If you live in Youngstown OH, you know that it is a melting pot community!  We take pride in our cultural diversity and the history of our families, and we REALLY love our cultural food!  A city founded by Italian, Slovak, and other European immigrants means AMAZING food!  The Youngstown cookie table is the highlight of every Rust Belt wedding, and if you’ve never witnessed this phenomenon, then you need to come to a Youngstown wedding so you can see it with your own eyes.  Gina and Rodney‘s wedding day was a true Youngstown wedding in every way, and such a celebration of Gina’s Croatian family roots!  These two live in Milwaukee, but returned to Gina’s hometown to celebrate their wedding day at Avion on the Water.  When I met with her before the wedding day, she told me that in lieu of a DJ, they would be having a Croatian band for all of the Croatian dancing!  Well, was I in for a treat or what!  As the band began playing after dinner, the guests swarmed to the dance floor and all fell in step with traditional Croatian dancing, which I have never witnessed before!  Words don’t even do it justice to describe how awesome it is to see guests dancing and laughing and celebrating with such vibrancy!

Gina and Rodney, we had the BEST time celebrating your amazing wedding day with you!!  The rain didn’t damper our fun at all, it was the perfect day!  Thank you for welcoming Allison and I into your circle of family and friends, it was such an honor to tell your story!

Venue + Catering: Avion on the Water

Florist: Wild Flower Cove

Wedding dress: K’s Bridal Emporium

Makeup artist:  Sin Pretty Beauty

Bridesmaid dresses: K’s Bridal Emporium

Groom’s attire:  Men’s Wearhouse

Wedding cake:  Bake Me Treats

Band:  Trubaduri

Second Photographer:  Allison Ewing Photography

Friends and family who would like to order prints, see Gina + Rodney’s full wedding gallery here!

Croatian Wedding at Avion on the Water  | Youngstown OH | Gina + Rodney

Just look at those shoes!!

Jen is the owner of Sin Pretty Beauty, and she is AMAZING!  She is a beauty master, and always makes her brides look and feel their best!

The most beautiful ladies!  With the sweetest spirits!

Allison hung out with the gentleman while I spent the morning with the ladies!

MARRIED!!!

We were just finishing up family photos at the church when the rainstorm hit….but it blew over and we were still able to take bridal party portraits outside!

Gina, you are so loved girlfriend!

Cocktail hour has begun!  Guests were greeted with shots of Croatian brandy, and of course the cookie table!!

Gina lived in Ecuador, and all her friends from her time there made it to the wedding!  It was a friend reunion!

It was a beautiful evening to spend out on the patio!

Congratulations my friends!!  Love you both!!

Thank you Allison for always being the BEST second shooter and capturing some fun behind the scenes action!

Isn’t she just the cutest?