Matt and Maria Are Getting Married
Our Story
Welcome to our little corner of the internet where we share the story of how two lives intertwined to create something magical. Our journey together has been filled with adventure, laughter, and love—and we can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter with you all on our wedding day! Here's a glimpse into how it all began!
How We Met
Our story begins on a crisp Halloween night at a party hosted by Matt’s best friend, who also happens to be his best man. For me, the night felt like a turning point. After months of recovering from medical issues and struggling to feel like myself, I was finally in a good place—confident, happy, and ready to enjoy life again. I asked my friend Kylie if we could find a “real” party, something fun and lively to mark this new chapter. She remembered that her co-worker Matt and his best friend were hosting a Halloween party and suggested we go together.
Before heading over, Kylie texted Matt to let him know she was "bringing her hot friend." Matt, being the skeptical guy he is, didn’t think much of it. In his words, “Everyone thinks their friends are hot, but they’re usually just okay.” Little did he know what was about to happen.
When I walked through the door in my handmade Pebbles Flintstone costume, Matt says he was stunned. I was feeling fantastic that night—like the best version of myself—and it must have shown. However, I didn’t really notice him at first. The party was full of people, and I was soaking in the energy of the night. It wasn’t until later that I realized Matt had been there all along, dressed as a dinosaur in one of those classic onesie costumes. The catch? Matt is so tall that the onesie didn’t fully fit, leaving his legs exposed. He had paired the costume with slacks and dress shoes, and my immediate thought was, He’s a business dinosaur.
The party was a blast. Kylie and I were peppered with a million questions about being horse girls, which quickly became the theme of the night. We ate, drank, and laughed before joining a game of flip cup on the back porch. That’s when Matt made his move—or at least tried to. He later told me he intentionally snuck up beside me during the game, but my competitive nature took over, and I was entirely focused on winning. I do remember him teasing me and purposely overfilling my cup, which only made me more determined to beat him.
Before the night ended, I had promised my friend Jamie I’d meet her at another Halloween outing at Avenue Bar, so Kylie and I left the party early. As I was leaving, Matt stopped me and casually suggested I put my phone number in his phone to join a volleyball league he was starting. I thought it was a genuine invitation, so I added my number without giving it much thought. By the time I walked into the bar, I had a text from Matt that read, “I should have flirted with you more.”
From that moment, he didn’t hold back. He texted me throughout the evening, trying to convince me to come back to the party, but I stayed with my friends. The next morning, he invited me to brunch, and I said no (I wasn’t going to make it that easy!). Over the next few days, Matt continued to send me messages, his charm and persistence slowly winning me over. Finally, I agreed to let him take me on what he called “a proper date,” and the rest, as they say, is history.
What began as a Halloween party and a “business dinosaur” has grown into the most incredible adventure of my life. I’ll forever be grateful that Kylie convinced me to go out that night—and that Matt decided to flirt with me after all.
Our First Date
I tried to play it cool, but our first date came just a few days after we met. Matt didn’t waste any time—he asked about my favorite places to eat, and I mentioned Ethiopian food, something I loved but hadn’t had in ages. Without missing a beat, he said, “Perfect. What day and time?” It was a Tuesday, and by 6 PM, he was at my door.
I’ll admit, I wasn’t quite used to Matt’s level of chivalry. He knocked on the door, opened the car door for me, and acted like it was all completely routine. As he pulled away, I had a fleeting thought: Is this guy a serial killer? (Spoiler: He’s not.)
At the restaurant, we ordered a feast and settled into conversation. This is where I decided to play what I now call the “Baggage Blitz.” I laid it all out—every reason he probably shouldn’t date me, every bit of red flag luggage I was dragging along. At that time, I wasn’t really looking for love; I was focused on living my life and chasing my dreams.
Matt’s response? A calm and steady, “Okay, tell me more.” So I did.
After dinner, instead of ending the night, we decided to keep it going with a stop at Dagwoods for a beer. From there, the conversation kept flowing. By the time he brought me home, neither of us was ready to call it a night, so we sat on my couch and talked for hours. Before we knew it, it was 4 AM—on a Wednesday. We had to be up for work in just a few hours, but neither of us cared.
Looking back, it’s hard not to laugh at the little details: I wore my wild cheetah sweater (complete with cheetahs on the sleeves and a green center), while Matt was perfectly polished in a button-down shirt and slacks. It was an unlikely start to something truly extraordinary, but by the end of the night, it was clear we had something special.
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When I Knew Matt Was Really Special
It didn’t take long for Matt to show me just how different—and special—he was. About a day after our first date, we were already in that exciting phase of texting nonstop, talking about everything and anything. Somewhere in the mix of DIY projects and life updates, I mentioned I was trying to fix the hose spigot on my house.
The conversation was going great until it wasn’t. My texts turned abruptly short: “It’s broken. I don’t have a wrench to fix it, and now I’m getting irritated.”
That was it. I didn’t ask for help. I didn’t expect a response beyond commiseration. But 30 minutes later, there was Matt, standing at my door, a handful of wrenches in tow, ready to help me fix it.
We ended up making a trip to the hardware store together to get a replacement part and working side by side to install it. From there, we ran a few errands, and I couldn’t help but notice how natural it felt, tackling these little tasks with him.
For someone like me—who’s always prided herself on being fiercely independent—this small, thoughtful act felt monumental. Matt didn’t wait to be asked; he saw an opportunity to support me and just showed up. That’s when I realized: this wasn’t just someone I was dating. This was someone who was already finding ways to make my life better in the smallest, yet most meaningful, ways.
When Matt Knew I Was Really Special
"The second I met you at Mike's Halloween Party" - Matt
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Our Engagement
Matt and I had talked about marriage many times before he proposed—it was always part of our goals. In fact, just a few months earlier, we’d casually stopped at a jewelry store, tried on rings, and even got sized. I showed him two pictures of rings I liked, and while I suspected a proposal was coming eventually, I had no idea when or how.
For a while, I thought he’d pop the question at his mom’s birthday party up north, surrounded by family. On the drive home from that trip, I told him, “I think I’d know if you were planning to propose. You couldn’t pull off something I wouldn’t see coming—I’d definitely know if you bought a ring.” Matt just laughed and called me crazy, saying, “We’re waiting until Christmas.” Jokingly, I replied, “Engagements at Christmas are such a cop-out. You still have to get me a gift!”
Fast forward to October, when we headed to the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, the biggest event in my world of horse showing. This year was extra special—not only was it my second time competing with my horse Beau, but it was my childhood dream come true. My best friend, Onna, and I were showing together as usual, but this year she had just gotten married, making it an even more exciting time.
What I didn’t know was that Matt had been scheming. On his way to Congress, he stopped at my parents’ house to ask for their blessing. He worried the whole time that I’d somehow track his progress or figure out what he was up to, but I was blissfully unaware, focused on my horse and preparing to compete.
Congress was a rollercoaster of emotions. Just before my show, my horse stepped on a nail, leading to constant vet visits, therapies, and touch-and-go moments where we didn’t know if he’d recover, let alone compete. By the time Matt came back to join me at Congress after work, I was completely overwhelmed. He skipped his golf league to drive down early because he knew I needed him.
That night, Matt helped me prep my horse for the possibility of showing. We worked late into the night, washing, grooming, and trying to find a glimmer of hope. The next morning, we got the green light from the vet. Against all odds, my horse and I entered the arena with no warm-up and managed to place mid-pack in a group of 120 incredible horses. It was one of the most emotional moments of my life, and I cried tears of joy for my horse and the journey we’d been on.
After the show, my parents left, and the rest of the crew settled in for the evening. Matt asked me to go for a walk, and while I thought it was a bit odd considering how exhausted we both were, I agreed. We wandered into a small park on the fairgrounds, chatting about random things—like how outdated the playground equipment was because of all the carcinogens that are now banned in Michigan.
As we walked, I was completely oblivious to what was coming. Midway through the park, I turned around, and there he was, down on one knee, asking me to marry him.
In my excitement, I screamed, “Oh my God, no way! No, no, no, no!” Matt, slightly panicked, told me to stop screaming or I’d get him arrested (thankfully, security didn’t intervene). Of course, I said yes, and the moment was everything I could’ve dreamed of and more.
Matt had chosen the perfect ring, one I absolutely love. We went back to our camper, where our friends were waiting. Onna had somehow kept the secret for a whole week—something I didn’t think she was capable of—and even surprised me with a cake that said, “You’re Engaged!”
We celebrated with friends, called our families (who all knew and had kept the secret), and soaked in the joy of the moment. Matt managed to pull off a proposal I never saw coming, on a day that had already been one of the best of my life. It was perfect, and I’ll cherish it forever.
Our New Puppy, Moon
Amid the whirlwind of our engagement bliss, we were still at the Quarter Horse Congress for a few more days so I could show one last time. Some of our friends came down for the weekend, eager to experience the iconic parts of the Congress, like the shopping and something legendary called Puppy Alley. Every weekend, breeders from across the country bring hundreds of puppies for sale, and it’s impossible to resist stopping by.
Now, I’d been teasing Matt for a while about wanting a wiener dog. Last year, I’d promised my friend Onna I would get a dog next year, even though I came dangerously close—I was holding a German Shepherd puppy when my friend ended up buying a wiener dog instead. Somehow, I ended up taking care of their pup the entire Congress, but it wasn’t my time yet.
This year, I didn’t even ask about getting a dog. There weren’t any wiener dogs around, and Matt had been adamant: “We are not getting a dog.” I let it go.
That is, until Sunday evening. We took our friends to Puppy Alley, and as we walked into the first breeder’s booth, there she was—a little black German Shepherd. Matt was instantly captivated. We talked extensively with the breeder, and after walking away to think about it, we exchanged a look. “Are we about to buy a dog?” he asked. I laughed, “It sounds like we’re about to buy a dog, because you love her.”
And just like that, we were walking out of Puppy Alley with our new puppy in our arms and significantly lighter wallets. It was a mix of engagement bliss and pure insanity, and we didn’t care one bit.
The next day, Matt somehow managed to care for our new puppy—who we named Moon—from it been a full moon when we got engaged and the moon ring I wear everyday - while helping me get ready to show. Moon was already a part of the adventure, riding along in my grooming bag and even making her debut in my picture after the class.
She’s brought so much joy, excitement, and yes, a little (okay, a lot) of chaos into our lives. But she’s perfect, and we can’t imagine our engagement story without her. Moon is the sweetest little German Shepherd puppy, and we’re so excited for all the adventures ahead with her.
