For Brianna & Zach, twice the ‘I do’

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By Kellie Mazur / Photography by Autumn Jo Photo Co.

“If I knew I was having the first wedding, I wouldn’t have had the second,” jokes Brianna Lanoye. “But both were so incredibly special to us.”

The first of two weddings for Brianna and her husband Zach Klapp was a complete surprise thrown by the staff and students of Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School (BuffSci), where Brianna serves as principal.

“They started planning two or three weeks ahead of time with the help of my assistant principal, Courtney Champlin,” says Brianna. “Two students from each grade were selected to be part of the wedding party who walked down the aisle with roses, while other students were officiants or gave marriage advice as part of our vows.”

Brianna was on lunch duty when the final details came together. When she stepped outside to find her students dressed up and Zach waiting at the end of the aisle, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“I was overwhelmed by the purest sense of joy and gratitude” she says. “It was such a beautiful celebration of the school community and culture that we’ve built, centered around sharing happy moments like this together.”

Day-of details

A few weeks later, Brianna and Zach celebrated their second wedding, the one they had been openly planning. But BuffSci was still part of the day.

“I may be the principal, but Zach has been present here from the beginning. He’s made furniture, helped with landscaping and even built an entire train station for the kids,” Brianna says. “We held the ceremony in the backyard of the school to show people how special this place is to both of us.”

Community is deeply important to Brianna and Zach. The couple, who met as powerlifters at the same gym, found meaningful ways throughout their wedding day to honor the friends and family who helped shape their relationship.

Tunisian lemonade, made by cousin and colleague Hayfa, was served following the ceremony. Two stained-glass butterflies representing Brianna’s grandmothers were crafted for her bouquet by her younger sister, Alyssa. The reception was held in the courtyard of Barrel & Brine, owned by close friends RJ and Lindsey.

“In our case, we literally couldn’t have done it without all our friends and family, especially when it came to setup,” Brianna laughs. “Having parts of the wedding at a school and a courtyard means you’re responsible for bringing everything in. It took a lot of hard work and effort from everyone, but that made it all the more special.”

When asked what advice she’d give to other couples planning their wedding, Brianna doesn’t hesitate.

“Make it about your community and sharing the day with others,” she says. “Life moves so fast, and we’re always go, go, go. But it matters who you’re with along the way. Whether that’s your work community, your gym community, your family or your friends, be present with them, and make the day about celebrating that.”