Ellie & Zachary Thoman

Zachary and I met through mutual friends. We both were single and not really pursuing any rigorous dating. Our first date was at a bowling alley as we were on a double date with our mutual friends/matchmakers! We hit it off over a bucket of Bud Light bottles at the bowling alley. 

We dated exactly one year! December 28th is our ‘date-a-versary’. 

That leads me to the exciting part of our love story! Exactly one year from our first date, we were in the Finger Lakes for a long weekend. Zachary booked a trip with just us two in a cute tiny house bungalow! I thought maybe….just maybe that he would be proposing, but my mom told me on Christmas night that he did not ask my mom or dad for permission/hand in marriage. Zachary knew how important that was to me…so, I lost all excitement and anticipation for a beautiful engagement in December. We walked along Seneca lake at a state park. A couple had pulled up and was taking pictures by the lake when Zach asked them randomly (so out of his character) to take a picture of us with Seneca lake in the background… Little did I know that he had put the ring in his vest pocket (which is hysterical looking at pictures of him clenching it in his pocket). We both blacked out and have minimal recollection about what we said or how I said yes… the pictures prove that I was dumbfounded and truly over the moon to finally spend my forever with Zach!

Zachary works for an online auction company that buys, sells, and trades large farm equipment out of Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania. I (Ellie) am a sixth grade teacher in Manchester, Pennsylvania where I ignite the love of learning to my tribe of learners!

Zachary is an avid golfer and enjoys playing at different South Central golf courses with his buddies. Together, Our hobbies include riding our bikes. We both enjoy loving and cuddling with Reno, our six year old Chocolate Lab. In addition, we enjoy playing board games and love a good Hulu binge watching day in our sweats.

Reno is our fur baby (as I mentioned above). He is a zany, loving six year old Chocolate Lab with a lot of spunk left in him!

The most memorable moment for us was being able to have a small, intimate wedding with our beloved family and a handful of friends. We were fortunate to have a lot of family members come together while six feet apart during a quarantine/Covid weary time in history. Our best memory would probably be having so much fun with our guests that we literally forgot to cut our cake….. So we ate cake and cupcakes, and I mean an abundant amount of cake, for the following week. If that’s not a symbol of finding your soulmate- having the time of your life so much that you neglect the perfect two tiered cake displayed with flowers and greenery, I don’t know what is!