On a rainy October day, bride and groom Jessie & Matt held their beautiful fall wedding at the Mansion at Natirar. It’s said that rain on a wedding day brings good luck to the happy couple. The Italians even have an expression, “Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata” (A wet bride is a lucky bride.) Thankfully the Mansion at Natirar has incredible indoor options for portraits so no need to fret. These two certainly didn’t let a little rain dampen their spirits.
Jessie & Matt first met as freshmen in college, where they both studied to one day become architects. Their first date was the day before Valentine’s Day since she had a class the following night. They went to a restaurant where Matt’s friend worked, but when they arrived, they soon discovered it was actually a romantic 5-star restaurant. Perhaps cupid intervened that day a bit knowing this would be their last first date.
The Proposal
For Matt’s birthday, Jessie and their friends surprised him with a trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Matt decided to surprise her in return and planned their ideal proposal. He found the perfect restaurant right on the beach and got their friends to help out with his plans. He did his best to keep his nerves in check while trying to rush dinner along so they didn’t miss the sunset. When they finished dinner and walked onto the beach, he offered to take a group picture, but instead he proposed. Not sure if they ever got that photo, but the ring sure made up for it! Here’s some favorites from their fall wedding at the Mansion at Natirar!
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I’m sure Jessie’s mom has thought of about this day for many years, but when it finally arrived, no amount of preparation could truly prepare someone for this moment.
Nice Friends reference guys… 
Everyone can appreciate a groom with great style… and a bride who knows just the right gift!
Matt got ready for the day at Ninety Acres, so the groomsmen had their own girl free zone.
Jessie’s official reveal to her bridal party had everybody cheering (and there may have been a tear or two).
Jessie has two really special guys in her life who were part of the bridesmaids crew.
Jessie & Matt had a very cozy first look by the roaring fireplace. She was a total smokeshow.
Even though it was raining, that doesn’t mean I can’t get wet, it just means they can’t get wet. These two are both architects, so it was an absolute no brainer that we had to get shots with the exterior of the building.
Having shot at Natirar a number of times before, I’m still finding new nooks and crannies to work with, and the rain inspired me to find new locations to shoot in.
They were so present during the day, having had the first look, it was great that they could just truly enjoy each other’s company.
Getting down the aisle with everyone looking at you can be a tough job…
Jessie & Matt’s vision was to have their fall wedding ceremony outside at the Mansion at Natirar, but Mother Nature had other plans. Thankfully Natirar has an absolutely amazing Plan B; a ceremony in the conservatory.
Second time’s a charm!
Their reception featured a head table, which I don’t see as often these days, but it was a beautiful display by Jardiniere Fine Flowers. As always, they did an amazing job creating creating a dreamy tablescape.
Natirar’s green living wall is so unique, I’ve never seen another venue with anything quite like it.
An awesome benefit to having a first look and taking all the portraits before the reception, is that the bride and groom can enjoy cocktail hour. Score!
Their first dance was to Love On Top by Beyoncé, which is a little different from the typical slow dance song, but completely fitting for these two!
When your name is Valerie, you really have no choice but to dance to your namesake song Valerie by Amy Winehouse.
Leave it to two architects to cut a perfect sliver of cake on the first try.
Unfair advantage to have sneakers, but we’ll let it slide.
Originally, they wanted to do a sparkler exit, but they really wanted to enjoy time at their party, so instead, we just ran outside with a couple of their friends and did some cool shots with sparklers.
This is the part of the night when you can really feel the effects of the open bar.
When you don’t know how else to express your emotions but having a full on hug/kiss sandwich. I feel you, Eric. It’s hard not to love these guys!
Vendors
Venue // The Mansion at Natirar
Jeweler // Adiamor
Dress Store // Elizabeth Johns
Groomswear // Indochino
DJ & Photo Booth // Fantasy Productions DJs
Ceremony Officiant // Uncle Patrick 🙂
Hair & Make-up // The Bridal Artistry Co
Florist // Jardiniere Fine Flowers
Videography // Ryan Michael Media
Limo/Transportation // Joe’s Limo
Additional Vendors // Tony Santana Cigar Company & Weir Event Rentals
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