Occupations Craig is a director of campus partnerships for an educational travel organization; Zach is a biological dentist
Wedding date March 15, 2025
Number of Guests 150
Number of Attendants 5
How You Met Like all great modern romances, ours began with a single flirt—or rather, a battle of wills. In December 2018, Zach sent Craig a digital wink on JDate, igniting a five-week standoff over who would cave first and pay for the premium subscription needed to send actual messages. In the end, Zach blinked first (Craig’s victory, obviously) and sent the first message.
For the next two weeks, we exchanged witty banter, carefully curated anecdotes, and just enough charm to warrant an in-person meeting. Our first date took place at The Waterfront Hotel in Fells Point, and, well . . . let’s just say it was not love at first conversational rhythm. Craig asked questions, and Zach answered—enthusiastically, extensively, and without pause. By the end of dinner, the fate of a second date hung in the balance. But we both believed in second chances and agreed to give it another go.
The rest is history. Over the next five years, we built a life together—navigating family introductions, new friendships, and a global pandemic. We ventured into each other’s worlds: Zach got his passport stamped in Europe, and Craig gave CrossFit a shot (under protest).
The Engagement January 2024, just weeks before our five-year anniversary, Zach pulled off a surprise proposal—recreating a Parisian night scene in honor of Craig’s favorite city. Behind the scenes, Zach had everything set up while Craig was out walking the dog. At the time, Craig didn’t think much of Zach suddenly being very insistent that the dog get fed and walked right at 5 pm (even the dog isn’t usually that punctual), but in hindsight, it all makes sense—Zach was on a mission to get everything ready, propose, and still make their celebratory dinner reservation.
Wedding Design Inspiration We wanted the day to feel true to Baltimore, so we chose a venue with a lot of character and charm. From there, we leaned into a sense of quiet elegance with thoughtful, personalized touches—from the napkins and welcome cards to the seating chart and dessert. We also kept things simple on the tables, favoring greenery over lots of flowers, paired with candles and votives for a warm, relaxed feel.
Favorite Details Honestly, it’s hard to pick just one. We had so many little details that felt really personal to us. One favorite was our “newspaper” program—it told our story, called out guests who traveled the farthest, and included some fun true/false games. We also loved having a string quartet in place welcoming guests as they entered the venue and playing throughout cocktail hour, with a fun mix of modern hits—from ABBA and Whitney Houston to current songs. And of course, our custom cocktail napkins with our dog Molly’s face on them so she could be part of the day might be the most “us” detail of all.
Piece of Advice As cliché as it may sound, the day truly flies by—so slow down, soak it all in, and savor each moment, because it’s over before you know it. I’d also recommend asking your caterer to set aside some of the passed hors d’oeuvres and cocktail hour bites (ours did this for us), so you and your spouse can sneak away for a quiet moment to actually eat and be together between the ceremony and joining your guests—because once you’re out there, everyone will want a moment with you.
CATERER Zeffert & Gold CHUPPAH DMV Wedding Arch DESSERT Blue Crab Cupcakes FLORAL DESIGN Olive & Orange GROOMS SuitSupply HONEYMOON Italy INVITATIONS Paper Plus KIPPOT Kippot World LOCATION The Butterfly Room MUSIC Two Rivers Chambers (ceremony); DJ Rhyatt with District Remix (reception) OFFICIANT Rabbi Jeremy Fierstien PHOTOGRAPHER Urban Row Photography PIPE & DRAPE Event Dynamics RINGS Van Cleef & Arpels WEDDING PLANNER Blake Events