AELO Alumni | Julia + Zack, 6/28/25

Real Wedding

Feb 4

Julia and Zack packed up and moved from Chicago to Philadelphia just a few months before they were to be married. With wedding plans already cemented in Chicago , they decided that their wedding weekend would be their last hurrah in the Windy City, but with fun, Philly-flair. So on a sunny evening in June, Julia and Zack became husband and wife with the incredible Chicago skyline as their backdrop. Family and friends from Pennsylvania, Washington, Illinois and beyond were in attendance to cheer them on. Music is a huge part of their relationship. They bonded over singing and playing guitars together during COVID. So to honor their musical history, they wrote and performed a first song in lieu of a first dance. It was one of the best moments of the night with not a dry eye in the house. Another key moment came when Julia's siblings passed out 100 parasols and got the whole crowd hopping for the family's tradition of umbrella dancing with a wild appearance by Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot. Gritty broke it down on the dance floor while guests with umbrellas paraded around the room creating a colorful canopy. It was amazing to observe! Julia and Zack did such a great job making their wedding day unique, personal, and filled with family traditions. Congratulations!