Sometimes friendships are meant to be more, such was the case for Erin and Kyle. The couple had known each other for years, having met at the farm in Ohio where they both worked. Though a little spark always existed between them, the timing was never quite right. For five years they stayed in touch, fostering a great friendship, even though they lived hundreds of miles apart. But when the stars finally aligned, that spark turned into a flame of eternal love.
Kyle proposed to Erin on a quiet evening at home with paths of rose petals guiding Erin to Kyle who waited on one knee to ask her to be his wife. Over the course of the next year and a half, the couple planned their wedding with the help of their venue’s on-site coordinator. With an unconventional love story, they wanted their wedding to be as unique as them. Erin says, “We wanted the country feel but with a little bit of class. We had guests show up in nice jeans and cowboy hats, and some show up in suits.”
To celebrate their histories and passions, they chose an upscale country theme which melded beautifully with their chosen location. Most importantly, though, they wanted their wedding to feel as relaxed as a family reunion, with many friends and family staying at their venue in cabins the weekend of the event. Erin explains, “We had people from all over the country attend our wedding and stay at the ranch for the weekend. Dogs included! It was three days of family and fun!”
One particularly unique influence in their stylistic approach was the groom’s cultural heritage. “Kyle’s family is Celtic, and it is something he is very proud of,” Erin says, “so we tried to bring a touch of it into the wedding.” From custom rings to a whiskey barrel branded with the tree of life as a guest book, it was the little things that meant the most. Additionally, Kyle and Erin had a special guest in their wedding party. “My white German shepherd, Bismark, is a huge part of my life, and it was so important to me that he be involved in my big day,” Erin says. “He stayed in my cabin with me and laid right by my chair the entire time I got ready. And then he was, of course, in our pictures. Flower necklace and all!”
Erin says her and Kyle’s relationship has only grown more stable since their wedding. Though the day to day has not changed all that much, their bond is solidified in a new way. Erin teases, “If anything, I guess it has brought us closer together because now we are for sure stuck with each other, for better or worse!”
—Abigail Blank
