This year has been an interesting time for couples and weddings to say the least. However we are here to keep the wedding celebrations going with Wedding VUE, our new blog series highlighting some amazing brides and brides-to-be. We are thrilled to be kicking things off with Samantha Shewan and her fiancé, Andrew. Samatha is a Pennsylvania-based Instagram blogger and the girl behind Rose Colored Living, a lifestyle and fashion blog.
Image credit: Brianna Wilbur Photography
Please introduce yourself and tell us more about you and your fiancé?
My fiancé, Andrew, and I met in August 2013 at the start of our senior year of college at Penn State University. We had an instant connection and began officially dating a mere 18 days later and have been together for the past 7 years.
Safe to say we took the longer road to marriage. In the 7 years that have passed, our relationship has strengthened and evolved in so many ways. We went from being college students, to tackling long distance, to moving in together, welcoming two beautiful dogs to our home, and finally making the big decision to get engaged and married. Having the opportunity to experience so many seasons of life, happy moments, hard experiences, travels together, and major milestones has made us personally feel so ready for marriage and truly spending the rest of our lives together.
As of today, I work as a part-time blogger and full-time Marketing Manager specializing in social media, events, and digital campaigns, while Andrew works as a Family Based Mental Health Professional. Together our professions have proven to be very useful in planning the biggest day of our lives during these very uncertain times.
Tell us about your wedding, have you started planning? and if so, how would you describe your wedding style?
Andrew and I booked our wedding in November 2018, so we have been planning for quite some time. Originally we were set to get married October 2, 2020, however due to the impacts of the pandemic, we made the decision to move our nuptials to August 27, 2021 – exactly 8 years from the day we first got together.
Planning a wedding for nearly 3 years has certainly given us plenty of time to explore all our options and truly refine the style of our wedding. We are working with our incredibly talented wedding coordinator, Danielle Soucier-Ernst, from Your Sweetest Day Events to bring our wedding dreams to life.
Our wedding style is romantic and timeless with vintage touches – think an old world European aesthetic. Our entire wedding will be taking place at Excelsior, a gorgeous event venue in Downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Excelsior caught our eyes years prior when owners, John and Kelly Dantinne, decided to renovate the 168 year old location that originally served as a brewery and speakeasy. Their goal was to add modern touches while preserving the integrity of the space. Throughout the venue you will find a beautifully restored staircase in the Grand Salon, the original tin ceiling tiles, messages faintly written on the walls of the Empire Room, a breathtaking underground stone catacomb, an entire wall of fresh greenery, multiple terraces, gorgeous tall windows, and so much character.
Together with our talented vendor team, each space throughout the venue will be thoughtfully transformed through curated selections of florals, soft hues of natural color, vintage-inspired décor and displays.
Image credit: Brianna Wilbur Photography
Are you doing anything different or out of the ordinary?
Unlike most weddings I have attended, each phase of our wedding will move through different locations of the venue. One of the biggest selling points when selecting our venue was that it gives us access to an entire historical building, including multiple floors, along with indoor/outdoor environments. Our hope is to take our guests through an entire experience from what they see, hear, and taste during each portion of the wedding celebration.
If your wedding day was made into a movie, what do you think the name of the movie would be?
I would name our movie, Finally. Our wedding day will be the culmination of 8 years, nearly a decade! While Andrew and I have waited so many years, so have our dearest friends and family. They have all been by our side throughout this whole time and they are just as excited and eager as we are to finally take the next big step in our relationship. It will truly be the celebration of our decade!
Image credit: Brianna Wilbur Photography
Cheers Samantha and Andrew and thank you for sharing your upcoming wedding with us. You can find Samatha on Instagram: @samanthashewan and definitely check out her blog rosecoloredlivingblog.com