Our Union Celebration

Every love story is unique, and ours began long before we even realized it. We were neighbors, living just steps apart, without knowing how much we would one day mean to each other. The First Encounter: Zack joined an exchange group to learn a new language and meet people from different cultures. One evening, at a dinner with friends, he met Sue. It wasn’t love at first sight—far from it! Zack didn’t like Sue because she kept rolling her eyes every time he spoke. What Zack didn’t know was that he was talking trash about Sue's favorite artist, Beyoncé, whom she had just spent hundreds of dollars to see in concert. Meanwhile, Sue thought Zack was a bit snobby, and let’s just say she didn’t exactly hide her feelings. The Slow Burn: Over the next few months, we ran into each other at group hangouts. We didn’t talk much, but in those small, fleeting interactions, we started to notice things we liked about each other, little by little. The Birthday Party: At one of Zack’s parties, he couldn’t help but chase Sue around, giving her all his attention. Sue noticed but wasn’t quite sure what to make of it—friendship or something more? After the party, she waited for a text from Zack, but he decided to play it cool, holding off for weeks to create some mystery. The First Move: Tired of waiting, Sue made the first move. She texted Zack claiming she left her dry shampoo at his house. Sue told him that this wasn’t just any dry shampoo, she made it sound like it was rare and impossible to find. But in reality it was a super generic brand (Dove). She showed up at Zack’s door wearing her best dress and makeup, hoping for a spark. Zack, clueless as ever, handed her the shampoo and said, “See you!” Thankfully, a mutual friend clued Zack in that Sue was interested. He invited her to watch a movie, and that’s when we had our first kiss. From that moment on, we never wanted to be apart. Our Journey Together: Since then, we’ve had countless adventures—road trips to the desert, mountains, snow, and beaches. So far we’ve explored California, Oregon, Washington, and New York. And that is just the beginning. Sue met a good amount of Zack’s family and friends , and Zack always talks with Sue’s family and friends over video calls. Before long, Sue moved in with Zack and his three roommates (plus a little dog named Dak). A few months later, we found our own place and started turning it into a home together, one piece of décor at a time. Our Deepest Bond: After sharing so much, we opened up to each other in ways we never had before—our secrets, fears, worries, and mental health challenges. We talked about our pasts, our hopes for the future, and our lives in the present. It became clear that we were perfect for each other. Zack had waited for Sue for 40 years, and Sue, after being on her own for so long—traveling across the U.S., leaving Brazil, and preparing to start a new adventure in Europe—paused all other plans because Zack had become her everything. We decided that our lives were meant to be bound together, and we became one. Zack confessed his love for Sue during a beautiful sunset at Culver Steps and proposed to make our love eternal. The Vows: We had an intimate ceremony on the top of a mountain, where we exchanged our vows and promised to love each other forever. And Now: Now, we are ready to share all that love with our friends and family. To those who have been a part of and witnesses to our love story, we invite you to celebrate and party with us on our special day! With love e muito amor, Zack & Sue