Zach and Laura's story begins in the Spring of 2016. Zach was nearing the end of his Sophomore year of college and Laura was gearing up to begin her first year on staff with H2O church on campus at the University of Cincinnati. Later in the same year, the two were placed on the same small group leadership team. If you were to ask Laura what her first impression of Zach was, she would tell you that he was annoying, stubborn, strong-headed, and someone she would never consider dating. If you were to ask Zach what his first impression of Laura was, he would tell you similar things. But things began to take a turn when the two of them began to make frequent, late night runs to McDonald's for ice cream cones. With every trip the conversation seemed to grow more intentional and intimate.

Over the next year, in 2017, the two remained good friends, but were involved with new friends so they didn't see much of each other. However in 2018, Zach made the decision to go on staff with H2O and begin the journey of support raising. While Zach was away in Ashland, Laura made sure to keep up with him, support him, and encourage him through the taxing process that support raising can be. Almost every other week, the two would talk on the phone for long periods of time. When Zach returned to Cincinnati in January of 2019 the two of them began to grow closer, spending time frequenting coffee shops, reading books on Laura's front porch, late night ice cream runs, and more. By May, Laura began to realize that she could see herself with this guy as more than a friend.

In August of 2019, the two were once again placed on a small group leadership team together. Tasked to co-lead a group of student leaders, Zach and Laura began spending even more time together. The idea of never dating was but a distant thought as the two began to see more and more of Christ exemplified in the other. Over the course of the three years that they had known each other, the Lord had done some incredible work in and through the two of them separately, but the Lord has shown them how He can work through them together.

The gospel, has made us more aware of our imperfections, our downfalls, and our weaknesses. And while dating, we have also become more aware of each other's imperfections, downfalls, and weaknesses. We could choose to look at each other and see all the ways that the other falls short, but the gospel has also made us new. Jesus Christ came to this earth and lived the perfect life that neither Zach nor I could ever achieve. Because of the gospel, we each have been redeemed and Christ now lives in us. As we pursue marriage, we are excited to see Christ exemplified within each other and the glory of the gospel reveal itself as we serve the Kingdom together.

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Here is to delighting in our weaknesses, rejoicing in hardships, dancing through blessings, laughing through praises, and singing through life together, alongside our Lord and Savior.

L&Z

Wedding Day

3:00 PM–3:30 PM

3:00 PM–3:30 PM

Ceremony

4:30 PM–9:00 PM

4:30 PM–9:00 PM

Reception