When Jill met Zach, she lived on a farm; doted on her horses, dogs and cows; worked for a veterinarian (her mother); attended college; preferred to wear Crocs and enjoyed traveling to far-off places. She could not believe that a man who loved designer shoes and never had a dog or traveled widely was open to being a part of what she calls “my crazy life.”
Jill and Zach pose with her horses, Bogo, Jman and Crete. The two were wed in front of a horse jump decorated by Jill Hoffines-Erb of Floral Designs of Mount Joy.
Jill, who is the daughter of Dr. Janet Distler and the late John A. Distler, began her life in Augusta, Georgia. The family later moved to Bucks County due to her father’s ill health and to be close to family. After John’s death, Janet and Jill settled in the Mechanicsburg area, where one of Jill’s aunts lived. Janet found employment with a veterinary practice in the area and Jill became a student in the Cumberland Valley School District. In 2018, the two relocated to Lancaster County, where Janet bought a Marietta-area farm and became the owner of the Elizabethtown Animal Hospital.
Jill, who has a degree in communications from Elizabethtown College, is the hospital’s practice manager. She dreams of becoming a veterinarian. It was at Elizabethtown College that Jill first set her eyes on Zach, who was intent on earning his MBA. “He was touring the college and sat in on one of my classes,” she explains. Talking together led to hanging out. When Zach accompanied Jill to the wedding of one of her friends, they ran into another one of her friends, who took one look at Zach and asked what he was doing there. It was obvious to Jill that the two had a history. A lightbulb went off. It suddenly occurred to Jill that “her” Zach was the same Zach that her high school friend dated and always talked about. “I never met him,” Jill adds.
Jill putting Rue through her paces at the National Dog Show in 2023.
Zach, who holds a BA in business from Millersville University and an MBA in data analytics from Elizabethtown College, is an E-commerce specialist with Apex Advertising in Lancaster. He became totally immersed in Jill’s life, even becoming what she calls the ultimate “dog dad.” Jill has always been a fan of working dogs and initially her pack was mainly composed of Australian cattle dogs.
Now, besides the two cattle dogs (Carnaby and Rigby), the two are pet parents to Rue, Lennon and Amstele, who are members of the Mudi breed; the herding dogs are indigenous to Hungary and were recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in late 2021. The AKC describes the medium-sized dogs as being intelligent, alert, agile and protective, which makes them excellent herders of sheep and cattle. They haven’t strayed far from their homeland (except for Finland, where they are being successfully used in search-and-rescue operations) and are a rarity in the United States and Canada, where they have proven to be adept at dogsports such as agility, flyball, Fast CAT and obedience.
Zach and Rue at the
Westminster Dog Show.
Rue hails from Flyaway Farm in Montana (Mary Mytych specializes in the breed). Zach mainly serves as Rue’s handler on the show circuit, but at the 2023 National Dog Show (which is hosted by the Philadelphia Kennel Club), Zach’s nerves got the best of him, and Jill had to take over. “I ended up on TV,” she says of the nationally televised show (NBC on Thanksgiving Day) in which Rue was honored with the Best in Breed award. Rue, who is currently ranked #3 Mudi, has also competed at Westminster.
Popping the Question
The two were engaged on June 15, 2022, during a trip to Greece that Zach had planned (only after getting the permission of Janet and Jill’s horses). That trip made Jill realize that Zach was truly one in a million.
Zach arranged for Jill to take part in one of Franklin Fezollari’s “flying dress” photo shoots in Santorini.
One of Jill’s favorite memories of her father entails a jewelry store in Augusta that they often visited. Knowing the special connection she had with Windsor Fine Jewelers, Zach contacted the store and worked with them to design an engagement ring (and later, their wedding bands). He also chose a gorgeous spot overlooking the sea in Santorini to pop the question and made arrangements with photographer Franklin Fezollari to capture the moment. He also arranged for Jill to take part in one of Fezollari’s famous “flying dress” photo shoots. “I’d always wanted to do that,” she says.
The proposal took place on June 15, 2022, in Santorini, Greece.
What happened next truly made Jill realize how much she loved Zach. She began receiving texts from the New Bolton Center animal hospital in Chester County, and learned that her horse, Jman, had to be rushed there for emergency surgery. Since Jill was linked to her mother’s texts, she saw what was happening. It was Zach who immediately said, “We need to go home.” In view of the fact that Zach had put so much work into planning the trip, Jill felt terrible that they had to cut it short. Fortunately, by the time they arrived home, Jman was on the mend and has since made a full recovery.
Jill’s engagement ring had a sentimental connection to her late father.
Let the Planning Begin!
There was no question where the wedding would be held. “I wanted all my animals to be there for the wedding,” Jill explains. The setting, therefore, would be Buttonwood Ridge Farm, where Jill and her mother settled after moving to Lancaster County. Located on the outskirts of Marietta, it was part of the Penn Grant and originally consisted of more than 100 acres. Today, it’s comprised of 11 acres. The farmhouse dates to the early 1800s and has grown in size over time.
There was no question where the wedding would be held: the Distlers’ Buttonwood Ridge Farm near Marietta.
Buttonwood Ridge is where Jill became a bona fide farm girl, recalling that she once bottle-raised a calf and entered the competition for queen of the Elizabethtown Fair. Competing with her horses and dogs is a passion of hers.
The date was also written in stone – June 15 – which meant if they wanted to be married on a Saturday, they had to do so in 2024 or wait until 2030. They chose 2024.
Jill was adamant that she wanted her horses and dogs to be involved in the wedding.
There was also no discussion about the color scheme. Purple, Jill’s favorite color, would be the focus of that, right down to the purple Crocs her attendants would wear under their gray purple-hued gowns. (Her bachelorette party included a trip to a Crocs emporium in New Jersey, to ensure all her attendants would be wearing the same style/color.)
Jill and Zach pose with their attendants and groomsmen.
As for her wedding gown, Jill decided to make “saying yes to the dress” eventful and made an appointment at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York (the location of the TLC show, Say Yes to the Dress). Her gown was truly a custom creation, as five elements of Martina Liana’s designs were combined into one. Ah, but Jill wasn’t finished. The completed gown was then sent to Alteria Garment Dying in Orlando, Florida, where it was dyed to achieve an ombré effect that extended from lavender at the top of the gown to purple at the bottom. “Purple is my color!” she states.
From start to finish, the color purple set the tone.
In planning their ceremony and reception, Jill and Zach worked to create a wedding that would serve as a reflection of their interests and lifestyle. On Friday, they invited guests to Farm Night, which ran from 3-9 p.m., and featured a rehearsal ceremony, a bonfire, games and food from Stoney’s Burgers & Fries (drinks were BYOB).
For the late-afternoon ceremony on Saturday, the 150 guests were asked to wear cocktail attire and gather in a seating area (along with 10 dogs) that took the shape of a horseshoe (for good luck). The two were married in front of a horse jump that was decorated by Jill Hoffines-Erb of Floral Designs of Mount Joy, who employed the bride’s favorite color (purple) and favorite flower (sunflowers) for the jump, as well as for the bouquets and table centerpieces. “She said the horse jump was a first for her,” the bride notes.
The aisle was lined with purple wildflowers.
Jill and Zach also painted the barn with the help of a few family members and strung lights in the trees. Getting the farm wedding-ready, was “truly a labor of love,” says Jill. “We didn’t have a backup for rain,” she reports. “We decided if it rained, we’d get wet.” (Still, she admits to reading six years’ worth of farmer’s almanacs to gauge the chance of rain for the date.) Fortunately, the day was cloud-free, breezy and 78 degrees. Jill and Zach did not recite traditional vows, but instead told stories about each other and their journey to the altar. “We wanted to incorporate humor into our big day,” says Jill.
Jill Hoffines-Erb of Floral Designs of Mount Joy worked with the bride to design a floral story that carried through from the ceremony to the reception, utilizing the color purple and incorporating sunflowers.
They also paid homage to Jill’s favorite band, The Beatles, as she walked down the aisle to the song Here Comes the Sun. (Many of the dogs in attendance had Beatles-related names.)
Jill and Zach pose with their mothers, Dr. Janet Distler and Vicki Nelson, and Zach’s grandmother, Linda Green.
They elected to forego a cake and instead had the Rita’s Mobile Fun Truck onsite. “It was just a fun day,” Jill recalls. “It turned out exactly according to plan.”
After the wedding, the two honeymooned in Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Over the July 4th holiday, they were off to Montana to pick up their new additions to the family, Amstele and Lennon.
Jill wore white Crocs, while Zach wore purple velvet shoes.
As for Zach’s love of shoes, Jill shares a story that relates to one of their first trips together that took them to Iceland. “He took along 10 pairs of shoes but not a jacket,” she says, shaking her head. “Who does that?!”
Jill’s gown was a custom creation from Kleinfeld Bridal in New York. It was then sent to a company in Florida for the dying process.
On Trend
Jill and Zach’s wedding exemplified several trends that will carry into 2025.
Personalization
Non-traditional vows, Italian Ice instead of a wedding cake, the presence of animals … it definitely wasn’t cookie-cutter!
Unexpected Venue
The family farm presented guests with a unique experience.
Friday Funday
The trend is to involve your guests in all the festivities, hence the staid rehearsal/dinner has evolved into a festive welcome party that includes the rehearsal, followed by a fun mixer that takes the shape of a barbecue, pool party, bonfire, etc.
Bold Color
Purple!
Non-Alcohol Beverages
At this wedding, lemonade hit the spot on a day in June.
Dress Code
While Jill and Zach specified cocktail attire, some couples are going as far as denoting a color code for guests.
Credits
- Wedding Photography: Tea Ceresini, Elizabethtown
- Engagement/Flying Dress Photography: Franklin Fezollari, Santorini, Greece
- Bride’s Gown: Kleinfeld Bridal, New York, and Alteria Garment Dying, Orlando, Florida
- Groom’s Attire: Central PA Tuxedo, Lancaster
- Jewelry: Windsor Fine Jewelers, Augusta, Georgia
- Florals: Floral Designs of Mount Joy
- Food: Stoney’s Burgers & Fries, Lancaster, and Sir D’s Catering, New Cumberland
- Dessert: Rita’s Mobile Fun, Elizabethtown
- Videographer: Thomas Kuhkowski
- Music/DJ: Sam Taggart Event Perfectionist, Lancaster
- Fun: FX Photobooths, Elizabethtown
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