A Sentimental Family Affair in Fairmont

Gracen Huntyre Samples & Tyler Joseph McKinsey Fairmont | 7.17.21

photographed by Carly Triplett

Gracen and Tyler met through mutual friends while studying at Glenville State College. After three years of dating, Tyler took Gracen back to recreate their first date with a trip to Valley Falls, then to Muriale’s for a nice dinner. Unable to wait a moment longer, the temptation to pop the question too strong, Tyler dropped to one knee as their evening came to a close. The wedding was a family affair, with loved ones of the bride and groom playing huge roles in making the day special as planners, vendors, and entertainers. The bride’s cousin, Carolyn, even made all the decorations for the big day.

Gracen wore an Oleg Cassini cap sleeve lace ball gown with intricate beading, and Tyler met her at the altar in a light gray suit and shimmery pearl tie. Just as the ceremony started, the rain that had been pouring down most of the day suddenly stopped, leaving just enough time for a lovely ceremony and some pictures before falling again. The couple posed for a very special photograph with the groom’s great-grandmother’s bicycle that the groom’s father lovingly restored for the wedding. At the reception, guests dined on a hearty meal of smoked chicken and pork, green beans, and loaded mashed potatoes.

The couple cut into a four-tiered cake topped with a smooth white buttercream decorated with white roses and hints of baby’s breath and made up of flavors including almond, lemon, and traditional white. As the night came to a close, guests gathered into a circle on the dance floor to partake in a true West Virginia wedding tradition: the singing of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

After a sparkler exit and an impressive fireworks show that lit up the night, Gracen and Tyler took off, escaping to a Sandals resort in Jamaica, for their honeymoon. The newlyweds have since returned to life at their home in Bridgeport.