Zachary and Sydney Stemple
TELL US ABOUT YOUR LOVE STORY!
How did you meet?
We met on Bumble while both attending college in College Station at Texas A&M University.
How did you know he was “The One”?
SYDNEY’S ANSWER: I knew Zach was the one because he brought out my goofy side very quickly, and I felt like I could be my true self with him. He showed me that he cared about me right off the bat.
ZACH’S ANSWER: I knew Sydney was the one because she loved me in a way I never thought I could be loved. Life with her is brighter, and she makes me happy everyday. I knew I was going to marry her when we did cross-country distance for a year, and our relationship got even stronger.
How did he propose?
For our two-year anniversary, Zach had planned a romantic getaway to a vineyard in Bryan, TX, near where we went to college. The evening we left, he handed me a rose with a little note attached that recapped his favorite memory during the first month of us dating. Every hour for the next 24 hours he handed me a rose with a numbered note attached, in which he had written his favorite memory with the rose number corresponding to that specific month we were dating. I got about 8 all at one time in the morning so we could sleep through the night! We carried on the day with our planned anniversary festivities and then went to the restaurant where we had our first date in College Station, Luigi’s Patio Ristorante. We then started to drive to the spot where we had our first kiss, following the plan to recreate our first date by visiting significant locations. He handed me my second-to-last rose, number 23k, and then we walked through the trees towards the pavilion where we had kissed three and a half years earlier. We turned the corner, and I saw the entire pavilion surrounded by lights and candles. Once we reached the pavilion, Zach handed me the final rose with a note that said of all the months that we had been together this moment would be his favorite. And with that he knelt down on one knee and asked me to marry him! He also flew my best friend in from Spain to be there for this special moment!
Describe your wedding planning process
Who helped with the planning?
Zach and I did the majority of the planning ourselves. Our day-of-coordinators helped plan our wedding day timeline down to every single detail and answered any questions we had!
Did you hire a planner or day-of coordinator?
We hired a Day-of Coordinator! It took a huge load off our shoulders and allowed us to enjoy the day!
Did you DIY any aspect of your wedding?
We DIY’d the seating chart, welcome sign, save-the-dates, wedding invitation, decor, some florals, reception sunglasses, table numbers, and name cards.
Did you have a specific theme?
We were going for an elegant/outdoorsy vibe with gold, white, and greens.
Where did you save the most?
We saved the most with the desserts! We got them all from H-E-B and the total cost was under $200!
Where did you splurge?
We splurged on our photographer and videographer. They still had an amazing price, but we didn’t hold back on adding anything extra like more “getting-ready” coverage as well as an additional photographer.
Why did you choose your venue?
There are several reasons why we chose our venue: the location was in between our families, the mansion and the outdoor area were absolutely beautiful, customized packages were provided, the wedding coordinators were extremely helpful, there was a lot included besides just the venue (decor, tables, chairs, linens, etc.), and there were cottages on-site to make the whole weekend a celebration!
Did you incorporate any special traditions or sentimental details in your ceremony or reception?
There were a couple of sentimental details throughout our wedding day! We had a “here in memory” table for our passed family members, we used Zach’s grandmother’s knife to cut the cake, and we had pictures of Zach and me corresponding to table numbers at each table. We also had a mutual friend marry us so that he could talk about each of us since he witnessed our entire love story unfold.
What turned out to be your best decision surrounding the big day?
Our best decision was our photographers and videographer! Our photos and videos came back so amazing and perfectly captured the emotions and small moments throughout the whole day.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
I would have practiced our dances more and rehearsed the staging for the ceremony a few more times (where everyone should stand).
Tell Us About...
Your dress:
I wanted a dress that wouldn’t drown out my small figure, had an open back, and was comfortable to wear to the reception. I’m not a huge fan of lace, but I was able to find a dress that had the perfect amount of lace to be subtle and elegant. It was also extremely soft and breathable!
The flowers:
We wanted a very garden, elegant look, so we went with a lot of greenery and various white flowers. We used baby’s breath the most since it was more cost-efficient.
The food:
We both love Italian food and had it on our very first date. So we had chicken alfredo, salad, and breadsticks for dinner. We also had a giant charcuterie and fruit board for the cocktail hour.
The cake:
Neither Zach nor I are a huge fan of cake, so we opted to have a small chocolate heart cake for ceremonial purposes with buttercream icing. For dessert, we had a bunch of single-serve containers of Bluebell ice cream for guests.
Recap your big day for us
What made you laugh?
In the bridal suite, Since You’ve Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson came on and we all had a dance party and were scream-singing at the top of our lungs in our robes with our makeup half done and mimosas in hand. My mom was dancing like crazy, and I couldn’t stop laughing!
What made you cry?
We did a first touch where we did a private vow reading, and both of us struggled to get through our vows without choking up. It was such a special moment we shared before the ceremony!
What were the most memorable moments?
I will always remember dancing and singing during the reception with all of our friends and family in a giant circle of glow sticks that someone had made on the dancefloor!
I also remember Zach and I eating a quick snack in the middle of couples’ photos because we were so hungry (there are photos of us munching HARD). Then we sat together in the bridal suite after the ceremony and photos talking about how happy we were to be husband and wife and really letting the reality of the day set in.
Did anything unexpected happen?
The most unexpected thing that happened was everything going smoothly without any family drama (that we know of)! We half-expected there to be some sort of drama or bump, but everything went smoothly! It was truly a fairytale wedding!
What’s the best advice you can give a bride and groom planning their wedding?
Make decisions together! Family members will not hesitate to give you their two cents, just make sure you are both doing what you want for your special day. Also, use The Knot. It was helpful in the timeline of planning and it has a checklist to keep track of everything you had done and needed to do.
What did you look forward to most as Mr. and Mrs.?
We looked forward to combining our lives together and operating as even more of a team. We were excited to do life together, experience each other’s highs and lows, and be each other’s biggest supporter and cheerleader in life! I was also looking forward to making Zach a cat-dad!
Anything else you’d like to share?
The day goes by SO fast! Take a moment every now and then to pause and fully soak up the moment and take everything in. Something I did that I really enjoyed was making a note that had a recap of how I was feeling the night before (after the rehearsal dinner), the morning getting ready with my bridesmaids, and my emotions leading up to the ceremony. Another big tip is to not ever leave each other’s side after the ceremony. People will want to talk to you and pull you in every direction. Actively staying by each other’s side enabled us to soak up every moment of the day with each other!
Local Vendors:
Wedding Venue: The Mansion at Colovista
Reception Venue: The Mansion at Colovista
Wedding Coordinator: BK Elegant Events
Photographer: Witte Idea
Videographer: Witte Idea
Caterer Cocktail Hour: Ilario’s Italian Cuisine
Caterer Tapas: Ilario’s Italian Cuisine
Florist: Duchess Garden Floral
Cake/Dessert: HEB Bakery
Bridal Shop: Brides by Elizabeth
Makeup Artist: Mission Stylehouse
Hair Stylist: Mission Stylehouse
Bartending/Beverage Service: The Mansion at Colovista
Music/Entertainment: The Mansion at Colovista
Bridesmaid Dresses: Birdy Grey
Wedding Music:
Processional: Until I Found You Acoustic Instrumental by Mike Dawes & Guus Dielissen
Bride’s Entrance: Somewhere Only We Know by Allen & Bright
Recessional: Marry You by Bruno Mars
Grand Entrance: September by Earth, Wind, and Fire
First Dance: Falling Like the Stars by James Arthur
Father/Daughter: Dance My Little Girl by Tim McGraw
Mother/Son Dance: Handprints on the Wall by Kenny Rogers
Last Dance: La Vie en Rose Louis Armstrong
