I solemnly swear.. that you won’t find a Harry Potter-themed wedding more charming or fitting than Kara and Ryan Allnut’s Friday, April 14th wedding at the Cobblestone Courtyard. Just check out the Marauder's Map below if you don't believe me.
We asked Kara the following questions about her and Ryan’s love. The answers are below in her own words. Kara and Ryan were an absolute delight and the perfect couple to kick off our 2017 wedding season. We hope that you enjoy taking a peak into their wedding at Lauxmont Farms!
HOW DID YOU + RYAN MEET?
Photography courtesy of Erin Fortney Photography
"Ryan and I met about 13 years ago on a Harry Potter forum. I was only 13 years old at the time and we used to chat online just as friends for about three years. We would talk about our love and social lives and we would joke around about the other members of the site."
"When I was 16 he told me he had romantic feelings for me and I told him the feeling was mutual. We dated for a year at the time because he was in college and I was still in high school, plus he lived an hour away in Maryland and at a young age, the timing wasn't right and the distance made it hard. We started talking again my junior year of undergraduate and we realized the feelings never really went away. We've been together ever since!"
HOW DID RYAN PROPOSE?
"Ryan planned an entire day of activities for us which he said were representative of all of the things he loved about me and our relationship. We went pumpkin picking and to a corn maze in the morning, which he said was adventurous and exciting."
"We went to a local brewery tasting benefit for a child with cancer, which he felt was compassionate and philanthropic. We went on a scenic fall foliage train ride, which he said was peaceful and beautiful, and we finished it off with dinner at a local French restaurant, which he says was elegant and indulgent. We went home before dinner and he proposed there in our living room!"
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?
"Oh wow, everything! Our ceremony was so special. The officiant did an amazing job of making it personal, charming, and just so us. I loved dancing with all of our friends and family at the reception. And I really loved the shoe game we played."
"My absolute favorite memory, though, has to be our first dance as husband and wife. Ryan and I sang to each other and really had fun with it. It made any stress or anxiety I had melt away."
"I also really loved getting back to the hotel after the wedding to relax, eating our leftovers from dinner, reading the beautiful cards from our awesome guests, drinking a glass of wine, and both of us just being so, so excited to be married finally."
Music provided by DJ, Klock Entertainment.
WHY DID YOU + RYAN CHOOSE LAUXMONT FARMS?
"We chose Lauxmont Farms because it was the best fit for our theme and budget. We loved the cobblestone courtyard and I loved how the bar area looked like Hagrid's hut!"
BEST ADVICE FOR COUPLES ON THEIR WEDDING DAY
"Start planning early and try to find the best deals you can on the little stuff so that you aren't stressed last minute when you need to buy something and are already way over budget. There are so many things that I can still say "I wish I could have afforded that" but at the end of the day, the entire day was perfect because I married my best friend."
"Have fun. Relax. Snack on small things throughout the day so you don't get an awful stomachache. Focus on each other. This day is about being in love, so don't worry about anyone else."
WE LOVED SOME OF THE UNIQUE TOUCHES AT YOUR WEDDING, A LIKE MARAUDER'S MAP AS A GUEST SIGN-IN BOOK AND THE GOLD-TIPPED FEATHERS FEATURED ON DINNER MENUS. WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION?
"I got most of my inspiration from Pinterest but I also was a member of a Harry Potter Weddings Facebook group. I wanted it to look whimsical but I also wanted it to be elegant."
"Many times I don't like how Harry Potter Weddings can come off looking corny. I didn't want that. I was happy with how things turned out for us."
Flowers courtesy of Splints and Daisies.
IF YOU COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, WOULD YOU CHANGE ANYTHING?
"I would definitely change a couple things. I would want to contact all of my vendors earlier on just to clarify my vision so that I didn't have to worry last minute. I also just wish I had started setting things up earlier in the day."
I had to go get my hair and makeup done, and while my friends and family (and the staff) were a tremendous help in setting things up, I would have liked more time to delegate things. But, I am also very type A, unfortunately. So, yes, I would have liked to have been more on time and organized. But on the large scale, no, everything was perfect.
Congratulations, Kara and Ryan! Thank you for sharing your wedding day and forever love with us here at Lauxmont Farms.
VENDORS:
Photography: Erin Fortney Photography
Floral Design: Splints and Daisies
Hair + Makeup: Legacy Styling
Caterer: Mia Semuta