Stephanie + Matt

How did you meet?

Matt and I met as any couple normally would, online at the start of what would become a global pandemic. Our first date was lunch on February 7, 2020, Matt drove up to Spokane from Uniontown, WA where he lives to meet. A week later we jet set off to Puerto Vallarta, what better way to get to know someone than to fly to a foreign country barely knowing each other. While most would think this is crazy, I definitely did and still do, we both felt it was “right” and were not concerned. While we both had friends that thought we were out of our minds, they were excited, but of course asked for personal information about each of us, just in case. Unbeknownst to us, Matt would end up meeting my dad on our early morning flight to Denver where we made our connection to Puerto Vallarta. My dad of course had no idea we had only met a week earlier (this was information he learned a few short months before we got married), I am the type that kept relationships quiet from my parents until I was ready to tell them about who I was dating. The cat was out of the bag very quickly and well as they say, the rest was history.

When did you know they were the one? 

When Matt and I first connected online, our conversations were so easy and natural. I don’t know that there was a specific time I knew he was the one, I just knew from the beginning this felt different and that he was “in”. He was different than any guy I had dated before and it was nice. For Matt, once he introduced me to some of his closest friends and later finding out just how momentous this was for him, I knew he felt different about me. I think having our second date as a vacation made it all real, very fast and we knew right away something was different about this relationship than previous ones for us both.

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?-

He challenges me and constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone, which of course irritates me sometimes but I know it’s because he wants the best for me and it’s something I need in a relationship. He is one of the most loyal people I have ever met and he makes me laugh, a lot.

Where did you fall in love with your dress and why?

Honest and Ivory, it was a dress I would have never pictured myself in or would have ever tried on. I tried on a few dresses that I thought I would have ended up in, but just didn’t feel “right” and once I put it on, I didn’t want to take it off, I loved the slight sparkle of it, the low back and how it made me feel. After I took it off, I tried on a few more dresses and was told my time was up. They asked if I wanted to try one more on with a veil, I chose to put the Harlow back on and when they added the veil, I knew it was the one I wanted. The gal who helped me asked me a few questions, the first was to picture myself walking down the aisle to Matt and asked if I could see myself in that dress and I started to tear up. At that point, my mind was made up. The first time I tried it on after alterations, I felt even more beautiful in it, I didn’t realize how different it would fit when it fit and how different it would look.

What was the best moment for you at your wedding? 

Seeing all my friends and family, we had guests from 13 states at our wedding and some I hadn’t seen in awhile. I felt so lucky to have all of the people that mean so much to me in the same room at once. I moved around a lot growing up, and went to high school and college in different states so most of my friends had never met. After the wedding I had friends tell me they exchanged numbers and had plans to see each other again. This filled my heart so much and I still can’t believe I got to have them all in the same room with me on our special day.

What were your favourite details?

The his and her desserts, we each had our favorites and the photo guest book. I loved looking at the photos our guests took and reading their messages.

What advice would you tell other brides?

I was told before the wedding that the day goes by so fast, I imagined it would, but I couldn’t imagine how fast it really would go. Soak it all in, take a step back and take a minute to be present and to absorb all of what is going on around you. It’s over in the blink of an eye and after it feels so surreal and you wonder if it even happened because it flies by.

MWL DESIGN:

Harlow

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Jennifer Debarros Photography

RETAILER:

Honest and Ivory