Jenna and Matt {Pinehurst Wedding Photographer}

Jenna and Matt are the sweetest couple!

Right from the start you could tell that they were very caring, thoughtful people who wanted all of their friends and family to have a great time – and did they ever!

From champagne shenanigans during getting ready to the party bus they chartered to bring their guests to the wedding and back again, all the way through to the reception  – which had to have been the largest concentration of JMU alumni outside a class reunion – the entire day was full of fun suprises.

 

Tell me how you met.  Where were you?  What were you doing?  What did you each think when you first saw the other person?

We originally met in 2011 in Myrtle Beach on an “end of college” trip.  My random roommate from sophomore year at JMU invited me on the trip with a bunch of her friends and I spur of the moment decided to join them.  I was spending the summer at JMU working on my Master’s so I figured why not! I had met Matt there with a bunch of other people, but he really stuck out to me.  He was so outgoing and truly “the life of the party” the entire week.  He also made me feel extremely welcomed. Looking back, if I hadn’t decided to go on that trip, our lives would be very different!

Matthew says he couldn’t keep his eyes off me. (How nice! Haha)

 

 

Tell me about your first date.  Where did you go?  Who picked the place?  Was it a huge success or did it have it’s challenges?

We did not go on our first date until a year after meeting in Myrtle Beach.  We were both still at JMU for the year and we had seen each other out with friends a few times.  One night while hanging out with a couple others, we spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other.  We then decided to spend the day together at my apartment complex’s pool which was followed by our first official date at our school’s dining hall.  Matt was SO romantic and used 7 of his dining dollars to pay for me. 😉 Quite the first date! We unfortunately were both officially done at JMU a month later and we had to have an awkward goodbye and I went back to New Jersey and he went back to Manassas.  We both realized that we didn’t want things to end, so we visited each other a few times that summer and then I got a teaching job and moved to Virginia and we officially became a couple.

 

 

Tell me the story of your proposal.  Where and when did it happen?  Were you surprised?  Was it an impromptu decision or had it been all planned out to the smallest detail?

Matt and I went on a trip to Puerto Rico back in August.  He had the entire trip planned out and told me we were going on an amazing hike through the El Yunque Rain Forest during our first full day there.  The trail that he picked out went all the way to the top of the rain forest and had a lookout tower at the top once you’ve completed the trail.  Once we made the trek all the way up there (it was a challenge!), we climbed the tower and were able to look out and see all of the rain forest.  As I was enjoying the view, Matt was getting a ring out of his back pack.  When I turned around, there he was on one knee! He proposed up there and it was pretty awesome. We then had the rest of the trip to celebrate and have fun.   I was very surprised and impressed with his planning.

 

 

What part of your wedding are you most looking forward to?  What part are you most nervous about?

Jenna’s Answer: The part of our wedding that I am most excited for is being with Matt while we have everyone that we love in one room celebrating our love.  I can’t wait to enjoy that with him.

Matt’s Answer: I am most excited about seeing Jenna walk down the aisle and kissing her for the first time as husband and wife.

 

 

VENDORS

Event Coordinator/Wedding Planner: Brittanne Gasser and Kimberly Esteban- Piedmont Club

DJ/Entertainment: DJ A-Z John Howard

Florist: Paula Barrett

Videographer:Greg Warger, NJ http://www.ever-afterstudio.com/

Invitations and Paper Goods:  Wedding Paper Divas www.weddingpaperdivas.com

Cake Vendor: Cakes By Happy Eatery- Manassas, VA http://www.cakesbyhappyeatery.com/

Hair/Makeup Consultant: Updo’s for Ido’s   VA, MD, DC http://www.updosforidos.com/

Photobooth: Tip Top Photo Booths https://www.tiptopphotobooths.com/

Dress Boutique: Global Bridal Gallery, Alexandria VA http://globalbridalgallery.com/about-us/

Dress Designer: Madison James-https://www.madison-james.com/