“I was struck by the beauty of the site. I sort of filed the location away in my head knowing that when it was my turn to get married, I would remember this place!”
Mrs. Diana Baratta on Stroudsmoor’s Ridgecrest
Situated atop its own 200-acre mountain and surrounded by vast woodlands which are a hallmark of the Poconos, Stroudsmoor Country Inn’s six unique private event venues continue to draw engaged couples from across the country year after year. Last month, Diana Oliveira, now Baratta, and Leonardo Baratta, celebrated what was one of the most memorable days of their lives, hosting their wedding at the Inn’s mountaintop venue, Ridgecrest. Looking back on their special day, both Diana and Leonardo (“Leo”) were blown away by the success of their wedding as well as by the impact the Inn’s staff had on that success.
Thinking back on their wedding day, Diana shared, “Perhaps it sounds phony or cliché, but I truly couldn’t have made my wedding dreams come true and my guests so happy without the help of Stroudsmoor’s incredible staff.”
Mrs. Baratta spoke highly of Stroudsmoor’s staff “who work so hard to put on a beautiful wedding day for their brides and grooms and their respective families.”
Thinking about the events of the day, the Inn’s chefs specifically left a positive impression on not only the bride and groom, but also the rest of the wedding’s attendees. The bride shared, “The one menu item that I and everybody else loved the most was the Surf & Turf. The majority of our guests selected the Surf & Turf from the entrée options we offered, and I was glad they weren’t disappointed by their choice!”
Fast-forward just over a month following their wedding and Diana is also thinking back on the roots of hers and Leo’s love story. Married at Ridgecrest on June 10th, 2023, she shared with us, “Leo and I met at work! I was freshly hired as a content writer for this paper company, and Leo was already working there as a web designer/marketer.”
She quipped, “It’s probably not the most ethical way to meet your partner, but we couldn’t deny the attraction we felt for each other.”
Diana and Leo’s first impressions of one another are almost as sweet as their relationship. The new Mrs. Baratta recalled, “I thought Leo was very handsome at first sight. But as I got to know him, I realized how sweet, considerate, smart and funny he was. Leo said he liked me almost right away. He found me to be very nice and cute and easy to talk to. Usually shy, he didn’t feel that way when speaking to me or asking me out on a date!”
As they move forward as husband and wife, with aspirations of buying a home and—eventually—returning to visit Stroudsmoor again, Diana and Leo had some helpful tips for other couples beginning to plan their wedding.
“First of all, don’t sweat the small stuff. Forgive yourself if you make a mistake or forget something.”
It’s easy to get caught up in the details of the wedding planning process, but we hope you’ll allow us—should you also decide to book your wedding with Stroudsmoor—to handle every major and minor aspect of your wedding so that we may ensure the day goes flawlessly.
Diana added, “Second, go to a Stroudsmoor sampling event. Leo and I took so much inspiration from all the different food, décor and vendors that were there. Plus, don’t be afraid to do what you and your partner want or like. It is your wedding.”
We wish Diana and Leo the best of luck as they step into their life together as Mr. and Mrs. and we look forward to their return to Stroudsmoor (hopefully) very soon.
