Stone Mountain Lodge

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Our Wedding

Zach and Heather met during their junior year at Northern&nbsp;Michigan University, where&nbsp;they both worked at the campus cafeteria (also known as the Marketplace). Who could resist falling in love in such a romantic setting?&nbsp;There must have been something about the way Zach smiled while he restocked dishes&nbsp;or the way Heather moved when she took out the trash. All joking aside, Zach and Heather became inseparable during the spring and early summer of 2012.&nbsp; 

While many felt like Zach and Heather&nbsp;were destined to be the next "it" couple of the Marketplace, they were both hesitant to make it all "official." You see, Heather was leaving in the summer to study abroad. In India. For five months. They both felt that this was too much strain on such a new relationship, and said a tearful goodbye not knowing if they would reconnect after Heather returned. However, there&nbsp;was no need to ever reconnect because Zach and Heather never lost contact during those five months. They both stayed up late/got up early to Skype, Facebook message, and did everything they could to stay in each others lives, even when they were on opposite sides of the world.





When Heather returned to Michigan and made the 7 hour drive back up to Marquette, she was greeted with a long hug and a welcome basket with a photo album in it. It was full of pictures of their summer together with a special message at the end that read, "Will you be my girlfriend?" To which she replied, "About time!"





It's been 7 years since then, but Zach and Heather believe that unique beginning has been and will always be the foundation of their relationship. Through the move to Grand Rapids, MI, as well as&nbsp;the move out to Colorado, they both know that no matter where either of them are, they will never lose that connection that was strong enough to survive the five months Heather was in&nbsp;India.

The Beginning

Heather had always been a bit nervous around the subject of marriage. She always knew she wanted to someday get married,&nbsp;but it was a big decision and not one she would make lightly. That said, Zach would often bring the topic up in regular conversation as though he knew&nbsp;one day they would get married and Heather would often change the subject. It seemed like there was always a reason to wait. Jobs. Money. Moving. Grad School.

Moving to Colorado proved to be one of the most challenging and empowering times in their lives. They both grew as individuals and as partners.&nbsp;With the dust from the move finally&nbsp;settling and&nbsp;graduation on the horizon, Heather&nbsp;couldn't come up with any of her usual excuses. It was time to get engaged!&nbsp;&nbsp;The nervous girlfriend had&nbsp;become the anxious want to be bride.&nbsp;At one point she even went to a bridal shower of a close friend's&nbsp;and complained about how Zach hadn't proposed yet, fearing that now it would never happen.&nbsp;Little did she know, plans were already in the making (muahahahahaha).&nbsp;









After a long day of work, and a very long commute home, Heather walked through the door of their apartment to be greeted by a kneeling Zach with a bouquet of flowers. She froze in her tracks..."is this it?!" Zach endearingly&nbsp;looked&nbsp;up at her face and carefully asked, "Heather, will you...go camping with me this weekend?" This wasn't it.&nbsp;After coming to her senses and accepting the bundle of flowers, she replied, "...yes?" Zach suggested camping around Grand Lake, a beautiful Colorado mountain town located at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Heather had often mentioned how badly she wanted to paddleboard on the&nbsp;gorgeous natural lake&nbsp;surrounded by sharp peaks. They quickly packed the car and left on what Heather believed to be an impromptu weekend away.









They decided to take the long way 'round&nbsp;to Grand Lake which took them through the winding mountain roads of Rocky Mountain National Park. They stopped for a quick hike up&nbsp;Forest Canyon&nbsp;Pass. Upon summiting the mountain and gazing out across the landscape, Heather had that same feeling again. "Is this is?!" she thought. They stopped to enjoy the scenery and&nbsp;then... headed back down the mountain. This wasn't it.&nbsp;









When they arrived in Grand Lake they headed to a local saloon (swinging doors and all!) and Heather immediately started making a game plan. "Okay, we need to find a campsite, and get set up before the sun goes down. If we can't find a campsite we might have to sleep in the car," she said to an ever smirking Zach. After a few minutes of planning (stressing),&nbsp;Zach&nbsp;finally revealed&nbsp;the first piece of his master plan. "I got us a&nbsp;cabin at the Grand Lake Lodge," he said, while pointing to the log cabins sitting atop the cliffs over looking the shining lake, "I reserved it months ago."&nbsp;







When they reached their cabin, Zach stepped forward to open the door and that feeling came over Heather again. This is definitely it! The door opened and they walked in...and then they got ready for dinner. They shared a beautiful meal together, where Heather thought again, "This must be it!"&nbsp;Then they took a stroll in the moonlight, a long swim in the pool overlooking the shimmering lake, and a long romantic soak in the hot tub. Still nothing. Heather had started to lose hope at this point. She had been mistaken, this was not it.&nbsp;







They headed back toward their cabin, towels trapping in the heat as the last few drops of pool water fell off their bodies to the cool, dirt, trail. They&nbsp;glance up at the stars as a few clouds parted, uncovering a&nbsp;nearly full, sturgeon moon that&nbsp;began to&nbsp;shine&nbsp;and&nbsp;dance&nbsp;across the lake. Zach turned around and got on one knee. He said, "Well, this is as good a time as any", dawning the ring before her. He began to recite as much of the spiel he prepared beforehand that he could remember. She laughed giddily and with tears in her eyes, said, "Yes."&nbsp;







And that was it!

The Proposal

Our Story

Details

Photos

Geneva and Heather met during freshman year of college and liked each&nbsp;other so much they decided to&nbsp;move in together! They bonded over their&nbsp;mutual love for Mr. Darcy and Gimlets (or as Heather refers&nbsp;to them&mdash;Niblets). Geneva was there to comfort Heather when they needed to move out&nbsp;of their house&nbsp;during finals week or remind her that Zach was still “in to”&nbsp;her when she was studying abroad. Heather&nbsp;feels so lucky to have such a&nbsp;strong and loving friendship.

Geneva Martin

Case is Zach's younger brother and best friend. They have been through everything together and will continue to face life head on. When they were younger, they fought and picked on each other all the time (to be honest, this went mostly one-way), but as they got older...nope, it's still pretty much the same :P But they have this great sort of camaraderie now and will always stand up for one another. Through their tight bond they've built over the years, they were able to take on the Colorado Trail together and complete it (something neither of them thought they could do). Together they are unstoppable. I feel like our next adventure is just around the corner, little bro!

Case Vollink

Katie and Heather met through the friendship of Seth and Zach&mdash;they hit it&nbsp;off right away! Heather and&nbsp;Zach then convinced Katie and Seth to move to&nbsp;Grand Rapids for them (and totally not because Katie&nbsp;started Medical&nbsp;School!). Katie’s love for family and friends and her willingness to go&nbsp;the extra mile to&nbsp;stay in touch is what makes her such a wonderful person&nbsp;and a great friend.

Katie Ramos

Seth and Zach started out as roommates in college.&nbsp;Zach would always be studying for a test or&nbsp;playing games in his room and Seth would come in and insist they get a drink&nbsp;or go for a run. This&nbsp;turned into&nbsp;a sort of&nbsp;routine and they quickly became best friends.&nbsp;Although Zach eventually moved out, their friendship didn't stop there. After college,&nbsp;Seth and his fiancé,&nbsp;Katie, moved to Grand Rapids, MI&nbsp;and lived only a few blocks away. This led to&nbsp;many&nbsp;more&nbsp;nights of Seth showing up&nbsp;and&nbsp;getting Zach off the computer or PlayStation&nbsp;to go do something fun.&nbsp;Thanks for always pushing me to be more active and social, bud!

Seth Kratz

Becca and Heather moved in&nbsp;together along with their significant others&nbsp;(Zach and Kyle &lt;3) after&nbsp;college. Becca and Heather became friends&nbsp;immediately! They continued to be inseparable for the next&nbsp;two years&nbsp;spending many nights and weekends cooking, crafting, and soul&nbsp;searching. Heather is so&nbsp;thankful for Becca’s friendship during such a&nbsp;challenging time in her life.

Becca Draving

Kyle and Zach met in 7th grade. Zach thought his name was amazing and immediately befriended him. Simple as that. In all honesty though, Zach would not be who he is today without Kyle. Together they dare to be different and seek out the not so obvious joys in life. Whether it be mastering a card trick or implementing the latest web trend, Kyle is always there, eager to get started. Love ya, dude!

Kyle Draving

Amy is Heather’s cousin and one of the best Sunday brunch companions the world has to offer. Even&nbsp;though they didn’t meet until they were teenagers,&nbsp;Amy and Heather have bonded over their mutual&nbsp;love for&nbsp;mimosas, cheap Mexican food, and low budget hallmark movies. Amy is&nbsp;one of the kindest and&nbsp;most generous individuals your will ever meet and&nbsp;Heather is so happy to call her family.

Amy Marshall

Quinton and Zach met at LaGrave CRC and eventually went to high school together. They have remained friends even though life has put many miles between them. The miles don’t seem so far though, because Quinton is now a commercial pilot and can come visit pretty much whenever he wants. They’ve since climbed a fourteener, rode electric scooters into the early morning, brewed beer and have a trip to Jackson Hole planned for next winter! It’s safe to say they’ll remain friends for life. Looking forward to many more adventures with you, Q!

Quinton Williamson

Matt and Zach were in the same friend group in high school, but it wasn’t until college that they became great friends. Through lots of time playing video games, throwing discs at disc golf parks, and enjoying craft beer at Schmohz, they formed a solid bond. Since then they’ve maintained contact through PlayStation and the occasional Steam game, as well as gone on a few trips together with their significant others. Can’t wait for our trip in 2020, man!

Matt Piersma

Blair and Heather have been friends since freshman year of high school when they both discovered that&nbsp;they were big old weirdo’s. Not only have Blair and Heather shared many important life events but Blair&nbsp;has captured many of them on camera! Blair took Heather’s senior photos, engagement photos, and she&nbsp;will be the one snapping on the Wedding day as well! Heather feels so blessed to have such a talented&nbsp;and supportive person in her life.

Blair Mongeon

Mitch and Zach have been friends since preschool and will remain friends through the end of time. Mitch has always been there for Zach, no matter how many times Zach loses to him at literally any Nintendo (no, really just any) game. From all the late nights at sleepovers where Zach would talk about the girls he liked and Mitch would pretend to be asleep so he didn’t have to say who he liked, to present day where Mitch is married and Zach is in the process himself, it’s truly amazing to think about how far they’ve each come. I am so excited to see where life takes us next!

Mitch Groenenboom

Heather met Brenna through Matt and, while they have not known each other long, they have quickly&nbsp;become close friends. Heather is constantly in awe (and envy!) of Brenna’s thoughtfulness and&nbsp;willingness to help anyone in need. Her kindness and quick wittedness has made a lasting impression&nbsp;on&nbsp;Heather.

Brenna Piersma

Wedding Party

Q + A

Registry

The ceremony and reception will be held at Stone Mountain Lodge in Lyons, Colorado. Set on 45 acres on the side of Steamboat Mountain, this relaxed, remote lodge occupies a former motel dating from the 1960s, plus wood cabins. It's 18 miles from Estes Park Visitor Center&nbsp;in the Rocky National Park.

The straightforward, warm rooms come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and mini-fridges, plus microwaves and coffeemakers. Some add kitchenettes; 1 has a separate living room with a pull-out sofa. Secluded cabins feature individual touches such as fireplaces, whirlpool tubs and/or patios.

Amenities include a heated outdoor pool and a private hiking trail on the grounds. Parking is complimentary. If you wish to reserve a room or cabin please call (303) 823-6091 and tell them you are a guest at our wedding. These rooms will be reserved until April 15th. 

If you wish to stay off site the town of Boulder is 15 miles south and Longmont is 7 miles to the east. There are also many great Airbnb’s in the area that would be great for a large group or family.

Stone Mountain Lodge & Cabins

We recommend that our out-of-state guests fly into the Denver International Airport. From there you can either rent a vehicle or take the bus up to Boulder (AB/AB1/AB2). The bus that runs to Boulder costs around $10/person and doubles as a day pass to get your around on all&nbsp;RTD&nbsp;transit options for the day (do not throw it away):

<a href="http://www3.rtd-denver.com/schedules/getSchedule.action?runboardId=2740&routeId=AB&routeType=9&&direction=W-Bound&serviceType=1#direction" target="_blank">AB/AB1/AB2 Schedule</a>



 There is also a bus that runs from Boulder to Lyons called Route Y&nbsp;(your day pass should get you on this for free): 

<a href="http://www3.rtd-denver.com/schedules/getSchedule.action?routeType=12&routeId=Y&serviceType=3" target="_blank">Route Y&nbsp;Schedule</a>

Denver International Airport

Travel

Boulder’s cultural landscape was transformed with the opening of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/things-to-do-at-cu/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">University of Colorado</a>&nbsp;in 1867, laying the groundwork for the Boulder of today: a forward-thinking college town with a thriving tech startup and creative communities. Along with this progressive mindset comes a wealth of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/restaurants/foodie-checklist/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">dining</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/shopping/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">shopping</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/arts-and-culture/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">artistic</a>&nbsp;outlets. Much of the fun centers around historic downtown&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/insider-guides/pearl-street/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">Pearl Street</a>, a brick-paved pedestrian corridor that’s always alive with street performers, acclaimed restaurants, and dozens of independent shops. Two blocks away is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/insider-guides/farmers-market/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">Boulder Farmers Market</a>, named the best in the country by readers of&nbsp;USA Today.&nbsp;

Need a refreshment after all that? Boulder has more breweries per capita than any city in the country. Come sample over two dozen craft breweries on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/restaurants/boulder-brewery-winery-and-distillery-tours/brochure-pdf/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">Boulder Beer Trail</a>. Or, if you’re not into beer, try tea. You can tour one of North America’s largest tea factories,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.celestialseasonings.com/visit-us?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">Celestial Seasonings</a>, or go inside an elaborately carved Persian teahouse, the&nbsp;<a href="http://boulderteahouse.com/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=city-page">Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse</a>.

Boulder

This small, intimate community is known as the Double Gateway to the Rockies for its dual highways that take you up the North and South St. Vrain Canyons to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/rocky-mountain-national-park-colorado">Rocky Mountain National Park</a>&nbsp;(just 20 miles west) and beyond.A mecca for artists, outdoor enthusiasts and musicians, Lyons has a variety of things to offer. Many restaurants, bars and coffeehouses feature live music, and the town has become popular for its music festivals.Belly up to the bar for a refreshing Dale's Pale Ale at the original&nbsp;<a href="https://www.colorado.com/breweries/oskar-blues-lyons">Oskar Blues Grill & Brew</a>&nbsp;on Lyon's Main Street, also a favorite joint for live music and tasty barbecue.Adventurists can mountain bike Hall Ranch, rock climb at Button Rock or kayak the whitewater park in Meadow Park. Float on a tube down the North St. Vrain Creek, off-road up Bunce School Road near Allenspark or hike around Rabbit Mountain. For a unique place to stay, consider the&nbsp;<a href="https://weecasa.com/">Weecasa Tiny House Resort</a>, where you can make your HGTV-tiny-home dreams come true by slumbering in charming 135- to 365-square-foot casas. The visitor center in Sandstone Park has complete information about nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, places to stay and eat, maps of the area, hiking destinations, campgrounds and local events.

Lyons

Outdoor recreation abounds in Estes Park, located only 70 miles from Denver. Surrounded by the protected lands of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/rocky-mountain-national-park/">Rocky Mountain National Park</a>&nbsp;and Roosevelt National Forest, there is no limit to the types or levels of Colorado adventures you can have here.Known as the base camp for Rocky Mountain National Park, the mountain village of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">Estes Park</a>&nbsp;offers all the modern amenities you need with the mountain flare and hometown hospitality you’re looking for. Estes Park has a reputation for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventures/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">unique wilderness activities</a>, which means you’ll find the local experts, the right gear and the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/things-to-do/tours?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">guided excursions</a>&nbsp;to get both the novice and the pro out exploring. In the summer and fall, camping, hiking, cycling, rock climbing and water sports, such as stand-up paddle boarding and whitewater rafting, are available in Estes Park and nearby areas. Without&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/lodging/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">lodging</a>, dining or shopping inside the national park, a designated Wilderness Area, travelers spend much of their time experiencing the village. With its scenic Riverwalk,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/things-to-do/downtown/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">charming downtown</a>&nbsp;and many&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventures/amusement-parks/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">attractions</a>, Estes offers vacationers ample activities. From boating on Lake Estes to soaring up the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventures/aerial-tramway/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">aerial tram</a>, touring historic sites to savoring sips at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/things-to-do/wineries-breweries-distilleries/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">local breweries & distilleries</a>, this small mountain town doesn’t disappoint. While summer is certainly prime season, there are&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/events-calendar/?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">special events, concerts and festivals</a>&nbsp;throughout the year. In autumn, aspens glow golden, fall festivals commence and the whole town celebrates the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitestespark.com/elktober?utm_source=colorado_com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=brandchannel-citypage">elk rut</a>, or mating rituals, where the bull elk bugle and spar as they compete for mating rights.

Zach & Heather

Zach & Heather

Photos