McKenzie graduated from Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa in 2006. She moved to Waterloo, Iowa to enroll in the photography program at Hawkeye Community College. She had her son, Jackson, in September 2007 and finished the photography program in 2009. McKenzie and Jackson moved back to Cedar Rapids, where McKenzie started working for Biolife Plasma Services. In 2010, McKenzie enrolled at the University of Phoenix online Bachelor's in Business Management program. She completed her degree in January 2013. McKenzie's most recent accomplishment is her Master's Certificate in Human Resources. She plans to work towards her Master's degree in Business Administration at a later date. Wedding planning, Jackson, and Mike are keeping her busy enough!

Mike graduated from Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa in 1997. He attended Kirwood Community College until 1999. From there, he moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota and attended the University of North Dakota. Mike persued the Air Traffic Control program. He graduated from UND in 2002. Soon after graduation, Mike moved to Minneapolis where he worked as an air traffic controller at the Minneapolis Airport. He later moved back home to Cedar Rapids and began working as a train dispatcher for CRANDIC Railroad. This is Mike's seventh year at the railroad.