Oh my heart, do I have a sweeter-than-words-can-say love story and wedding to share with you today!! Actually, that’s not true, there are more than a few words I’d like to say about this beautiful, rustic farm wedding from Chupp Photography!! First of all, I adore the bride and groom. Their love story really tugs at my heartstrings. Like, a lot. Their rings are gorgeous!! Very rustic-y and hers are engraved with the sweetest words: remind me of your love. The periwinkle blue bridesmaids dresses paired with belts are perfection. The hanging mismatched fabric streamer reception decor, the floral arrangements in mason jars tied with mismatched fabric and lace, the brightly colored bunting, and assorted wedding pies – I love it all. I really, really do. And I hope you love it too :)

Zoe and Craig first met at a Christian wilderness adventure camp in the Alberta Rockies. He’d worked there before with Zoe’s brother. In fact, it was him that told Zoe about “this guy at camp” and how he thought they should get married!! But he was from the States and a Pastor – two things Zoe definitely did not want in a man – or so she thought.

Convicted (and stubborn) in her beliefs (and not wanting to admit to her brother that he might have been right), Zoe wanted nothing to do with Craig when she worked at camp that summer. But it was hard for her to deny just how sweet and handsome Craig really was.

In January, Zoe wrote Craig an email apologizing for her cold attitude towards him that summer. He wrote back with the sweetest note and that was that. In March, Zoe and her family took a trip to Hawaii, and in April, she posted a picture of herself at the beach on Facebook. Quick to reply with a witty comment was none other than Craig. She replied and they went back and forth a few times before moving their conversation to email.

They wrote to each other about everything, sometimes even multiple times a day. It was the highlight of their day, receiving emails from one another. Though neither knew just how much the other looked forward to them. They wrote every day for three months and then stopped for a month because Zoe was unsure what all this writing back and forth meant.

Craig had planned to come visit her, and moved ahead with those plans even though Zoe (because she was scared) planned a road trip for one of the two weeks he’d be there. He helped out at the camp, waiting patiently for her to return. And when he finally got her alone, he told her how he felt about her. (Brave considering she’d been running from him for well over a month by then.) That was the day they started dating, the same day that he returned to the States. They did long-distance after that, planning to visit each other as much as they possibly could.

Skype became their new best friend, and because neither of them had internet at home, would go to Starbucks (him) and the local library (her) just to get a glimpse of each other. It was over Skype that they first told each other they were in love :) He told her first, but she’d been feeling it coming on for a while.

Their first kiss was actually at the airport. It was their first visit since they started dating. As soon as she saw him come through customs, she ran into his arms. He held her close and then kissed her. That’s swoon-worthy-romantic-movie-worthy, right there.

In October, after just two months of dating, Craig told Zoe that he had a surprise for her at Christmas and that he would be coming to visit!! She looked forward to it but had no idea that the surprise he had in store would be the best one of her life.

It started in the morning. He came and knocked on her door and handed her an envelope. Inside were tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet. She’d always dreamed of going and had briefly mentioned it to him several months before. She spent all afternoon getting ready for their “big” date.

He took her out to dinner before the ballet, and because they had an hour and a half to kill afterwards, suggested they walk through the city zoo, which was decorated with Christmas lights and open to the public for walkthroughs.

After a while, Zoe noticed that he was leading her down a path with not as many lights or people. He began telling her how much he loved her and how he knew this was just the first of many Christmases together. Then he kissed her. And the next thing Zoe knew, he was getting down on one knee and proposing!! She was so stunned she forgot to say yes at first, but finally, eventually did.

Within just four months of dating, they were engaged!! They both knew from the day they shared their hearts with each other that this was the love they had both been waiting for.

In his vows, Craig told Zoe that as soon as he met her he knew he wanted to marry a girl just like her someday – someone fun, beautiful, and with a bit of sass. He began praying for just that to happen.

He finished his vows by saying, “God didn’t find me someone like you, Zoe, He gave me YOU.”

{From the Bride} Our wedding day was a very special one!! We are a very easy going couple so we weren’t stressed on our wedding day which made it even better!! We remember every detail!

Our most memorable moment was when we read the vows we’d written ourselves. We hadn’t heard what the other was going to say until the ceremony and the incredible feeling of hearing each other’s hearts in front of all our friends and family was so very special. They were so spot on that it was hard to keep from crying.

We chose not to see each other before the ceremony. We both wanted our first look at each other to be when I came down the aisle on my dad’s arm with Craig waiting at the front for me. I walked down the aisle to one of our favorite songs called “David Livingstone” by Jon Bryant.

Our first dance was to the song “Today” by Joshua Radin.

As for what we didn’t expect when planning? The immense amount of tiny details that go into making a wedding!! I am not a detail oriented person at all, and with Craig in the states while we were planning, trying to figure out all the details was definitely a challenge.

Our wedding was way more than we ever dreamed it would be. During the planning, I kept recalling all the movie-like details that had been in all my favorite wedding movies growing up (aka Father of the Bride). I had to keep giving myself reality checks that this was not a movie and not to expect that from the day or it would be disappointing. I went into the day excited but with no expectations of Hollywood perfection…it surpassed Hollywood!! It was more special and surreal than I could ever have tried to plan or hope for. It was such an incredible day spent hand-in-hand with my sweet husband and celebrating with all the special people in our lives.

{Advice for Couples} Be patient. God has been teaching us a lot about patience as most of our relationship was spent long-distance. But know that if that person is the one, it will all be worth the wait. To gain a best friend and lifelong sweetheart is the most priceless reward, and it’s not something you can push or force, it’s something that just happens in time.

Congratulations, Zoe and Craig, and thank you so much for sharing your wedding and love story with us!! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together! Many, many, many thanks to Chupp Photography for sharing their very special day with us today!! We’re so thankful to have you be a part of our rustic month :) xoxo