10.19.24
Our wedding day was nothing like we had ever imagined. In the best possible way.
The plan was simple, but the moment was unforgettable. After more than 12 years together, we decided to mark this next chapter of our lives with something deeply personal, intimate, and full of love. We chose to surprise our friends and family with a wedding on our property—and it turned out to be the best decision we’ve ever made.
Our closest friends and family gathered under the disguise of our annual fall party. Little did they know, they were about to witness something incredibly special. After over a decade of growing together, it was finally time to make it official. We snuck away mid-party and changed into our wedding attire. We were about to marry each other, but in a way that no one would expect—especially not our loved ones, who thought they were just coming for a day of fun! The sheer surprise on everyone’s faces when they realized what was happening was priceless.
Our dear friend, Matt, who has been a part of our lives for a very long time, was the one who married us. Having someone so close to us guide us through our vows was incredibly meaningful. The ceremony itself was beautiful, filled with laughter, tears, and so much love. Surrounded by the people we care about most, we made our promises to one another, and just like that, we were married! The moment was perfect—simple, yet filled with everything that mattered. It wasn’t about the decorations, the venue, or the grand spectacle; it was about us, our commitment to each other, and the incredible support from the people who’ve stood by us for over 12 years.
Our amazing friends at the Grizzly Bean made our surprise wedding even more special by bringing the coffee truck to provide our guests with delicious coffee, tea, and cocktails and it truly made the day unforgettable. Seeing all the kids and adults enjoy the drinks meant the world to us. Your thoughtfulness and generosity made our celebration even more magical, and we cannot thank you enough for being part of such a meaningful moment in our lives. We feel so lucky to have friends like you!
After the ceremony, we celebrated in the way that felt most us—surrounded by family and friends and a big bonfire! It was a relaxed and joyful celebration, one that will forever be etched in our hearts. Our surprise wedding was the epitome of what we wanted: a day that was meaningful, personal, and filled with love. We’re so grateful for the gorgeous weather, our amazing officiant, and for everyone who was there to witness the start of our next chapter. Looking back, after 12 years together, we wouldn’t have had it any other way.
THE DETAILS:
As promised, I will be sharing and linking all of the little special details, shops and people who helped make our day spectacular!
MY DRESS
When we decided to have a surprise wedding, I knew my biggest challenge would be finding the perfect dress—quickly and without blowing the budget. Like most brides, I turned to online shopping, thinking it would be an easy and convenient way to browse endless options. Little did I know, it would be a frustrating journey of endless scrolling, unanswered questions, and policies that felt anything but bride-friendly.
At first, it seemed like there were thousands of dreamy dresses to choose from. Websites showed perfectly lit photos of models in flowing gowns, promising elegance, romance, and the ideal fit. But as I clicked deeper into each website, I started noticing a pattern—none of them showed real customer photos. Where were the reviews? Where were the honest, unfiltered snapshots of what these dresses actually looked like outside of a staged photoshoot?
Another red flag on all of these bridal websites was that every single site I considered, had a strict "no refunds" policy. Instead, they only offered store credit. STORE CREDIT. For a wedding dress. If the dress arrived looking nothing like the photos or fit like a disaster, I’d be stuck choosing another from the same site, with no guarantee that the second one would be any better.
The more I searched, the more frustrated I became. How could something as important as a wedding dress—arguably one of the most photographed outfits of my life—be such a gamble? I read horror stories of dresses arriving in cheap fabrics, wrong sizes, or looking nothing like the picture, leaving brides scrambling at the last minute. I didn’t want to be one of them. So after what felt like an eternity of searching, I finally found my dress—on Amazon. Of all places! Unlike the other sites I had been scrolling through, Amazon had real customer reviews, a few actual photos from brides who had purchased the dress, and—most importantly—a return policy. It felt like the safest bet, and to my surprise, the dress was everything I had hoped for.
So here is my HONEST review of my Amazon dress. I am 5'6" and 155lbs and I sized up to a 10 (I am usually a size 8). I figured I should size up to accommodate alterations, rather than it arrive and be too small because time was not on my side. I ordered the dress on August 7th and the dress arrived on August 23rd. So keep in mind if you are in a hurry it did take a little over 2 weeks to arrive. The dress fit beautifully. The length was perfect for me even with my boots. The sleeves were long enough which is always a big issue for me. The chest was slightly tight, if you have a large chest I would suggest checking your measurements. I did have the shoulders taken in as it was slightly large in the back and I had a bustle added because we got married in a dirt barn. The BEST detail of the dress was the price. The dress was less than $300!! The dress did come in two pieces and I was not a huge fan of the white underlay that originally came with the dress so I replaced it with a champagne colored slip dress ( also purchased on Amazon see link below) which was very comfortable and flattering. The champagne dress had shapewear already built in which was something I haven't seen before. I just had it altered to match the cut of the back of the dress. Overall the dress fit beautifully, looked stunning, and I got so many compliments on it! My dress can be found here: https://amzn.to/4jAM7p1 and I am working on getting a discount code!
The champagne slip dress can be found here: https://amzn.to/4aDBqxK
ARMAND'S SUIT
Armand's suit was custom tailored by Joe Guerrieri at Private Stash in Youngstown, OH. We cannot thank him enough for his incredible craftsmanship and attention to detail in designing the perfect wedding suit. From the fit to the fabric, every element was beautifully tailored, making it feel truly special for such an important day. If you have an important event or simply wish to have a timeless piece in your wardrobe, I highly recommend contacting him. You can fully personalize your suit by selecting your fabric and adding numerous options from buttons and linings to lapel styles and much more.
You can find his business and contact information on his website: https://privatestash.com/
PHOTOGRAPHER
Our fabulous photographer, Carrie Lee really knocked it out of the park with our photos. We had our photos taken the night before the wedding to make our wedding day as stress free as possible. We also knew we would be rushing to get dressed the day of, so we were able to take our time and get ready the day before. She captured amazing phots of our family and it felt so special to have these photos taken at our property. The way she captured the love, joy, and magic of the moment means the world to us, and we will cherish these photos forever. Thank you Carrie for giving us such a beautiful way to relive this unforgettable day!
You can find Carrie Lee Photography here: https://www.facebook.com/photographybycarrielee
DECOR
We went with banquet seating to maximize space in the tent. Most of our guests sat on hay bales by the fire but we did rent a tent because weather in October in Ohio can be very unpredictable. Thankfully we were blessed with a beautiful day! Mostly all of the decor items we used in the tent can be purchased on Amazon. We went with a simple design of bud vases with baby's breath and white roses. I purchased all of our bulk flowers from Sam's Club for a very reasonable price.
Bud Vases: https://amzn.to/3EgvLBL
Candle sticks: https://amzn.to/3EgvLBL
Table Runners: https://amzn.to/3WGlUeM
I knew I wanted a simple vintage inspired cake for our big day. I baked and decorated my own cake for our reception, however, I found the cutest acrylic cake topper from an Etsy shop that was the perfect shade of brown to match our wedding color scheme! I chose the 4" topper in the shade coffee brown - matte. The cake topper can be found here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1679769614/just-married-acrylic-cake-charm-custom?transaction_id=4278184622
I knew I didn't want a traditional guest book so I was searching online for a fun and unique idea and came across this fun audio guest book phone. You record your "voicemail" and all of your guests get to leave a special message for you. It was so fun to listen to all the messages our guests left for us throughout the night. All of the messages are saved on an SD card and you can download them to your computer and keep them forever.
You can find the audio guestbook here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D7HNWH79/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you for checking out wedding details. Please feel to reach out via email for any questions at evergreenravine@gmail.com If you like seeing my wedding details you can subscribe to my blog and give us a follow on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/evergreenravine/?hl=en You can also send a message via Instagram for a quick response!
Please remember as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Comments