They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and that was certainly the case with Kelley Phillips and Josh Spoth. This amazing couple made it through six years of being long distance sweethearts before tying the knot at their St Peter Cathedral wedding in Erie, PA.
High School Sweethearts
Kelley and Josh met in January 2012 on a church youth group mission trip. Kelley’s group traveled from their hometown of Erie, PA to Arkport, NY. Josh’s family was involved in many of the events that weekend and Kelley couldn’t help developing a crush on him, though she was too scared to admit it at the time. Josh had feelings for Kelley as well, but it wasn’t until another mission trip six months later that he mustered up the courage to ask her out. They were a long distance couple from the very beginning. Living about two hours apart, the pair made it work through college and Josh’s military training. Their long-distance love only grew as the years and milestones passed.
The Proposal
Josh popped the question on a vacation with Kelley’s family in Spring 2017. The couple went for a romantic dinner followed by a walk on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Under the guise of finding a particularly beautiful seashell, Josh called for Kelley to turn around and look at his find. Of course, she found him down on one knee instead!
St Peter Cathedral Wedding in Erie, PA
Kelley and Josh were married in a St Peter Cathedral wedding in Erie, PA. The Cathedral itself is absolutely breathtaking with towering marble pillars, rich wood inlays forming the cross and vibrantly colored stain glass windows. Kelley chose Josh’s five sisters as her bridesmaids, and her own twin sister, Katie as her Maid of Honor. Josh chose his closest friends and it was “no-brainer” in choosing them for his big day. Josh’s baby brother Matthew and the couple’s son Ashton served as adorable little ring bearers. It was a beautiful Catholic ceremony rich with tradition and filled with the love of family and friends.
We took the bridal portraits at the Bicentennial Tower overlooking Lake Erie. The couple looked particularly elegant with Josh dressed in his formal Marine Corps dress blues.
The couple kicked off their reception at the Concourse at Union Station where they wined, dined, and danced the night away. Military buddies presented Kelley and Josh with a plaque in the shape of an oar. Josh’s unit is supposed to be a known motor vehicle unit however, they’re also known for always breaking down. It’s a joke amongst the Marines that they’ll forever be broken down and will have to oar their way places instead. It was a really fun moment and I’m glad we got to be there to capture the tradition.
At the end of the day, it was a blast helping Kelley and Josh celebrate their love at their St Peter Cathedral wedding! They really prove that distance means so little when you love someone so much.
If you are planning a wedding in Erie, PA contact us for pricing and package options. In the meantime, check out our wedding gallery for a little inspiration for your big day.
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