When I first talked with Lauren and Mike before their wedding, I had one of those “wait – WHAT?!” moments when Lauren told me she was originally from “a super small town in the middle-of-nowhere-Pennsylvania”. I said: “I’ve lived in some middle-of-nowhere-Pennsylvania towns – where exactly are you from?” to which she replied: Wyalusing, Pennsylvania.
Mike is from the Pittsburgh area, where we live now, but Wyalusing is just a few miles down the road from Sayre – which is where Derrick and I lived for the first four years of our marriage. Of all the places in Pennsylvania for the two of them to meet and build a life together, somehow their story brought our paths together in the middle of all those connections. Talk about a small world!
Lauren had moved back to Pennsylvania after spending a few years in Atlanta and chose Pittsburgh because she wanted to be closer to home without actually moving all the way back to her middle-of-nowhere-hometown. Not long after settling in, she connected with Mike on a dating app, and they quickly discovered how much they had in common. They both love the outdoors, hiking, skiing, and traveling, but what really stood out was how their relationship grew from a genuine friendship. Their first date was tacos, and Mike soon became the person showing Lauren around Pittsburgh, introducing her to people, and helping her feel at home in her new city.
That shared love of adventure eventually led them to Arizona, where Mike proposed while they were hiking in Sedona. He had originally planned to propose at the top of a specific trail he had scouted out, but when they arrived, they discovered the trail was closed. Lauren thought they could simply find somewhere else to hike, while Mike was quietly trying to figure out how to salvage the proposal he had planned. They found another trail, made it to the top, and Mike proposed with the beautiful Sedona landscape surrounding them. It wasn’t precisely what he had planned, but somehow that feels pretty fitting for a couple whose relationship has always included a little adventure and plenty of figuring things out together.
When it came time to choose a wedding location, The Star Barn in Elizabethtown made perfect sense. Lauren and Mike have friends and family spread out across Pennsylvania, with everyone essentially living on opposite ends of the state, so they wanted a location that gave everyone a chance to come together. And that’s exactly what happened. No one attending their wedding was actually from Elizabethtown, which meant that every person there had traveled to celebrate with them. There was something really special about looking around and realizing just how much effort their friends and family had made to be there.
Their wedding day itself was full of the kind of moments that make a wedding day memorable. There was beautiful sunshine (perhaps a little too much sunshine for a ceremony where every guest was sitting in direct sunlight, but everyone survived!) Lauren’s dress even decided to add a little excitement before the day had really gotten started when one of the snaps broke as she was putting it on. Thankfully, her BFF came to the rescue with a sewing kit on hand and they got everything secured again. And then, of course, there was Banks, Lauren and Mike’s beloved Newfoundland and undoubtedly one of the stars of the entire day. She made her way down the aisle, stuck around for some of the celebration before and after the ceremony, and generally made sure everyone remembered who the real guest of honor was.
I loved getting to travel to Elizabethtown to document Lauren and Mike’s wedding day, especially after discovering all of the unexpected Pennsylvania connections between their story and mine. Their wedding was a beautiful reflection of the people they’ve chosen to surround themselves with and the life they’ve built together: full of adventure, friendship, family, and a very large dog named Banks.
Huge shout-out and thank you to the amazing team of vendors, as well as friends & family, who helped make Lauren & Mike’s wedding day absolutely perfect!
Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Star Barn at Stone Gables Estate in Elizabethtown, PA
Coordinator: Jamie Crocenzi at Rejoice Events in PA
Bridal Gown: Amsale
Groom’s Attire: 700 Shop in Indiana, PA
Makeup: Emily Kauffman in Lancaster, PA
Hair Stylist: Samantha Ward
Florist: Lace and Peonies in Lebanon, PA
Photographer: Shannon E Photography in PA
Wedding Content Creator: Kara Abbey in Irwin, PA
