AQUA by El Gaucho

Welcome Party

Wedding Day

Olympic Sculpture Park

Ceremony

Reception

Shorty's

After Party

Our Wedding

"It's called fate, and it's great. That's an easy way to remember it."– Tina Belcher

From Hinge to Hitched

As with many modern love stories — we met on Hinge. Fate decided to give us a little boost when we realized we lived just seven blocks apart on the Upper West Side in New York City. Our first date was planned as casual coffee in Central Park on the first warm, sunny day of spring. But it turned into something much more memorable, complete with piña coladas at Tiki Chick and hours of conversation that felt effortless and familiar. It was one of those rare days where time slipped away and being together just felt… right. From that moment on, there was no going back. We fell in love over shared playlists (shout out to Sammy Rae and The Friends), surprise date nights, Star Wars marathons, improvised jingles, about 20 rewatches of Bob's Burgers, and more giggles than we'd care to admit. What began as a simple match on an app quickly grew into a deep friendship, a true partnership, and a love that continues to surprise and inspire us every day. Being together feels like home — safe, joyful, and full of laughter — and we truly can’t wait to begin this next chapter and our forever, hand in hand with smiles from ear to ear.

Our Story

Photography by Emett Joseph<a href="https://emettjoseph.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://emettjoseph.com/</a>

Photos

Violet Anastasia Reis

Michael David Zierolf

Carly Nazaryk Reyes

Jack Zierolf

Gabrielle Valdez

JC Demetree

Alison Sullivan

Brock Park

Olivia Nishi

Bobby Sparzo

Alexandra Hartman

Bobby Callahan

Julie Cullinane

Kevin Cullinane

Christie Zierolf-Meehan

Connor Meehan

Gus Miller

Wedding Party

Pros Dish on What to Wear to a Wedding

40 Affordable Guest Dresses to Save Money

Affordable Suits? They're a Click Away

We’d love for our wedding to feel as joyful, expressive, and full of personality as the people celebrating with us. Formal attire is encouraged, but we also invite you to have fun with it — whether that means a bold color, unique silhouette, statement accessories, or a look that simply makes you feel your best. Come dressed elegantly, confidently, and most importantly, like yourself!

Dress Code

Hotel Blocks

If our reserved room blocks are fully booked, we recommend checking the hotel’s website directly, as you may find comparable rates available.

Hotel Ändra Seattle - MGallery Collection

2000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121<a href="https://www.idem.events/r/violet-reis-michael-zierolf-wedding-room-block-b7e2906c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reservation Link</a>

Mayflower Park Hotel

405 Olive Wy, Seattle, WA 98101<a href="https://reservations.travelclick.com/6628?groupID=5033802" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reservation Link</a>

Additional Options

Inn at the Market

<a href="https://www.innatthemarket.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">86 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101</a>

The Edgewater Hotel

<a href="https://www.edgewaterhotel.com/?NCK=8666391274&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=717339538&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADO1OjP7fcGEDT9gIQ86GFUVungCl&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAxc_JBhA2EiwAFVs7XM2cBSkmz7F0D2fnEJzJ2nPrb2ctcWpZvyhdsiP_h38N49paUT8EuBoCacIQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2411 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121</a>

Hyatt Regency Seattle

<a href="https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/en-US/sears-hyatt-regency-seattle?src=agn_koddi_crp_chico_ppc_21854105504_Conversion_Regency_Google_Search_English_SEARS_Seattle_Paid_Brand_CrossDevice_1x1_google_Koddi-TopUp-Evergreen-Brand_e_hyatt%20regency%20seattle&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21854105504&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAxc_JBhA2EiwAFVs7XDqoQ4UKsSrmAlbtVPu-Ily0pxRB8y9ZmFxTy80Ch59Cm5LG4auDwhoC1XMQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">808 Howell St, Seattle, WA 98101</a>

Lotte Hotel Seattle

<a href="https://www.lottehotelseattle.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=10597239282&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACSICXOMxt9hsJ0jH9I26A2RKU8Wh&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAxc_JBhA2EiwAFVs7XDdoFC4pN1pRSGh-vW2jJy_fjIqet48FjtxRI4QN7-3_7_QwBv5_vhoCfy8QAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">809 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104</a>

The Sound Hotel

<a href="https://thesoundhotelseattle.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2120 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121</a>

Hotels

Link Light Rail Website:In general, to go north and south for a distance, the light rail is the best option.&nbsp;It is also your cheapest option for getting to and from the airport, $3 each way.<a href="https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/stations/link-light-rail-stations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/stations/link-light-rail-stations</a>&nbsp; Bus Service Website:For shorter trips and to go east and west, you need to take a bus.&nbsp;<a href="https://share.google/YooFUBdEnv6FautKJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://share.google/YooFUBdEnv6FautKJ</a> Uber/Lyft/TaxisThese are quick and plentiful but expensive.&nbsp;Seattle is the most expensive city in the US to take an Uber.&nbsp;An Uber from the airport to downtown will be about $65-90.&nbsp;An Uber from the Mayflower or the Hotel Andra to the wedding venue will be about $12 each way so plan ahead and share rides.

Getting Around Seattle - Transport Guide

Travel

City Pass:City Pass includes some of the most popular attractions and offers discounts when you want to visit more than one of them.&nbsp;The Chihuly Garden and Glass Art Museum and the Space Needle are not to be missed!<a href="https://www.citypass.com/seattle-comparison" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.citypass.com/seattle-comparison</a> Included Attractions:- Space Needle	(Seattle Center/ Queen Anne)- Chihuly Garden and Glass	(Seattle Center/Queen Anne)- Pacific Science Center&nbsp;(Seattle Center/Queen Anne)- Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP)	(Seattle Center/Queen Anne)- Seattle Aquarium	(Seattle Waterfront)- Argosy Cruises	(Seattle Waterfront)- Woodland Park Zoo (Phinney Ridge, north of Seattle) See below for additional things to do, listed by neighborhood. Free walking tours you can download:<a href="https://historylink.tours/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://historylink.tours/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; Shopping:	<a href="https://visitseattle.org/things-to-do/shopping/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitseattle.org/things-to-do/shopping/</a> THINGS TO DO BY NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown:<a href="https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/downtown-seattle/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/downtown-seattle/</a> Pike Place Market<a href="https://www.pikeplacemarket.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.pikeplacemarket.org/</a>Seattle Underground tour:<a href="https://undergroundtour.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://undergroundtour.com/</a>Olympic Sculpture Park (also the wedding venue)<a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/olympic-sculpture-park/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/olympic-sculpture-park/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Seattle Art Museum<a href="https://seattleartmuseum.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://seattleartmuseum.org/</a>Central Library | The Seattle Public Library&nbsp;<a href="https://share.google/QO8A4gxBdwXVkzyxC" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://share.google/QO8A4gxBdwXVkzyxC</a>The Spheres<a href="https://www.seattlespheres.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.seattlespheres.com/</a>Great Wheel:<a href="https://seattlegreatwheel.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://seattlegreatwheel.com/</a>Seattle Waterfront<a href="https://newseattlewaterfront.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://newseattlewaterfront.org/</a>Ferries<a href="https://stateofwatourism.com/seattle-day-trips-by-ferry/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://stateofwatourism.com/seattle-day-trips-by-ferry/</a>Center for Wooden Boats<a href="https://www.cwb.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.cwb.org/</a>Museum of History and Industry, including a children’s museum<a href="https://mohai.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://mohai.org/</a> Ballard:<a href="https://www.visitballard.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.visitballard.com/</a> Ballard Locks<a href="https://ballardlocks.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ballardlocks.org</a>National Nordic Museum<a href="https://www.nordicmuseum.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.nordicmuseum.org</a>Ballard Farmer's Market on Sundays<a href="https://www.sfmamarkets.com/visit-ballard-farmers-market" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.sfmamarkets.com/visit-ballard-farmers-market</a> Fremont:<a href="https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/fremont-wallingford/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/fremont-wallingford/</a> Gas Works Park<a href="https://www.seattle.gov/parks/parks/gas-works-park" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.seattle.gov/parks/parks/gas-works-park</a>Walk or bike the Burke-Gilman<a href="https://www.seattle.gov/parks/parks/burke-gilman-trail" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.seattle.gov/parks/parks/burke-gilman-trail</a>Fremont Troll<a href="https://theramblingrenegade.com/original-fremont-troll/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://theramblingrenegade.com/original-fremont-troll/</a>Statue of Lenin<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Lenin_(Seattle)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Lenin_(Seattle)</a>Archie Mcphee<a href="https://archiemcpheeseattle.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://archiemcpheeseattle.com/</a> Capitol&nbsp;Hill:<a href="https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/capitol-hill/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/capitol-hill/</a> Volunteer Park Conservatory<a href="https://www.volunteerparkconservatory.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.volunteerparkconservatory.org/</a>Cal Anderson Park<a href="https://www.seattle.gov/parks/parks/cal-anderson-park" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.seattle.gov/parks/parks/cal-anderson-park</a>Colorful Street Art<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/sample-seattle-street-art-with-a-short-walk-featuring-capitol-hill-murals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/sample-seattle-street-art-with-a-short-walk-featuring-capitol-hill-murals/</a>Dick’s Drive-In<a href="https://ddir.com/locations/broadway" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ddir.com/locations/broadway</a>Elliot Bay Book Company<a href="https://www.elliottbaybook.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.elliottbaybook.com/</a> University District:<a href="https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/university-district/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/university-district/</a> Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture<a href="https://www.burkemuseum.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.burkemuseum.org/</a>University of Washington<a href="https://www.washington.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.washington.edu/</a>Suzzallo Library<a href="https://lib.uw.edu/location/suzzallo-and-allen-libraries/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://lib.uw.edu/location/suzzallo-and-allen-libraries/</a>Canoe/Kayak/Paddleboard<a href="https://www.washington.edu/ima/waterfront/boat-rentals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.washington.edu/ima/waterfront/boat-rentals/</a> Seattle Center/Queen Anne:&nbsp; See also city pass above for the main attractions here<a href="https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/queen-anne/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/queen-anne/</a>International Fountain<a href="https://www.seattlecenter.com/explore/attractions/international-fountain" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.seattlecenter.com/explore/attractions/international-fountain</a> Chinatown-International District:<a href="https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/international-district/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/international-district/</a> Wing Luke Museum&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wingluke.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.wingluke.org/</a>Seattle Pinball Museum<a href="https://seattlepinballmuseum.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://seattlepinballmuseum.com/</a>Uwajimaya<a href="https://www.uwajimaya.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.uwajimaya.com/</a>Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory<a href="https://www.goldengatefortunecookies.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.goldengatefortunecookies.com/</a>Dim Sum at Diamond Bay<a href="https://www.diamondbay.online/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.diamondbay.online/</a> FURTHER OUT DESTINATIONS / DAY TRIPS:﻿List of 30 day trips:<a href="https://postcardstoseattle.com/day-trips-from-seattle/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://postcardstoseattle.com/day-trips-from-seattle/</a>Would recommend any of these. Travel times vary from 30 minutes to 3 ½ hours each way. Mount St. Helens National Volcanic MonumentVery long day trip but worth it.&nbsp;3 hours and 45 minutes each way to the north side.The mountain's eruption on May 18, 1980 is the most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history.<a href="https://www.mshinstitute.org/visit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.mshinstitute.org/visit</a>

Things to Do in and Around Seattle 

Things to Do

Fiction &amp; Literature"Where'd You Go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple:A humorous novel that dives into the quirks of Seattle's elite, tech culture, and rainy atmosphere. "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford:A historical novel set during WWII that centers on the Panama Hotel in the International District, exploring Chinese and Japanese American history. "The Hollow Kingdom" by Kira Jane Buxton:A quirky, apocalyptic tale set in Seattle (specifically in the Ravenna/Roosevelt neighborhoods) told from the perspective of a crow. "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein:A popular novel narrated by a dog that captures the Pacific Northwest spirit. "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson:While focused on Puget Sound island life, this captures the atmosphere, history, and natural beauty of the region. "The Girl Who Wrote in Silk" by Kelli Estes:A dual-timeline novel connecting a modern resident with a Chinese woman's experience on Orcas Island and Seattle in the late 1800s. History, Culture, &amp; Non-Fiction"The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown:Details the University of Washington rowing team's journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. "Chief Seattle and the Town that Took His Name" by David Buerge:A deep dive into the biography of the man for whom the city is named, detailing early Seattle history. "Heavier Than Heaven" by Charles Cross:The definitive biography of Kurt Cobain, crucial for understanding Seattle's 1990s grunge scene. "The Good Rain" by Timothy Egan:A collection of essays by a well-known PNW author exploring Washington state with a strong Seattle focus. "Seattle Walk Report" by Susanna Ryan:A charming illustrated guide detailing the unique, small details found while walking through different Seattle neighborhoods. "Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens" by Steve Olson.It weaves together the personal stories of victims, survivors, and scientists with the broader social and environmental context of the era. Mystery &amp; Local Scene"The Solace of Bay Leaves" by Leslie Budewitz:A mystery set in Pike Place Market, perfect for getting into the atmosphere of the city's famous market. "The Search for the Green River Killer" by Carlton Smith and Thomas Guillen:A true-crime account of the infamous investigation that gripped the region in the 1980s. "Little Secrets" by Jennifer Hillier:A thriller that takes place around Pike Place Market and Greenlake.

Violet & Michael

Violet & Michael

Wedding Party