This lakeside Poconos wedding is the kind of affair fit for the outdoorsiest of couples or the Bride and Groom looking to create an intimate, homespun affair reminiscent of their childhood summers. It has that camp vibe that we love so much, mixed with a natural elegance that Katch Silva captured so beautifully. Be sure to spend a little time in the full gallery.
From the Bride… The biggest inspiration for our wedding day was for it to truly be a reflection of our relationship and who we are as a couple, as well as individuals. Joe grew up in Pennsylvania and loves the outdoors – I grew up in Ohio, but am a beach girl at heart; spending many childhood summers on Nantucket. We chose our location because it felt like a great combination of the two – encompassing both the woods and water elements. Lake Naomi was the perfect venue for us and naturally informed many of our other design details for the wedding. We wanted our family and friends to enjoy a very intimate lakeside retreat and for the entire experience to be an elevated weekend away with everyone we love celebrating our marriage. Most of our guests rented lake houses within walking distance of our venue and we incorporated details such as a bonfire with s’mores, bridal party skeet shooting, golf scramble and a Sunday BBQ, which all contributed to the warm and casual vibe of the weekend.
Favorite moment: We had been given the great advice to take a few minutes together as a couple during the wedding day — just the two of us. It was pouring rain during our reception (thankfully indoors; the rain made it all the more cozy and romantic) and Joe and I ducked out to the covered deck and sat on a bench together after the first dances and cake cutting. Sitting there as husband and wife for the first time, sharing stories from the night, my head on his shoulder, watching the rain, listening to the music and laughter inside from all of our friends and family — I will never forget that moment. It was pure bliss.
My advise to brides planning:
1.These were Joe’s words of wisdom anytime we’d hit a road block or frustration, so he gets all the credit here – “At the end of the day, we will be just as married if ___ (fill in blank)”. Meaning that rain or shine, steak or chicken, DJ or band, etc. – we would be just as married at the end of the wedding, no matter what happened on the actual day – and that was all that mattered. He repeated it often, and it kept us focused on the true purpose of the wedding.
2. Plan incredibly well and then let go. Joe and I planned our entire wedding ourselves for the most part, with the help of some fantastic vendors, and it was definitely a labor of love. However, when the weekend finally arrived, we had planned so meticulously that we put our timelines, vendor info, etc. in the hands of our day-of planner (a friend who had offered to lend her services) and just said “that’s all we can do!” Thankfully, we had some great people who we trusted to see that things ran smoothly on the big day, but it’s SO important to just let go of the planning and really enjoy everything!
3. Prioritize your budget and stick to it—identify as a couple the top three things you can’t live without (we chose to invest in venue, photographer and food) and then find creative ways to cut costs on the other event components.
I worked with my dad, who is excellent at sketching in his free time, to create a wedding logo and draw a map of the important wedding sites at Lake Naomi, which was distributed in welcome baskets for guests at their lake houses and hotels
My dad and I danced our father/daughter dance to “My Girl” by the Temptations – a bit untraditional, but it’s been a favorite of ours since I was a little girl and we love to let loose and dance with lots of twirling and singing, so it was fitting!
Our music choices were very important and personal, from the ceremony through the reception. The bridal party walked in to “The Only Living Boy in New York” by Simon and Garfunkel and I walked down the aisle to “Something in the Way She Moves” by James Taylor. Each song throughout the entire evening was very carefully chosen. Our first dance was to “Let It Be Me” by Ray Lamontagne.
Photography: Katch Silva | Flowers: Allium Floral Design | Cake: Amy Samuel (friend) | Invitations: Minted | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaid's Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Lake Naomi Club | Groom's Suit: Suitsupply | Groomsmen Suits: Ralph Lauren | Bride's Dress: Nicole Miller | Ceremony And Reception: Lake Naomi Club | DJ/Music: Direct Entertainment | Hair/Makeup: Beautiful By Susie