Emily must have been on the prowl for some inspirational tablescapes and floral arrangements when she found Chandra + Matt’s Cedarwood wedding, and Phindy Studios definitely didn’t disappoint with their fun images. (Fun fact: the newlyweds are a match.com success story!) Chandra wore a slim-cut gown from the Bridal Garden and classic Stuart Weitzman pumps, and decked her maids in royal purple sheaths from Nordstrom. The cheerful bouquets and bold centerpieces were offset by the couple’s clean and ultra-modern square confection from Patty Cakes. Emily is training me to be more detail-oriented, so let me direct your attention to the couple’s fun playbill-inspired menus. (Did I say that right, Em?) Visit Phindy Studio’s own post about this wedding for a few more shots from the day!
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met on match.com in 2004. Matt “winked” at me, which communicates interest without a formal email. And, I, managing a flurry of winks, ended up sorting my inbox by height. Matt (who is 6’5”) was first on the list, and that’s how it all started. We corresponded via email and IM for five weeks before we met for the first time halfway between Manchester, CT and Tyringham, MA for a six hour dinner. According to Matt, he knew from the moment he saw me that he wanted to marry me. I, too, was equally intrigued by him, and secretly envisioned our future together, even from day one.
Describe the proposal: Matt and I were living in Chicago and he persuaded me to take a bike ride to the lake. He had packed a picnic of snacks, so we sat on a blanket staring at the lake, nibbling and chatting about our highly-anticipated future in Nashville, TN (iwe were moving in two months). Matt was in the process of editing videos – one of his many hobbies – so I didn’t think anything of it when he gave me his iPod and headphones, and told me he had a video he was working on that he wanted to show me. The video was a six minute overview of our 3.5-year relationship that ended with white text on a black background that said, “Our Future.” I was in tears, and took of my sunglasses to find an engagement ring in Matt’s hands and tears in his eyes. I was completely surprised. Our wedding save-the-date was electronic and included the video Matt created to propose to me: http://www.mattandchandra.com/savethedate.html
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The Hatch-show print cards announcing our marriage tucked in the napkins at each guest’s seat. Behind the Hatch-show cards were ten different cards corresponding to the ten guests seated at any given table. These cards gave guests extra details about our wedding and provided an opportunity for guests to interact with each other. Here’s the list of card topics:
- First Dance Lyrics, Ben Folds “The Luckiest”
- Explanation of the Beer & Wine selection
- Specialty Drink Menu
- Dinner Menu
- How well do you know Chandra & Matt TRIVIA: The Early Years
- Details about the cake flavors & the surprise late-night snack: empanadas & fondue
- Part of Matt’s Match.com profile
- Our first email exchange
10. Comments card
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Every Thanksgiving, we visit Matt’s family in Greenwich, CT. On black Friday, my mother-in-law and I ventured into NYC to find my dress. I had an appointment at the Bridal Garden, which is NYC’s only bridal boutique whose proceeds benefit education for NYC children. I loved the concept, and the fact that all their designer gowns are up to 75% off retail prices. The first dress I tried on at the Bridal Garden ended up being “my dress.” It was a fun-filled afternoon with my mother-in-law who was an incredible support throughout all phases of the wedding planning.
Describe your bouquet: I carried a hand-tied bouquet with green mini hydrangeas, green roses, plum dahlias and mini calla lilies wrapped in green moss satin ribbon with copper satin ribbon crossed on the stems.
Describe your wedding cake: We served a four-tier square cake with dark brown ribbon and marzipan green apples, plums, acorns and leaves with a fresh plum dahlia and berries. The entire cake was covered in white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? My favorite memory of the day was our ceremony. It was written by us, but still full of surprises and filled with humor. We had two friends pick and share readings, one of which was personally written. Others shared photos that symbolized something about us, resulting in lots of tears and comic relief. We also had a close friend officiate the wedding. As this happened, our rings circulated the crowd to be touched and “blessed” by the hands of our guests. Since I am from Oceanside, California and Matt from Greenwich, CT, we blended sand from the east and west coast to symbolize our past, present and future. It was beautiful in every sense of the word and VERY memorable.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? A week before the wedding, we talked about what we wanted from each other. Those requests became “promises” and we each said 3 promises as our vows. Here’s mine:
Chandra: “I Chandra, choose you Matt, to be my lifelong partner. I promise to be the healthiest version of myself I can be; to support you, and all of your interests and endeavors; and to prioritize our family, friends, and loved ones amidst the day to day business of my life. These things I promise you, my partner and best friend, on this day, the next day, and every other day, for the rest of our lives.”
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We’re excited about buying a home, traveling before kids and enjoying each other’s company in Nashville.
Congratulations, Chandra + Matt! We wish you all the best as newlyweds and beyond.
Want gorgeous wedding photography? Be sure to enter the Brion Hopkins giveaway by March 1 for a chance to win a wedding photography package!
These are fantastic photos! Such a sweet wedding!littlemisssouthern.blogspot.com
I love all of the details! I especially love the barn shots, and the table setting!
Great Fall wedding post! Love all the color. Very inspiring :)Stefani
What a gorgeous wedding full of color and rich details! I just love the table card idea!
Simply Lovely!!!
Love this wedding and the couple’s story. And love the bride’s name :)
I’m proud to be the groom in this story… and I’m lucky to have found such a great wedding venue, fabulous photographers, and, above all else, an amazing wife!
Stunningly beautiful — in all ways. Immense creativity and true representation of the bride and groom throughout even the smallest details of this most memorable event.
What beautiful pictures! They did a wonderful job!
Wonderful!
This was not only a beautiful wedding, but a beautiful article about the wedding.
What a gorgeous wedding with amazing attention to detail. From the flowers to the ceremony to the "featured drinks", everything is so elegant and seemingly unique to the bride and groom.
We loved everything about this wedding… the colors were absolutely beautiful, and the setting was picture perfect… congrats to Matt and Chandra …
One of the best weddings we have ever attended. Loved every minute of it, and were amazed at the attention to detail.
Stunning, stunning, stunning!! Love the pictures.. LOVE the details. Congratulations!
Everything about this wedding was incredible – the amazing venue, the spectacular flowers, the stunning photos. Oh, and the most beautiful bride and her terrific husband. Every detail planned by Matt and Chandra (with the help and support of Cedarwood and their vendors) was special in every way.
The venue was amazing, perfect in every way. Nothing about the wedding indicated that they were stressed or trying too hard. It all fit together very naturally. The flowers and photography were outstanding. I missed Matt dancing though…
What a magical country setting for a wedding. Chandra and Matt are a power couple!
I love these photos. Very nice venue and classy wedding!
What I loved about this wedding is how personalized Matt and Chandra made all the details. Everything from the flowers, to the table decorations, to the photos were really reflective of the couple’s individuality. It didn’t feel like just another wedding.
The beauty of the sight, the flowers, the home was without a doubt a fitting setting for the bride and groom who were exquisite and the drink as one response commented "featured " swept away my sorrows when Matt was kind enough to remind me of the World Series won by his beloved Yankees ! Photos were wonderful .
I’m lucky to be the bride in this story.. It truly was a magical day. Special thanks to Phindy Studios for rockin’ the camera, and Linda & Karen @ Cedarwood for helping us make it unique.
What a beautiful setting for a country wedding! Matt and Chandra made it so personal by their attention to all of the details, and the photos are spectacular!
A lovely wedding and a fabulous couple. Thanks for the story and the pictures.
Chan,You make the family proud. Your accomplishment are amazing! Your wedding fantastic. Matt take care our girl.Uncle Joe and Aunt Lisa
These pictures capture the charming ambience of a lovely outdoor wedding nestled against the natural wonder of Cedarwood. A beautiful and memorable wedding!
A perfect setting for a fun-filled wedding! We loved everything about it. Gorgeous flower arrangements, lots of colour, stunning photos and a gorgeous bride and groom.
These pictures capture the charming ambience of a lovely outdoor wedding nestled against the natural wonder of Cedarwood. A beautiful and memorable wedding.
I love reading about fellow couples who met on match.com! It’ll be over 2 years since my fiance and I met online get married! congrats to you both!
I was there and it was an amazing wedding…but it truely was the Bride and Groom that made it that way! Congrats to you both!
CONGRATS to the newlyweds, this is such a lovely and unique wedding!
the setting was beautiful as was everything else love the picture of bride in front of barn!