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My City has launched a new feature called Love Story. Ethan and Hailey Carriger are our first couple to share their love story. They live in Swartz Creek and married in March of 2023.
How and when did you first meet?
Hailey: My husband, Ethan, and I can’t agree on when we first met. I think it was after I graduated from college, and he swears it was before. Either way, we know it happened at my parents’ house. They were hosting a weekly Bible study for young adults and college students, and I walked in to find their home full of strangers.
One of those strangers came up to me and said, “Hi, Hailey, it’s nice to see you.” I had no idea who he was, but when a handsome stranger knows your name and seems genuinely happy to see you, it’s definitely intriguing. We didn’t talk for long, but I had a suspicion that day that he might be interested in me. It would be a few months before he asked me on our first date … and then a second, and a third.
Tell us about the proposal.
Hailey: Ethan really got me good. We had talked about engagement and marriage during our two years of dating, but I genuinely didn’t see it coming that day.
I’d been wanting to go somewhere special all spring, but plans kept falling through. Finally, after another plan was canceled, my mom
suggested we visit Dow Gardens in Midland—close enough for a day trip, but still something different from our usual routine.
I mentioned it to Ethan, and he was all in. So, on a sunny—but not too sunny—day in June, we went to Dow Gardens, had a wonderful time, and then, by a riverbank where the poppies were blooming, he got down on one knee, told me he loved me, and asked me to marry him.
Tell us about the wedding.
Hailey: The wedding day itself was such a blur. I loved seeing all the plans come together—wearing my dress, sharing moments with friends and family, tasting the cake… everything. But most of all, I was just so happy to finally marry my husband and head off on our honeymoon—away from all the planning and stress of the months before.
The send-off was definitely the highlight. Haha!
What do you cherish most about each other?
Hailey: It’s hard to pinpoint just one thing, but if I had to sum it up, I’d say I cherish Ethan’s love. He takes such good care of me—I honestly feel spoiled. Even on his bad days, he’s patient with me and never complains. I don’t know how he puts up with me half the time. He’s definitely a keeper.
Ethan: I cherish Hailey’s companionship. She always wants to be close and is happy to join me—even on the most mundane errands. I admire how thoughtful and caring she is, always going out of her way to help me or anyone else. And I love her passion for life, especially in the little things—like how she lights up whenever we see a cat on our walks, or how animated she gets during conversations.
Got any sweet, funny, or just plain awesome details to share?
Hailey: We do have one wild story from early in our relationship. It was one of our first date nights out after the COVID lockdowns were lifted. Restaurants were still closing early, so we grabbed dinner and then sat in Ethan’s car in the parking lot, just talking.
We noticed several police cars patrolling—which was very unusual for the area—when suddenly two of them pulled in and boxed us in. Officers approached both doors and asked us to step out and answer some questions. They grilled us about what we were doing, the nature of our relationship, how we knew each other—on and on.
Then one officer got a call, and just like that, they said, “Oh, sorry—someone called 911 and we thought it might have been you. Everything’s fine, you can go.” They hopped back in their cars and drove away.
Once the shock wore off, we figured it was probably time to call it a night. Nothing like a police interrogation to kill the mood!
Have a love story that deserves the spotlight? Apply here to be featured.