It was initially friendship that brought Andrea Grassi and Paul Franklin together. The two grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and went to the same high school but didn’t get a chance to connect until Andrea’s older sister started dating Paul’s childhood best friend. Andrea and Paul quickly bonded over being the couple’s “wingmen,” and a friendship began. “Obviously Paul is quite the looker, but really my feelings for him just evolved into something much more deep over time,” says Andrea, a community manager. “He is my best friend in the entire world.”
Eventually their friendship blossomed into a relationship, which five years later led to a romantic proposal at the Nemacolin Woodland Resort’s Falling Rock. “We were going home to Cleveland for a weekend in August to see family, and he surprised me with a pit stop to Nemacolin, where we had stayed before,” says Andrea. “He got down on one knee right near the 18th green overlooking the mountains and popped the question! It was perfect and so romantic.” The next day, they arrived in Cleveland, where Paul, a financial adviser, had already organized a surprise party for Andrea with both of their families.
For their wedding, 14 months later, the couple knew they wanted an intimate celebration with just their closest friends and family. But they didn’t forget to give their Maryland wedding a Midwestern touch. “We had the [Ohio State] Buckeyes game playing during cocktail hour,” says Andrea.
Details:
Photographer: Katie Pegher, Fine Portraiture
Photographer’s Assist: Erin Wheeler
Wedding Venue: Chesapeake Bay Beach Club
Event Planning: Kari Rider, Kari Rider Events
Officiants: Father Michael Kelley and Rabbi Block. “Paul and I are interfaith, so we had a rabbi and a priest officiate our wedding and traditions from both Judaism and Catholicism,” says Andrea.
Gown: Anna Maier, Hitched
Hair/Makeup: Shanna Beisel, Hair for a Special Affair
Bridesmaid Dresses: Elie Tahari
Groom’s Tux: Bespoke by Alexander Nash
Groomsman Attire: Bonobos
Rings: Ascot Diamonds
Cake: “No cake for us! Instead we had cranberry apple, pumpkin, pecan, and chocolate-peanut-butter pies; cinnamon, maple-bacon, and ‘death by chocolate’ doughnuts; and ice cream.”
Florist: Amy Wilkins, Monteray Farms
Flowers: Hydrangeas, dahlias, garden roses, cymbidium orchids, makara orchids, blue thistles, silver king artemisias, seeded eucalyptus, and classic fall-colored foliage
Music/Entertainment: Nathan Pacheco for ceremony and first dance, Keltia for ceremony and cocktail hour, and Free Spirit from Entertainment Exchange for the reception
First Look Videographer: Cecile Davis
Videographer: Blue Sky Films
Transportation: Extraordinar Limousine
Getaway Car: Her Majesty’s Service. “We had a sparkler exit into a 1962 Rolls Royce to conclude the evening.”
Paper Goods: Michele Pentecost, Intrigue Design
Bride’s Favorite Detail: “The music! We had an incredible lineup of talent from our ceremony through the reception, including the international recording artist Nathan Pacheco.”
Groom’s Favorite Detail: “A Buckeyes game on the TVs during cocktail hour!”
Biggest Surprise: “I think the guests were most surprised by the Chick-fil-A sandwiches we gave them at the end of the wedding!”
Decor Details: “We had every fireplace at our venue lit for our wedding. It made for such a cozy and inviting touch. We had a table with all of our extended family’s wedding photos on it for guests to browse, and our guest book was a signed canvas of Paul and me from our engagement session. My dog died the week of my wedding, so my ‘something blue’ was his dog charm on my bouquet. It was a great way to keep him in spirit on my special day.”
Favors: Orange scarves for all the ladies, DIY vintage compass escort cards, and flip-flops for dancing
Theme: Fall formal on the bay
Four Words That Describe the Wedding: Bayside, fall, relaxed, fun!
Honeymoon Spot: St. Barth and Anguilla
Where They Currently Live: Arlington, VA
