Our Story
Like a lot of good things that started in 2020, we began as two hopeful profiles on Hinge — matching mid-pandemic, when meeting anyone felt like a small act of optimism. Our first date was at Outside Coffee in Grand Rapids, a place literally named for the only way anyone met that year. One coffee turned into a conversation neither of us wanted to end — and that's where the love story begins. The approval that really mattered, though, belonged to Katy's dog, Libby. Thankfully, she signed off.
The catch: Katy was living in Traverse City. For the next few years, we went back and forth visiting each other on the weekends — until the back-and-forth stopped making sense and Katy (and Libby) moved to Grand Rapids for good. The family has grown since: two rescue pups from Puerto Rico, Leah and Craig, who run the house now.
Then came a sailboat. One evening on the channel between Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan, just past where we keep her, Jason asked — and the answer was already waiting. On October 23, 2026, we're making it official at The Rutledge, and we can't wait to celebrate with the people (and pups) who got us here.
