Sara Block & Justin Zaslow

May 30, 2009 Manchester, VT at the Wilburton Inn

Who would have imagined that the girl who owned a chocolate store and the boy who managed a fitness center would meet and fall in love? In 2006 my father and I opened a dessert cafe in Philadelphia.

Conveniently for me there was a gym on the lower level of the building. Scared of what all of the cupcakes and chocolate would do to my figure (what girl could resist the temptation when surrounded by them every day?), I joined immediately. Justin was at the front desk everyday when I came in to work out. I remember thinking he was extremely handsome and always had the biggest smile on his face.

One day we were working out at the same time and he struck up a conversation with me (his version might be the other way around). We realized how much we had in common and before he left he made sure to get my phone number. After going out on our first date we were pretty much inseparable. And as it turns out, he’s a huge chocolate lover!

Our Engagement

One Sunday morning in April 2008 Justin woke me up and said he had a special day planned for us. We were going to eat at our favorite breakfast spot, then going to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit (one of my favorite artists), and later going somewhere special for dinner.

After a delightful breakfast we arrived at the museum where I promptly checked my coat and wondered why Justin didn’t want to check his. He had on a big down vest that he was hiding the ring in and as I later found out, was terrified that I might feel the box. That explained why he had been on edge throughout the musuem visit!

After the fabulous exhibit we exited the museum. He led me to the side of the steps and got on his knees and asked me to marry him. It was truly perfect. Then he surprised me with having both sets of our parents join us for dinner to celebrate. I loved every second of that day.

Most Memorable Details

As soon as we started planning our wedding, we both knew we wanted to make it a weekend long celebration. I fell in love with Vermont when I attended college there at the University of Vermont and knew that it would be the perfect setting for our special day. Justin and I thought it would be a great way to have a destination wedding as well as a great weekend getaway for our family and friends, most of whom were traveling from the Philadelphia area.

Our wedding took place on May 30, 2009, at the Wilburton Inn in Manchester, Vermont. It couldn’t have been more perfect. Everything from the ceremony to the food to the flowers was beautiful and amazing. We had a traditional Jewish ceremony overlooking the mountains and a light breeze was blowing through the air. It had rained the entire week but our day was clear and sunny. After the ceremony the party truly started.

Then came the food and the dancing. At the end of the night no one wanted it to end. It was the best and most memorable day of my life. Thank you to everyone who made it possible!

Planning Advice to Brides

My advice to brides-to-be is to remember that your day is truly about being with the ones you love to celebrate the union of you and your husband. It’s so easy to get caught up in the small stuff instead of enjoying the pla nning process. Don’t try to take it on all by yourself. Use the help of your family, friends, and vendors. It’s much more enjoyable and will keep you from going crazy. Just cherish every moment of it because it will be over before you know it. And don’t lose site of the bigger picture; it’s all about the celebration of you and your soulmate uniting in the presence of your loved ones and beginning a new life together.

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