Erika and Kevin are lucky in love. The couple, who met through an online dating site, married on St. Patrick’s Day at Delta Diamond Farm.
Instead of a first look, they did a first touch where they were on opposite sides of a brick wall. “We were standing on either side and I saw Kevin’s hand reach out and grabbed him. I suddenly felt anchored because I was floating all day with nerves,” says Erika, explaining that Kevin gave her a rose and a love note. “I just melted. I was ready to run to the altar.”
Their ceremony was supposed to be outdoors but right before the big event, it started to rain. A quick change of plans meant the I Do’s would happen inside a rustic barn, featuring lots of natural light. Luckily, the barn’s second floor was already prepared just in case. The room took Erika’s breath away. She advises fellow brides to embrace last-minute change: “You have to trust that it will be okay.”
The décor included aisle decorations of baby’s breath and signs with words of love, made by the bridesmaids. “It was emotional. The room was full of everyone we care for and our best friends standing at our sides,” says Erika. “When I walked down the aisle and saw Kevin for the first time, I was crying a mess!”
The song “A Thousand Years” was playing, and the bride was excited to marry her groom. “And when Kevin cried, I cried even more,” remembers Erika. “My favorite moment was when I finally saw my bride walking through all our friends and family to be by my side forever,” says Kevin.
The couple included an Irish prayer and an Irish handfasting ceremony, and chose a mint, gold and white color scheme to celebrate their shared Irish heritage and to celebrate the holiday.
Their 150 guests enjoyed a barbeque buffet, followed by cupcakes, including a specialty Irish car bomb flavor. The fun included outdoor games like giant Jenga, checkers and cornhole, and a fire pit for warmth and good conversation.
Erika did a lot of DIY wedding projects. Her favorite detail was the cake table, which had background lights and photos of the couple’s parents’ wedding photos with a sign that read, “Lucky in Love.”
The night ended with a sparkler send-off, something Erika won’t forget. “All of our guests came outside and lined up as we walked through saying our thank yous and goodbyes,” she says. “It was so emotional.”
—Kristen Castillo
