Q&A with the bride and groom, Matt and Erica: 

How did you meet? 

We met at a party while in high school and soon became each other’s first loves. We went our separate ways after 4 years of dating on and off, as I was in college and Matt focused on his career.  Eight long years had passed... I was newly divorced with two children and moving back to my hometown. A friend mentioned that Matt asked about me, so I boldly asked for his phone number and called him, not knowing what would come of it. Thankfully, he was ecstatic to hear from me, and we talked for hours! 

We grew a friendship over the phone the next couple months that really confirmed that our time apart allowed us to learn from life and what we want out of it. We were so thankful to have a true friendship at the core of our relationship. Matt accepted my children with open arms and we’ve been building our lives together for the past four years. Our wedding was a celebration of reconnecting and falling in love all over again!

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?

Most important to us was that our wedding was very ‘Matt and Erica’. We prioritized our choice of venue, photography and excellent food. I was so happy with our vendors we went with! Heather did an amazing job capturing the whole day. I also splurged on a violinist to play as I walked down the aisle and videographer that would work with our budget. I skimped on a wedding planner so I could spend our budget elsewhere and with all the awesome apps and social media available in our digital age, I got all the advice and help I needed.

Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?

My dad surprised me the morning of with a diamond necklace of my mother who passed away in 2010. It meant so much to me to have something from her with me that day.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

Wedding planning can be so overwhelming, but what’s most important is that your day is about the two of you and the celebration of your love! Also, the technology we have available these days to help with planning are so helpful, so take advantage as there’s so many amazing ideas out there for beautiful weddings that you can make work under a budget