The Prequel
A brief history of how we ended up here
Abu Dhabi, UAE
How We Met
We met at the compound gym in Abu Dhabi and swapped numbers. About a week later, a chance encounter at the pool turned into an hours-long conversation, eventually cut short when Jake's dad arrived to tell him dinner was ready, followed shortly by Lexi's dad who was sent to check whether Lexi was a victim of drowning. Neither of us knew it at the time, but that was the start of everything.
Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Taking the Leap
After just six months together (plus a successful Covid test run), we packed up our lives and moved from Abu Dhabi to Apeldoorn. Unfortunately, a slight mishap with an international money transfer meant our arrival in the Netherlands was less "newly established adults" and more "students living off a carefully budgeted frozen lasagne."
Cape Town, South Africa
First Time in South Africa Together
Jake's first trip to South Africa. Two weeks of wedding celebrations, family introductions, spectacular scenery, and enough exploring to convince him that the long subsequent flights to Africa will always be worth it.
Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Putting Down Roots
After a few years of moving countries and collecting adventures, 2023 brought something a little more permanent: our first apartment in Apeldoorn. Together with Sven and Symba, we slowly transformed it from an empty apartment into a home — one furniture delivery, DIY project, and cat hair-covered surface at a time.
Lake District, England
First Time in the Lakes Together
Our first trip to the Lake District included a swim race in Windermere, a stay in Ambleside, and our first ever hike together in the Lakes. Somewhere along the route we came remarkably close to Lancrigg, completely unaware that we'd one day be celebrating our wedding there. We've been finding excuses to come back ever since.
Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Popping the Question
In October 2025, we headed out to one of our favourite spots with tea and biscuits in hand. We'd walked this route countless times before, but this one turned out to be a little more memorable. In a place that has been part of so much of our life together in Apeldoorn, Jake got down on one knee and asked Lexi to marry him.