These two met for just a moment at Matt’s best friend’s wedding which Christi was photographing and Matt gave her directions. He remembers that moment as the first time he saw the love of his life, but she doesn’t remember him.  After that, Matt’s best friend and his wife decided to work on getting them together (Don’t you just love good friends?). This past Christmas both Christi and Matt participated in a choir group run by their childhood piano teacher. They hit it off instantly! Christi told me that the first time they hung out as a group that all she wanted was for him to talk to her. Matt invited her to his house to meet his family soon after, and she told me she had never felt more herself than with his wonderful family. They knew almost immediately that they wanted to get married.  It is one of those stories where when you know you know. I have known Christi over 20 years and she had always had a list of what she wanted in a husband, and she believed that God would bring her this man. I am so glad that she waited for the guy God had planned for her.

Matt + Christi were married on 7.17.17, on a warm Monday morning at The Lake House at Lake Carolina in Columbia, SC. As I drove Christi to her first look with Matt, she was squealing with joy and freaking out in the best way. You see, Matt and Christi decided to save themselves physically for marriage. They put up safeguards to insure that they would remain pure during their courtship, and the biggest one was that they would not kiss before their wedding day.  They decided to share their first kiss during their private first look on the lake. As I drove Christi to meet Matt, she was just SO excited to finally kiss him. She had waited her whole life for this day.  I do not think I have ever had the privileged of photographing a more excited bride!

Once they started kissing….well, I never really saw them stop.  When they did there was smiling ear to ear.

Their intimate Monday morning wedding was everything Matt and Christi had hoped it would be. There were all their family and just few closest friends there to celebrate with them.  Christi’s father performed the ceremony. It was so sweet to see him give his little girl away and then to hear him lovingly share how to have a successful marriage by loving Christ and your spouse more than yourself.  I know everyone on my row was crying.

I hope you enjoy scrolling through the images of their day. Feel free to leave a message for them in the comments section. Congratulations Matt + Christi!

Venue: The Lake House at Lake Carolina

Dress: David’s Bridal

Catering: The Belgian Waffle Truck

Florist: Eleanor Harmon,Amanda Ross, and Mary Dean

Cake: Gerry-Ann Bates

Hair + Makeup: Lauren Dailey

Artists: Eleanor Black and Jay Dean