Katie & Eric
How We Met
Eric and I grew up in the same small town and went to the same high school but did not
know each other. We both ended up going to Penn State and studying Biology. We had
a lot of classes together and spent a lot of time together. We did not date in college (Eric
wanted to date and I would not because I wanted to focus on my classes). After
graduation, we started hanging out more and ended up dating. A couple years later, I
got a job offer in Cleveland and we both ended up moving together. We started a new
life in Cleveland with our dream jobs.
The Proposal
The proposal was very sweet. Eric told me to get ready and that we were going to go hiking in one of the local parks with our dog for the day. We went to a waterfall at Brandywine Falls. While I was off taking pictures, Eric attached a box to the collar of our dog, Roxie. When I returned, I saw the box and opened it and inside was a dog tag that said “Katie, will you marry my dad?” Eric was down on his knee when I turned around. He had bought a beautiful ring and I of course, said yes. We had never talked about marriage in our 6 years of dating so it was a complete surprise!
Vendors
Photographer: Felicia’s Photos
Videographer: Dempsey Productions. I had gone back and forth on hiring a videographer but I am so glad we did. Getting to see the video after the wedding was amazing. The videographers were able to capture moments that I did not even see happen.
Florist: Southern Blooms Co. (sola wood flowers)
DJ: UrWay DJ and Weddings with the amazing Wayne Lett (RIP)
Dessert: Cupcakes made by The Kris’s Kreations
Signature Drink:
- Jack and Coke
- “Pink Panties” – pink lemonade, sprite, and vodka
- Wine from wineries near where we grew up
Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal – mermaid fit with a lace overlay
Suits: Bridal Elegance
Hair: Capelli Bella Salon.
Handmade Cake Stopper: Perlilla Pets.
I found Perlilla Pets on Etsy when I was looking for unique cake toppers. Perlilla hand makes all of her cake toppers and I was able to customize the topper down to the color of the flowers in the bride’s bouquet and the tie color on the groom. I wanted to have a special groom’s cake made for Eric. I found a Star Wars cake design I liked but needed a Yoda figurine. I contacted Perlilla and she offered to make a Yoda figurine for me even though it was not listed on her site. Her work was absolutely beautiful and made for great keepsakes after the wedding.
Why We Chose Running Horse Farm
When Eric and I booked Running Horse Farm in February of 2019, the barn was still being renovated. We could tell from talking to Megan and her family that their passion for building a beautiful wedding venue was evident. We booked the barn and could not have picked a better place. Megan updated us on the progres and let us visit the barn many times prior to our wedding. Never once did I question the decision to book a venue that was under construction. I grew up on a small farm and loved the idea of being married in a barn. The venue was absolutely perfect and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a barn wedding.
First Touch
We did not do a first look. Instead we did a first touch. Eric was on one side of a fence and I was on the other. When this idea was proposed to me by Felicia I was excited for it. My dad wanted to trick Eric so once Eric was in place my dad stepped in and pretended to be me and took Eric’s hand. The reaction was priceless. Everyone was laughing and took some nervous feelings away. T then did the first touch with Eric and it was a nice moment. We did not see each other but got to have a few minutes together before the wedding.
“Amazing”
The one word Katie and Eric used to describe how they felt on their big day.
“When planning a wedding, you expect something wrong to happen on the day of. For us, nothing happened. We had the dream team of vendors that made everything go so smoothly. We had the most relaxing, stress-free wedding. From the beginning of the day to the end of the night, it was an amazing day. We could not have asked for a better wedding day.
I DO!
First Dance: Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani – Nobody But You
Our Favorite Moment
In all honesty I do not have a favorite moment. I enjoyed every minute of the day. Getting to spend time with my family and bridesmaids getting ready, seeing Eric for the first time and his reaction (he cried of course), seeing all of our friends and family, to dancing during the reception, it is all moments that will always be with me. One moment that was very special to me was seeing my dad and his 1957 Chevy Bel-Air restored. The 1957 Chevy has been part of my family’s life for a long time. When my parents were married in 1984, the Chevy was in their wedding. After we were engaged, I talked to my parents about having the car in our wedding. My family worked very hard for 2 years to restore the car and it turned out beautiful. The car was able to be at our wedding and we recreated my parents wedding pictures. It was a special moment to see the pride in my dad and all of his hard work.
Covid affected our wedding but not in a large way. From the beginning of wedding planning, we did not have a large number of people invited so we did not have to reduce numbers. We took precautions and made sure that everyone felt safe. We did not do a seating chart so that people could sit wherever they felt comfortable. Our experience at RHF was perfect. Megan was amazing to work with and answered all of my questions throughout the planning process. I would recommend RHF to any bride that is looking for a unique wedding venue in a beautiful setting. After the wedding, we got so many compliments on the barn and what a beautiful and unique venue it is.