bride's hometown: Marietta, PA

groom's hometown: York, PA

current place of residence: Wrightsville, PA

bride's occupation: teacher

groom's occupation: carpenter

how they met: Rebekah and John met online during the summer of 2020. "Our first date was kayaking on the Susquehanna, and we both knew that it was the start of something amazing," Rebekah shares. "We were very intentional on getting to know one another and seeking God's wisdom as we grew closer together."

the proposal: John decided to pop the question at the end of a kayaking trip he and Rebekah took in the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon with friends from church. Unbeknownst to Rebekah, John had previously asked her dad for permission to marry her and had hidden the ring in his backpack on the kayaking trip. After everyone else left for home the last morning, the couple decided to spend more time hiking in the area. After finding a gorgeous overlook with no one else in sight, John asked Rebekah to look out across the valley so he could "take a picture." "The next thing I knew, he was right behind me and said my name; I turned and saw him down on one knee holding the ring," Rebekah recalls. "He asked me to marry him, and in my excitement I forgot to say yes as we hugged and cried tears of joy." "Is that a yes, then?" John asked. Through tears, Rebekah answered with a verbal affirmative, and the rest is history. "John had asked me weeks before how long I needed to plan for a wedding, and I told him at least three months," Rebekah says. "As it turned out, it would be exactly three months to the day until our wedding."

length of engagement: three months

honeymoon destination: Shenandoah National Park and Chincoteague, VA

The Wedding

ceremony and reception location: White Chimneys, Gap, PA

wedding colors: smoky blue, sage green, navy, and silver

wedding theme: elegant and rustic

the menu: smoked brisket and chicken, baked potatoes, green beans, and a salad, along with hors d'oeuvres of a charcuterie board with fruits

cake: a single-tier, vanilla cake with buttercream icing and gold flakes for the bride and groom, with a dessert table with cupcakes, cookies, mousse, and cake pops for the guests

flowers: white dahlias and zinnias, with fillers of cosmos, dusty miller, Queen Anne's lace, sedum, snapdragons, and sage

first dance song and artist: "Promise I Always Will" by Steffany Gretzinger

special element: Rebekah's dad, the pastor of the couple's church, officiated at the ceremony. "It was very special," Rebekah says.

favorite design element: the venue's beautiful landscape and architecture, including the bride entrance leading into the European gardens with a fountain and down the aisle to the pergola

favor: In lieu of favors, the couple made a financial donation to Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development, where their ring bearer had attended.

One thing worth splurging on: a photographer. "This is the most important day of your life, and it will go by in a flash!" Rebekah shares. "You want to be able to go back to that day for years to come. This one area where you do not want to cut corners."

Vendors

photographer: Abi Harte Photography LLC, Hershey, PA

videographer: Agape Films, Strasburg, PA

flowers: grown by a friend of the couple

bride's dress: Dream Bridal Resale, Wrightsville, PA

dress alterations: completed by the friend of the couple who provided the flowers

caterer: Scruffy's BBQ, run by a couple from the bride and groom's church

cake: Frenchies Bakery, Hershey, PA

cupcakes: Oregon Dairy, Lancaster, PA

additional desserts: baked by friends and Scruffy's BBQ

decorations: The bride used decorations she had saved for several years, and her family decorated prior to the wedding.

makeup: the bride's sister, who was her maid of honor

hair: a friend of the bride

wedding planning: the bride and her mother

worship for the wedding ceremony: two of the couple's friends from church

officiant: the bride's father

wedding decor: family and friends of the couple

master of ceremonies: a friend of the couple

music: the couple created a Spotify list for the reception

rehearsal dinner: Loxley's Restaurant, Lancaster, PA

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

Rebekah: We started by researching and contacting wedding venues. With three months' time, finding a venue was the first priority so we could set a date and send out invitations.

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

Rebekah: I had a variety of ideas collected on Pinterest, so I knew what I wanted the groom and wedding party to wear, but I also wanted the attire to be reasonably priced and comfortable. I waited for sales at Kohl's before having the groom and groomsmen purchase matching vests, shirts, and khakis, all items that they could wear again. I gave the bridesmaids the color I wanted them to wear and had them choose a dress that they felt most comfortable in. For my dress, I visited several bridal boutiques with my mom. There are so many beautiful options for under $1,000! The original style I had imagined myself in was not the style I ended up buying. Brides, try on every style of dress; it is not every day you get to try on gorgeous gowns - and you might be surprised with what you end up choosing! I found my dress, the dress, at Dream Bridal Resale. My experience here, both in service and dress variety, was wonderful.

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

Rebekah: As believers in Christ, my husband and I wanted to honor God with our wedding, so we incorporated worship, Communion, and prayer into the service. I chose the decor pieces, designed the table decorations, and created the signs for our wedding. Both my husband and I love playing games with friends and family, so we had several yard games available before the reception started. We also left the reception in my husband's convertible and included the car in some of our wedding photos.

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

Rebekah: Everyone was so excited for our marriage and wedding planning, which was great; however, with that comes many varying opinions about how things should be done. It is important to listen to others' advice, but ultimately we, as the bride and groom, made the final decisions.

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

Rebekah: Accept that not everything will meet your expectations. Learn to just roll with it, make the most of every moment, and keep your eyes on the big picture. It's your wedding! Don't let the small details ruin your big day.