Fall Wedding Feature
We invite you into this chic, lively wedding at the Oak Lodge venue! With touches of emeralds in the Village, the Victoria & Justin said their I Do’s in our log Chapel surrounded by the fallen leaves of the season. Fall brings the wedding party and guests together into the coziness of the Laurel Highlands to celebrate an extravagant event to never forget! Imagery provided by Kait Winston Photography.
Where does the story begin
Victoria & Justin had met through a mutual friend she made during their senior year of high school. Both going to separate schools at the time, Victoria had asked a fellow track athlete to attend her next practice for help with the triple jump. Unbeknownst to her, this friend was bringing along Justin for assistance. Week after week, the two would come to practice to help and Justin would even go as far to risk becoming the perfect human barrier laying down on the track. Little did he know how clumsy Victoria was! Falls on the track led to falling for each other that summer, and that’s where it all began.
Phase 2: Popping the Question
Following the shutdown of 2020, Victoria & Justin along with their friends Ben, Jenn, Jess, and Sid decided to take a trip out to Virginia Beach. With what started as a sunny day and plans to jet ski at the beach, quickly turned into a storm rolling in and a quick pack up of their setup. As they got ready to head off the beach, Justin asked Victoria to walk down to the pier. She was a bit hesitant of the storm, but he was adamant about this one. So the group headed out together and it became unusually silent as they walked onto the pier. Victoria, slightly worried she was about to be struck by lightening, turned around and saw Justin down on his knee with a rather peculiar wedding ring. Unknown to Justin until that moment, the real ring was left in the car due to the impeding weather and the ring he was proposing with was Jess’s father’s class ring! Following a state of shock and several questions on what was happening, she said YES! The falls seem to follow this couple, as on the trek back to get the real ring, Victoria tripped on boardwalk – Definitely the perfect cap to their beach day trip.
Saying YES to the Venue
In search of an exclusive, woodland wedding venue that their guests could spend the weekend at to celebrate, Victoria & Justin chose Oak Lodge! With the help of our Event Coordinator, Alyssa, their vision came to life over the two years leading up to their wedding weekend. The ability to hold a welcome party on property the night before allowed them to interact more with with guests and enjoy more of their ceremony events the following day. Even having Chef Anthony checking in on them during the reception left them feeling truly cared for, as the staff continued to ensure this throughout the weekend. The couple expressed that the positive experiences with our Team at Oak Lodge before, during, and following their wedding helped to solidify their venue decision.
Favorite wedding day memory
The couple landed on their ceremony being the favorite pick for a wedding day memory! Describing it as a perfect blend of humor and authenticity, it was a true compliment to their relationship. Their ceremony and story was effortlessly woven together by Victoria’s cousin, Rev. Heather Maday, the officiant. Justin loved when the chapel doors opened, and he saw her at the end of the aisle. Victoria’s favorite part of the ceremony, that some attending did not notice, was that there were some ladybugs that appeared across the floor of the chapel. Some even came between their feet as they stood together at the front. Ladybugs are widely known as a symbol for protection, healing, good fortune, and grace. These serendipitous details curated a core memory of the start of their lifetime as husband and wife! They enjoyed that their guests left the log chapel having witnessed them in their pure, genuine state together as they tied the knot.
Fill us in on the Fashion
Victoria said Yes to the Dress with the first one she tried on! Going with an Essence of Australia Gown that she customized with bows sleeves found at Lilla’s Bridal Boutique in York, Pennsylvania. With the fall season’s warm palette, the bridesmaid’s fashion focused on jewel tones with earthy greens to compliment Mother Nature’s backdrops. Each bridesmaid wore Emerald velvet floor length dresses from Revelry in their own preferred style. Justin and the groomsmen wore three-piece custom suits that came all the way from the fashion district in India. They received samples of materials and pieced together their entire look from thousands of miles away. The couple gives kudos to one of the Best Men, Sid, who helped to pull the look together after a few visits and many phone calls to the tailor!
Insight into the Theme
Wanting to match the décor to their fashion picks, their color scheme was rich emerald, greens, golds, creams, and a hint of fall colors. Victoria’s floral fairy godmother, Kylie, at Linda Brown’s Floral was a true gem. She created the perfect blend of boho floral trends using a mix of turkey feathers, and fresh & dried florals displayed throughout the Village. To compliment the woodland themes across the property, the couple had a custom oak, chainsaw carving by Paul Waclo displayed at their sweetheart table!
Favorite location on Property
Church Rock lived up to all their anticipated hype and ended up being Victoria & Justin’s favorite location on property. Following a beautiful ceremony, those moments walking through the crisp fall leaves finally together as husband and wife were breathtaking! They expressed that it was an intimate opportunity to breathe and celebrate together for the first time that day. Another top pick on the property was watching the sunrise each morning from the large windows of the Eagles Nest overlooking the hilltops.
special moments to share from the day
One special moment in their weekend definitely had to be the welcome party that they held at the Main Lodge after rehearsal dinner! It was the first time that all their family and friends were together under one roof to celebrate. They loved getting to feel the warmth and excitement from everyone the night before their big day. Their dog, Shadow, wanted to note that he loved getting to fetch his frisbee on the back lawn of the Main Lodge – He enjoyed that there was plenty of room to play, run, and explore while his mom and dad were busy getting married!
Cheers to Mr. & Mrs. Kennedy-Adkins!
