Noelle and Anthony – 8/25/18 Ridgecrest
“Having our wedding at The Stroudsmoor Country Inn was the best decision we’ve ever made, outside of marrying each other :). From the gorgeous venues, the friendly and extremely attentive staff, and the variety of pricing options, getting married here is a must. This is one decision you will never regret.”
Ridgecrest Pocono Wedding Venue
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We met as juniors in high school at a friend’s house. That friend was having a bunch of people over for a campfire, and they were inviting guys. Anthony really didn’t want to go, but his guy friends dragged him- and lucky for us! The moment we met, we quickly became very close friends. Our feelings for each other became more obvious senior year after raising a child together in health class. By the end of 2009, we were officially dating. The rest is history!
We felt a spark right from the beginning.
We think it may have something to do with how easily we connected and talked. There were never awkward pauses between us. For Anthony, it was how special she made him feel, how she stuck up for him, how she cared about the little things, and how he felt like he could open up to her about anything. Of course she was beautiful so that helped 🙂 For Noelle, it’s how truly genuine Anthony is. Whether it be his genuine sense of humor, with his laugh that’s so infectious that once you hear it you can’t help but smile because it’s so grand and goofy and real. Or his genuine friendships, with his ability to read the people he loves and know exactly how to respond or what to say in any given situation. He’s always had a way of making anyone he talks to feel so comfortable and happy and joyful because of his genuine nature. Noelle knows that whenever she’s with Anthony, anything he does or says is always coming from his heart because that’s just the type of person he is.
It started as a celebratory trip to Disney World for our 7-year anniversary. Obviously, as huge Disney fans, we spent months planning all of our meals, activities, and Disney themed outfits. But little did Noelle know that Anthony had been doing even more planning on his own. He organized a Disney themed scavenger hunt around the park, with clever clues and riddles that led us to the castle at Magic Kingdom. After blindfolding Noelle, one of Anthony’s helpers showered her in pixie dust, and she removed her blindfold to find Anthony on one knee, ring in hand. We spent the rest of our trip on Disney Cloud 9, enjoying our favorite place on Earth and our newly engaged status 🙂
We visited 12 different venues on our quest to find the perfect place. 11 were beautiful in their own right, and came with some pros and cons. But only one was perfect. Obviously, that was Stroudsmoor. When we first journeyed to Ridgecrest, and walked down the path to Crestview Chapel, we both felt something that no other venue had given us- butterflies. It just seemed so right. We excitedly returned to the main cabin for our tour of the property and to hear the pitch. By the end, we were sold. The food was incredible, the staff was unbelievably friendly, helpful, and efficient, and the venue was picturesque. We also loved that everything was right on site, and that although there were multiple weddings on the property, each was isolated enough to ensure privacy. Perhaps most importantly, it’s nice to have personable and professional coordinators be able to guide you through the process from start to finish. We had seen the awards and the amazing reviews online, and when we finally arrived and met the team, we knew we had found the right place. After a week of organizing our finances, and talking through our various cost options with Linda, we signed.
From the day of the wedding until now, one month later, everyone we invited to our wedding can not stop gushing over how incredible everything at Stroudsmoor Country Inn was. From the seamlessness of the entire night, to the beautiful decorations, to the delicious variety of food including the specialty pizza and pretzel bar, everyone at Stroudsmoor Country Inn went above and beyond to make our wedding night the most magical and perfect night of our lives. Throughout the entire event Anthony and I had people constantly checking in on us, letting us know what would happen next, making sure we had food/drinks and ensuring everything else was going to schedule. The one thing we will never forget about our wedding night was how we truly felt that the people we worked with at Stroudsmoor genuinely cared about us and our wedding. Linda, Victoria, Nick and Kerry (to name a few) made us feel so special and happy and at ease the entire day which made our wedding experience even more memorable. We never felt we had to worry or think about anything because we knew we were in the most capable of hands. We could not be more grateful for absolutely everything they have done for us and are so happy that they are forever a part of our wedding day memories!
A standing ovation for Stroudsmoor Country Inn
“It sounds cliche, but it’s true- if we had all the time in the world to talk about our wedding at The Stroudsmoor Country Inn, it still would not be enough time to sing their praises. It was, in a word- perfection. Every single guest who was at our wedding said it was the best, most romantic and unforgettable wedding they have ever been to, and we owe it all to the incredible staff at Stroudsmoor. They’ve won dozens of awards from many sites for their spectacular ceremonies and receptions, and it’s not by accident. They’ve earned each one and the many more that will assuredly keep coming.
From the very beginning we knew we had found a special place staffed with very special people. We looked at 12 different venues, but when we finally made it to The Stroudsmoor Country Inn, we knew it was the one. The venue- picturesque, something out of a fairytale. The staff- so friendly and accommodating we thought we were royalty.
We wanted to give a few special shoutouts to the specific subdivisions of Stroudsmoor, in case you need more convincing that this venue is your dream come true:
Stroudsmoor floral/decor- when we presented our color scheme to the team, we were a little concerned that it might be too much (there were quite a few colors). But the floral/decor team, led by Jesse, pulled it all off, leading to a wonderfully vibrant and stunning display of flowers. Even more impressive was the attention to detail. From the centerpieces to the brudes bouquet, everything was perfectly in sync. They even lined the path leading to Crestview Chapel with various pedal colors from the extra flowers, and then gave each guest a cone of more pedals for them to throw in the air as we walked back down the aisle. Absolutely magical. Jesse also helped come up with other nice, personal and unique touches to our wedding, like a special wood carved holder for our champagne flutes, which we now proudly and lovingly have on display in our apartment. If you’re looking for a wedding vendor who cares about the details as much as the big things, Stroudsmoor is definitely the place for you.
Stroudsmoor bridal/hair & makeup- Having a salon on site is already a bonus but the bridal salon team really went above and beyond to make my experience absolutely incredible! Stephanie was always on top of my appointments/trials and was always available whenever I had a question or concern. At the trials and on the morning of my wedding they made me and my guests feel like princesses! The team was extremely organized, on time, friendly and so bubbly and fun! We had a wonderful time at the salon and every single one of us absolutely adored our hair and makeup styling. Stephanie actually ran out to our venue 5 minutes before I walked down the isle to fix a fake eyelash that was falling off! They are so truly talented, professional and kind!
Stroudsmoor cake/bakery- Our cake was epic. We had a very unique and delicious chocolate and peanut butter combination, which was a big hit with our guests. The presentation was immaculate, everything we could’ve hoped for and more. We still get texts from guests asking if there’s any extra leftover!
Stroudsmoor chefs/kitchen- with over 20 different appetizers, a pretzel station, a pizza station, and a craft beer station presented in a canoe, the food was a HUGE hit. The best part was that everyone was happy- there was enough variety to keep our vegan and gluten free friends full and impressed with the selection, while still catering to more mainstream tastes. The dinner was also notably delicious and wonderfully plated (Gordon Ramsey would’ve been pleased), and they even walked around to tables with extras to make sure our guests were satisfied.
Stroudsmoor personal wedding day helpers- Prior to our wedding, everyone we talked to said it would be the most stressful day of our lives, and although it would be rewarding, we’d have to earn it. With Stroudsmoor, we got all the reward, and no stress. We’ve never felt more taken care of. Prior to the ceremony our bridal party stayed in a smaller room, and our day of helpers kept us happy and occupied with a never-ending variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Just before we left for the ceremony, they took the drink orders of us, our bridal party, and our parents, and had a drink waiting for us the second we walked back inside, accompanied by trays of delicious appetizers. The rest of the night, we never worried about a single thing. Whenever our drinks were empty, they kindly rushed over asking if we wanted another, refilling it with haste. They even once quietly asked if we needed to be saved from guests who chatted too long and held up our visits with the rest of the crowd (we did!). In short, we wanted for nothing, and felt like royalty (as I’ve said before, because it really is true).
Stroudsmoor wedding coordinators- if everything we’ve written above still hasn’t convinced you that the Stroudsmoor Country Inn is THE venue you’ve been searching for and waiting for your entire life, then the thing that should surely push you over the edge are the incredible wedding coordinators. We had the absolute pleasure of working with Linda and Victoria, who were nothing short of saints to us. Given the subtle Disney theme we had for our wedding, perhaps the more apt phrase would be fairy godmothers- they did everything we wished and beyond. From start to finish, it was obvious that they cared about the wedding as much as we did. They truly wanted the day to be the most special of our lives, and it really showed on the actual day. Organized google docs with timing and schedules, gentle reminders on meetings and deadlines, and encouragement when we finally settled on something, you name it, they provided it. We even got replies to our frantic emails and questions at all hours of the night, no matter how far away the wedding was. When we had trouble getting in touch with a vendor, they were there to ensure the line of communication was open. In fact, when the groom had an issue contacting a tuxedo place, we asked for assistance, and within hours we had an email from the President of the tux company, apologizing for the delay, and swiftly handling our request. Linda and Victoria kept us on target throughout our process, ensuring that we had an enjoyable time planning our big day and encountered the least amount of stress possible. On the day of, who could be better? They gave people energy to get excited, and took care of every minor detail, from the big things like the bride’s dress breaking, to the small things like using a blow dryer to help dry off a groomsmen who spilled champagne all over himself just minutes before the ceremony began. The wedding coordinators at Stroudsmoor are top notch, and there is no doubt that if you come here, they will guarantee you have a perfect day.
In short (though this review has been anything but), having our wedding at The Stroudsmoor Country Inn was the best decision we’ve ever made, outside of marrying each other :). From the gorgeous venues, the friendly and extremely attentive staff, and the variety of pricing options, getting married here is a must. This is one decision you will never regret.”
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