Couple ties knot in first-of-a-kind ceremony along Kiski Township's Roaring Run stream

With uncommon grace and ease, a woman in a long, flowing, white satin gown made her way to a rock the size of a pickup truck in the middle of Roaring Run stream.

Surrounded by rocks covered in moss, she lifted the hem of the gown to prevent it from getting wet or soiled. But a curious shape poked out from the folds of creamy satin: the rounded tip of a brown hiking boot.

Kelly Cenci was no ordinary bride.

She and her fiance, Chad Hill, formerly of Washington Township, are the first known couple to hold a wedding ceremony on the Roaring Run Trail and the first to stage their nuptials in the middle of the Roaring Run stream, a tributary of the Kiski River. That area sits off Rock Furnace Trail, which is part of the larger Roaring Run trails network in Kiski Township.

“I think it is wonderful and romantic,” said Ken Kaminski, president of the board of directors of the Roaring Run Watershed Association, which owns and manages the trails and the site.

Kaminski and other volunteers from the watershed association were on hand to shuttle about 35 wedding guests to the wooded destination on Tuesday in perfect summer weather. The wedding party stood on the banks of Roaring Run, where, predictably, some of the children played at the water’s edge and picked up stones. The wedding photographer waded in calf-deep water to capture the best shots.

The couple sought permission from the association and gave a generous donation, Kaminski said.

“It’s a love story,” he said. “People want to get married, and they like Roaring Run.”

The dappled sunlight fell on the Rev. Zeb Thomas of Friendship Community Church in Washington, Pa., who officiated the ceremony.

“Chad and Kelly are caught up in the beauty of God’s creation,” Thomas said.

The venue was a natural choice for the couple.

They first considered holding the event in the backyard of their new home in Cranberry, but the site was not quite right. They were discussing the matter on the Rock Furnace Trail and decided to tie the knot on their favorite huge rock.

“I’ve raised my kids walking that trail and kayaking the Kiski,” said Hill, 38, who lived in Washington Township before moving to Cranberry with his new bride. “I have mountain-biked those trails. The sense of peace and tranquility that place brings me is like no other.”

During their roughly one-year courtship, Cenci, of McCandless, would visit Hill at his Washington Township home and the couple would head to Roaring Run.

“We’re both outdoorsy and we love hiking, jogging and riding our bikes,” Cenci said.

They introduced their children from previous marriages, including three daughters and two sons ranging in age from 10 to 15, during a Kiski River kayak trip in Roaring Run.

“That was special for us,” Cenci said. “It’s the first time our blended family came together.”

The outings continued, and the weather didn’t deter them. They hiked Roaring Run the day after Christmas in 6 inches of snow.

“I think Roaring Run brought us together with a ton of mutual interest,” Hill said, adding that the outdoor adventures provided a great way for the couple to get to know each other and helped build the foundation of their relationship.

“I think you know when you know,” he said. “I found my soulmate on this.”