Nina & Zach's wedding at Elkridge Furnace Inn was one for the books! Not only have they known each other since they were eight years old but they had birds at their ceremony! The groom loves birds so Nina's gift to Zach was having a hawk fly the rings to the best man during the ceremony!! Okay, the bird didn't ACTUALLY have the rings, but it looked like he flew them in! It was awesome. Then, Nina's mom surprised the newlyweds with doves to release after they were announced husband and wife. And the last surprise was getting pictures with owls. It was epic!

Here is their love story from Nina's perspective:

Zach and I met as children when we were both around eight years old. His father worked with my aunt and they had become close friends. My family is small so we got together often and Zach’s family frequently joined in on the parties, birthdays and holiday celebrations. My memories of him as a child consist mostly of when our three families (my aunt and uncle, my parents, and his parents) went camping. He often spent most of these camping days with my cousins and my brothers fishing and playing football. But, my favorite memories were when we all joined together to play softball or sit around the bonfire.

As time progressed and we got older I would often see his parents at family events but he wouldn’t be there and the same would happen for him. High School, sports, and busy teenage lives would keep us from attending the same family events. Many years passed before Zach and I would see each other again.

My aunt, uncle and cousins moved to Delaware and our visits with them diminished. So, around 2006 my aunt and family decided they would hold an annual family campout on their land and in their barn. Each year everyone looked forward to the fall months where they would celebrate different events and spend the whole weekend camping on my aunt and uncles property with close friends and family.

In September 2010, Zach and I happened to both attend the annual family campout. We reunited as friends. Thanks to social media, two months later we began to talk more frequently and in January of 2011 we started dating. We continued a long distance relationship while we both finished college. In 2013 he had begun his career and I was eager to graduate in December. On December 18, 2013 exactly five days after I graduated and two days after I passed my boards he took me into the city for a celebratory date. I had no idea where we were headed and we ended up at the Papermoon Diner in Baltimore (where we had our first date).

After a nice dinner of reminiscing we met up with his best friend and girlfriend downtown. They said we were going to the Washington Monument which was lit with Christmas lights and that we could walk the stairs to the top and see the city. But, when we got there it was under construction. Zach started to act extremely anxious and I knew something was up. His best friend and girlfriend were obviously trying to stall for something and I was getting anxious as well.

Unbenounced to me Zach had a plan B. We got in the car and headed to Miracle on 34th Street. Zach and I had been there with my family before. We went to our favorite spot (what we called the Natty Boh house) where we had gotten pictures in previous years. But this year, Zach trailed up the stairs and asked the owners if we could stand on the lawn. They said yes and I got extremely excited because in previous years we had never gotten that close for a picture. So, I followed Zach onto the lawn and looked over to wrap my arm around him for the picture and instead he was facing me with tears in his eyes and he let out a big sigh. He grabbed my hands in his and began to tell me how much he loved me. In my periphery I started to see a large crowd of people form and I heard people shouting “Is he going to propose?” Before I knew it he was on one knee presenting me with a ring and the crowd got so loud I could barely hear him ask me to marry him! The owners of the house came down the stairs and congratulated us with hugs and Natty Boh beers. Now its November 2014 and we are proud puppy and homeowners and cannot wait to start our life together!

Your wedding was beautiful Nina & Zach!