The couple sways across the dance floor, happy and young. Around them, dusty rose pink and charcoal decorate the winter wonderland-themed wedding venue. This night was the beginning of a lifetime of memories for the pair.

Jenni Young and her husband Jacob will celebrate their first date anniversary Valentine’s Day.

“The day I met my husband Jacob was about nine and a half years ago,” Young said. “I met him at the BSM at WT, which is the Baptist Student Ministries. He was with a group of friends, and he was the funny one. He was precious. I could tell he had a heart of gold right away. I wanted to be his friend.”

The two had their first date on Valentine’s Day in 2009.

“I went with a girlfriend of mine to the movies because her boyfriend had dumped her,” Young said. “I wanted to take her to the movies to make her feel better. We went there, and she actually hung out with her mom afterward so I didn’t have anything else to do. I texted him because we thought about making plans. We went to IHOP and ended up talking until about 3 a.m.”

Jacob proposed on April 21, 2012, disguising his plan as a party to celebrate passing his CPA exam.

“So he concocted this whole plan that we were going to a party the on the edge of Palo Duro Canyon at Dove Creek ranch,” Young said. “We get there, no one has arrived, and I’m freaking out because I always make us early to everything. He’s like, ‘It’s okay, we’re just going to wait and walk around the property.’ Then he said, ‘Well, we’re actually at a party, but this is an engagement party. If you’ll say yes to spending the rest of your life with me, it’s our engagement party.’ I was so excited.”

The pair married Dec. 1, 2012 and celebrated by honeymooning in the Bahamas.

“The wedding day was super fun,” Young said. “It was chill. We didn’t even have a rehearsal. We just danced, cut the cake and had a good time.”

Young said the key to her marriage is unconditional love.

“We both mess up every single day,” Young said. “We just choose at the beginning of each day to love that person no matter what that person does during the day.”

Young said watching her husband graduate college with a master’s degree at 21 was among her favorite moments from their relationship.

“Our first date was a high point,” Young said. “Our wedding day was a high point and all the little milestones of being young adults, graduating college, getting a job, wanting to start a family now.”

Last year, Young and her husband found out they were expecting a baby.

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“We made it almost halfway through the pregnancy, and we lost our baby at 18 weeks,” Young said. “I actually delivered the baby the next day, and so we got to meet him and hold him. His name is Jaxon. That was a really tough day, but with each other and with God, we were able to get through that. That’s the only way we could have dealt with that.”

As they experience both the sadness and joys in life, Young said their marriage goal is to continue to love each other unconditionally moving forward.

“I would tell new couples to not take it too seriously, to love each other and have fun,” Young said. “Keep dating your spouse if you get married. Keep going on dates, and do fun things. Just put time and effort into your relationship.”