Rehearsal Dinner

Schadé Vineyard & Winery

Wedding Day

Our Wedding

When you’re not 21 and in college, your options for a fun Saturday night are pretty limited. Most nights revolve around house parties, but every once in a while, you might manage to sneak into a bar. For me, it was worth the risk just to see people try their luck on the mechanical bull at The Pub. Luckily, Emma had the same idea. It started off like any other night out until I was approached by a stunning woman who greeted me with a handshake and a confident, "Hey, I'm Emma." Caught off guard by the pretty girl, I scrambled to come up with something memorable. I shook her hand and said, "Hi, I'm Zach Heins, like the ketchup, but with an 's'." To this day, I have no idea why that popped into my head. Emma swears I was reaching for my card to buy her a drink after that bold introduction, but I don't usually buy drinks for strangers, and she left the bar before I even had the chance. I just hoped she remembered me. Not long after, Emma followed me on Instagram. I recognized her right away, and when she posted a story asking something like, "Is a peanut butter sandwich and chili a normal combination?" I couldn't believe it. It seemed insane, but also the perfect opportunity to start a conversation. We started talking, though it took a while to figure out if she was actually interested because she would sometimes take days to respond. Eventually, I decided to take a chance and asked her to come over and hang out. She said yes, and right away, I felt completely comfortable around her. We clicked instantly. Fast forward about four years, and that same woman who once walked up to me at a bar and shook my hand was now the one I was kneeling in front of, asking to marry me.

If you ask Zach:

The Pub's not everyone's first choice for bars in Brookings, but that night, my friends and I ended up there because they had a mechanical bull (Yes, I rode it... I'll let you guess how that turned out). Back then, I had a habit of chatting up old friends and strangers for free drinks. On my way to The Pub's bar, I spotted a handsome red head, so I walked up and introduced myself. I'll never forget him saying, “Hi, I'm Zach Heins, like the ketchup, but with an ‘s’.” At the time, I thought, “Wow, full names? That’s a little weird,” but thank goodness he did, because I’ll circle back to that detail later. We talked for a bit, and then Zach offered to buy me a drink. Just as he was about to, my friends decided it was time to hit up another Brookings staple, The 9. So, we left without exchanging any information. A week or so later, I couldn’t stop thinking about the cute ginger I met at The Pub, so I managed to find him on Instagram thanks to him sharing his full name. From there, Zach took the lead and added me on Snapchat. Zach and I met in the fall of 2020, right before winter break, so we Snapchatted occasionally over break. I’ll admit, I was a bit slow to respond, but I was interested. After a bit of back-and-forth, he asked me to hang out when we returned to SDSU in 2021, and I said yes. Despite trying to act cool, I was super nervous. Who isn’t when talking to a cute guy? I remember our first hangout so clearly. I didn’t tell anyone except Calyn. If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t be where we are today. She basically pushed me out the door to walk the short distance to his townhome. We ended up watching Ink Master, bonding over our lack of tattoos, and he quoted lots of Spongebob, the key to any girl’s heart. I made it home around midnight, woke Calyn up, and told her, “He’s so funny.” And from there, I guess you could say the rest is history. We dated for nearly four years before he proposed on Christmas, and, of course, it was an easy yes.

If you ask Emma:

Our Story

“What began as a simple conversation, ended in love.” - Mark Anthony

Photos

Reserve your room using the link below, or call and mention Heins Chicoine Wedding. Please book by April 10, 2026.

Garner Hotel Brookings by IHG

Hampton Inn & Suites Brookings

Check the hotel's website before booking through the block to ensure you get the best rate.

Zach & Emma

Zach & Emma

Z&E

Wedding Day