Katie Flinn was expecting nothing special one early morning in June as she set out for a walk on the beach with her boyfriend. And she certainly wasn’t expecting Oliver Oz, son of Dr. Mehmet Oz, to get down on one knee in the sand.
With plenty of help from Katie’s mom, the couple planned a ceremony at Wilmington’s Christ Church Christiana Hundred, followed by cocktails and festivities at the bride’s home in Kennett Square. For Katie, it was a way of feeling like her late grandfather was with her on her special day. “I chose my parents’ house as our venue because it’s my happy place,” Katie says. “My grandparents lived there before my parents moved in, and I have the best memories there.”
On her wedding day, Katie donned a simple, elegant gown, with her hair swept off her face and gathered into a bun. Dressed in navy blue, her bridesmaids carried fresh bouquets of roses, hydrangeas and irises as they led the soon-to-be Mrs. Oz to the altar.
After the exchanging of vows, guests made their way to the Flinn home to celebrate, heading to a tent to escape the rain. As the night progressed, Katie slipped into a short white dress tied in the back with a pink bow, with matching pink Hunter Boots on her feet. “I think the rain made it even more memorable,” she says. “The entire wedding felt very homey, cozy and comfortable to me.”
When COVID restrictions scuttled a trip by car along the California coast, Eric Spicer opted to pop the question to VesnaAnn Tucker at home—with help from the couple’s beloved cat, Lola. When Vesna needed to get a new collar for Lola, Eric stepped up, adding a “Vesna, will you marry me?” name tag.
The couple’s three-year engagement left plenty of time for planning. “We actually had a really bad contract issue with our first venue and ended up walking away,” says Vesna. “But without that experience, we wouldn’t have found Brandywine Manor House.”
Vesna and Eric wanted something a little more memorable than a traditional ballroom wedding, with top-notch food and photography at the top of their priority list. “I figured everyone remembers the food, and I’ll look at the pictures for the rest of my life,” Vesna notes.
It rained all morning on wedding day. Luckily, everyone was prepared. “Brandywine Manor House has back-up plan after back-up plan,” says Vesna.
As Vesna prepared to meet her groom under the roof of a barn, the skies cleared, allowing for a first-look moment on a nearby bridge. Vesna walked down the aisle in the communion veil she and her mom had purchased in Ireland 23 years prior—her “something old.” The newly married duo attended a cocktail hour before making their way to the simple yet elegantly decorated celebration space. “We were able to actually enjoy the wedding,” Vesna says. “You hear these horror stories of couples who regret things because they didn’t get to dance, eat or enjoy the company of their guests. Eric and I made it a point to dance and enjoy our wedding the entire time.”
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