How They Met
It paid off for Martha (Blackwood) Balthaser to be the assertive one! On Jan. 31, 2015, she private messaged Brian Balthaser on Facebook, asking if he’d like to get a bite to eat sometime if he wasn’t seeing anyone. Sorting through conflicting schedules, and after a lot of private messages, the pair had their first date on Valentine's Day at the Bowers Hotel, which has been a regular hang-out ever since.
Tell us about the proposal!
Coming full circle, five years later, Brian proposed to Martha on Valentine's Day of 2020 with flowers and on bended knee. He personally designed Martha’s engagement ring using two of his parents’ diamonds. Says Martha, “It’s something I’ll always treasure.”
The Big Day:
The ceremony, officiated by Eric Goldsborough, GT North, was held in the Wine Cellar at Stokesay Castle, Reading, with the reception following in the Lord's Dining Room. The couple shared a special moment with their children – Martha’s two daughters, Katie and Lauren, and Brian’s two sons, Brad and Kyle – performing a unity prayer in which they all combined sand from individual vessels into one. The act represented the joining of two individuals and the creation of a new union and family. The joined vessel symbolizes the marriage of both Martha’s and Brian’s hopes, dreams and values.
At the reception, the children gave touching toasts, expressing their love and wishing their parents happiness in the future. The Lord’s Dining Room was decked out in green, ivory and gold and guests were treated to chicken bruschetta and panko encrusted salmon with Dijon cream entrees. The cake, by Unique Desserts by Chef Ann Louise in West Reading, was white with Chambord and raspberry filling. The newlyweds first danced to Starting Over by Chris Stapleton.
Highlight for the Bride:
“Walking down the candlelit aisle of the Wine Cellar to meet the love of my life while an instrumental arrangement of A Thousand Years played.”
Highlight for the Groom:
“Celebrating our love with family and friends.”
The Honeymoon:
The couple, originally from Kutztown, traveled to Captiva/Sanibel Island, FL, to enjoy their favorite place on earth. They kept things laid back for the most part: having morning coffee on their balcony, searching for seashells, dining at amazing restaurants and watching gorgeous sunsets on the beach.
Future Plans:
The newlyweds currently reside in Topton. Martha is a paralegal at Kozloff Stoudt in Wyomissing and Brian is Senior Solution Leader at Volvo Group North America, Macungie. They live by the quote: “Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.”
Advice for Future Couples Planning their Big Day:
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Things will inevitably go wrong, so stay focused on the big picture of marriage, not the wedding.
VENDORS:
Hair and makeup: Skyler Guldin at Lords & Ladies Fleetwood
Nails: Passion 4 Nails Leesport
Flowers: Deere to Me Designs Breinigsville
DJ: Jumpin' J Blandon
Transportation: Specialty Driving Lititz
