Love: Zoe Freeman & Zach Siswick

In early spring of 2003, Zoe was a senior at George Washington University when her mom, Noreen Shanfelter, called, begging her to come home to West Philadelphia and join a bowling team. Noreen was the director of media and public relations for the national office of Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Her thrill over being recruited as team captain for the Bowl for Kids Sake was tempered by the realization that she had to assemble the team. Zoe would not let her mother down.

When the big bowling day arrived, Zoe couldn't help but notice one of her teammates. Zach was "super cute," even while wearing the cheesy Hawaiian shirt he chose for the Hawaiian theme of the event, she said.

Zoe, now 28, and Zach, now 30, talked the whole time, and eventually conversation veered to the Roots concert he was going to that night. Zoe said she had thought about going, too. "He gave me his phone number and said 'Call if you go,' " Zoe remembered. "I never went, and I never called."

Why didn't Zoe take the bait and call Mr. Super Cute? "I was finishing up my senior year in college. I was distracted. And I wasn't sure if he was interested, or just being nice," she said.

That would be Choice A, Zach said. "When I got home from the bowling thing, I said to my roommate that I was psyched about this girl I met and I was probably going to meet up with her. I was kind of bummed" that she didn't call.

A couple of weeks later, Zoe forwarded a chain e-mail to her mother. And Noreen forwarded it to her coworker, Zach. Zach, who grew up in North Wales, noticed Zoe's e-mail on the chain. "I figured I'd give it another shot," he said. Zach e-mailed, asking if she had ever made it to the concert.

When Zoe got the e-mail, she realized she had been thinking about Zach ever since she met him. They e-mailed back and forth for a couple of weeks. And then in April, Zach asked Zoe to go to a friend's party with him. And that was that.

In May 2008, Zach and Zoe were vacationing in Tuscany. Zoe gave Zach the Italian vacation as his Christmas gift. "I figured what a great opportunity for me," Zach said.

The couple was staying in a vineyard farmhouse, a bed-and-breakfast. They had been reading and relaxing when Zach asked Zoe to explore the grounds with him. They walked up a small hill on a road surrounded by rows of grapevines.

"I had the ring with me. I knew I was in the moment," Zach said. But then it started to rain, and Zoe wanted to go back to the farmhouse.

"Let's just go stand under that tree," Zach suggested.

Zoe admits she was a little irritated about getting wet, but she went beneath the tree. "I started talking to her about how this is such an amazing trip," Zach said. Zoe knew something big was happening. "He's not much of a talker," she said.

Zach told Zoe that he wanted to have many more amazing experiences with her, and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

About a minute after their engagement was official, one of the vineyard's owners came by. It was raining hard by then, and he motioned for them to get into his truck. In a mix of Italian and English, Zach and Zoe told him they had just gotten engaged. And just in case the message wasn't clear, "I stuck my hand in his face," Zoe said.

Zoe, who recently graduated with a master's degree in counseling psychology, will this fall become a counselor at Philadelphia's Science Leadership Academy, the school where she did her internship. She also will be working on a doctorate in urban education at Temple University. Zach is director of audiovisuals at Swank Audio Visuals. He is currently assigned to the Four Seasons hotel.

Zoe and Zach got a self-uniting marriage license. That enabled Zach's former roommate, Brian, to lead the ceremony. "He's the person that the two of us, as a couple, are closest to," Zoe said. "He knows us really well as individuals, and he's been there literally throughout the course of our relationship." Brian was with the couple at the party that was their first real date.

The ceremony location - an outdoor amphitheater known as the Chapel at Worlds End State Park - was perfect for these nature lovers, as were the fresh potted and cut herbs woven throughout their decor. Zach and Zoe wanted their 125 guests to participate in their wedding, so, borrowing from Quaker tradition, everyone was invited to speak during the ceremony.

"People were running to the microphone," Zoe said.

Zoe's parents read a Hebrew marriage blessing. Her father, Richard Freeman, who is Jewish, read in Hebrew, and then her mother, Noreen, translated.

The couple's dog, Jewels, an English bulldog, walked down the aisle in a green collar and leash that matched the groomsmen's vests.

Early in the morning of rehearsal day - the day before the wedding - Zoe and Zach awoke to the loud yelling of Zoe's father. They ran into the kitchen, looking for him. "Where are you?" she yelled. He came in from outside and told her that a water pipe snapped while he was changing the filter. This meant there was no running water at the mountain house where the reception would be held the following day, and Richard was very upset.

Upon hearing what had happened, Zoe calmed down immediately. "I was totally fine," she said. "I thought he was hurt the way he was screaming. I said that pipes could be fixed."

The bride was right. Richard knows the town plumber. He called and begged, and the pipe was repaired later that morning.

The couple wrote their own vows, and kept them secret from each other until their wedding day. Zach went first, and Zoe was first deeply touched by how emotional he got while reading them. Then as she continued to listen, Zoe was stunned: Their separately written vows were remarkably similar. Both promised to "play hard," both acknowledged that mistakes would be made along the way, and both spoke of their desire to start a family.

A bargain: Zoe and Zach's wedding was the very first for new wedding planner Francesca DiSalvo-Follmer. She wanted the experience, so she did it for a tiny fraction of the normal rate.

The splurge: "Food is very important to us," Zoe said. "We wanted a focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients."

After that engagement trip to Tuscany, the couple, who live in South Philadelphia, decided to keep their honeymoon regional. They enjoyed an extended weekend in Eagles Mere, Pa.

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Behind the Scenes

Officiant

Brian Krick, friend of the couple, Philadelphia

Venues

Ceremony: The Chapel at Worlds End State Park, near Forksville.
Reception: The bride's parents' vacation home in Eagles Mere, Pa.

Catering

33 East, Williamsport, Pa.

Photography

Street Light Photography, Williamsport, Pa.

Music

Mike Walton Productions, DJ Brian Cooper, Scranton

Dress

Monique Luo for David's Bridal, purchased at its Deptford store.

Invitations

Cornfed Studios of Philadelphia, via etsy.com

Planner

Francesca DiSalvo-Follmer, Pure Luxe Bridal Consultants, Horsham{12465326483111}

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