bride's hometown: Ronks, PA

groom's hometown: Oneonta, AL

current place of residence: Colorado Springs, CO

bride's occupation: hair stylist and wood finisher

groom's occupation: Army officer

how they met: Rosalyn and Samuel met through mutual friends at a New Year's party. After being friends since 2017, they reconnected in 2019 when Sam returned from Airborne School and a tour in South Korea. Rosalyn turned him down several times before agreeing to date him in October 2019. With Sam stationed in Colorado, the couple dated long distance but still saw each other in person every few weeks, with Sam finding excuses to visit the area.

the proposal: Sam and his family planned a trip to Gatlinburg, Tenn., for Valentine's Day. "They had all told me they'd wanted to get some new family pictures of all of us while we were there," Rosalyn shares, with the "moon rocks" on Little Pigeon River in Greenbrier Park serving as the photo shoot location. Rosalyn and Sam arrived before the rest of his family, so the photographer suggested the couple start setting up and testing the lighting in the meantime. "That's when Sam got on one knee and asked me to marry him," Rosalyn recalls. So, instead of family pictures, the couple ended up with photographic reminders of their engagement, all planned in advance by Sam. "Sam knew that pictures were so important to me," Rosalyn says. "He spent significant time researching photographers in the area to find the best one and planned this proposal perfectly."

length of engagement: just over three months

honeymoon destination: Italy, when COVID allows

The Wedding

wedding date: June 21, 2020, and Aug. 16, 2020

first ceremony location: Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO

second ceremony and reception location: Nissley Vineyards, Bainbridge, PA

wedding colors: champagne neutrals, olive green, charcoal, marsala red

wedding theme: garden party

unity ceremony: "We created a unique 'wine unity ceremony,'" says Rosalyn. "Our pastor explained the tradition of Jewish parents handing their children a glass of wine to symbolize taking responsibility for their own life. Then we combined our glasses of wine (red and white) to create a new wine, a Rose, representing becoming one, a new life, and permanently united. We both drank the cup. Then we smashed the glass to represent that no one else can drink from our covenant."

flowers: eucalyptus, red scabiosa, white roses, white hydrangea, and wax flower

the menu: beef brisket, chicken barbecue, macaroni and cheese, Caesar salad, and green beans

cake: vanilla with white frosting

first dance song: "You, Wonderful You" by Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, from the couple's favorite show, "The Dick Van Dyke Show"

favor: mini cardboard suitcases with Italian candy inside, a reference to the couple's long-distance relationship and planned honeymoon to Italy

something worth splurging on: a photographer

Vendors

photography: John Malloy Photography, Red Lion, PA

flowers: Sam's mother

disc jockey: Dylan Heisler

catering: Dickey's BBQ, York, PA

bride's dress: David's Bridal

groom's attire: Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and Army Service Uniform (ASU)

hair: Rosalyn

cake: House of Clarendon, Lancaster, PA

engagement ring: ordered from an ethical moissanite jeweler and set in platinum by James Allan

 

The Wedding Planner: What was the first thing you did when you began to plan your wedding? What inspired you to start there?

Rosalyn: We found a venue and picked a date; it's hard to have concrete plans without a date set in stone.

 

TWP: How did you select the bride's dress, the groom's attire, and the outfits of the members of the wedding party?

Rosalyn: I left the dresses up to the girls. I showed them the shades I preferred and then let them pick whatever dress they wanted so long as it was floor length. I wanted a variety of textures and shades. They couldn't have picked a better combination of colors and textures if I had picked them myself!

 

TWP: How did you incorporate the tastes and personalities of both the bride and the groom into the wedding?

Rosalyn: Sam and I both have a love for the vintage classics and incorporated that by both including vintage decor as well as wearing the AGSUs that the army just released; they are a reproduction of the WWII uniform. I'm a big dancer, and we made sure to give time for dancing!

 

TWP: What did you find to be the biggest challenge/hurdle in planning a wedding?

Rosalyn: COVID, of course. We had to reschedule the wedding three times. Thankfully, all vendors adjusted without any issues. The hardest part for me was the number of people who decided not to come. I took every guest who did make it as an extra blessing!

Due to COVID, it was impossible for Sam to come to Pennsylvania for a wedding prior. So we decided with two weeks' notice to elope at Garden of the Gods with a few friends. My dress was covered in pink dust after the ceremony, which I loved! I left it dirty for the second ceremony to bring a piece of the elopement back! We repeated the ceremony at the second wedding to give our friends and family the chance to witness our vows and partner with us in our new covenant.

 

TWP: What is the single most important piece of advice you have for other brides and grooms planning their weddings?

Rosalyn: Go into the day with open hands. Release control, as things won't go according to plan, but gratefully accept all of the things that do go well and look for the little things. Also, make time to enjoy it; it's over in the blink of an eye!