Real Columbus Wedding: Julie and Joe Perkins
Celebrating family, friends, love and joy in the Hocking Hills
Aug. 21, 2021 | Coming on the heels of a year when the coronavirus wreaked havoc on social gatherings, Julie (Jackson) and Joe Perkins knew they wanted their wedding to be an all-out celebration.
“We had a theme that was ‘Dance Furiously,’ ” says Joe.
“This came out of the pandemic,” adds Julie. “Because in hard times, what else can you do? Dance furiously. So that was our hashtag.”
The pair, encouraged by the pandemic’s apparent decline earlier this summer, looked to leverage their shared love for hosting events to curate an experience for their guests that didn’t just celebrate their coming together as a married couple, but also the community of people coming together for the weekend.
“I think we immediately were like, ‘We want to throw a weekend.’ Not just a Saturday night wedding, but we want to create an experience for our guests.” Joe says.
He and Julie went to their venue, Crockett’s Run in Logan, near Hocking Hills, with an odd request: Could they take over the woods around the venue to host an outdoor party the Friday before the wedding? Energized by an affirmative response, the couple organized an all-out(door) bash, building a stage to host a band, running electricity from the main building and coordinating with Crockett Run’s event planer on how to get a food truck down into the woods.
“It took us two days to get set up for everything. We brought a U-Haul down [full] of furniture and anything you can imagine to throw this party,” remembers Joe.
The couple also carried the event experience into the wedding morning, offering an a.m. yoga class for their guests and then leaving the day open for them to hike on the property and swim in the pond. Then came the wedding proper, no less unique to the couple than the events leading up to it.
The pair leaned on friends to host sound therapy, smoke cleansing and group meditation during the ceremony. And, ever celebrating the community of people there to celebrate, the pair wrote communal vows—vows dedicated not only to themselves, but to their family and friends.
“It was a ceremony [for] the union of Julie and I, but was [also] the entire community coming together to support us and join us on this journey as we enter this next chapter in our lives,” says Joe.
Vendors
Ceremony and reception:Crockett’s Run (Logan)
Caterer: Russo’s Catering & Events (Zanesville) and Trailer Made Mobile Bar
Cake:The Little GREEN Farm Stand
Planner:ZenBoogieEvents
Florist:Passiflora Studio (Marietta)
Rentals: Dahlia Vintage (Loveland)
Ceremony music: Sound bowls played by Wendy Adaska of Preferred Health Solutions, acoustic music by Erik Urycki of The Speedbumps and his partner, singer/songwriter Gretchen Pleuss
Reception music: Topher Guenther
Photographer and videographer:Grace E. Jones Photography
Photo booth:Baci Booths
Stationery: Invitations by AyshaSamrin on Etsy; tarot cards by Lehr Beidelschies of Tusk of Squirrel and Anna Bihari of iam8bit
Rehearsal dinner, accommodations and Sunday brunch: Crockett’s Run
Bride’s attire: Gown from Wendy's Bridal
Bride’s hair and makeup:The Beauty Box Organic Salon & Spa
Groom’s attire: Suit from Pursuit, Dazi tie, Taft shoes, MBCork watch and suspenders
Rings:Ken & Dana Design (New York City)
Bridesmaids’ attire: Birdy Grey gowns
Groomsmen’s attire: Own suits with Dazi ties, Taft shoes, MBCork watches and suspenders
This story first appeared in the spring/summer 2022 issue of Columbus Weddings, published in December 2021.