Morgan and David Grove were married at Stroudmoor’s largest venue, Terraview, this past summer. Now, just after celebrating their 4-Month anniversary, they’ve shared with us the roots of their love story that led them right to us here to the Pocono Mountains.
Tell us how and when you met each other! What was your first impression of one another, and at what moment did you know you'd be together forever?
We met our freshman year of college, Fall of 2016. David’s first impression of me was that I am charming and fun to be around. My first impression of David was that he was very kind and easy to talk to.
We became very close friends throughout the first two years of college and began dating towards the end of our junior year of college. It is difficult to point to one exact moment throughout our relationship [where we knew we’d be together forever]. I think we had a lot of great memories together, and a really strong foundation of friendship which allowed us to love one another fully.
We know that we can depend on one another and talk to each other about anything and everything— we are best friends. Throughout our relationship, we really grew together and overcame many obstacles, which ultimately made us even closer. I think overcoming these obstacles made it really clear to both of us that we would be together forever because we make such a great team.
Tell us about the proposal, share some pics, and show us your ring!
David had completed Officer Candidate School for the Marines and was in The Basic School. He had a long weekend for the 4th of July, so we decided to take a trip to Charleston, South Carolina. David had this whole trip planned out and I had no idea he intended to propose. He arranged for a photographer to take photos of our engagement and planned to do it at Middleton Place in Charleston, SC.
On our way to Middleton Place, our Uber driver noticed a car behind us driving pretty quickly. It went to pass us, and actually sped off of the road and collided with a tree. We asked for the Uber driver to turn around to make sure the driver was OK. The car was very badly damaged, and David was able to get the driver from the car safely. We called the police and ambulance.
David was pretty dirty afterwards, and I was pretty worried so I said that we could just return back to the hotel and go to Middleton Place to do the tours the next day. David, insisted we go ahead as planned. Then, once we arrived, David and I walked around and I could not believe the events that just previously happened. As David finally got me onto other topics, we walked around the lovely estate and talked about our life together. Then, he proposed in the gardens. It was very magical! There was a photographer there to take photos of these special moments, which was such a surprise. David had such a great plan and I was so surprised by it all!
What led you to Stroudsmoor Country Inn? What inspired you to celebrate your wedding with us?
We were looking for a venue that had outdoor options and included nature. We were also looking for venues that were still available and had the flexibility to work with couples who were not necessarily accessible, as we could not begin planning until February 2023 for a July 8th 2023 wedding, due to David’s schedule. Also, since David is in the Marines, we were actually in California for 6 months from January through June while he completed his MOS school. So we were looking for a venue that could be flexible with us throughout the wedding planning process.
Additionally, my cousin, Cory O’Hara, got married at the Stroudsmoor a few years ago. I remember having an amazing time at that wedding and remembered the venue being something special. My Aunt Debbie and Uncle John had wonderful things to say about the Stroudsmoor as well. My parents did a lot on the planning front in our stead while we were away.
The staff at the Stroudsmoor and Linda especially made it an easy choice. We cannot say enough kind words about Linda. She went above and beyond to make our day the most special and personalized to perfectly fit us. She really understood our vision and worked with us to make all the details come together cohesively. Linda’s calm and confident attitude sold us, she was exactly what we needed.
What is the one menu item that sticks out above all else from your wedding celebration? What about your favorite décor detail?
The hors d’oeuvres! Wow! I cannot even count the amount of appetizers that were served at our cocktail hour, and all of them were AMAZING! Each different hors d’oeuvre was delicious and we felt as though there were so many different options, which was really wonderful to have that kind of variety.
Also, the strawberry wedding cake was fantastic. The best wedding cake we have had!
Our favorite décor detail was the champagne station at our ceremony with the lovely umbrella and champagne coups. David and I really like coups, and I felt it was really special that Linda noted that and ensured they were made part of our special day.
Another favorite décor detail were the flowers. Each flower arrangement at the tables, the bridesmaids’ bouquets, the bridal bouquet, and the arrangement at the sweetheart table were all extraordinary. They were so delicate and beautiful. We appreciated the peonies being incorporated into the flower arrangements, as this was a special flower to my late Nana, and it was wonderful to have that small detail included.
One additional décor detail we really loved was the outdoor ceremony set up. The backdrop of the Terraview is gorgeous to begin with, but with the white drapes at the alter and the urns filled with white flowers. Also the beautiful white chairs, white petals lining the aisles. The musicians to the side— the whole ceremony set up was truly perfect and spectacular.
What made your Wedding Journey with us most memorable?
Linda and Belkis. Linda was superb to work with. She is very collected and confident which makes you feel at ease and relaxed when planning with her. She has an immense amount of experience and had a very clear understanding of our vision. She also worked to ensure that our vision remained in budget which was much appreciated. She made every little detail come together to make all of the planning well-worth it. Linda was the best wedding planner we could have asked for, and we appreciate all of her hard work.
Additionally, Belkis was a wonderful part of the team. She was on top of things on the wedding day and ensured that everything ran smoothly. Belkis was very attentive and just really cared about David and I. We could tell she was there for us and to support us, which just made the day feel even more special. We cannot say enough kind words about the staff.
David and I really just looked forward to being married and to start our lives together and we felt blessed to have our family and friends there to celebrate with us on our most special day.
What is one hope you have in celebrating your first anniversary?
We hope to look back at some of our wedding photos and enjoy our delicious wedding cake! We loved our wedding and it’s a wonderful memory that we hold very dear to our hearts, but that is just the beginning, and what a very sweet beginning it was. We are very excited to keep moving forward and see what our life together brings.
