Forever More: Dream Weddings Come to Life
Shelby + Quinn Miller
photographers: Genevieve & James Nisly
Genevieve Nisly Photography
Throughout his eight years dating Shelby Barnes, Quinn Miller kept picturing their future together.
“Every plan I’ve ever considered making since I met Shelby has included her,” Quinn says. “When I looked down the road, she was still in every vision I had about what I wanted in my life.”
The two, who met through mutual friends while attending Kent State University, got engaged during a trip to Cape Cod in 2019. Following his proposal at Dowses Beach, Quinn arranged for friends and family to be waiting nearby so they could toast together.
“It was everything I dreamt that it would be for us,” he says. “I finally was able to pop Champagne. We celebrated for hours and hours.”
The now Atlanta residents tied the knot June 19 on the west terrace of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron. They marked the fete with a reception at Portage Country Club in Akron, surrounded by their friends, families and even their college mascot.
From the Bride
Cake Boss: We wanted to make it a part of our decorations, so we had seven cakes. We had one main cake that was ours that we cut. … Each cake had its own unique design and was tiered on different pedestals.
Mix Master: We had specialty drinks. Mine was called the Golden Flash for Kent. It was a nice bourbon lemonade, a refreshing summer beverage. Quinn went with the Miller High Life because it’s a namesake, but also it’s one of our favorite beers.
Happy Place: We don’t want to do something that’s traditional if it doesn’t have significance to our lives. At Kent … they had a class on Adam Sandler films. Quinn and I took that class together, and we are huge Adam Sandler fans. … We had a friend play the song “Grow Old with You” from “The Wedding Singer.” … We ended up going to Hawaii on our honeymoon, and we ran into Adam Sandler. I never in a million years would have thought that would have happened.
From the Groom
Something Flashy: My brother is friends with a gal who works in the athletics department [at Kent State], and she was the one in the Golden Flash costume. She danced around for a bit, and it was a complete surprise!
Magic Aisle: It’s hard not to get butterflies in that moment. The music stops for a second and then begins the processional of her, flinging open the beautiful back door of the manor house and she comes out with her dad. I immediately lost it. I mean I’m not afraid to say it: I was a blubbery mess. She looked beautiful. The day was perfect. It was like an instant time-hop to think back to the night that I met her and all the amazing things we’ve done together, and then to realize that in 30 seconds’ time, all of that culminates in me being able to call her “my wife” — it was super surreal.
-HS
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Tylar + Andrew Calhoun
photographer: Courtney Burns
Fleeting Fox Photography
Tylar Sutton was getting ready for what she thought was a typical date when her musician boyfriend of four years, Andrew Calhoun, came over to her Akron home and started playing guitar downstairs. He shouted up that he wanted her to hear a new song.
She came down, and he was singing “First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes, the couple’s favorite song since they had met at Restoration Church in North Canton, where he was a worship leader and she was a graphic designer. He popped the question, and she said yes! What made it even more exciting was they had an audience — 25 family members were secretly on a Zoom call on a nearby laptop and got to celebrate with them. A few minutes later, her parents showed up on the front porch with a bottle of Champagne.
The ring was another lovely surprise, as the diamond was her mother’s and Andrew had gotten it from her dad a few months before.
“He got it set. It’s really special because it was my mom’s, and now it’s mine,” says Tylar, who is also the graphic designer for Akron Life.
The now Leesburg, Virginia, residents were married May 22, with their ceremony and intimate ’70s-inspired reception at Old 97 Cafe in Akron’s Kenmore neighborhood.
From the Bride
Joyous Tears: Marrying Andrew was something I was very excited about, and I looked forward to and prayed about for a really long time. … I remember smiling so big that my cheeks hurt. During the ceremony, I was like jumping up and down because I was so excited. [Andrew] cried. I was just happy. I’ve never been more thrilled.
Mood Set: The space is already so pretty and whimsical, which is kind of what we were going for, and really relaxed. His brother handmade our backdrop, a wooden arch with little wings. We put florals around it, which was beautiful.
Tune In: Our guest book was a record, which was really cool. Andrew picked out an old record he really liked. It was Paul Simon. We had everyone sign it with a gold marker. We had our vintage record player sitting out beside it.
From the Groom
No Jitters: I was ready for it. I felt really calm. We’ve waited, and we knew what we wanted. There was no question.
Smoke Signal: We had a cigar bar after the ceremony. We knew we were probably going to move to Virginia. So it was a lot of fun to be able to be like, Hey, let’s hang out with our people while we’re here. We got a chance to connect with everyone.
Emotions Taking Over: The first look was the most memorable for me. It was like a Polaroid moment. Like, This is going to be a moment that you’re going to remember forever. I don’t cry often. But I think it just hit me all at once what the day was. Both of us said, Oh, wow, this is about us and what we’re building together, our love, where we’re going to be in 20 years. -MA
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Alyssa + Jonathan Hadinger
photographer: Alan Chavez
Alan Chavez Photography
alanchavezphotography.mypixieset.com
Alyssa Drury and Jonathan Hadinger had only been dating for six months when she took a leap — she moved from Minnesota to Jonathan’s Hartville home. They had been dating long-distance after meeting online during the beginning of the pandemic. After about two months of FaceTime dates, Jonathan traveled to Alyssa for a 24-hour visit.
“I felt like I had known him forever,” says Alyssa, who had lived in Northeast Ohio before moving to Minnesota. “Everything felt natural and like it was meant to be.”
A year later, Jonathan proposed during a visit to Gervasi Vineyard, and Alyssa happily said yes. The now Uniontown residents wed Sept. 24 in a bespoke ceremony at Faith Family Church in Canton, which they attend, and a reception at the barn at Windham Acres, that Jonathan’s family owns.
From the Bride
Elegant Display: I love a lot of details, so my dress was a lot of beading and lacework on it and the train. I love hints of vintage and classic, traditional kind of looks. I definitely had that in my dress but a modern twist on it with it being off the shoulder.
Family Ceremony: We had a moment where our parents could come up and pray over us, which was really cool and emotional.
Cherish It: One of my favorite parts was right after the ceremony. Jonathan and I went alone into a room just to process everything. And we’re like, Oh my gosh, we’re married. This is real.
Hearts Unsealed: Back when we were dating long-distance, we’d write each other letters. We put those around the reception area with pictures and stuff like that, which were really fun to look back on.
Shining Exit: I’ve always wanted a sparkler send-off. It was so fun, seeing everyone lined up, all of our favorite people. … The sparklers made it seem so magical.
From the Groom
So Familiar: What I liked about the venues is they felt like home, because one’s on our family’s property, and the other is where we spend so much time already — at the church.
Time Keeper: Like I got her necklace the day of the wedding, she got me my watch that I wore, which was gold. I think I’ve worn it every day since.
Musical Gift: I play cello for weddings. I wanted to not have to play at my own wedding. Brandon, my brother, learned “Perfect,” by Ed Sheeran. It was a song she always wanted played [while she walked down the aisle], but knowing that it was my brother playing it was really important to me. … I can still envision every memory.
-AS
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Dress Up
by Halena Sepulveda, photos by TN Photographics
Become the bride you’ve envisioned with a full styling session.
It can be tough for brides to say “yes” to the dress, let alone put together the rest of their wedding day look. Ivory & Ash Bridal Styling Studio helps you find the ensemble you’ve always wanted with a complete styling session — and it can all be done from your home.
“Bridal shopping has been one way for so long, and it’s hard to get people’s minds wrapped around, I can just have a party at my house and everything comes to me,” says Ivory & Ash owner and stylist Annie McGinty, who launched the mobile boutique and styling service in October 2019.
Along with traveling to clients’ houses for appointments, McGinty also has a bridal studio in her Hudson home and does pop-up boutiques at locations like the CoLounge in Fairlawn. She curates up to 10 dresses, veils, jewelry pieces and snacks, so brides can have an unforgettable experience.
“I had her come over to my house with a selection of dresses, which is nice because I was able to have a few more people over at my house where we can spread out,” says Beachwood bride Erika Loeffel, who got married at the Glidden House in Cleveland last July. “I didn’t feel overwhelmed having to sift through racks and racks of dresses. She brought Champagne. She brought a charcuterie board. It was an event.”
McGinty and Loeffel share tips on how to make the most of the bridal styling experience.
Fashion Show
Dress shopping can be overwhelming, especially if brides aren’t sure what styles to look for. Ivory & Ash stylists call brides to get to know their tastes, then curate unique dresses by independent designers while also adding in other flattering styles. For example, if a bride wants a ballgown, McGinty mixes in a few A-line or slim-figure dresses to give brides some surprising extra options.
Right now, “hand beaded is off the charts,” McGinty says. Choosing a contemporary beaded dress allows brides to be elegant while adding a hint of glimmer. The detailing plays into the popular Hollywood glam aesthetic. Statement pieces like feathers are also trending this season and so are dresses with sleeves.
McGinty encourages brides to try styles outside of their comfort zones, but ultimately, they should feel confident, which was exactly why Loeffel chose her glitzy, slim-figure dress.
“The dress I got was a fully beaded, fitted V-neck, sparkle from head to toe,” Loeffel says. “I put it on, and I was like, This is a badass dress.”
“I Do” Beauty
Many brides who come into the styling session already have ideas about their wedding day hair and makeup.
“More than 90 percent say immediately, I’m wearing my hair up or I’m gonna wear it down,” says McGinty.
But she has seen that change because of a dress, so she recommends keeping an open mind to different looks and accessories, whether that be an updo or a headpiece. Something that McGinty brings to every styling appointment is a selection of veils because it helps give a full preview of the special day.
“A lot of brides say, I don’t want a veil,” she says. “Then they put on a veil, and they’re like, Oh my gosh.”
It can be easier to envision yourself as a bride when you look the part in every aspect, so McGinty suggests brides do their hair and makeup before the session. Loeffel did hers before and chose bold black lashes, a natural mauve lipstick and soft curls with a flowy long veil for her vintage glamour wedding look. But if brides aren’t sure, McGinty can offer suggestions of makeup artists, salons and styles.
“I go off what their vibe is,” she says, “give them recommendations.”
Aisle Ready
The magic of a bride on her wedding day is truly in the details, and jewelry, belts, sashes and other accessories finish the ensemble to give each bride her own unique feel.
To stay trendy, McGinty strays from traditional accessories like rhinestones and fake diamonds and brings brides more modern pieces, which are handmade and crafted by independent studios.
“We’re seeing a lot of mixed metals, a lot of asymmetrical,” she says.
Brides can browse recommendations at a complimentary half-hour accessory session at Ivory & Ash’s studio or get suggestions on jewelers to consult.
McGinty brought accessories to Loeffel’s session, and Loeffel got everything through Ivory & Ash except her peep-toe shoes. Loeffel went to the website of the designer dress she purchased and found a jeweler for her dangly beaded earrings, which McGinty delivered to Loeffel’s door with a steamed veil, her dress and a bottle of Champagne. The entire styling experience helped Loeffel feel comfortable and confident in the glitzy, glam look she curated for her wedding.
“It was the easiest thing,” says Loeffel. “We had a great time.”
312-339-1140, ivoryandash.com
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Short & Sweet
by Halena Sepulveda, photo provided by Akron Municipal Court
Unique pop-up weddings may be for you.
Sometimes breaking tradition is the best way to personalize your wedding.
For Brittni and Derek Coontz, who met on a dating app in 2019 and bonded over a love for scary movies and Halloween, that meant having a spooky pop-up wedding. The couple happened to see a Facebook event for pop-up Halloween weddings at the Akron Civic Theatre and knew it was for them.
“Doing something fun … that was going to be memorable for us,” says Derek, “was way better than any kind of formal, over-the-top thing.”
The two married Oct. 28 in a 10-minute ceremony held by the Akron Municipal Court at the top of the newly restored Civic grand lobby staircase. They share how pop-up weddings can be special and fun.
Look the Part
Lean into the surprising nature of a pop-up wedding by dressing untraditionally. The Coontzes embraced the Halloween theme with costumes inspired by horror films — “Midsommar” for her and “Halloween” for him. Brittni’s look included a flowy, bell-sleeve white dress from Torrid’s Halloween collection, a lavender and apple blossom flower headdress and a sunflower bouquet, while Derek stuck with a Michael Myers mask and a black carpenter’s suit. They kept the getups on to take pictures around downtown after the ceremony, and Derek had fun spooking passersby.
“In the crosswalk, I would turn and kind of give the cars waiting at the red light a look,” he says. “That was a good time for me.”
Personal Touch
Depending on which pop-up wedding event you choose, there can be options to personalize the ceremony with vows, prayers and more.
The pair opted for a poem reading instead of a formal prayer. They also decided to recite their own vows, during which Derek removed his mask, leaving it off to kiss his bride, a quirky moment they both enjoyed.
“Getting married is between you and the person you’re getting married to and what’s going to make you guys happy,” Derek says.
Salute Love
The post-ceremony festivity doesn’t have to be a big, fancy reception. The Coontzes kept their special day to themselves, sharing an experience at Akron ArtWorks.
“I love art and I’ve done splatter painting before, but he hasn’t,” Brittni says.
By spending their wedding day doing things they delighted in, the couple was able to enjoy a celebration unique to their love.
“It was like a nice little experience to cap the day off together,” Derek concludes.
For more info on Akron Municipal Court’s periodic pop-up weddings, including May 4 Star Wars weddings, visit akronmunicipalcourt.org.