a day to remember

It all started back in Rosthern, SK, during icebreaker activities when Emily and Brock began Grade 11 at RJC. During the “walk a mile” game, we briefly met, but it took a while for us to warm up to each other as friends. Although there were a couple of times in high school when one or both of us considered showing interest in the other, the timing was always off. Even so, we stayed friends for the remainder of our high school years. A few months after graduation, in the fall of 2017, a third opportunity to finally explore a relationship presented itself—Brock sent Emily a Snapchat (so romantic). From then on, we were constantly talking, and soon, Emily started making the drive to Saskatoon every other weekend to see Brock. We didn’t have much time together—about three weeks of dating, to be exact—before Emily left for a four-month-long trip to Australia. Despite the short duration of our relationship, sisters’ warnings against the illogical idea, and the 17-hour time difference, we decided to try long distance. For four months, there were countless FaceTime calls (often with one of us falling asleep) and a whole lot of missing each other. Once Emily got back to Sask, we spent the next few months getting to know each other better and meeting each other’s families. Although Emily was a North Sask ranch girl, she moved to Saskatoon for university—with the added bonus of Brock being only a 10-minute drive away instead of two hours. Over the next few years, we spent our time at university, usually crossing paths at Tim’s to grab an apple fritter together before class, spending weekends with each other and our friends, and finding time to see each other between classes and part-time/summer jobs. In 2020, Brock became more involved in the Zakreski farm, bringing both of us to the farm more often—a peaceful escape from the city. In 2021, Emily started her food blog, Em’s Prairie Kitchen, which introduced us to many great (and some not-so-great) recipes. It’s safe to say both “side hustles” have their perks. Currently, we spend our time working—Brock in agriculture sales and Emily in HR—supporting each other in our after-work pursuits and getting together with our favorite people (you!). Our usual date nights involve trying a new restaurant (and sometimes eavesdropping on nearby conversations—don’t lie, you do it too) or enjoying cocktails and appetizers while playing a board game at home. What can we say? We love food! We are both close with our families and prioritize seeing them when possible, especially our nephew and nieces. In the few times we’ve traveled together, we’ve explored Western Canada, Ireland, and Mexico, with plans to visit many more new and familiar places. With that in mind, we’re considering an international trip for our honeymoon in late 2025 or 2026 (destination TBD!). Consider this your warning—Emily will never shut up about this trip (if you know, you know). On May 5, 2024, Brock proposed to Emily in the river valley on her family’s land in Capasin, SK. Emily has brought Brock to this special spot many times—it’s one of the most beautiful and peaceful places, has been in her family for generations, and holds many great memories with both her family and Brock. After more than seven years together, we’ve grown from carefree, naive teenagers to still somewhat naive 25-year-olds (who have jobs and responsibilities?!). We've grown together, learning to love and support the different versions of ourselves and each other. We are so excited to celebrate our relationship and commitment to each other with all of our favorite people in November. At one point or another, you’ve been a part of our story, and we cannot wait to have you be part of our special day—and the many to come after!