Karen & Paul's Bear Creek Mountain Wedding

A wedding invitation with custom watercolor illustration, wrapped in luxe cranberry silk ribbon and finished with a monogram wax seal were a few of the details that made Karen and Paul’s wedding stationery perfect for their fall celebration! The couple were married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Bear Creek Mountain Ski Resort in Lehigh Valley, PA. It was a sunny October day with stunning views of the surrounding mountains whose thousands of trees were in their full fall glory at the time of the wedding.

Karen was absolutely glowing in the gown of her dreams with long illusion lace sleeves, embroidered with delicate leaves and flowers and finished with a long veil that caught in the wind. Bridesmaids wore burgundy dresses and carried white and burgundy bouquets with silvery eucalyptus and pops of dusty blue. Karen shared her wedding story with us including the unforgettable proposal at Diamond Head and how they met. The beautiful Bear Creek wedding photos were taken by Leandra Elaine Photography ; stationery photography by Stone Hill Paperie.

How did you and Paul  meet?

We met in Anatomy Lab as Nursing majors at DeSales University. We were supposed to take pictures with our phone through the microscope lens to study for our test. The cell phone I had at the time was not a smartphone and absolutely awful at taking pictures.

I saw that Paul (had no idea his name at the time) had gotten his pictures with no sweat, and asked if he could send all of them to me! After that he started to text me and things clicked :) Even though I didn't accept his Facebook friend request for weeks...

How did Paul propose?

My sister and her husband were traveling to Hawaii to celebrate her 30th birthday. We jokingly asked to tag along and sleep in the pull out couch in their room, and they said yes! Paul proposed on a helipad on an old volcanic crater- Diamond Head. The view was amazing. I thought we were taking a picture together, but when he was 5 ft from me instead of next to me I knew something was up. Fun fact- my sister flew all the way down to South Carolina and back in one day to pick up my Babci (grandmother's) ring from my Aunt a few days before we flew to Hawaii.

What was your inspiration for your wedding day details?

Pinterest and Etsy 100%. All of our handmade items were inspired from pinterest, meanwhile most of the other items were made from small businesses on Etsy!! We loved being able to support their shops during the pandemic. Everything from my slippers to the guys watches were from Etsy :)

Take us back through your Bear Creek wedding day.

Our wedding day fell into place perfectly. It was as though all of those little fragments that were shattered during the pandemic healed momentarily for us. The months leading up to our wedding seemed to be disappointment after disappointment as we struggled to change our original wedding plans due to the pandemic.

We constantly worried about the safety of our guests. Dealt with the sadness of countless family members being unable to attend. Two days before the wedding we almost had to call it off due to change of PA restrictions. Two nights before, our dog (our flower girl) had a bad allergic reaction to a vaccine and we were at an emergency vet for hours. Luck felt like it was definitely not on our side. The hardest thing was letting go of the vision we had of our wedding pre-pandemic and trying not to compare it to other weddings pre-2020. We frequently wondered if we were making a mistake not postponing.

However, when the sun started shining on that beautiful fall day in October, we knew it was meant to be. It was the perfect fall day that I had always dreamed of in my long-sleeved dress. It was our day. Everyone looked beautiful in their masks and guests respected our enforcement of the masks.

Friends and family safely danced the night away, forgetting the state of the world for one night. I would never wish to change that October 3.

Karen and Paul's invitation suite featured a custom watercolor monogram with a white pumpkin nestled in a fall floral spray. Warm cocoa ink on textured, felt stock added a tactile element that paired elegantly with cranberry silk ribbon and cream wax seal. Suite pieces were tucked into coordinating dusty blue envelopes addressed with cranberry hand lettered font. Coordinating cranberry RSVP envelopes were elegantly addressed in white ink printing.

How did your stationery set the tone for the celebration?

Our invitations and programs reinforced the romantic fall day we were going for! Everything down to the texture of the paper, coloring of the font, and pumpkin monogram created a romantic warmth that corresponded to every detail of the day. The warm elegance was loved by our guests!

What detail of the wedding was most important for you?

My rings were the most important detail. Paul proposed with my Babci's engagement ring. It fit perfectly, not even needing to be resized. We actually married with three rings: two rings with our matching engravings, as well as my Babci's wedding band that matched the engagement ring. My godparents were kind enough to pass down the rings to me, which meant the world to me. What was your first dance song?

Never Stop (Wedding Version) by SafetySuit

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

Mouthing "I love you" to each other during the ceremony

Best part of the wedding planning?

Involving family in our wedding day crafts!

Best resource for planning your wedding?

Family and friends were the best resource! We booked almost all of our vendors through suggestions made by friends/family! The Knot was a helpful resource as well.

How did you end the night?

We had a sparkler send-off at the end of the night, with "Bonfire Night" playing.

What surprised you most about planning your wedding?

We were able to safely pull it off during the pandemic!

What advice will you give your friends getting married?

Make sure you don't choose the year a pandemic is going to hit!

CREATIVE PARTNERS

Ceremony & Reception Location:  Bear Creek Mountain Resort | Photographer:  Leandra Elaine Photography | Videographer:  Ambiance Video Productions | Florist:  Jillian's Flower Creations | DJ & Uplighting:  Soundfactor Hair & Make up: Beards and Babes | Dress:  Silk Bridal