We Eloped

Thanks so much for visiting our site! We eloped on September 22, 2025 in Wilmington, NC surrounded only by our parents. It was such a special day for us — truly the best day of our lives and the perfect start to our life together. Since we didn’t get to celebrate with everyone in person, we wanted to share our story and some details from our wedding day below.

Sometimes love shows up when you least expect it — and that's exactly how it happened for Zach and Olivia. They spent about a year as friends, unaware of the love God was preparing in their hearts. What began as a simple friendship, God was quietly shaping into something deeper — a love that surprised them both and brought peace to their hearts. Once they saw the love that had been growing between them, it didn’t take long for Zach and Olivia to realize they’d found the person they wanted to spend forever with. September 22 quickly became a special date — the day they started dating, the day they got engaged one year later, and now, the day they will always celebrate as the beginning of forever. In the early days of their relationship, Zach was stationed at Camp Lejeune while Olivia finished her undergrad at UNCW. Even with an hour-long drive between them, Zach made the trip almost every night just to spend time together. They filled their time with simple things they loved — hunting for shark teeth on Onslow Beach, movie nights in his barracks room, and just simply enjoying being in the same place. As time went on, they began to navigate the realities of military life together. Zach’s job took him across the country and overseas — to places like 29 Palms, Alaska, and Greece. It wasn’t always easy, but each season apart showed them what their relationship could handle — and how much it meant to both of them. Now, as they begin this new chapter of marriage and prepare for their big cross-country move, life feels better than ever. For Zach and Olivia, the simple joy of doing life together is more than enough. They’re deeply thankful for the story God has written and the future He has planned for them.

Eloping gave us a quiet, intentional way to begin our marriage — rooted in love and centered in Christ. We’re so thankful to our parents for all their love, support, and help in making this day so special. We spent a few relaxing nights around our elopement at the beautiful Trailborn Surf & Sound on Wrightsville Beach. On the morning of September 22, we exchanged vows by the beach — just the two of us, it was a quiet, sacred beginning to our marriage. Later that afternoon, we met our parents downtown at the New Hanover County Courthouse, where we made it all official. Afterward, we spent the rest of the day enjoying the gardens and beach back at the hotel, then ended the night with a celebratory dinner at our favorite Italian spot — Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria.