Steffy and Mike’s Rustic Pennsylvania Woodland Wedding

In the rustic woodlands of Canadensis, Pennsylvania, Steffy and Mike wed in an intimate ceremony at the their dream wedding venue, the Tall Timber Barn. “During planning, the most important thing was to not lose sight of how intimate this wedding was going to be,” the bride says. “We focused a lot of our time on the ceremony, ceremony music and writing the perfect ceremony that felt the most like us.”

Captured by Smile Peace Love Creative, this wedding is filled with rustic, handmade details that helped bring the bride and groom's dream day to life. We love all the meaningful elements, from the hand-lettered signs and whiskey bottle centerpieces to the personalized beer koozies designed by the bride, but it's the smiles these two share that truly makes our hearts sing.

The Love Story

Steffy and Mike had mutual friends in college, but it wasn't until days before their senior year was set to start that they connected on a deeper level. “We talked about the final new school year, our plans after college and how much we missed our dogs back home,” Steffy says. “The next few weeks consisted of hang-out sessions in between classes and homework, sharing our favorite music with each other and attempts at home-cooked meals. As time passed and senior year carried on, we spent every day together.”

Four years later, Steffy and Mike were on vacation in Ecuador with Steffy's family when Mike decided to propose. “Olon Beach was our favorite part of visiting Ecuador the first time around and a special place for Steffy, as it was the beach she'd always known in Ecuador and a special place for her family,” Mike says. “We were engaged as the sun set on Olon Beach — it was magical!”

The Ceremony

Steffy had always envisioned a small intimate wedding, and as it turns out, the perfect venue was a hidden treasure only minutes from the house where she grew up. Everything about it felt meant to be. “Once we found Tall Timber Barn, we knew the place itself, with its pine trees and whimsical decor, was going to really going to set the vibe and tone of our wedding,” the bride says. “It was just the right amount of rustic and woodsy while still having a chic flair — it represented our style so well, and we were so lucky to find it.”

Of all the moments of the day, Steffy says walking down the aisle was particularly memorable. “Walking down the aisle was very special because the song we chose was the groom's parents' wedding song,” she says. “We kept it a surprise until then and the reactions were great!”

The Party

To complement the rustic beauty of the Pennsylvania woodlands, the bride and groom used a gorgeously lush color palette of forest green, navy and white with touches of champagne, and the simple yet striking floral design of baby's breath, white blooms and eucalyptus was the perfect fit for the outdoor venue. Steffy and Mike filled the enchanting venue with handmade decor items, such as the stationery, signage, the globe guest book, the card box and cupcake stand. And before guests hit the dance floor, they indulged in cupcakes and traditional Ecuador desserts. “We love to dance at weddings, so we knew we'd dance all night at ours,” Steffy says. “I had a Theia gown from Lovely Bride that had beautiful satin fabric that twirled with me as I danced.”

Memorable Moment

“A favorite part was dancing with everyone,” Steffy says. “We love to dance, and our DJ absolutely killed it. We also had tons of salsa which was fun to see everyone dance to. Another fun surprise was the hot dog cart before bidding our guests goodbye. It was an old-style cart with all the fixins' and a fun way to end the night.”

Submitted via Matchology

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