Jacqueline Michelle Miller and Matthew William Hochberg, childhood acquaintances from neighboring towns in New Jersey, recently marked a milestone in their relationship with a private wedding in Loveladies, New Jersey. Their story, which began at a summer camp nearly two decades ago, evolved from friendship to romance over the years, culminating in a ceremony that reflected their shared history and personal preferences.
Miller, from Livingston, and Hochberg, from West Orange, first crossed paths in June 2008 at NJY Camps in Milford, Pennsylvania. Although they attended the same preschool and were born in the same hospital, their friendship did not begin until they spent eight weeks together away from home at the camp. Hochberg was a hesitant newcomer, while Miller was a seasoned camper who quickly brought him into her social circle. Over subsequent summers, their connection deepened, but initially remained firmly platonic.
As they navigated high school and early adulthood, the pair’s paths often intersected through mutual friends, but a romantic relationship did not immediately develop. In 2012, when Miller was invited to prom by one of Hochberg’s classmates, she felt uncertainty about the unfurling feelings between them. Both attended different schools—Miller was in the local public school, while Hochberg went to Solomon Schechter Day School in West Orange—and college years further separated them geographically. Miller studied supply chain management at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, while Hochberg pursued sports media at Ithaca College in New York.
Despite physical distance, their social circles kept their lives connected. Hochberg later admitted he had long harbored serious feelings for Miller, though those were only voiced openly years later. In 2017, after both had settled in New York City, with apartments on opposite sides of Central Park, an NJY camp reunion in Milford rekindled their connection. At the event, Hochberg disclosed his feelings to Miller during a late-night conversation around a campfire, though she initially hesitated to respond romantically.
Following several days of reflection and consultation with friends, Miller decided to pursue a relationship. By fall 2017, she and Hochberg officially became a couple. Since then, Hochberg founded Hochberg Sports Marketing, a boutique agency focusing on women's soccer, and Miller has taken on a leadership role in supply chain management for Who Gives a Crap, an eco-conscious Australian toilet paper company operating in North America.
Their engagement came during a hike up a volcano in Guatemala in January 2025. Plans for a large summer 2026 wedding with their camp friends shifted to a more intimate ceremony. On June 21, 2026, surrounded by parents and siblings, the couple wed under a traditional Jewish huppah adorned with flowers. The ceremony was officiated by Moshe Klar, a rabbi and Hochberg’s childhood best friend.
While most attendees embraced the tradition of removing their shoes under the huppah, Hochberg was among the few who kept them on, explaining the practical need to break the glass at the ceremony's conclusion. Miller noted that their decision for a smaller, less public event aligned with their preference to avoid the spotlight, allowing them to celebrate their marriage in a manner consistent with the carefree spirit of their early camp days.