Amanda & Matt got married at Lesner Inn on August 5, 2017 on our Sunset Deck.  The ladies at Lesner Inn had the pleasure of coordinating their wedding, where we had a great time getting to know them & their families!  After learning a little bit more about them, we love how much of their wedding details match up to the details of their love story!  We hope you enjoy the details as much as we did!

How & when did you meet?

We met the summer before my third year of pharmacy school. I was meeting a friend at the bar and her boyfriend invited Matt. As we started talking,  I tried to describe this amazing drink I had just discovered- a Margarona. We decided to order a round of margaritas and coronas at the bar to make our own. Little did I know that the margarita need to be frozen to prevent spillage.  I spilt it all over the bar. For months, Matt had me listed as margarona in his phone.

How & when did you get engaged? (We know, this story is so sweet!)

We got engaged in Jamaica in October 2016. Matt was waiting for the perfect time to propose. It rained every evening we were there. We were walking to dinner one night, umbrella in hand, when he pulled me aside. I was walking fast in an attempt to get to dinner (I really love food). He finally grabbed my arm and said “If you would just slow down for a minute, I’m trying to ask you to marry me.”

What made you pick Lesner Inn as your wedding venue?

I knew I wanted to get married on the water, but I didn’t want the unpredictable weather to be a factor. The Lesner Inn had amazing reviews. It turned out to be the perfect location. We were able to have the ceremony/reception at the same location. The food was phenomenal and the views were amazing.

What vendors did you choose for your wedding day & why did you choose them?

• Photography- Dustin Lewis– A friend recommended him. He had previous experience photographing at the Lesner Inn, and great reviews. He was so easy to work with and our photos were stunning!
• Mary’s Flower Works– Another recommendation from a friend/family member. She did an amazing job.
• Astro DJ– Astro DJ had great reviews. They were quick and responsive to emails. They even let one of the guest sing karaoke to “ICE, ICE, Baby”.
• Flawless/Blushtones– I researched hair and makeup artists for months. This was one of the more important details to me. They had great reviews. I knew after the hair/make-up trial, that I had chosen correctly.

We LOVED your Pittsburgh cookie table!  What is the story behind this tradition?

My husband is from Pittsburgh. I’m not sure of the origin of the tradition, but a true Pittsburgh wedding is not complete without dozens of homemade cookies. Matt’s mom came down a week early to get all the baking done.

What was your favorite detail (big or small) from your wedding & why?

Renting a margarita machine. Our signature drink was the “Margarona”, and our guests loved it.

What made you decide to use a steel drum band for your ceremony & cocktail hour entertainment?

I wanted to create a “beachy” vibe. The sound of steel drum bands reminds me of the Caribbean.

How did you handle the stress of wedding planning?  Were there any hiccups along the way?

I am a type “A” person. I sat down and created a list of everything that need to be done and scheduled time each week to complete the task. Most of the wedding planning was done in a couple of months. This allowed me to focus on the small details. We had one hiccup the day of. The shuttle bus forgot to pick up the guests. Luckily Cayleen and Alexis were able to handle the situation. I highly recommend a day of coordinator for this exact situation.

Is there anything that you wish you had done differently or that you had thought of in advance?

I wouldn’t change a thing.

What advice would you give other couples getting ready to plan their wedding?

Stay organized and book vendors as soon as possible. Remember, something is bound to go wrong the day of, but in the end it won’t matter.

What great words of advice!  Even if you do everything right in the planning process, just remember you can’t always expect the unexpected.  All you can do is roll with the punches, and make sure that you hire the help of coordinators to handle any issues that may arise!

Photos by Dustin Lewis Images