A Modern, Urban Wedding at Elks Lodge in Ashtabula, Ohio

Katie Phillips (29 and a travel editor) and Keith Melaragno (34 and a construction project manager) created a simple yet urban wedding affair in their hometown of Ashtabula, Ohio. Imagen Photos captured every beautiful moment from the traditional church ceremony at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church to the reception overlooking Lake Eerie at the Elks Lodge. Katie and Keith decided to create their own space at the Elks Lodge where guests could enjoy the scenery. "I decided the best thing to do was to build our venue from the ground up in a beautiful, contemporary, completely clear-span reception tent, which allowed guests to see the entire surroundings," Katie says. They created an urban, chic wedding with a New York City theme reflective of their love for the city. Their florist, Grande Designs, created simple white carnation baby's breath arrangements as centerpieces, which paired with the gray and blue linens dressed along the dining tables. Katie was in love with the wedding cake created by The Cake Loft that was a four-tier cake with a city skyline accent that wrapped around each tier. "I thought it resembled the New York skyline," she says. Other New York City elements included a vintage city map that guests signed, subway-tile signs and New York City black-and-white-cookie favors. "I always joke that if Keith is my first love, then New York City is my second," Katie says. "And we wanted to bring a small taste of the city to our family and friends in Ashtabula, Ohio, while still incorporating the beauty of our hometown."