Rachel and Jon @Anthony Wayne House ~ mkPhotography, Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer
Rachel grew up in a small town in West Central PA while Jon moved around a bit more living in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and finally landing in South New Jersey. Both Rachel and Jon made their way to West Chester when they each moved there for their respective jobs.
Rachel and Jon’s love story began in April of 2011 when they met at the gym where Rachel was working part-time as she completed course work at West Chester University towards her Master’s degree. (Jon was working on his, too, from Penn State Great Valley) As the story goes, Jon noticed her, but waited a few weeks before finally asking her out. After realizing they had a lot in common (their love of animals, sports, and food), the two began spending more and more time together. The rest, as the saying goes, is history!
The proposal:
Jon had been planning the proposal since November 2014. The two were in Pittsburgh for a Steelers football game. At brunch before the game while Rachel was away from the table, Jon took a few moments to ask her parents and younger brother for her hand in marriage. It wasn’t until a month later that he popped the big question!
Rachel and Jon had were planning a weekend trip to Pittsburgh to see their favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, play. They surprised her parents with tickets to the game! Little did she know, she was in for a surprise as well!
The plan was to do some Christmas shopping before the game at Station Square, then head downtown to meet her parents for lunch before the hockey game. It was a rainy (and warm) December morning when Rachel and Jon arrived at Station Square. Although the two had been there many times, it didn’t phase Rachel when Jon said he wanted to see the view from the front of the old train station.
It was there with a beautiful view of the city that Jon stopped Rachel, got down on one knee, and asked her to be his wife! With a few tears and a big smile, she said YES!
They quickly went inside where they called her grandmother to share the happy news. Once they met up with her parents, Rachel realized they already knew Jon’s plan for the proposal! Yet, they were still surprised to be going to the hockey game!
After the game, Jon had planned a dinner for Rachel, her parents, brother and his girlfriend. But yet again, she was in for more surprises when she walked into the restaurant and was greeted by Jon’s parents and sister who had driven out from New Jersey! The two families enjoyed a dinner full of laughter and great conversations!
The Big Day:
Shortly after their engagement, Rachel and Jon chose their wedding venue: Anthony Wayne House in Paoli, Pennsylvania. A classic Pennsylvania farm manor house, Waynesborough was the 18th-century home of the Revolutionary War hero General Anthony Wayne. Wayne served with George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, led the Pennsylvania Line in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, weathered the Valley Forge encampment and fought at Monmouth. He was elevated to the status of national hero after his decisive victory in 1779 at Stony Point on the Hudson River. The nickname “Mad Anthony”, for which he is remembered, was thought to have been earned by Wayne for his battlefield bravery and ruthlessness.
General Wayne lived in retirement at Waynesborough for nearly ten years following his military career, but left the estate in 1792 when called by President Washington to serve as major general and commander-in-chief of the Legions of America. Wayne died at Presque Isle in 1796 enroute home to Waynesborough. He was the only Commander-In-Chief of the American military to not have also been the President of the United States.
The historic Waynesborough estate was continuously owned by seven generations of the Wayne family, from 1724 to 1965. The beautiful Georgian-style house was built in three sections of native stone quarried on the property and reflects the best features of eighteenth-century vernacular craftsmanship. Today, the house is restored and furnished to reflect the Wayne Family’s life there, not only in the 18th century but also the Federal, Victorian and Colonial Revival periods. The estate includes several acres of wooded land administered by Easttown Township as a park for the community. (Source: http://www.philalandmarks.org/wayne_history.aspx)
Invitations by Sealed with a Kiss of Haddonfield, NJ were sent for the October 4, 2014 wedding and flowers by Autumn Snow Floral Design of West Chester and other decor made by the Jon’s mom added to Rachel and Jon’s wedding day. Rachel’s pastor from her hometown church married the couple in a ceremony attended by 115 guests that included family and friends. Rachel and Jon, along with Natale Jewelers of Sewell, New Jersey, designed her wedding band to include diamonds given to her by her Great-Grandmother. The inside of Jon’s wedding band was engraved with their wedding song “Springsteen” by Eric Church.
To pay homage to her country roots, Rachel wore cowboy boots and socks embroidered with her initials. An array of desserts was offered at the reception which included several traditional Italian cookies, other homemade cookies by Rachel’s cousin and aunt, and two wedding cakes. The penguin toppers atop the red velvet and cream cheese icing traditional cake were handmade in Italy and representations of the Rachel and Jon’s favorite baseball teams (Hers: Pittsburgh Pirates; His: Atlanta Braves). To showcase Jon’s love of Batman, Rachel asked her close friend, Nikki Fanus of Ruby Red Bakeshop, to create an vanilla cake filled with Oreo-icing. No guest left the party hungry!
Some details:
Flowers: Autumn Snow Floral Design
Invitations: Sealed with a Kiss
Custom designed Wedding Bands: Natale Jewelers
First Dance: Springsteen by Eric Church
See their charming shoreside engagement shoot with us HERE
