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Tips & Recs from Local Newly Weds, Evan Hobbs & Josh Metzger

Evan Hobbs & Josh Metzger tied the knot on July 15, learn about their love, hear their favorite vendors, and more!

Two grooms in gray vests embrace at golden hour, one kissing the other's cheek in a green field
Evan Hobbs & Josh Metzger

We are Evan and Josh. We crossed paths online and dated for two years before tying the knot on July 15, 2023. Evan is a Registered Nurse and Josh is a UPS delivery driver. When we’re not working, we like to spend time together at home, including spoiling our rag-doll cat, Oscar.

 Photos by Chelsea Joy Photography

The Day They Tied the Knot:
July 15, 2023

Two grooms in matching gray suits hold hands and touch foreheads, smiling

“We would describe the day as practically perfect! It was a blend of love and excitement shared with friends and family.” – The Metzgers

Two grooms in matching gray vests embrace forehead-to-forehead at sunset over an open field

Venues

“Our ceremony was held at St. John Lutheran Church, and the reception was held at the Ramada by Wyndham. We chose the Ramada because it fit within our budget, and the staff was all-around very friendly and accommodating. Plus, the convenience of a hotel ballroom reception can’t be beat!”

Florist

“We used Botanica Floristry. The owner, Steph, used home-grown and locally sourced flowers and greenery. All of the display items were reusable or recyclable, so we liked that we were able to be eco-conscious with our florals.”

DJ

“Power Play DJ was highly rated, and was awesome to work with. Our DJ, Scott, kept the energy level up and was awesome about communicating with us throughout the evening.”

Wedding Planner

Amy Lee of Breathe and Relax Events was our wedding planner/coordinator. I cannot stress enough how incredible Amy was to work with. She was fun and energetic and kept everything flowing smoothly. We highly recommend Breathe and Relax Events!”

Dessert

“For our cake, we went with a marble cake with buttercream frosting from Love in the Oven. We also had an assortment of Sandy’s Donuts.”

Groom’s Wear

“We used Generation Tux! We were able to order swatches of all the suits, vests, and ties so we could really see what the colors looked like. The men all received their suits two weeks before the wedding, so there was ample time to replace any items that didn’t fit. I also loved that they offered an at-home try-on option before placing your final order.”

Hairstylist/Makeup Artist

Final Touches Salon provided the hair and makeup for the groomsmaids, flower girls, grandmothers, and mothers of the grooms! Final Touches has rave reviews, and after working with them, I agree! The hair and makeup artists were prompt, professional, and just fun to hang out with while getting ready.”

Cater

“We used the Ramada’s in-house catering.”

Two grooms in gray suits exchanging wedding rings, one wearing a floral boutonniere Two grooms in gray suits hold hands during a church wedding ceremony with an officiant in a green stole

"Josh and Evan are a fantastic couple! They are a perfect example of 'opposites attract,' where Josh is goofy and always ready to crack a joke, and Evan is more discerning and detail-oriented. That said, they couldn't be a better fit. Josh always had a look or a joke to make Evan smile, and you'd better believe Evan's eyes SPARKLE when he looks at Josh. We had incredible weather for Evan and Josh's wedding, allowing us to take portraits outside and end the night with a phenomenal sunset. Amy from Breathe and Relax Events put in a lot of work to make the venue unique for Evan and Josh, and kept the whole day moving flawlessly!"

Two grooms in matching gray suits hold hands raised on a dance floor beneath purple paper lanterns Two grooms in matching gray suits laughing and embracing outdoors among green trees

Q&A with Evan & Josh

Q: What was the most difficult part of the planning process?

A: The most difficult part was probably setting (and sticking to) a budget.

Q: What was the easiest part? And what was the most fun?

A: The easiest part for us was choosing our color scheme. We landed on one within 20 minutes and stuck to it. The most fun part was creating and delivering the ‘proposal boxes’ we used to ask our friends and family to be part of our wedding party!

Two silver wedding bands in an open burgundy velvet hexagonal ring box surrounded by flowers Assorted donuts on a two-tiered rustic wood slice stand

Q: What were your top priorities for planning the wedding right after the engagement?

A: First and foremost was to secure our venues. Wedding season fills up fast! Second, was food, which luckily we were able to use the in-house catering. And lastly was music. It’s a party after all!

Q: Did you take any special steps to maintain a budget?

A: Evan was the Google Doc and spreadsheet wizard of tracking expenses.

Q: Everybody says that you should have fun and enjoy the wedding planning process, but it is easy to get stressed! Any recommendations on how to stay calm during the stressful parts?

A: I (Evan) found that having a specific email for just wedding-related items helped me not to feel so overwhelmed, and made checking tasks off my todo list much more manageable.

Q: Were there any “traditional” or “trendy” wedding things that you DID do or DIDN’T do?

A: Our wedding leaned more traditional. For example, we had a church ceremony with a unity candle lighting.

Two grooms in matching gray vests kissing amid colorful confetti Two grooms hold hands at the altar before an officiant in a church ceremony

Q: What were the standout vendors or products you found that made your day memorable?

A: We loved all of our vendors, but if we had to pick just one, it would be our florist. We were obsessed with how beautiful the floral arrangements and bouquets turned out. They were even better than what we had envisioned for the day!

Q: Can you share some advice with couples who are planning their big day?

A: Our advice would be to start planning early and don’t shy away from hiring a wedding planner, they’re experts!

Two men in gray suits embracing and laughing at golden hour on a green field

Congrats Evan & Josh!

Chelsea Joy Photography

chelseajoyphoto.com
Facebook | /chelseajoyphotography
Instagram | @chelseajoyphotography

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Published December 5, 2023

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Geneva Nodland
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