Ebonee Strother & Danielle Funkhouser
November 7, 2020, at MayLane Barn
By the time they stood at the altar in Stuarts Draft’s MayLane Barn, Ebonee and Danielle had already been married two years. A member of the U.S. Air Force, Ebonee was just starting recruitment and basic training when the couple got engaged, so they decided to make it official sooner rather than later.
“It was just better having that peace of mind that my name would be on whatever orders she received when her training was complete,” Danielle says. So they had a quick, 10-minute ceremony, then lunch with friends at a Mexican restaurant, “like it was any other day.”
In the intervening two years, they saved up and homed in on what they wanted for their dream wedding.
For the brides, that meant a day that felt “natural and romantic,” from the autumn color scheme (burgundy, gold, and navy blue) to the flowers (loose, airy arrangements that incorporated plenty of greenery).
“We knew we wanted to have a fall wedding because we love seeing the color of the leaves changing around that time,” Danielle says. “The venue has a beautiful field, pond, rolling hills, a beautiful barn, and plenty of trees with changing colors.”
Aside from the décor, the couple felt it was important to have their family share in the day. Both the DJ and officiant were Ebonee’s cousins, as were the flower girls. Two of Dani’s cousins served as bridesmaids.
“It just made everything so much more personal and meaningful,” Danielle says.
Here we go
A huge Steelers fan, Ebonee’s favorite moment was walking into the reception to the tune of “Black and Yellow” by Wiz Kalifa. The couple strode in waving their Terrible Towels.
Drink up
Danielle’s dad lent a hand on signage, creating an unplugged sign (asking guests to refrain from using cellphones during the ceremony) and a sign for the couple’s signature drinks, which incorporated their cats’ names: “Koda’s Carmel Apple Cat-tail” and ”Willow’s Orange Cinnamon Whiskey Whiskers.” The sign now hangs in their kitchen at home.
Through the ages
The couple DIY’d their table numbers, which included a picture of each of them at the age (Table 1 had a picture of the brides at 1 year old). “It was a great way for family to look back at special moments in time and a great way for our friends who we met later in life to see what all we were up to before we met,” Danielle says.
Let’s eat!
For the menu, Danielle and Ebonee knew they wanted to incorporate their favorite—Mexican food. They approached Bridgewater-based El Charro and, though the restaurant had never catered before, they got their wish. The couple offered guests a steak and chicken fajita bar and a nacho bar, with chips, salsa, and queso.
Long time coming
Though the two were good friends throughout high school, it wasn’t until after Ebonee graduated that she worked up the courage to confess she had more-than-friendly feelings for Danielle. Turns out, the feeling was mutual. “I was shocked by this,” Ebonee says. “It was like we were meant to be.”
The details
Event planner Sara Kite at Faded Poppy Officiant Blake Strother Catering El Charro (Bridgewater) Flowers Honey Bee’s Florist (Staunton) Cupcakes Seanice’s Sweets (Harrisonburg) Music Jerrel “J-REEL” Thomas Dress Amanda’s Touch Bridal Salon Veil All About Romance on Etsy.com Shoes Gianni Bini Bridesmaids’ dresses Azazie Rings Eden Jewelry (Danville) Hair and makeup Jordan Lawhorne at High Tech Salon & Spa (Staunton) Videographer Tom Daly
