Bear Ridge Destination

Friday Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Elwell Family Home

Sunday Pool Party

Saint Peter Cathedral

Convalidation Ceremony

Our Wedding

It sounds cliché, but Daria and Zach met in chemistry class during fall semester of their freshman year (2017) at the University of Notre Dame. At least, that is how Zach will tell the story. The only problem was that the professor of the small tutorial class only called people up to the board alphabetically, by first and last name. Thus, every Friday Daria would go up to the board dressed in some variety of a Lilly Pulitzer dress while Zach got to pass by unscathed in the back of the class.

Daria, on the other hand, recalls a fateful night outside of Carroll Hall later that fall. She was on her way to meet some friends in the dorm when she noticed a group of people standing outside. One of them happened to be someone she vaguely recognized from her chemistry tutorial class, I bet you could guess who! They got to talking until Daria’s two girlfriends came outside. At that point, Zach decided to leave his group of guy friends for the night and join the girls, who sang and danced the whole way back to South Quad (Zach knew what he was getting into from the very beginning!).

From that point forward they developed a strong base: a friendship. Meeting up early before Intro to Engineering class to talk, walking with each other to classes, tailgating and watching football games together, and forming a joint friend group solidified their connection. But, deep down, they both knew there existed something extraordinary and special about their relationship.&nbsp;

Later that fall, both Daria and Zach had the opportunity to represent their dorms in the football and flag football championships, respectively, held in Notre Dame stadium. Brendan and LeAnna Wall attended both games. If you ask LeAnna, she recalls the moment she first saw Daria out on the field and knew that must have been who Zach was talking about during their lengthy family calls.&nbsp;

After Christmas break, Daria and Zach began to spend as much time as they could together. From every school dance and SYR, to weekly meals in the dining hall, and Zach attending two back-to-back early morning Biochemistry classes just to learn in one and talk to Daria in the other, they started to become inseparable.&nbsp;

However, it was not until a fateful trip to Malaga, Spain, the summer after Freshman year, that their relationship was made official. Zach is still shocked (and thankful) that Chris and Greta Elwell allowed Daria to travel to Spain for a week with him (whom they had only met a handful of times) and one other friend! On May 18, 2018, conveniently the day before Daria went to Rome and Zach went to Ireland for summer study abroad, Zach officially asked Daria to be his girlfriend. Unbeknownst to him, the date was very important to Daria as it was her late Aunt Michele’s birthday, another sign that this relationship was something special.

Returning back from their summer abroad adventures and starting Sophomore year at Notre Dame, they continued to grow their relationship and used school breaks as an opportunity to meet each other’s family and explore their hometowns. This allowed them to grow deeper in their bonds and respect for each other’s past and upbringing. This culminated in yet another fateful night when the sacred words “I love you” were first exchanged, while dressed up as Mater and Lightening McQueen during a McGlinn SYR.

Over the next two years they challenged and supported each other, while still having a lot of fun, to accomplish their next big goal. Graduating from Notre Dame (the BEST place on Earth) was an exciting yet bittersweet time. Daria had accepted a position at PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York City and Zach had accepted a position at Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

Long distance was a journey. To visit each other, they racked up lots of airline miles traveling to New York City, Detroit, Louisville, Nashville, South Bend, Erie, Madison, Naples, Orange County, Vermont, Salt Lake City, two Caribbean cruises with the Elwell family, and two ski trips to Colorado with the Wall family.&nbsp;

After two long years, Daria decided to move to Michigan to attend Michigan State University College of Law, reducing the long distance to just a one-hour drive. To say the least, that drive was taken often. Some nights they met in the middle, a town called Brighton, to grab dinner before tackling the rest of their weeks.&nbsp;

As spring of 2024 rolled around, Zach began to take “mysterious” trips back to Madison and confusingly would not allow Daria to help plan their trip to Holland, Michigan later that spring. Turning a little suspicious, Daria had a feeling something special was going to occur. The first stop on their trip was arriving to Veldheer Tulip Gardens at seven in the morning on May 4, 2024. After nervously and anxiously exploring the gardens before they opened, Zach got down on one knee and proposed. A little in shock, Daria noticed some people cheering from the barn and thought “how nice the workers are to make the moment extra special”. But they were not workers from the garden. Zach managed to get both of their families to travel to Michigan and celebrate the extraordinary moment together! That evening, Zach surprised Daria, once again, with tickets to a Mamma Mia tribute concert (her favorite music of all time) in downtown Holland. He even got the band to give a special shoutout during the encore of the concert to the song “Dancing Queen” that he had found his “forever dancing queen.”

Later that summer, Daria and Zach moved in together in Brighton, Michigan, that halfway point they frequented during the first year Daria was in law school. They enjoy playing pickleball, hanging out in their five-dollar kiddie pool on their back porch, embracing being the youngest people in the neighborhood, and walking to Ritter’s Frozen Custard a few times a week. Just before starting her second year of law school, Daria and Zach took a trip to Alberta, Canada where they visited Jasper National Park, Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, and Kootenay National Park. While there, they took engagement pictures at Lake Minnewanka, the pictures included on the website and save the dates.&nbsp;

Daria and Zach are excited to have you part of the next special day in their relationship. Their story is still being written!

Our Story

Photos

Caroline Grimm

Connor Maloney

Jenna Breslin

Harry VanHout

Katie Murphy

Jay Nagle

Ashley Greenawalt

Nils Arneson

Grace Wall

Karl Spiekerman

Morgan Tyger

Caden Elwell

Wedding Party

Airfare

Peek'n Peak Resort

Peek'n Peak Resort offers various accommodations from traditional hotel rooms in the Main Lodge to condos and homes that can accommodate up to twenty-two people. Since it is a resort, they also offer packages on their website for activities like golf or family fun. The link above is directly to the hotel block, which will allow you to book a room using our wedding discount code. The discount code can unfortunately only be used for the traditional style hotel rooms in the Main Lodge. You may also call 1-866-377-5274 and mention "Wall" to get the discounted rate. Rooms must be booked by July 23, 2025 to receive the discounted rate. If you do decide to book a condo or home at Peek'n Peak, please inform Peek'n Peak that you are in town for the Wall wedding to aid with shuttle service timing estimates and other wedding logistics. It is our recommendation to stay at Peek'n Peak because of the various amenities, the proximity to the venue, and the shuttle service that will run from the Main Lodge and individual condos and houses to the venue. Please reach out if you have any issues or questions!

Bison Trace Luxury Camping

Bison Trace Luxury Camping is located three miles (or a five-minute drive) from Bear Ridge Destination. It offers various lodging options including cabins, luxury tents, and, uniquely, covered wagons!

AirBnB - Vacation Home

If you prefer to stay in an Airbnb, there are plenty of great options in the Findley Lake, NY area. It is a very fun and cute lake town in the summer and fall located about four miles (or a ten-minute drive) from Bear Ridge Destination.

Accommodations

Transportation

From golf, to a ropes course, to a spa, to paint ball, to mini golf, to a pool and everything in between Peek'n Peak Resort offers everything on-site and is conveniently located only a half mile from Bear Ridge Destination. There are also plenty of dining options including a cafe, market, bistro, and golf clubhouse. For a Good Laugh: Ask Chris, Daria's Dad, about her unrivaled glow in the dark mini golf skills. Fun Fact: Connor Maloney, Zach's Best Man, grew up skiing at the Peak!

Peek'n Peak is hosting a weekend full of live country music from August 22-24th. Activities include BBQs, yard games, live music, bonfires, beer, and more!

Country Music Weekend

The Tall Ships Festival is from August 21-24th in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. The Festival features a fleet of majestic tall ships from across the Great Lakes. Attendees can enjoy deck tours, day sails, and a variety of attractions such as food and drink vendors, a kids zone, live music, and educational lectures. Unfortunately, Erie's own Brig Niagara will not be participating in the Festival. However, Erie's Lettie G. Howard, which is the sole surviving example of a Georges Bank fishing schooner, will be. Fun Fact: Erie was recognized as Tall Ships America’s Port of the Year!

Tall Ships Erie Festival

If you are looking to get out on the water, Findley Lake is located just a few miles from Bear Ridge Destination. You can rent pontoon boats, paddle boards, and kayaks from various rental companies in the area. The town also has cute shops and restaurants to explore! There are two restaurants a little bit outside of town, Pine Junction Tavern and French Creek Tavern, that provide great comfort food, especially after a long day of skiing in the winter. Fun Fact: Daria learned how to tube on Findley Lake, unfortunately that is about the extent of her water sport abilities.

Findley Lake Marine

Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit, 750-acre community located about thirty minutes from Bear Ridge Destination. Every summer the institute hosts over 100,000 people during a nine-week summer season that aims to explore important religious, social, and political issues of our time by bringing in various prominent speakers. The institution celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2024. Chautauqua Institute is located on Chautauqua Lake with a very charming town known as Bemus Point. The town has unique boutiques and gift shops along with fun restaurants such as Ellicottville Brewing Company and Coppola's Pizzaria. If you are lucky, you may even run into Josh Allen, who recently purchased a home near the town. Fun Fact: Caroline Grimm, Daria's Maid of Honor, has a beautiful summer cottage on the lake!

Chautauqua Institution

Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches into Lake Erie. Enjoy thirteen beaches for swimming, including a volleyball court at beach six, and kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, and bicycling at various locations in the park! The park is also home to a historic lighthouse, which offers tours, and the Perry Monument. Fun Fact: Erie is also home to the U.S. Brig Niagara, one of the most historically authentic tall ships in the United States. It is located at the Erie Maritime Museum, but if you are lucky, you can see it from across the bay at the park.

Presque Isle State Park

The 59,000-square foot casino floor is home to 1,500 slot machines, thirty table games, and self-serve sports betting kiosks. Live thoroughbred racing occurs during the spring, summer, and fall months. Fun Fact: There is a restaurant across the street, Lucky Louie's Beer &amp; Weiners, that serves doctored up Smith's Hot Dogs, another Erie delicacy. Chris, Daria's Dad, has tried every menu item!

Presque Isle Downs & Casino

Located at the base of Presque Isle State Park, Waldameer is the fourth oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania, the tenth oldest amusement park in the nation, and only one of thirteen trolley parks still operating in the United States. Fun Fact: The "Ravine Flyer II" has been recognized as a Top Ten Wood Coaster and is the only coaster in North America to travel across a four-lane highway!

Waldameer & Water World

Sara's is a 50s style diner located at the gateway of Presque Isle State Park. Famous for its orange sherbert/vanilla twist soft serve, Sara's also offers yummy curly fries, burgers, Smith's hot dogs, premium shakes and sundaes and much more. Fun Fact: Sara's does enough business during its opening weekend to sustain itself for the rest of the season, so it must be doing something right!

Sara's Restaurant

Erie loves chocolate, which is evidenced through a city-wide debate over which of our three chocolate shops are the best (Romolo Chocolates, Stefanelli's Candies, and Pulakos Chocolates). We personally prefer the melt-in-your-mouth meltaways, chocolate covered grapes, chocolate covered oreos, and peanut butter cups from Romolos. The store is also a gift shop and coffee house with other delicious treats such as homemade ice cream and cookies. Fun Fact: Sponge Candy is an Erie delicacy. There is no way to describe it, you just have to try it!

Romolo Chocolates

Things to Do

Courtyard Erie Bayfront

See too many things you want to explore in the "Things to Do" section? Flight options too restricting on Sunday? To account for these inquiries and more, we reserved a block of rooms at the Courtyard Erie Bayfront for Sunday, August 24th - Tuesday, August 26th. The hotel is located in downtown Erie giving breathtaking views of both the Bayfront and Lake Erie. It is also conveniently located two miles from Saint Peter's Cathedral and surrounded by restaurants, such as Pier 6 Rooftop Bar &amp; Restaurant, Bay House Oyster Bar &amp; Restaurant, Oliver's Rooftop, and Rum Runners. The link provided below will allow you to book a room using our wedding discount code for either one or two nights. <a href="https://book.passkey.com/e/50946244?utm_source=49675866&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=296129969&amp;trkid=590601417&amp;linkid=3498221527" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://book.passkey.com/e/50946244</a> To note, rooms must be booked by July 25, 2025 to receive the discounted rate. It is our recommendation to stay at Courtyard Erie Bayfront if you choose to extend your stay, as opposed to AirBnBs or other accommodation styles, because of the convenient downtown location and predictability of safety offered by the location. Please reach out if you have any issues or questions!

Daria & Zachary

Daria & Zachary

Airfare

Erie International Airport (ERI)

Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)

Bradford Regional Airport (BFD)