Emerald green details, tons of texture, and a sea of candlelight make this North Park Lodge wedding something extra special. Inspired by vintage vibes from the 1970s, Ruth and Josh sought to plan a celebration that was incredibly reflective of them. That meant champagne bottle labels featuring an engagement photo, a dear friend as their DJ, a signature latte from the Curly Tail Coffee coffee truck named after them, their favorite Aviva Brick Oven pizzas served as dinner, a display of family love birds, DIY’d floral arrangements, a personalized neon sign, and cufflinks with their dog’s face on them. Thoughtful details such as these met a moody vibe inside the hidden gem of a Pittsburgh wedding venue. With some help from EF Lighting and Eventioneers, this rustic lodge was transformed into a hip, modern space that oozed romance. Velvet green heels for her and a velvet green jacket for him, as well as tons of fresh pine trimmings, added a seasonal element to this December celebration. To say we’re obsessed with this wedding from Samantha Taylor Photography would be an understatement.
About the Couple
We met in high school. I was friends with his older sister, so we would all go thrifting and watch movies together. We then ended up going to the same university and I hosted a 12 – 2 a.m. radio show. Josh would finish his shift at the campus coffee shop and then bring me a drink while I DJed. I ended up studying abroad in Ireland over the next semester and he was noticeably flirty, so we would FaceTime every night. We then started dating as soon as I came home in May of 2016.
I had always said that I wanted an engagement that felt very natural and genuine. Throughout the pandemic, we would go on tons of walks together and eventually started to have routine “beer walks.” We’d often end up at this one park in particular that wasn’t special to most people but had a special place in our hearts. One week, he asked if we could do a little beer walk to the park on a Saturday evening, and all of a sudden he pulled out a ring and asked me to marry him! It was the easiest yes ever.
About the Wedding
We both wanted something that felt very “us,” which led to a combination of modern touches, vintage details, and a focus on incorporating tons of candles. We wanted a moody winter vibe that also created a fun environment. The inspiration came from Kacey Musgrave’s wedding and Green Wedding Shoes’ Instagram account, which featured a 70s themed wedding that just spoke to my soul. We had 150 vintage candlestick holders; an excessive amount of fresh pine from Grupp’s Christmas Tree Farm’s tree cuttings; our friend, Sarah, as our amazing DJ; personalized bottles of champagne; hand-painted cufflinks with our dog’s face on them; beautifully unique floral arrangements created by a high school friend; disposable cameras at the cocktail tables; a spread featuring all of the lovers of past generations within our families; big orange buses from Antique Coach Excursions; our favorite beer on tap; a coffee truck featuring an eggnog latte called the “Earley bird special”; and specialty pizzas featuring the Ruth (proscuitto, arugula, mozzarella, and balsamic drizzle) and the Josh (pepperoni and mushroom).
Favorite Moment
Our first look. It was so amazing to get the chance to see one another and just take it all in together. Then, we both got on the bus with our wedding party and rode to the chapel together. It was so nice to just have those fun little moments together before we really started the whole day.
This is gorgeous! I’m considering using the lodge too and it’s amazing how elevated the team was able to make it! Goals!!
I’m wondering if you could share the dimensions of the mirror above the mantle on the fire place? And it looks like it was affixed using the hook to the top of the wall, right? I’m hoping to do something similar with a framed picture, but forgot to grab dimensions for that when I was at the building last. Thanks for your help!