These two star crossed lovers met 4 years before actually getting together and crossed paths over the years only to reconnect at a party and fall deeply in love! Can you say, ROM-COM STATUS!? As the saying goes, when you know, you know, and after only 7 months of dating, got engaged! *SWOON* They wed one year and 5 days after their first (real) date on Samantha’s grandmother’s garden property in Holland, New York, with a relaxed boho, country wedding -- and it was perfect. Read on for all the details and some great marital advice.
Congratulations, Samantha and Gordon!
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Engagement Date
Feb 22, 2020
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Wedding Date
Aug 8, 2020
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We are both from Western New York but spent most of our dating relationship long-distance. We met through a mutual group of friends. Our paths crossed a few times over 4 years and we started dating after reconnecting at a party.
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How long were you in a relationship before you got engaged and married?
We were dating long-distance for 7 months before getting engaged. We got married exactly one year and five days after our first date! Don’t be afraid of long-distance, it builds communication skills and trust!
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Where did your wedding take place?
On his grandmother's beautiful country property in Holland, New York.
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Why did you choose your venue?
It was free! Lots of outdoor space with a pole barn that we could dress up for the reception and a yard for dancing alongside a sunset bonfire.
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Who designed your invitations and what was the inspiration behind it?
I designed and made my invitations by hand! I'm a graphic designer with a passion for hand lettering. I wanted lots of natural tones with a simple yet elegant feel, so I used deep jewel-toned paper with white ink and botanical illustrations for an extra pop.
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How many guests attended your wedding?
Due to the COVID19 pandemic, we had to limit our guests to just immediate family and wedding party. We had 25 guests and loved that we had the chance to connect and chat with each one!
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Did your wedding have a theme? If yes, what was it? :)
Not anything specific, mostly a relaxed boho/country wedding. Charming and affordable!
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What was your wedding color palette?
We fell in love with warm late-summer color palettes… deep reds, burnt oranges, goldenrod and pine and sage greens. Our decorations and bridal party outfits matched to a tee!
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What kind of music was playing? Did you have a playlist?
Lots of folk music mixed with some Irish. My husband’s family has Irish roots so we enjoyed dancing along as the sun set over the hill.
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What dress did you wear ?
I wore Blushfashion’s 3/4 sleeve ivory lace wedding dress. I did not believe I would ever find a perfect wedding dress within my budget, but this one made my dreams come true. Boho and modest yet comfy and elegant - what else could a girl want?
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What shoes did you wear ?
I wore some thrifted leather gladiator sandals. Simple and comfy, plus the dress covered them anyways!
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What did your partner wear?
He wore a khaki and cream with a handsome linen jacket over top and a stately rancher Stetson hat from Lack of Color.
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What flowers were in your bouquet?
My bridesmaids and I made our bouquets by hand! We visited a local u-pick wildflower field to handpick fresh flowers and assembled the bouquets the night before the wedding. Our bouquets and floral decorations featured Alstroemeria, coneflowers, celosia, copperhead amaranth, purpletop vervain, fountain grass, and tansy.
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Did you make anything DIY?
Sooo much DIY!! From bouquets to invitations and signage, most of our wedding decor was either handmade or thrifted! My husband built an ivy archway and an open-air pavilion to dance under and made the knife we cut our cake with.. from scratch! I made pennant strings to hand over the barn doors and painted a banner over our head table and crafted our place and menu cards by hand. Our floral table settings were arranged by the bridesmaids and placed in unique mismatching thrifted glass bottles and jars.
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How did you choose your wedding cake? Who made it?
We went off the beaten path and had a giant cinnamon roll instead of a cake! One of my high school friends is a super-skilled baker and whipped up a custom dessert spread for our special day: maple-iced cinnamon rolls, Earl grey and spice cake balls, and cookie platters. The cake balls doubled as a take-home snack and favor too!
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What is your favorite memory from that day? (I know, it’s hard to pick just one!)
Definitely our first dance! We went against tradition (again) and choreographed our own fast-paced first dance to the song “Don’t Wanna Be Without Ya” by Penny & Sparrow. We spent so many days practicing. I was so scared to mess it up, but in the moment I was glowing with excitement and the stress melted away… we nailed every part!
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What is one thing you wish you would have known when planning your wedding?
That it’s okay to ask for help and it’s okay to not know everything! Most importantly - it’s okay to make your own choices based on your personal situation… intentionality is more beautiful than tradition.
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What is your number one tip for building a happy relationship?
Communication! Talk through the hard things before you tie the knot - finances, family, conflict, kids, future plans. Everything should be on the table and transparent. Life runs smoother when you are on the same page together. Have fun and never stop flirting!
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Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We went on a little Northeast road trip and drove through the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, enjoyed some kayaking and small-town people watching. I came home with lots of great memories, a full roll of film and my very first Monstera plant… win win!
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Our photographer was the lovely Samantha Renaud of Samantha Renaud Photography
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@sammanns94