Rachael Mintzlaff and Jason Lewis’ relationship has been full of unconventional moments. When they met, she was on a strict training regimen and carefully watching her diet, so their first date wasn’t the usual movie or dinner out—it was a trip to the grocery store for some healthy shopping. “I showed him how to pick nutritious fruits and vegetables, and he appreciated that,” says Rachael, a fitness trainer. After their productive produce outing, the pair watched March Madness basketball together. “At the time, I was a personal trainer at the gym where Jason was working out,” Rachael says of their introduction. “He was too nervous to talk to me, but his trainer wanted us to get together and joked that he would get an extra-tough workout if he didn’t call me.”

Jason also popped the question in an unusual way. On the evening of his 30th birthday, the couple used their Apple watches to take a GPS-guided stroll around the historic St. Charles waterfront. “Every few yards, his watch would buzz for us to turn left or right,” Rachael remembers. “We’d go about 10 feet, then he would pull an odd U-turn. I thought, ‘This is the most inconsistent walk ever! What kind of runner would create this trail?’ But I kept following his directions.” When they finally stopped at a Frontier Park pavilion overlooking the Missouri River, Jason told Rachael to look at the GPS route that had been mapped out. It spelled ‘Marry Me.’ He then presented her with a ring.

“I was in shock—I didn’t cry, I just felt happy and excited,” Rachael says of the big moment. “We had reservations for Jason’s birthday at Kemoll’s that evening, and he asked me not to tell anyone until the next day so we could have the evening to ourselves. But he had invited our families to the restaurant!” Jason told their relatives it was just a birthday dinner, so they were as surprised to learn about the engagement as Rachael was to see them. Her brother Jared even flew in from Maryland to attend the celebration. The couple is planning a late afternoon wedding and evening reception at The Country Club of St. Albans, and they hope to do some hiking in Hawaii on their honeymoon. They’ll celebrate with bachelor and bachelorette parties in Las Vegas and Miami, respectively. Rachael owns A Perfect Fit + Wellbridge Athletic Club, and Jason works for GE Healthcare. They live in Kirkwood.

resources
ceremony & reception | The Country Club of St. Albans
gown | Pronovias
cake | Sarah’s Cake Stop
honeymoon | Hawaii

wedding party 
maid of honor | Sarah Mintzlaff
bridesmaids | Lois Veguilla, Jory Hamilton, Kim Hardan, Lauren Lewis, Katie Milleville
best man | Daniel Hopkins
groomsmen | Jared Mintzlaff, Clark Morris, Justin Taylor, Brian Corrigan, Justin Powelson, Tyler Stewart, Vince Butano
bride’s parents | Jeffrey & Maureen Mintzlaff of Kirkwood
groom’s parents | Lew & Cindy Lewis of Chesterfield

wedding date | sept. 29, 2018