Jenna and Matt decided to split the time for their DC engagement photos between the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt gardens and the Jefferson Memorial. The weather and the day could not have been any more perfect!
Jenna and Matt 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,” said Jenna, “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!”
Even after having such a great time on that trip to Myrtle Beach, it took Jenna and Matt a full year to go on their first date.
“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.”
When it came time to propose, Matt didn’t do it in a small way.
“Matt and I went on a trip to Puerto Rico back in August.” recalls Jenna. “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.”
Where and when do you feel most comfortable and in love with your fiancé?
Jenna’s Answer: I feel most comfortable and in love with Matt when we are at home with our dogs. We have the nightly ritual of taking them for a long walk and I love spending the time with Matt just talking with him about his day.
Matt’s Answer: I feel most comfortable and in love all the time but the most when we are riding on the chair lift while skiing together, hanging out after a long day skiing, just grabbing beers at a restaurant, or relaxing on the beach.
“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.” said Jenna. “I can’t wait to enjoy that with him.”
When I asked Matt the same question he said that he is most excited about seeing Jenna walk down the aisle and kissing her for the first time as husband and wife.
*Awwwww*
