Sonya is a 51-year-old wanderluster. She enjoys the thrill of a new discovery, finding new favorite things to do, and heart-pounding adventures. Mostly she enjoys traveling with her husband Ray. They recently purchased a 2020 Jayco Redhawk SE and now they refuse to sit still or look back. Look out world, here they come!
Featured RV: Jayco Redhawk SE
My engagement to Ray was definitely one for the books. High above Luxor, Egypt with 25 friends and family, we set sail in a bright yellow hot air balloon. Everyone got up early to catch the sunrise. We were all in a trance as we gazed at the burnt-orange, balloon-filled sky. It was the stuff of dreams, and I was mesmerized. Behind me, Ray got down on one knee, and when I turned around, he was smiling wide and holding a ring. It was more than I ever could’ve hoped for in a proposal, and I couldn’t stop crying with happiness.
Ray and I love to travel, both domestically and internationally. So when we planned our wedding, we envisioned getting married at a beautiful Tuscan vineyard in Italy. We’d eat great food, drink great wine and bask in the beautiful scenery. But Covid had other plans, and as we sat out the year, I knew I had to come up with an alternative.
Inspiration struck elsewhere in 2020. Since we couldn’t travel internationally, we purchased our first RV; a 2020 Jayco Redhawk SE. We discovered that we loved RV camping and got on the road as often as we could. We also discovered Harvest Hosts: a membership club that invites RVers to stay overnight in some pretty unique places, like vineyards, breweries and other hot spots around the US.
In the spring of 2021, with more people having access to the vaccine, we started to feel a bit more optimistic about inviting people to come together. We wanted to get married on the anniversary of the day we met––a date that was quickly approaching. We had to think outside of the box.
I started looking through Harvest Hosts listings. I hoped we might be able to find a venue that looked a little Italian, at least. When I did a search on their database, I found Running Hare Vineyard in Prince Frederick, MD––a gorgeous local vineyard that just happened to have a building with a charming Tuscan architectural style. It was beautiful and the best part was, they would allow Ray and I and our guests with RVs to stay overnight on the land. It was perfect! My Big Fat Italian RV Wedding in Southern Maryland was born!
Although rain had been forecast for the days surrounding our wedding, on the day itself, the sun peeked through the clouds and cast a golden glow on the proceedings. We gathered and lined up four RVs on the grounds of the vineyard. I got ready in a huge Class A RV my friend had brought, with plenty of room to go through hairstyling, makeup and getting dressed. When I stepped off the RV, my dad and I had a short walk to the outdoor aisle where we began the wedding march.
The violinist began to play and when I locked eyes with Ray as I walked down the aisle, it was magical. We couldn’t stop smiling at each other and our guests couldn’t stop smiling at us. As it turns out, our RV wedding was better than getting married in Italy. It allowed all our closest friends and family to witness our union. Guests from Louisiana, New Jersey, Illinois and many other places joined us in Maryland, and we spent the day with far more people than we would have in Italy.
We kissed under a big, blue Maryland sky, with the sun warming our skin and the love of our friends and family warming our hearts. Having everyone there just heightened the magic of the event. The day was filled with love. It was filled with joy. And we never would’ve experienced that level of connection overseas without them.
Ray has been my partner in adventure for some time now. And ever since we bought our Jayco RV, we’ve had so many of them. So it makes perfect sense that when we got married, our RV was there too. After all, adventure isn’t a state you can reach over land or sea, it’s one you carry with you––and Ray and I take ours with us wherever we go. There’s still plenty of time to see Italy one day, but we wouldn’t trade our Big Fat Italian RV Wedding for the world.
Think outside the box. Lists of wedding venues tend to focus on the old standbys: clubs, event centers, expensive hotels. But all you really need to have is space for your guests and an imagination. When we found Running Hare Vineyard through Harvest Hosts, we knew we’d found a unique and interesting location for our nuptials. Look everywhere. Some RV parks have great event venues and access to awesome beaches.
Consider joining Harvest Hosts. With so many gorgeous locations for RVing, you might be able to put together a wedding with a few messages to the property owners. Always make sure you ask permission if you’re bringing multiple RVs.
Have a Plan B. If the weather doesn’t cooperate on the day of your wedding, make sure you’ve thought through an alternate plan for your big day. This might include ensuring your event location has indoor space available if needed, or having tents on hand if it might drizzle.
Consider guests who don’t own RVs. Where will they stay overnight? Weddings are a celebration of life, love and humanity, and people can sometimes celebrate a little too enthusiastically. Make sure there are accommodations for all your guests nearby, whether that’s rentable cottages or cabins on the property, tents you can put up for stragglers, or a nearby hotel or lodge for those who need an accessible option.
Remember what’s so great about RVs. With an RV, your wedding can be anywhere you want it to be. Get married beneath snow-capped mountains, overlooking the ocean, or surrounded by centuries old redwood forests. The most important thing is that you make it your own. Anyone can plan a staid and traditional wedding, but like everything in life, it’s the weddings planned off the beaten path that make for the most memorable adventures.
Sonya and Ray travel in a 2020 Jayco Redhawk SE.
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