PENNY & MICHELLE - Oak Lodge Weddings

Winter Wedding Feature

We invite you into a love filled woodland wedding at the Oak Lodge venue! With rustic backgrounds and romance, Penny & Michelle tied the knot in a charming celebration in our mountainside Village. The Winter season brings everyone closer together to celebrate in style on our Laurel Highlands hilltop. Imagery provided by North Arrow Photography.

Where does the story begin

Penny & Michelle met online as most of us in the dating world do today! Michelle had posted on her page a playful pickup line that said, “I enjoy long, romantic walks to the refrigerator.” Penny’s interest was sparked and they began messaging back and forth for days, just sharing each other’s hopes and dreams in life. Messages led to their first date, and now they are taking those long, romantic walks to the refrigerator as a married couple!

Phase 2: Popping the Question

Penny had played her cards right and planned a secret proposal in the heart of the Laurel Highlands! Getting everything set up for the big question, she rented a house at Ohiopyle. Knowing Michelle’s love for games, Penny placed out a Monopoly sign, Scrabble board and playing cards to spell out “Marry Me”. In going to pick up Michelle, she told her they were just going to a work happy hour. Michelle was rightfully confused when they pulled into an empty cabin. As they walked inside, Penny got down on her knee and asked to forever be Michelle’s player two! With a sure fire yes, their furever family, Ginger & Henry arrived to make sure the plan was successful.

Saying YES to the Venue

In search of a venue with rustic backdrops and touches of romance, they found Oak Lodge! Both Penny & Michelle agreed that the minute they arrived to the property, they fell in love with the venue. Having never seen such a unique place before, they adored the chapel and overall environment. All wins so far for the game of venue finding!

Favorite wedding day memory

In the planning of a November wedding in the Highlands, one wouldn’t anticipate dancing outside. But Mother Nature was pulling out the stops with these two and the temps were giving plenty of warmth for a night under the lights! With reassurance from their Event Coordinator Alyssa and perfect lighting from DJ Crush, their vision of celebrating under star lights came to life. With the perfect atmosphere to party with their friends and family, this was truly an unforgettable moment during the weekend.

Fill us in on the Fashion

Both said YES to the dress at Sorelle Bridal Salon, in Washington, Pa. Michelle’s dress was designed by Maggie Sottero and Penny’s by Stella York. Neither had seen the other in their dress until the day of, creating the perfect wow moment for a first look amongst the trees! Wanting to compliment a rustic theme, the two chose terracotta and olive for their color scheme. Their bridesmaids fashioned chiffon dresses from Azazie, in a beautiful terracotta shade in varying floor length styles. The bridesmen and fathers sported olive green suits by Giorgio Fiorelli with ivory shirts from Ticknors at Ross Park Mall. A Lars tie with a floral pattern from Frank & Buck for the bridesmen and taupe ties from Ticknors for the fathers pulled it all together. A hidden touch to their father’s ties were pictures from their childhood on the back of each!

Insight into the Vibe

The couple had rustic & playful vibes in mind when planning out the final details of their wedding weekend. With most plans, come bumps in the road. Their original plan was for their dogs to be included, but this was set aside due to Ginger & Henry showing their true attitudes during engagement photos. Moving on but no forgetting, their handsome boys were still incorporated into the seating chart and table numbers! They even made a special appearance on the wedding cake by Tasty Bakery. Floral designs were provided by none other than Farmers Daughter for the big day! Penny & Michelle put full trust in these amazing florists with bringing their ideas and color scheme to life. Working with more additions to the playful details, their FêteFone guest book allowed for everyone to leave them loving and comical well wishes to keep forever. They both even made their very own corn hole boards decorated with their names and wedding date. Wanting their guests to feel extra comfy and ready for the party, a basket of blankets by the fire was a final touch for the night.

Favorite location in the Village

Both Penny & Michelle agree that the Chapel was by far their favorite spot in the Village. Aside from the stunning presence the building has amongst the rest, it was the best alternative to a church wedding. Being a same sex couple, it gave them an opportunity to walk down the aisle to each other and exchange vows. This was definitely a beautiful moment they will cherish and never forget!

special moments to share from the day

The top tier moment of the weekend was their first look! Just being able to share that moment alone amongst the trees together was special for these two. Helping to take their big day in and calm the nerves was pure tranquility. A runner up in special moments was just the overall joy in being able to have their day spent with family and friends. Sharing their love and support for Penny & Michelle was an awesome feeling felt throughout the weekend at Oak Lodge.