The Proposal
of
Heidi & Derek
Heidi and Derek met online in late October 2018 and hit it off immediately. They went on their first date the following week at a restaurant, where they chatted for three hours straight. During the date, Derek ordered 12 wings but only ate three, which was unusual for him. When they said their goodbyes that night, Heidi asked for a hug and knew right then that Derek was someone special she wanted to be with.
After dating for 5-6 months, Derek moved from his hometown of Vinton County to Sabina, where Heidi lived. Despite living an hour apart and having opposite work schedules, they made their home together and enjoyed each other’s company. Over the years, they went on many adventures, like off-road trips with friends, visits to the beach, Vegas, Nashville, and Chicago, and road trips to gun shows or flea markets, always looking for a good bargain. They laughed and cried together and faced challenges as a team.
On November 19th, 2021, Derek proposed to Heidi at the Columbus Zoo lights, and she happily said “yes”!
The Wedding
of
Heidi & Derek
Heidi and Derek’s wedding day was absolutely amazing! As soon as they got engaged in November 2021, Heidi had a vision and was determined to bring it to life. Heidi chose a boho theme for her wedding, featuring real and dried flowers and lots of pampas grass. Her bridesmaids wore desert coral dresses, while the groomsmen sported tweed vests, denim jeans, and boots with black accents. Heidi put tremendous effort into every wedding detail, including making every charger for the place settings herself. The matron of honor (Heidi’s sister) and her now sister-in-law and cousin arrived at the venue at 8 a.m. to start their hair and makeup. The bridal party comprised 7 bridesmaids and groomsmen, a junior bridesmaid and groomsman, a flower girl, and 2 ring bearers, making it quite a large group.
The hair and makeup for the wedding were done first, followed by the arrival of the groom and his groomsmen around noon. The photographer and videographer were also present to capture every moment of the day. The bride and groom exchanged letters and gifts before the ceremony. Derek gave Heidi a round solitaire diamond necklace while Heidi gifted Derek a photo album of her boudoir photo shoot and a Winchester model 61 .22 rifle gun. After everyone was ready, they took photos separately with each bridal party member. Derek and Heidi chose not to do a first look, and Heidi couldn’t do a first look with her father, who passed away in 2019.
The wedding ceremony was very emotional, filled with love and happiness. Heidi was escorted down the aisle by her older brother, and both the bride and groom shed tears as they exchanged vows. Their unity ceremony consisted of branding a framed piece of cowhide with a personalized brand they created to represent them, coming together as one. The ceremony, officiated by Reverend Jim Taylor, was brief but filled with meaning and ended with the announcement of Mr. and Mrs. Derek Trainer.
After the ceremony, guests were invited to the venue for the reception, where they enjoyed a charcuterie table while family photos and pics of the entire bridal party were taken. The matron of honor and best man gave speeches, and Derek and Heidi shared their first dance as husband and wife. Heidi surprised her mother with a slide show of pictures of her father and family while they danced to Will Dempsey’s song ‘Beat You There.’ Derek and his mother danced to ‘Mother’ by Sugarland. The cake was cut, and the bouquet and garter toss took place. The couple also played the bride and groom game with their shoes and the longest-married couple/advice game with their wedding guests. The reception ended with a sparkler send-off and lots of dancing and drinks. Cheers from the new Mr. and Mrs. Trainer!
Heidi’s
Bridal & Formal
Experience
I met Katelyn through my sister, and both of them were a part of my sister’s bridal experience in 2017. Earlier this year, in January 2022, I visited the Bridal & Formal store with my mom and sister to find my wedding dress. The team at the store was quite helpful, and they showed me around the different collections of dresses while keeping my budget and style preferences in mind. Sally was my consultant, and she was terrific. She helped me find the perfect dress, and I instantly loved it. During my second appointment, the staff was very efficient in taking my measurements and helping me order the correct size so I wouldn’t have to spend money on alterations. They were accommodating when I had to leave in a hurry due to a family emergency and let me pay over the phone later. The experience was fantastic, and I loved the selection and customer service.
Sally was accommodating during my experience. I tend to be indecisive, and I tried on several dresses. Sally was patient and kept us on schedule while helping me decide my choices and pick the perfect dress. After my first try-on session, I was torn between two dresses, so Sally had me try them on again and helped me take pictures and compare them to decide. We scheduled a second appointment a week later so that I could take some time to think about it. During my second appointment, Sally reminded me of what I loved about my favorite dress and helped me choose the color underlay before placing an order. She was friendly, honest, and supportive throughout the process, and I couldn’t have asked for a better consultant.
Wedding Location – Hillsboro, Ohio
Ceremony & Reception Location – The Barn at Hidden Ridge
Bridal Gown – Enzoani, Nini (style has been discontinued)
Photographer – Ashleigh Parker Photo Co
Hair and Makeup – Raton Salon, Cassandra Jenkins
Florist – Diane Dell, family friend located in Wilmington, Ohio
Floral Preservation – Bloom & Keep Co
Wedding Planner / Coordinator – Lindsey Mann, friend of the bride
DJ/ Entertainment Services – McFur Entertainment: DJ Services
Videographer – Dream Loud Media
Cake – Susan Ooten with Red Velvet Cakery
Catering – Smokin’ Express