How It All Started
This story, as all the best ones do, started at the University of Tennessee, a place that holds a special connection for both of their families. They first met at Grand Forest, where Chanel was touring UT and visiting her brothers, Charles and Chris, who were Zach's roommates.A year later, they met again at a mutual friend’s party where Zach left behind a beer bottle holder that Chanel grabbed, fully intending to return it. She forgot it for the first meeting and then "forgot" every meeting after that. Eventually, returning it stopped being the point. What mattered was that they kept finding their way back to each other. They officially started dating on March 10, 2019 — three days before what is now their wedding date.Years later, Zach planned a trip to the Oregon coast, filled with scenic views, beach bike rides, and good food: a perfect mix of everything they both love. At Ecola State Park, surrounded by the wild coastline they'd come to love, he asked her to marry him. Quiet, intimate, and uniquely theirs.
the night in question
the night in question
The Nearlyweds
circa 2019
The journey so far…
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March 2019
Chanel goes to architecture event with zach
Beer in tow, Zach invited Chanel to everything he could! He asked her to be his +1 to an architecture event, shortly after they began officially dating. -
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March 2020
COVID puts the world on hold
In March of 2020, when COVID shut the world down, Chanel and Zach found more ways to get outside - especially in Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness. -
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May 2021
Zach graduates Univ. of Tennessee with degree in architecture
Upon graduating from UT, Zach found employment at a global architecture firm in Atlanta while Chanel finished up her last year of school, setting up a year of long distance. -
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May 2022
Chanel graduates Univ. of Tennessee with degrees in International Relations & Public Relations
Chanel graduated the year after, with one more degree than Zach, and found employment at an agency in Atlanta. Chanel moved in with Zach shortly thereafter. -
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October 2023
Only free things in Washington, DC
Following their first few years in the workforce, Zach and Chanel vacationed in one of the few places where there were free things to do - Washington, DC. Little did they know, they would move to DC three years later. -
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November 2024
Chasing waterfalls in Burlington, Vermont
Celebrating new jobs, Chanel and Zach visit Burlington, Vermont, for waterfall hikes, apple cider, and good times. -
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May 2025
Oysters & lighthouses in Portland, Maine
The first of Zach’s engagement fake-outs, Chanel and Zach explore Portland Maine, because both Donovan Woods and Noah Kahan said to do so. In reality, they continued chasing vistas, and driving around neighborhoods thinking about a life together. -
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September 2025
Hygge (hoo-gah) in Copenhagen
The second of Zach’s engagement fake-outs, towards broadening their international experience, Chanel and Zach lean into coziness and take a big trip to Copenhagen to experience Tivoli, one of the world’s oldest theme parks, incredible food, and world class art at the Louisiana Museum. Zach also envies the urbanism of this world class city! -
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October 2025
Zach finally proposes
And the adventure continues…
And the adventure continues…
