Sam and Mike began dating when they were just 15 years old. Although their teenage romance was short-lived, their love story was just getting started. Sam went off to college, and Mike joined the Army National Guard. Not too long after, they began running into each other quite frequently due to their many mutual friends, which led to them re-starting their relationship during their sophomore year of college. In 2009, Mike found out that he was going to be deployed to Afghanistan. He said that it was near the end of his deployment that he knew for sure that he wanted to marry Sam. He proposed on July 4, 2014, and the rest is history!
Their wedding took place over Memorial Day weekend at Heritage Barn in Stow, Ohio. Their decor consisted of a bright mix of pink and navy, with touches of orange accenting the decor. With both indoor and outdoor spaces, Heritage Barn is the perfect venue for weddings all year round. Sam and Mike’s ceremony took place outside on the grass, and their reception was held inside the barn.
Sam selected Fair Rarity Flowers for her wedding florals, which were all locally sourced. The popcorn served at the reception was also made locally by CrazyButTrue Popcorn. The Oak & Honey Events team was able to assist the couple with floral re-purposing by donating all the flowers from the wedding to Elmcroft of Sagamore Hills, an assisted living center in the area.
Photography: Mann & Wife – Visual Storytellers
Event Design & Planning: Oak & Honey Events
Venue: Heritage Barn
Floral: Fair Rarity Flowers
Cake: The West Side Bakery
Caterer: Old Carolina Barbecue Company
Bartender: Sweet Water Caravan
DJ: Encore Sounds
Rentals: Miller’s Party Rental Center & L’Nique Linens
Favors: CrazyButTrue Popcorn
Sam also left us this incredibly sweet 5-star review on The Knot:
“If I could give Oak & Honey Events more stars, I would!! Melanie and I worked together for about a year and a half on my wedding, and she was fantastic throughout the entire process. She was knowledgeable about different vendors and really tried to help me choose the right ones that fit in my budget and worked well with my theme. She was always available to help answer my questions, whether it was a phone call, text or email, especially when it was closer to the wedding date. The day of, she was (in my opinion), the hero of the day! She made the venue look AMAZING with the help of her staff, and the day went absolutely perfect! She was always checking on my husband and I to see if we needed anything, and she also checked on our parents as well! She really helped to make our day perfect, and it was! She really made the whole wedding planning process a breeze, and my husband and I couldn’t have been more lucky to work with her. If you need a wedding planner, Melanie with Oak & Honey Events should most definitely be your #1 pick. You’ll be so happy you did!! <3″
