Ali Matthews & Mike Melton
Ali Matthews, owner and founder, Ali & Ariel; Mike Melton, owner and founder, JOJO Coffeehouse
Homebase: McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale
How did your love story begin? Mike: Ali’s mom read an article about me and my launching of JOJO Coffeehouse in Arizona Foothills Magazine. She thought I sounded like a nice guy based on my interview and encouraged Ali to connect with me. Her mom didn’t know how she was going to reach out – little did she know, it would be as easy as sending a friend request. Ali sent me a friend request on a Friday night. I saw it the next morning, and immediately accepted when I saw this beautiful girl reaching out to me. I sent her a DM to say hi, and asked her if we had met before. She replied and said, “No, but my mom saw you in AZ Foothills and thought you looked like my type. I agreed!” The rest is history.
How and when did you meet? Our first date was in August 2020 at The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale.
Favorite thing about one another: Mike: My favorite thing about Ali is her amazing spirit. She is full of life and love, and it shows in everything that she does. Ali is creative, adventurous and really sees the good in people. She brings a lot of light into my life, and everyone she is in contact with.
Ali: I love Mike’s kindness and gentle soul. He makes me laugh (the deep belly laugh kind), and we play like kids when we’re together. We’re both creatives, so we’re always bouncing ideas around together. I love the way his mind works – his outlook on life inspires me and brings me peace.
Favorite date night: Our favorite date night is dinner and live music.
Favorite tradition you have as a couple: Mike: Hosting Christmas dinner with both of our families. It’s beautiful seeing our families come together, and we love making memories with them!
Ali: We both love to cook and entertain. I enjoyed making mulled wine this year, inspired by our recent trip to Paris where we got engaged. It filled the house with the festive scent of warm spices – making it a tradition we will continue as well!
What does your happily ever after look like? Mike: Living a life filled with joy and love together, in our happy home. Lots of kids and animals around us.
Ali: Ultimately, spending our days together and enjoying life is everything we want. I dream of having a chicken coop someday. We just got engaged in December and can’t wait to get married. Together, we want to grow our family, and travel the world.