LOVE & ROMANCE
VALENTINE ' S SPECIAL addition to her obvious beauty , Nicolette is intelligent , thoughtful , selfless , ambitious , and she makes me a better person . I think the best way to describe my love for Nicolette is that she makes me want to do things that I otherwise wouldn ’ t have any interest in doing - just because I know that doing those things will make her happy . Nicolette : What initially attracted me to Matthew were his manners and charm . In a time where we often hear that chivalry is dead , Matthew proved that isn ’ t always the case . The more I got to know him , the more I was attracted to his easygoing nature . I have a somewhat anxious personality , but he always finds a way to keep me calm and sane . We have a lot of similarities , but it is our differences that perfectly balance us out as a couple .
TELL US ABOUT THE PROPOSAL . Nicolette : We went to the Lake of the Ozarks for a weekend with some of our friends in September 2016 . On Friday night , we were sitting in the living room when Matthew asked me to accompany him to let our friends ’ dog outside . Being the dog lover that I am , I obliged . On the walk back inside , Matthew grabbed my hand and began a monologue that neither of us remembers ( but we assume it was about his love for me , etc .). He then dropped down on one knee , pulled out a beautiful ring , and through some tears ( on his end ) asked me to marry him . Once we both got over the shock of what had just happened , we walked back into the house where our friends had prepared a Champagne toast in celebration . We spent Saturday boating and enjoying the uncrowded , post-Labor Day lake . When we got back home on Sunday , Matthew asked if I wanted to go to dinner . I hate picking where we go out to eat , so I told him to choose where we went . We got in the car and ended up at the site of our first date , 21st Street Brewers Bar , where I was surprised by 50 of our closest family members and friends ! Matthew had secretly contacted everyone to help celebrate our new engagement .
WHAT WAS MOST MEMORABLE ABOUT YOUR WEDDING ? The most memorable part of our wedding was that we got to share a full weekend with all of our friends and family in one place . We rented the Studio Inn and the Old Barn Inn for the whole weekend . We had an intimate rehearsal dinner , then went back to the Studio Inn for dessert and after-dinner drinks . The weather on our wedding day was perfect , allowing our guests to fully utilize the outdoor areas of the Old Barn Inn , which included multiple fireplaces , a cigar bar , s ’ mores bar and coffee bar . We finished the weekend with Sunday brunch , and enjoyed the beautiful views on an unseasonably warm ( 80 degrees ) November morning .
Photos by Jen & Dayton Photography
38 GAZELLE STL