If you think weddings should be light, bright, and airy, this wedding at the Hilton Garden Inn Southpointe will force you to think again. With the deepest of burgundy shades as its main color, Samantha and Brian’s celebration was inspired by the fall season and dramatic romance. Combining the dark red hue with black and other tones on the spectrum, the couple crafted a day that was rich and striking. Samantha even rocked a head-turning ruby lip, thanks to JL Makeup Studio & Beauty Boutique! The wedding was full of subtle autumnal nods, as well as plenty of DIY elements. The bride and her mother spent months curating and crafting the centerpieces, signs, and other decor. The heartfelt touches didn’t stop there. Brian’s sister officiated the ceremony, Samantha and her dad pulled off an epic father/daughter dance, and the groom was surprised by a video message from his best man, who was deployed in Turkey at the time of the wedding. Today’s feature is as stylish as it is emotional. Check out these images from Oakwood Photo + Video!
About the Couple
We met at a conference in high school in Hershey, PA. He went to Moon; I went to Norwin. He was so cute that I had a girl from his high school introduce him to me. We exchanged numbers and dated for a few months after. We decided to end it because we were seniors and going to school 3+ hours apart. But we stayed friends all through college. We would meet up on dates sometimes if we were both single, text weekly, and call each other on our way home from school for long breaks. He would even send me flowers from time to time. Well, after school, we both had jobs in our fields. His dad found out that I was in marketing, and he offered me a job closer to home. I took it and moved from Erie back to Pittsburgh. A week later, Brian asked me to dinner and we have been together ever since!
About the Wedding
Our wedding was very fall themed with lots of rich reds and navy. It was incredibly romantic. My mom and I did the decor ourselves. We made all the centerpieces from scratch, which was so fun!
Favorite Moment
His sister was our officiant, which was so meaningful to us both. Also, we wrote our own vows and we loved that part of the ceremony so much.
Brian’s best man is deployed in Turkey. He and I decided to surprise Brian with a filmed speech. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience. Brian and Nick are very close and I know that meant the world to him to see and hear him on the wedding day in some way since he couldn’t be there.
My dad and I spent months planning our father/daughter dance, which was so fun! We are best buds and it was a dance filled with so much laughter and love. The DJ timed it just right and we will forever cherish that moment!
