A Rustic, DIY Backyard Wedding at a Private Residence in Plain City, Ohio

Christina Kramer (23, in graphic design and photography) and Andrew Stoltzfus (23, an administrative assistant) met in Colorado while they both served for New Horizons Ministries, taking care of children with incarcerated parents. They both got to know each other through working closely together in the ministry, and one day Andrew decided to ask Christina out for a coffee date. That was all it took for Christina and Andrew to realize their connection, and soon after began to date. The couple wasn’t able to go out for Valentines Day because of work, so they decided to go out to a quaint restaurant for dinner the following evening. When they arrived back at the apartment, there were flowers and a card waiting for Christina. She read, “Will you marry me?” on the card with just a “yes” box to check, and so their seven month engagement began! Christina and Andrew held their wedding ceremony at an elegant church two miles from Christina’s parent’s home in Ohio. “The ceremony had a large wooden cross on front center stage with a flower arrangement on it, which was a symbol to us of what we wanted the ceremony to be all about, Jesus and His love for us the church, the Bride of Christ,” says Christina. The outdoor reception took place on their neighbor’s property in the fields, with a river in the distance. The couple went for a rustic themed wedding, using the surrounding natural landscape to do just that with additional vintage DIY details in a blue, pink and green color palette. Chalkboards had handwritten messages on them, from the dinner menus to the thank you note on the gift table. Guests were invited to write their names on a leaf when they arrived to add to the canvas guest book.