The Wedding Story of... Sarah & Bill Weidner

Sarah Miller and Bill Weidner first met ten years ago during their senior year in high school. The two initially formed a close friendship, but as time unfolded, lost touch for a few years.  But, when the two eventually reacquainted in 2005, sparks flew. 

 

Returning home after celebrating the Fourth of July weekend in 2010, the two were unpacking when Sarah  turned around and found Bill down on one knee.  “I don’t think it registered with her because she immediately asked me what I was doing,”  Bill recalls.  “I thought he was scratching his leg!” Sarah adds.  

 

Bill, who was holding blankets, asked Sarah to grab them out of his hands.  When Sarah approached him, she noticed a box on top of the blankets.  The special moment Bill had planned finally registered with Sarah as he told her, “I have one more firework for you,” and he proposed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah reached out to Jessica Pennington, owner and Lead Planner of Stella Event Design, in an email that stated, “HELP!  I can’t afford a wedding planner, but I’m in search of an amazing venue and would love some help,” Jessica recalls responding to Sarah’s email by suggesting she check out The Veranda – and she fell in love with it.

 

Although the newly engaged couple hoped for a fall wedding, limited availability at The Veranda at the Whitcomb caused the date to move to May.

 

With the venue set, Bill and Sarah began planning the details for their wedding. In September 2010, the two found themselves at the Lake Shore Wedding Walk in St. Joseph, Michigan where they entered their name for a chance to win an all expense paid wedding contest sponsored by local wedding vendors. Not expecting to win, the two were ecstatic as their names were announced as the winning couple!  As fate would have it, the prize included the season, fall, location, The Veranda, and wedding planner, Jessica Pennington.

 

Jessica recalls, “I got the chance to work with Sarah after all – we joked that it was just meant to be!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overlooking Lake Michigan, the two said “I do” at the John E.N. Howard Bandshell in St. Joseph, Michigan. Following the intimate ceremony, family and friends joined Sarah and Bill as they celebrated their love.

 

Waiting to make their grand entrance as husband and wife, Sarah captures what she recalls as her favorite memory.  “Bill and I were waiting to enter our reception and I heard the opening beats of ‘Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That,’ by Robert Randolph and The Family Band,” Sarah says.  “I looked at Bill and it hit me, now the fun begins!  This is the start of our adventure, our life together, and we have the greatest group of people to celebrate with us.”

 

 

 

 

Incorporating their bubbly personalities, the two added their own personal touches to their big day.  “We weren’t willing to sacrifice fun, but we still wanted it to look like a wedding,” Sarah says. 

 

Sarah, who has always been a fan of bright color, opted for a vibrant bouquet consisting of yellow and purple dahlias and white roses accented by alstroemerias. Bill took something special from the friendships he has with each of his groomsman and incorporated that memory into different cufflinks.  “For example, one of my friends from high school and I always used to sit on my front porch and drink Orange Crush, therefore, his cufflinks displayed the Orange Crush logo,”  Bill says.

 

Moving away from the traditional guest book, Sarah and Bill opted for a Wish Tree, where guests wrote their wishes to the newlyweds and hung it on a tree. Other personal touches included having Sarah’s brother play the guitar and sing their first dance song, “Swing Life Away” by Rise Against, as well as serving guests one of the couple’s favorite family recipes. 

 

The special relationship between Sarah and Bill, as well as their memorable wedding day, is living proof that dreams really do come true!