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    Wedding Style: Tiffany and Garth

    Tiffany Smith and Garth Dixon, married August 10, 2013.

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    A long distance romance, the perfect proposal, and a wedding day that became a complete reflection of the bride and groom – these are the things wedding stories are made of. Tiffany and Garth Dixon met online and emailed daily for four months before meeting in person. At the time, he was living in West Virginia.

    “I initiated contact with him because he looked cute and rugged. He was rappelling from a bridge in his picture and I like that kind of thing,” says Tiffany Dixon. “After we finally talked on the phone we, decided to meet for brunch at Skillet. However, I failed to remember how packed Skillet is on a Saturday morning so we ended up heading to North Market and then the Franklin Park Conservatory for our first date.”

    In May of last year, he made the decision to move to Columbus to be with her.

    “The next six months unfolded with learning, growing, building -literally, we built all the furniture in our little house, and love,” she says.

    The couple also discussed marriage, which led to Dixon becoming a fan of Pinterest.

    “On Pinterest, I came across a picture of the most stunning ring I’d ever seen,” she says. “It was antique. It was unique. And it was for sale on Etsy.com. Pin! Let’s just say I stalked that ring until one day it was gone. GONE! My inner dialogue went something like this “OHMYGOD it’s gone! The ring of my dreams is gone.”

    A few weeks later was Christmas. After receiving a few nice gifts from her boyfriend -a soap dish, a coffee cup, cinnamon candy canes, and a foot-long tube of gumballs she really wanted- Dixon felt slightly dismayed. Then it happened.

    “In typical Garth fashion there were few words,” she remembers. “It went something like “I’ve been wanting to give this to you since I got it,” as he took a little black and gold box from his pajama pants pocket. I’m not sure if he had checked my computer history or was just really observant, but inside that perfect little box was the ring. Not a ring, but THE RING. Shocked is the best way to describe my reaction. Of course I said yes. There wasn’t anything else to say except, yes.”

    The couple took their time choosing a wedding site.

    “We wanted a picturesque yet simple and affordable place to host both our ceremony and reception that allowed us freedom to choose our vendors without limits,” she says.

    Having the ceremony outside and somewhere near Hocking Hills would be ideal. After a trip to the area to scope out venues, Dixon happened upon The Bowen House. An arts center in Logan, The Bowen House offers an indoor and an outdoor space. The house itself was gorgeous, the rent was reasonable, and the staff was a pleasure.

    “We loved that The Bowen House had its own charming personality that lent itself to creating a perfect backdrop for our day,” says Dixon. “The floors creaked, the furniture was well used, and it came with its own history of past weddings and parties on the lawn.”

    Glennda Tingle, care taker of The Bowen House shared stories of the home’s owners hosting musical events and opening the home to neighbors and children in the area.

    “We decided to nod to the house’s past by incorporating old fashioned lawn games like potato sack races, croquet, a hand-made piñata and corn hole into the day,” says Dixon. “It gave our guests something fun to do while mixing their own drinks and listening to Columbus band, Angela Perley & the Howlin’ Moons.”

    Gretel Adams, of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm, crafted the bouquets and boutonnieres for the wedding. She provided buckets of bulk flowers to the bridal party who created the tabletop arrangements and décor. Queen Anne’s Lace was sprinkled down the aisle and flowers tied with twine completed the look.

    The couple saved jars for months and reused them as vases for the flowers. China was borrowed from family and friends. Napkins were made from thrifted curtains, lace curtains used on the altar, and decorations were crafted from things on hand. The day was a reflection of the way the couple lives every day.

    Food was an important part of the day and the couple chose Freedom a la Cart to cater.

    “They made sure our food was sourced as locally as possible which meant the world to us,” says Dixon. “They created a stunning menu that included classic summer comfort food like homemade pickles, summer greens with pears and candied nuts, macaroni and cheese, and corn on the cob, chicken and pork grilled on-site and served family style.”

    The bride wore an ivory lace dress in a leaf motif with a champagne sash.

    She most enjoyed the ceremony while her husband loved the dinner. “One of our closest friends officiated so it was very tailored to us and personal,” she says.

    Before the wedding, Dixon received a piece of advice that became an important part of the day.

    “Take a moment right before you walk down the aisle to just look at everyone around you and realize what a special day it is and how much love you feel. Then take a quiet moment sometime throughout the evening to relish the day with your new husband. If I hadn’t stopped to take it all in, it would have all flashed by way to fast.”

    The couple honeymooned in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

    Wedding Details

    Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Bowen House

    Bride’s Dress: David’s Bridal

    Bride’s Hair: Gina Derry, friend of the bride

    Groom’s Attire: Nordstrom with suspenders from Amazon.com

    Rings: Etsy

    Officiant: close friend of the couple

    Invitations: Purchased from Written in Detail and printed by the couple

    Food: Freedom a la Cart

    Flowers: Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

    Cake: Whole Foods Market, Upper Arlington

    Music: Angela Perley & the Howlin’ Moons

    Favors: Mason jars with floral arrangements, homemade pickles

    Registry: Honeyfund

    Photography: Stephen Pierce Davis.

    All photos provided by Stephen Pierce Davis.

    Would you like your wedding featured on Wedding Style? Send me an email at [email protected].

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    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
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