Ashley & Taylor Stubler

Taylor and Ashley were childhood friends, first meeting in sixth grade when Taylor moved from Reading and was the new kid in Ashley’s neighborhood. Says Ashley, “We rode the same school bus and lived within walking distance of each other’s homes. Throughout middle school we became close friends and even dated for a short time. Unfortunately, the fling died out and we drifted from one another. We continued to ride the same school bus and saw each other daily, but outside of that we had basically no contact throughout the rest of our middle school and high school years.” The pair reconnected through a mutual friend during the summer of 2011, and Taylor once again asked Ashley to be his girlfriend on Sept. 20, 2011. Even before their engagement, Taylor and Ashley took the leap and became homeowners in August of 2015. About a month after moving in, Taylor suggested they have both families over for a housewarming party. It was on that night, Oct. 30, 2015, that he asked Ashley to spend the rest of her life with him!

The Big Day

Both the ceremony and reception were held at the Reading Country Club with Ashley’s parents, Bruce and Susan Ditzler, and Taylor’s parents, Brian and Julie Stubler, proudly looking on. Serving as Maids of Honor were Natalie Binder and Kyra Odagis, both best friends of Ashley since the age of 5. Taylor’s Best Man was Dillon Landrigan, his best friend since age 12 and his first friend upon moving from Reading to the Governor Mifflin School District.

The ceremony was short and sweet before moving on to the reception, for which Ashley made her own centerpieces, consisting of mason jars filled with baby’s breath, a mini engagement photo and candles, all placed on a circular mirror. The bridal party was introduced with their significant others, which was fun, as their dates got to get involved instead of just looking on from their seats.

Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour featuring a “global dips tasting station” consisting of crab & lobster and spinach & artichoke dips, guacamole, red wine cheese spread, hummus, tomato salsa, French onion dip and tomato & basil bruschetta with various accompaniments. Butlered hors d’oeuvres included crunchy chicken tenders with honey mustard aioli and beef teriyaki glazed skewers. The main meal was a buffet, offering penne marinara with Italian meatballs; Parmesan-encrusted tilapia; grilled chicken breast with lemon, garlic, fresh herbs and olive oil; and more.

The cake, from The Well Dressed Cake, West Reading, was giant, or as Ashley says, “5 tiers of deliciousness!” The bottom was layer was vanilla and pink champagne cake with whipped icing and fresh strawberries between layers. The second and third tiers were chocolate cake with peanut butter icing (Ashley’s dad’s favorite). The fourth tier was Bananas Foster. And the top – saved for the newlyweds’ 1-year anniversary – is carrot cake with cream cheese icing.

For their first dance, the bride and groom swayed to Perfect by Ed Sheeran. Explains Ashley, “We chose it because the lyrics are so fitting to our real-life love story: I never knew you were the someone waiting for me, 'cause we were just kids when we fell in love, not knowing what it was. I will not give you up this time.’”

Looking back, Ashley says other than that first dance, her favorite part of her wedding day was when she and Taylor exchanged vows and got to enjoy picture time after the ceremony as newlyweds. For Taylor, the highlight was seeing Ashley walk down the aisle.

Guests might say they were amused by Taylor's garter removal performance as he serenaded Ashley to the Magic Mike theme song Pony. Says Ashley, “We had planned this out with our DJ, but Taylor's exact moves were a surprise to both me and the guests the night of the reception. Taylor enjoyed being in the spotlight, as he loves to dance, and it really got our guests sitting on the edge of their seats.”

The Honeymoon

After the Big Day, the first-time international travelers jetted off to Jamaica to enjoy its beautiful views and breathtaking Caribbean beaches, staying in the Preferred Club at Secrets Montego Bay. Recalls Ashley, “Everything was absolutely amazing, from the food & drinks to the views & beaches, hospitality and in-room dining services. We explored the island a bit by taking an excursion to Dunn’s River Falls, which was extremely fun.” They hope to return to the island again in the future.

Future Plans

The Kenhorst residents’ future plans include starting a family of their own, but for now they are focused on enjoying life as a married couple, living each day to its fullest with their 2-year-old dog Bettis, who is quite spoiled. Taylor is a barber at Buzzworthy Barber Studio on Lancaster Avenue in Shillington, and Ashley is employed as a registered nurse at Tower Health Pediatrics in the Doctors’ Office Building at the Reading Hospital and also at the Children's Home of Reading.