Lora and Zach’s love story began in the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis, where Lora was living and working as a bartender and where Zach was working at a bike shop. While both of them are pretty sure that they crossed paths earlier than this, the first sparks started to fly in the Summer of 2015 when Lora visited’s Zach’s bike shop with her father and brother to find her brother a bike. In between setting up test-rides, Lora and Zach struck up a lively conversation about music and their respective creative passions that left a great impression. Fast forwarding a few months to November 2015: Lora managed to track down Zach’s phone number through a mutual connection, and the future couple decided to meet at a brewery for their first date (although Lora spent the first 10 minutes hiding from Zach out of nerves). Things went so well that the pair decided to bike all the way across town to see a band play in Lora’s friend’s basement. The rest, as they say, is history.

It didn’t take Lora and Zach long to become completely smitten with one another. Their bond deepened as they discovered that they shared a love of live music, food, and pop culture, spending early dates going to shows, playing trivia, and crooning karaoke. In a cute bit of forecasting, Zach committed an unknowing dating faux-pas by buying Lora concert tickets for a concert several months in the future as a present for her birthday, just one month after their first date. Thankfully, Lora found the gesture charming rather than creepy–and yes, the show was fun too. As the years rolled on, their lives continued to intertwine. Thanks to persistent petting, Zach’s dog Billie quickly grew to love Lora even more than her owner. The couple took their first major trip together just after their first dating anniversary, heading back to Lora’s childhood hometown in Northern California, which gave Zach the chance to meet (and tower over) Lora’s mother for the first time. Just before their second anniversary, Lora and Zach moved into their first apartment together in South Minneapolis’ Powderhorn neighborhood. A little over six months later, they escaped its cockroach-infested confines in favor of a cute two-bedroom duplex that would become their home for the next 3 years. In the ensuing years, Lora and Zach’s bond grew ever stronger as the two helped each other navigate the transition from the service industry to their professional careers, and adjust to the burdens of adult responsibilities. In December of 2018, Zach tagged along with Lora on a month-long European work trip that took the pair to Amsterdam and Paris, and served as potential inspiration for later honeymoon adventures. After nearly a year of saving, planning, and researching the “perfect” ring (he can be pretty indecisive), Zach proposed to Lora during a hike at Gooseberry Falls on a trip that the two had taken for their 5th dating anniversary. Lora says that she was genuinely surprised, but did get suspicious when the not-too-outdoorsy Zach seemed uncharacteristically gung-ho about taking a wintry hike. As they began to plan their eventual nuptials, Lora and Zach took the leap into homeownership during the summer of 2021, purchasing a sunny and charming bungalow in South Minneapolis’ Corcoran neighborhood (with a big yard for Billie!) that they hope will be their home for many, many years to come.

We are excited to be able to (finally) get married in front of all of our friends and family with a celebration that feels authentic to our shared passions. Our ceremony and reception will both be held at Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Lora worked for years as a bartender and Zach (briefly) also worked as a door-guy. The couple are lucky to count the venue’s owners and many of the staff as close friends, so don’t skimp on those tips! As food is a huge part of both of our lives, our wedding will feature a buffet-style menu that combines some of the greatest hits of Lora’s family’s Filipino recipes and Greek cuisine from Zach’s family. As far as Lora’s Czech side and Zach’s Irish side are concerned, well, that’s where the beer and whiskey at the bar come in. In a nod to our shared and enduring love of live music, our wedding will feature not one, but two live bands: A wedding band led by groomsman Tim Kingstrom playing classic covers, followed by a set from local garage rocker (and honored guest of the couple) Monica LaPlante. Come ready to dance and rock out!