College can be a time of finding friends and even lifelong partners. This rang true for Gabriella and Zachary. They met at orientation while sitting in a group of mutual friends. He cracked a joke and Gabriella couldn’t help but laugh. They became fast friends over the next several months and started to catch feelings for each other after a horror movie marathon. 8 years and many movies later, they got married.

Gabriella and Zachary found a love of snowshoeing with their dog. After Christmas in 2022, they planned a short weekend trip to bend to snowshoe Edison Butte on Mt. Bachelor. They stopped after three miles for lunch and a rest, when their dog decided to lay in the snow and Gabriella took lots of photos. 

“I turned back around and he was on one knee in the snow. He was a little nervous. so the first words out of his mouth were, ‘do you want to do this thing?’ and we laughed and I said yes! He followed it up with a sweet little speech, but the whole proposal was goofy and private just like us. It was perfect!”

Gabriella’s dream wedding was supposed to be underwater in scuba gear, so a dress wasn’t the first thing on her mind. The day before her appointment at Charlotte’s, she had tried on dresses and had an idea of the styles she liked - strapless, not white, and floral. Her stylist pulled dresses that matched her vibe and Allure Romance ‘3500’ was everything she was looking for. 

“I tried on my wedding dress first and loved it, but wanted to keep my options open, however I think we both knew that it was the one. I kept thinking about it while putting others on, so we went back to it. It was amazing, the mocha color, the applique with the large flowers, and it was so comfortable! It was the only one that I could picture myself wearing for my wedding.”

Gabriella and Zachary chose Deepwood Museum and Gardens in Salem, OR for the beautiful scenery. They were able to take a walk in the gardens for some time to themselves and have a beautiful ceremony with lots of light and fauna. The intimacy of their ceremony captured all of the love they felt for each other and their guests. 

“It was a beautiful day filled with so much laughter and love. We took some private time for us to process what happened after and it was so special. We danced the night away and enjoyed having the chance to celebrate with everyone we love.”

Wedding days are full of hustle and bustle, but Gabriella feels it is important to enjoy every moment and remember this is a time to share the love between you and your partner. Focus on getting to the altar and the rest will fall into place.

Congratulations, Gabriella and Zachary!

Vendor List:

Venue/Location: Deepwood Museum and Gardens

Photographer: Stormi Rhodes Photography

Florist: Little Lantern Floral

Caterer: Greece Lightning Express

Rentals: For the Love of Pete

Centerpieces: Woodburned and Wired