Elegant Mansion Wedding in Bethany, PA

Taylor and Kenneth’s elegant mansion wedding was featured in the Spring/Summer 2020 issue of MunaLuchi Bride Magazine! View the digital magazine format here.

The beginning of Kenneth and Taylor’s love story was truly a family affair. Taylor was working at Costo the summer before her graduate program at the University of Delaware. On one of her last days at the store, Kenneth’s parents and aunt walked in. Their conversation started when Kenneth’s dad noticed her University of Delaware shirt, but it quickly evolved into a matchmaking session when Kenneth’s aunt asked Taylor if she was single. Taylor recalls, “Kenneth’s mom and dad searched Facebook for a picture of him. We figured out that we both were Christian, college basketball players, and the same age, 23.” Before leaving, Kenneth’s aunt made sure to get Taylor’s phone number.

A month later, his aunt reached out to Taylor and invited her to church. They had a great time. A few weeks later, she called Taylor to ask if it was still okay to introduce her to Kenneth. Taylor remembers, “The next morning, he texted me and from that point, we communicated nonstop and went on our first date a week later.” Auntie’s know best!

Two years later, Kenneth proposed to Taylor’s at her graduation party in front of family and friends. They immediately began planning their ethereal and elegant mansion wedding. Fragrant cream roses nestled in beds of lush greenery perfectly complemented their black, gold and white decor giving their outdoor wedding a classically glam feel. At 5’11”, Taylor was statuesque and graceful in her Justin Alexander mermaid gown, which she found only four days after Kenneth proposed! While all of the details of their wedding were showstopping, it was the quiet moments, staring into other eyes and reflecting on the blessing of familial love that made them smile the most.

Full names of couple: Kenneth and Taylor Johnson
Occupations: Kenneth- Detail Technician Taylor- Special Education
Wedding date: Saturday, September 28, 2019
Wedding location: The Mansion at Noble Lane- Bethany, Pennsylvania

Quick Facts

Bridesmaids and groomsmen’s gifts: I gave my bridesmaids silk robes and wine. Kenny gave his groomsmen custom bowties and cigars.
Gifts for one another: We decided not to do gifts for each other.
Ceremony entrance song: “Here and Now” by Luther Vandross
First dance song: “For You” by Kenny Latimore

Best Wedding Memories

During the ceremony, our officiant did a ‘blessing of the hands’ in which we looked into each other’s eyes and held hands while she read it. A few of the lines read “These are the hands of your best friend, these are the hands that will hold your children, these are the hands that will wipe your tears, and these are the hands that even when wrinkled and old will still reach for yours.” Kenny’s hands are one of my favorite parts of him, so this reading was very intimate for me. This was the first time that we really stared into each other’s eyes and it felt like we were alone, just the two of us. It was a surreal moment for both of us.

Advice for Engaged Couples

Plan for your marriage, not just the wedding! Put just as much, if not more, effort into planning your marriage as you do your wedding. Your views on important things (finances, children, career goals, etc.) should be discussed prior to the wedding so that you both are on the same page about the course of your lives together. People focus so much on the actual wedding day, but it’s just one day out of the many days that you will spend with your spouse. After the honeymoon, you’ll come down from the newlywed high and you need to have a solid foundation in your marriage.