The Art of Getting Wed… With an Edge

Not every bride wants to have the traditional “picture-perfect” wedding. Instead, tattoos, piercings and dreadlocks may star in the contemporary bride’s vision of the perfect wedding. Several special-event-focused companies at Pod 2 at Rock Lititz collaborated to create a rock n’ roll wedding — a fantasy photo shoot that showcased the hipness of getting hitched.

The bride wore a vintage fringe dress, white booties and textured fishnets; the groom sported a burgundy velvet blazer over a T-shirt and black jeans.
Disco balls, moss, greenery and a large original painting by local artist Alastair Blake Peters set the stage for the couple’s vows.

The modern-industrial feel of Pod 2 at Rock Lititz is true to its purpose. “The companies at Pod 2 are makers,” says Rock Lititz General Manager Andrea Shirk. “From world-class audio speakers to pyrotechnics to huge concert-sized video screens, these businesses combine technology and creativity to deliver world-class productions for live performances.”

Ina Vigilato and Juany Santos, a couple in real life, portrayed the rocker bride and groom. Ina is a tattoo artist with a downtown Lancaster studio, and Juany is a DJ/musician who runs a downtown Lancaster space that serves as a record shop, rotating art gallery and wellness collective.

Nestled alongside those live-event specialists are businesses that serve the public in similar ways: Stray Production Services creates lighting, staging, sound systems and décor for weddings, corporate events and private parties. OPUS produces videos for corporate and personal clients. Gravie Kitchen + Commons caters the events that are held in Pod 2 public spaces. Simply Events plans weddings and events in Central Pennsylvania and beyond. The building itself offers over 15,000 square-feet of public areas for special events accommodating up to 400 seated guests, plus a 3,500-square-feet rehearsal space that doubles as an event space for weddings, local nonprofit organizations and corporate clients.

“We are finding more and more clients who are no longer interested in just ‘pretty,’” says Melody Strayer, event designer at Stray Production Services. “Instead, they want something that will distinctly tell their story through great design.” Inspired by the need to think outside the norm, Melody became the ringleader that brought together dozens of Lancaster County businesses to stage a fantasy wedding that reflects the edginess of the increasingly diverse demographics of brides and grooms.

The unique bridal stationery suite and party signage, created by Melissa Weiler of Persnickety, tells the story of a couple who enjoys life and a few of its vices.

Bold colors and large tropical flowers comprised the bride’s bouquet; the flower girl carried a single red rose wrapped in sheet music.

Flower girl Ruby Strayer was adorned with tattoo sleeves that look like the real thing.

Seven-year-old Sam Mangine carried the rings in a tour equipment earphone case that also held a guitar pick engraved, “I pick you.”

A road case, used to transport equipment on concert tours, served as the cake table. Draped in black sequins, the table displayed a dramatic cake in tiers of black, deep purple and slashes of white.

A post-ceremony drag race pitted the newlyweds in friendly competition, the bride in a privately owned vintage Corvette and the groom in a 1963 Ford Falcon from Keller Brothers Ford. The flower girl waved the checkered flags that kicked off the race.