What's your best blind date story? Your worst? Do you even have one? In March of 2019, Erika didn't, but she wanted one. So when her best friend, Courtney, asked to set her up with a coworker’s friend, she agreed, but only for the experience of showing up at a bar to meet someone she knew absolutely nothing about - just the one Facebook profile photo of a guy in a bandana with a hiking backpack. The story that began that night, over a round of drinks at The Monarch, is so much greater than any blind date story Erika had hoped for. (Also, that coworker friend of Courtney’s was Zach’s lifelong friend Allison, who gets equal credit for bringing us together!)


At first, dating was limited to times when Erika could find a babysitter for her three year old son, Owen. After six months of this, Erika introduced the two, and she quickly became the third wheel to their incredible bond. Another six months later, when her apartment lease was ending, they made the leap and moved in together. This was in February of 2020... cue the evil laugh! Within two months, everything had changed. Owen's school closed, Erika left her job to stay home with him, and Zach probably questioned his life choices as his once-peaceful house became a home to three people who had nowhere else to go and little to do (and a dog and a cat, who did not consent to or approve of becoming roommates). 2020 was the fire that forged them into a family, and it felt so sweet and so right that they found themselves wanting even more. Asher was born in August of 2021, and has brought a storm of joy and chaos to their lives every day since. Circumstance necessitated that parenthood be woven into Zach and Erika's relationship from day one, and it's a responsibility and adventure that is sacred to them both.


During one of the happy couple's first dates, they found themselves eating wings, on a park bench, in the rain, near the downtown Warren theatre. The bench lovingly became a landmark of their relationship and a place they'd return to and reminisce about that night, and how it felt too early to know, but they knew anyway. On June 18th, 2022, Zach took Erika back to that bench after a dinner downtown, the friends that originally set them up hiding in a parking garage nearby. He asked her to stand and take a picture of the very boring building in front of them, because that's what we were looking at when we fell in love that night. Erika thought it was a strange request, but complied, still totally unaware that Zach was bending down on one knee behind her. It was the easiest question she'd ever answered.


Friends and family of the couple often joke about how little sense their pairing makes. In so many ways, they are the epitome of yin and yang, both tested and made better by the other. On September 17th, using the glue of the law, they will come together to exist as a perfect circle for the rest of time, and they can't wait to see you there.