Warm Earthy Wedding at Oglebay Resort: Melissa & Austin

For Melissa and Austin – two self-proclaimed outdoors lovers – an earthy wedding inspired by Mother Nature made perfect sense. With the luscious natural beauty of Oglebay Resort as their backdrop, the couple sought to create a wedding day full of warmth and romance with a welcoming, relaxed vibe. A color palette of taupe, grayed lavender, white, and sage was a nice, neutral combination while marsala gave things the tiniest of dramatic pops. To create an intimate ambiance while drawing attention to the venue’s gorgeousness, the hall’s exposed wooden beams and high-vaulted ceiling were dripping with bistro lights and hanging greenery chandeliers. Hand-painted wooden table numbers and craft paper escort cards added another natural element, while greenery table runners and an abundance of gold pillar candles gave the room a soft, fresh feel. Dripping in romance but giving off a chic-meets-casual vibe, Melissa and Austin’s wedding was beautifully documented by Leeann Marie, Wedding Photographers. You’re going to LOVE it!

From the bride…

Tell me about yourselves! When and how did you meet? How long have you been together? How did you get engaged? All the juicy details!

We actually went to pre-school together, but didn’t become friends until middle school. After a brief period of dating in high school, we went our separate ways for college. Late 2012, we were brought together again and began to date long distance and that’s where our strong relationship truly started.

In January 2016, I was going with Austin’s family on their annual ski trip for the first time. One evening before the family’s dinner reservation, Austin asked me if we could leave early to pick up a new hat for him. On the way, he said he wanted to take a picture in front of the iconic covered bridge. While we were “looking for someone to
take a picture of us”, Austin got down on one knee. A photographer popped out of the shadows and there was cheering everywhere! After a small session with the photographer, Austin took me to the restaurant where not only Austin’s family was waiting, but so was mine! It was a complete surprise and a night that will forever be cherished!

Describe the wedding and what inspired it. What was unique about it?

We both love the outdoors, so we wanted to keep things earthy and natural. Oglebay Resort was the perfect venue for our vision, between the breathtaking views of the grounds to Glessner Hall’s amazing exposed wood beams and high-vaulted ceiling. We only wanted to enhance the space, not engulf it.

We loved the space as it was and we wanted our guests to feel relaxed, so we focused on a lot of candles surrounded by greenery, with the only other light coming from the dim bistro lights. It was romantic, warm, and welcoming.

What was your favorite moment of the day?

My favorite moment of the day was when we were listening to the bridal party speeches and I thought, “Wow, I have never felt this much love in one room.”

Time truly felt like it had stopped for a moment. My husband and I share a deep love, and we also share very strong relationships with our family and friends. I obviously knew how much each guest meant to us, but I have never felt something so “right” in my life. Looking back on it, sitting there at our harvest table was the first moment of rest I felt, where I could look around and take it all in, and it just all felt so right. Every second of the day was what it was truly meant to be.

Is there any advice you would give to other couples planning their big day?

Your wedding day is one of the greatest days of your lives. Not only for you as a couple, but also for your families and friends. It is such a magical day, no matter how much planning goes into it. Any detail that might have caused prior stress will not matter the day of. I promise, if you stay true to who you and your spouse are, you will have a day that is only filled with love and endless memories.