Jenny + Zach by Sarah Kempers Photography - Together Journal

We truly just wanted the day to feel like a genuine reflection of us and our love.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Hi! We are Jenny & Zach! We are from Denver, Colorado and live for the sunshine and outdoor activities that the Rocky Mountains provide for us. We love to go outside with our four-year-old border collie pup, Ollie, to mountain bike, ski, hike, or just bop around to different local breweries. When we aren’t playing, Jenny works as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse, and Zach works in Tech Sales. Our favourite days are spent with a good morning cup of coffee, movement outside, good conversations surrounded by our closest people, and ending with live music, a Spanish wine by a fire pit, or a meal out in Denver’s food scene.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met in Seattle, WA, through a mutual connection at a gym, Studio3, where Jenny taught cycle classes. Jenny took over the gym’s Instagram story one day, and Zach followed her personal account after seeing her; the rest was history. We went night skiing for our first date at Summit at Snoqualmie, and our connection was instant. We started the night with a fireball shooter on the first chair up, had a blast ripping the Washington snow, and then stayed at the mountain long after the mountain closed, talking and sharing our favourite music as we sat in Zach’s car until 2 am. Zach’s smile and warm demeanour instantly drew Jenny in, and Jenny’s happy-go-lucky attitude and natural beauty left Zach not wanting the night to end.

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

For Jenny, she knew that first night, in her vows, she wrote, “That first night was the greatest sneak peek of what my life would be like with you, a life full of joy and laughter, and a life full of colour.” Zach has always said that he knew Jenny was the one when she let “I love you” slip out just two weeks after knowing each other; he had realized that “not only did I find someone who matched my energy and sense of adventure, but I found someone who loved just as hard as me.”

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…

We got engaged on top of Berthoud Pass, also skiing! It was May 6, 2022, and we went up for a late season backcountry tour. Surprisingly, the slushy snow and non-ideal conditions did not raise any suspicion for Jenny. We skinned up with our dog Ollie and two of our closest friends. The blue skies and snow-capped mountains were a perfect distraction for Jenny as she took pictures of the scenery while Zach was getting the ring out. Zach got down on one knee and poured his heart out. After an easy “YES,” we popped champagne and drank some mountaintop bubbles! The surprises for the day did not stop there, as Zach had coordinated a Denver celebration where family and friends had flown in to celebrate with rooftop drinks and dinner. It was the best day.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.

We really wanted the day to feel like us. It can be easy to get caught up in the glitz and glam of all things weddings, but we took a step back and thought about what our priorities were for the day. We were most excited to spend the day with all of our favourite people, celebrating our love, with the backdrop of Colorado’s beautiful collegiate peaks. Our vision was to capture the natural beauty of Colorado. Jenny kept the colours fun to mimic wildflowers and meadow hues, and as for all of the details, we really tried to incorporate elements of us. We wrote our whole ceremony and read personal vows, and included a prayer written by Zach’s parents. We used photos of us at each age for our table numbers, picked wines and beers from our home states (Washington and Colorado), and included our dog in everything we could, most importantly, being the witness to our marriage. In lieu of a father-daughter dance, Jenny and her Dad performed a song since they have always shared a connection in playing music together. Lastly, we spent hours working on a playlist for the dancing portion of the night. We curated a blend of our favourite songs and tried to build the energy of the playlist to orchestrate the best dance party ever. So long story short, the “vision” question was always hard for us, because we never really picked a theme, we truly just wanted the day to feel like a genuine reflection of us and our love.

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?

Photography. We were told by many people how fast the day goes and to just soak it all in as much as possible. We knew that when everything was over, we would be left with photos of our day. We are so so lucky to have found our photographer, Sarah, because not only is she the kindest and most genuine person, but she also has a special talent for capturing candid moments. We could be fully present on our day because we fully trusted her art of capturing genuine moments. We look back at our photos, and all of the emotions of the day flood back to us— the joy, the love, and the laughter.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

Have you ever heard the saying that if you don’t like the weather in Colorado, just wait 5 minutes? About 15 minutes into cocktail hour, we had a crazy rainstorm come in. It lasted 5 minutes, and then we were gifted with a double rainbow and a beautiful sunset. Our cocktail hour bluegrass band, Ragged Mountain Bluegrass, was so flexible and played along with the movement from outside to inside and then back to outside. Although we didn’t get our perfect outdoor cocktail hour and Jenny’s DIY’ed seating chart never got the outdoor display it deserved, in hindsight, we wanted to show people what Colorado is all about, and we couldn’t think of anything more on brand for Colorado than its crazy weather. Jenny’s Mom’s last-minute purchase of 20 umbrellas did come in handy; thanks, Mom! There was also a lot of laughter from things that we didn’t plan, and these unexpected moments are some of our favourite memories— whether it was the dance party the girls had with a bottle of Sav Blanc prior to walking down the aisle, or Ollie making himself a star of the mother/son dance, or the signing of our marriage certificate on the dance floor, some of the best moments were totally unexpected.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

Jenny had a hard time finding a dress that checked all of the boxes— I wanted something that was unique but simple, elegant but free-spirited. I tried on a lot of dresses and always left feeling more confused and feeling like I was going to have to pick something that didn’t feel like me. One of the last shops I went to was Grace Loves Lace, and I didn’t even mention wanting a dress with long sleeves, but the stylist pulled it because it was one of her favourites. As soon as I put it on, both my sister and best friend were crying, and I knew I had found my perfect dress. I kept my accessories simple, I wanted to include fresh water pearls because I love their organic look and Jenny Yoo had the perfect statement earring. For good luck, I wore my grandmother’s wedding band, which she had worn for 70 years of a beautiful marriage. I stacked the ring with another ring that I had designed for myself and my bridesmaids engraved with poppy flowers— one of August’s flowers to signify happiness, loyalty, peace and remembrance.

Zach wanted to stay classic but also wanted to feel special and stand out as the groom. He landed on the cream jacket and his groomsmen in all black, and it worked perfectly. We were recommended this local Denver shop, Teds Clothiers, and they were amazing to work with. They took the time to make sure all the guys looked sharp and offered their expertise in detail since Zach’s usual uniform is a brewery t-shirt and Birkenstocks. Zach accessorized with a simple black watch, and he decided to stop at the time of our wedding kiss. It was a super unique way he thought of preserving such a brief moment of our special day, 4:34 pm, the time we were officially pronounced husband and wife!