peaks Overlook - Buena Vista, Colorado
