Childhood Friends Tied the Knot in a Rustic-Chic Lakeside Celebration

Photo by Emily Delamater

THE STORY

Zach Zulauf first became smitten with Lauren Wilson back in sixth-grade gym class in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Forced to sit in alphabetical order for roll call, Zach recalls his frustration that someone was always seated between himself and Lauren—“the most beautiful girl in my class,” he says—and he feared he’d never get the chance to meet her.

That opportunity finally came along the summer before their senior year of high school, and soon the two were dating exclusively. They stayed together through college (in neighboring states) and graduation, before both moved back home to New Jersey. On a trip to Nantucket with Lauren’s family in July 2018, Zach proposed, and Lauren giddily accepted as her father snapped photos from behind a tree. “I knew I never wanted to let her go,” says Zach, a vice president of operations for Goldman Sachs.

Photo by Emily Delamater

When it came time to choose a venue—ideally outside, near the water—for their June 2019 nuptials, Lauren remembered her favorite childhood vacation spot: Migis Lodge, on Sebago Lake in Maine. “It’s always held a special place in my heart,” says Lauren, a sales planner for CBS.

The evening before the wedding, nearly 150 guests arrived for a lobster bake and a bonfire with live music by Dan Walker, and then bunked down for the night in charmingly rustic cottages. After spending the next day frolicking on the lake, family and friends convened for a waterfront ceremony, followed by dinner and dancing in the main lodge. Fireworks capped off the festivities, which were by all accounts “magical,” Lauren says. “Everyone said the love was just contagious.”

Photo by Emily Delamater

THE DETAILS

As a child, “I spent so many summers at the resort,” Lauren says of Migis Lodge. “I remember thinking it would be a perfect place for a wedding.” The first time Zach saw the rustic retreat along the shores of Sebago Lake, “he loved it too,” she says.

Photo by Emily Delamater

The bridal party included the couple’s family and close childhood friends.

Photo by Emily Delamater

Zach got his first look at Lauren under a gazebo overlooking the lake, where they were both moved to tears.

Photo by Emily Delamater

The bride’s bouquet featured a mix of blooms, tied with a ribbon from her mother’s wedding dress.

Photo by Emily Delamater

Lauren’s dad’s best friend, Lee Miller, officiated the couple’s ceremony under a white-birch altar adorned with peonies, the bride’s favorite flower.

Photo by Emily Delamater

The ceremony had to be moved from its original outdoor location because the grounds were so damp, but the couple ultimately preferred the new setting for its expansive views of the lake.

Photo by Emily Delamater

Right after the ceremony, the owner of the resort took the couple on a quick boat ride around the lake “to give us some alone time,” Lauren says.

Photo by Emily Delamater

Escort tags hung from a woodpile draped with flowers and greenery.

Photo by Emily Delamater

After taking photos, the bride and groom walked along a wooded path to the lodge for the reception. “I was covered in pine needles by the end of the night,” Lauren says with a laugh.

Photo by Emily Delamater

With greenery and glass orbs overhead, Lauren and Zach offered a toast to their bridal party.

Photo by Emily Delamater

“We wanted the reception to be [almost entirely] candlelit,” Lauren says of the romantic ambiance.

Photo by Emily Delamater

Photo by Emily Delamater

Lauren’s father surprised the couple with a 20-minute fireworks display after the reception.

THE FILE

Band The Broadway Project Band
Bride’s Dress Suzanne Harward
Bridesmaid Dresses Jenny Yoo
Cake/Caterer Migis Lodge
Flowers Flora Fauna
Hair Naviina Salon
Invitations The Write Occasion
Lighting Griffin & Griffin
Makeup Christina Puzino Artistry
Menswear Macway’s Co. Ltd.
Planner Maine Seasons Events & Rentals
Videography Bird & Bee Wedding Films

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