This is a fun story :)

When I first moved to Idaho in 2016, I made a handful of friends through my first job here at a marketing agency. One of those friends was Zach who we continued to celebrate nearly every birthday and New Year’s Eve together with. In 2020 when I met a new coworker named Rebecca, I instantly went into “matchmaker mode.”

I told my then-fiance Zeb that I wanted to set them up, but both of them were introverted and reserved so it couldn’t be too obvious. We decided to host a little game night at our house where Zach and Rebecca were able to meet and hang out and have some fun!

Over the next few weeks, Zach and Rebecca weren’t quite ready to take things on their own so we went on double dates – hiking, tacos, sushi dinner, movies. I was lucky enough to get a front row seat at the beginning of their relationship, and I KNEW they would be perfect for each other if we could just get over Rebecca’s cat allergy. 😉 I knew Zach would be smitten by Rebecca’s warmth, brilliant smile and Star Wars bumper sticker. And I knew she would appreciate his drive, loyalty, and love for outdoor adventures.

Finally, the two cut me loose from my matchmaking duties and continued to write their own love story. It was clear to everyone that they have a special connection and a true adoration for one another. After a year of dating, Zach proposed to Rebecca. Three months into their engagement, they came over to our house and asked me to officiate their wedding! I was completely shocked. They said that I was the reason they met and fell in love in the first place and it made sense to them to have me as a part of their special day.

It was a non-religious ceremony so I could easily be “ordained” on the website for the Universal Life Church. That’s what allows me to legally sign their marriage license. Rebecca wrote a portion of the ceremony script and I wrote the rest. Zeb and I got a baby-free date night for their wedding rehearsal the night before the wedding. We left Brynnley at my parents house and drove out to a vineyard in Kuna, Idaho with a beautiful outdoor ceremony area among grape vines and an arbor covered in hops. After running through the ceremony a couple of times, we headed to dinner in downtown Boise at Bardenay and got to meet more of Zach’s family that had traveled from the Midwest.

The next day, my parents and Brynnley also got to attend the wedding. Right before the ceremony, the DJ hooked up my lapel microphone and I walked up to the arbor with the same brown leather binder that I had purchased for my own wedding last summer. I was so nervous! I knew this was one of the most special moments of their lives and I just didn’t want to mess up or stumble over my words. I had practiced and practiced reading the script all day long.

The ceremony went beautifully, it was short and sweet. I tried hard not to tear up when Rebecca read her personal vows to Zach because they were so touching. I officially pronounced them husband and wife, and then my job was done and it was time to party!

Well, first we had to go back to the bridal suite to sign the official documents that they could submit to Idaho for their marriage certificate.

Love,

Your local ordained-by-the-internet matchmaker