Rachel and Zachary first met each other Memorial Day weekend in 2011. The two have their versions of how the two met.

His version: Our Story starts out a bit different than most people, I’d imagine. It was Memorial Weekend 2011 when I lived in Houston and was invited to the family reunion of my friend, Andrea Alford, down in Galveston. Rachel is Andrea’s cousin, and I first noticed Rachel the night I arrived. She was cute as can be, even after a six-hour drive after finishing finals at TCU. I didn’t have the opportunity to talk with her that night, but that changed the next day when we bonded over books (nerds I know, but nerds are cool now… right?). I did something right that weekend because I managed to get her contact info and later set up our first date.

Her version: My older cousin (and now bridesmaid), Andrea, invited one of her guy “friends” to come out and join our family reunion for some fun in the sun in Galveston back in 2011. She never brought guys home, so, of course, our entire family believed that they were secretly an item. I was instantly attracted to him the moment he walked up the driveway and (poor guy) introduced himself to roughly 12-16 of my family members. However, I didn’t really get a chance to talk to him until the following day/evening because I (like everyone else) assumed that he was dating my cousin! We hit it off the moment we started talking. We both love reading and made each other a reading list before parting our ways. It wasn’t until a few weeks later when he was in town for business that he asked me to meet him for coffee and asked for my phone number!

Zachary, 30 years old, is a Financial Advisor with Wells Fargo and Rachel, 25 years old, is a high school English teacher and cheer coach. After the two bonded after books, they quickly learned that they could spend time together by reading. They loved getting lost in a great story. As well as reading together, they enjoyed traveling, participating in outdoor activities, being on the lake, and spending many afternoons with family and friends.

After four years of dating, Zachary proposed to Rachel on May 30th, 2015. Picking out the ring was a breeze but finding the perfect way to propose was another story. Zachary told Rachel they were meeting a few people at the Driftwood Winery for a work meeting. Once the couple had arrived, they grabbed a glass of wine and walked out to see the view. Just as they walked out, Zachary got down on one knee and proposed to the love of his life. Thinking ahead, Zachary booked a photographer to book the whole proposal and Rachel’s reaction. The two newly engaged couple headed to downtown Austin to grab dinner at the Driskill Hotel. As Rachel and Zachary walked into the hotel’s bar area, a group of family and friends were waiting to celebrate the engagement.

For a summer wedding, the engaged couple chose a romantic and timeless vintage style. There was a nautical theme with variations of pinks and blues. Eight groomsman and eight bridesmaids accompanied Rachel and Zachary on their wedding day on July 16th. Zachary and Rachel said their “I Do’s” at The Green Cathedral under a full floral archway with over 150 guests to witness the marriage. Once the ceremony was finished, attendees made their way to the covered trellis. The couple wanted to have an epic dance party so after dinner was finished the dance floor flooded with family and friends busting a few moves.

Once the wedding came to an end, the new Mr. and Mrs. Hoyle took the next three days to relax and pack for their honeymoon. The couple was off to Thailand for the next two weeks traveling to Koh Samui to enjoy the beaches for several days, followed by a visit to Chiang Mai to explore the jungle with elephants. To end an exciting trip, Zachary and Rachel traveled to Bangkok and stayed for three days before heading back home to Texas.