As soon as we knew we'd be gone for two weeks for the wedding and all the preparations, it was a pretty easy decision to take Buddy (our dog) along with us. It would have cost us a fortune to board him for two weeks, and besides – this way, our families would get to meet him. Unfortunately, a 60-pound pitbull mix isn't allowed in-cabin on a plane, so what could have been a four-and-a-half hour flight became a three-day, cross-country drive. Turns out, Buddy is an incredible road trip companion, and a better hotel guest than some humans, probably. We stopped to sleep twice – once in Grand Junction, Colorado; and a second time in Lincoln, Nebraska – and drove through a helluva rainstorm in Illinois and Indiana before landing in Mandi's hometown of Elmore, Ohio. We were greeted with the love of Mandi's family, and Buddy was greeted with a massive doggie bakery treat, courtesy of Aunt Courtney.

We spent a few days relaxing in Elmore – and Roy, Mandi's dad, came up to Elmore on a special trip just to meet Buddy. Then we drove onwards to Cleveland, to visit with Sam's family and to get our marriage license in Summit County, Ohio. Immediately upon receiving our official marriage license, we drove to Sharon, Pennsylvania to visit with Sam's (100-year-old!) Grandma Betty to show her the official papers. Later that night we celebrated with Sam's family in the Stefanaks' backyard alongside neighbors that rival the best. The next morning – albeit a slow one – we drove off towards Cuyahoga Valley National Park, where we'd later be married.

While road tripping back to Ohio, Mandi was obsessively checking the weather, watching the likelihood of rain on the wedding day go up a little bit day after day. First 30%, then 45%, then 60%, then 80% – it seemed rain was becoming inevitable. So we bought some umbrellas and were just hoping to make the best of it. The rain was set to start Friday evening, and we were even making preparations to do our rehearsal under the porch at the Airbnb. But as our families started to show up, the sky was still partly cloudy, and we were able to squeeze in our rehearsal with just a few drops felt here and there. After a few run throughs, we all met at Olesia's Taverne for a dinner of Eastern European faire – chicken paprikash, Polish sausage, perogies, pork schnitzel – the meal was delicious and it was so great to see our families all together for the first time! As our meal went on, the skies opened up and it began to downpour outside. When we left the restaurant, we tried our best to stay dry while running to cars and quietly accepted the weather would likely be the same the following day. However, on the advice of a superstitious friend, our brother-in-law sneaked over to the wedding venue under the cover of night to "cut the sky with a knife then stick the knife into the ground." We went to bed with our fingers crossed!

On the morning of our wedding, it was grey and rainy outside. Mandi, her mom, and her bridesmaids took umbrellas across the street to the salon to start getting hair and makeup done. Just as the photographer arrived to capture some of the "getting ready" shots, the sun started to peek through the clouds. We made the call around noon to have our ceremony outdoors, as it looked like our friend's "knife in the ground" trick had worked! The afternoon was a flurry of getting into suits and dresses, taking family photos, sending (our wonderful) family members to run various errands – all while trying not to let Sam see Mandi before the ceremony. The day flew by, and before we knew it we were setting up for the ceremony with some of the most beautiful weather and fall foliage that Ohio could produce. Sam's dad, Mark, officiated our ceremony. Mandi's parents, Roy and Joanne, walked her down the aisle. When Sam saw Mandi in her beautiful white dress for the first time, he was all smiles. "Worth the wait!" he said afterwards. The ceremony was short but meaningful, with words of wisdom from Mark, a reading of one of our favorite poems by Joanne, and short personalized vows shared between us. And of course, a kiss to seal the deal.

Immediately following the ceremony, an incredible three-piece bluegrass band entertained guests through a cocktail hour while family photos were taken. The band even played an original song for us while we enjoyed appetizers and drinks. Then we were announced to their family and closest friends as The Stefanaks for the first time! We shared a delicious three-course meal and some of our favorite beers from Jackie O's and Great Lakes Brewing Company. Mandi's dad, Roy, kicked off the speeches with stories from Mandi's childhood, and Best Man Brian as well as Maids of Honor Courtney and Mallary all gave speeches that made us both cry and laugh. After dinner we shared our first dance to Leon Bridge's "Coming Home." Mandi and Roy danced to James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You," and Sam and Tricia danced to "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong before we opened the dance floor to all. A small party, yes, but dancing alongside our families and some of our closest friends, the room felt so full.

The morning after our wedding, we said our goodbyes to everyone over coffee and bagels before heading to the tailgating lot of the Browns game in Cleveland to see some of Sam's closest high school friends. After a quick (but fun!) hello, we took off – with Buddy in tow – towards Athens, Ohio...where it all began. We dropped off Buddy with our wonderful friend Sarah (she has dogs so Buddy made friends!) and for two nights we enjoyed all the best Athens has to offer. We ate Big Mama's, Souvlaki's, Goodfella's, Bagel Street Deli, and had Donkey Coffee; hiked at Stroud's Run; walked Court Street from end to end and drank at Tony's, Jackie O's, Lucky's and The Pigskin. After two nights exploring our old stomping grounds, we retrieved our Buddy and headed south to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We stayed at a beautiful glamping resort outside the park and spent a full day driving through the park from north to south, hiking a dog-friendly trail with Buddy, and enjoying autumn in Appalachia. After the perfect ending to a perfect week, we turned the wheels of the VW back towards western horizons, back home...to the Stefanak household. ❤️