{matt + carrie} we have a winner!

It’s official! Matt + Carrie are the winners of the Engagement Session Giveaway! There were many many couples that entered, and the lucky hat picked them! See their photos and read their story:

Matt + Carrie’s wedding story:

We are getting married in my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He’s from Georgia, I’m from Oklahoma, but we live in Durham, North Carolina.  We’re having our wedding at The Barn in Tulsa–I love it because it’s this awesome old historic barn full of character, there are swans in the lake that’s on the property, and most of all, because 100% of the money I’m paying them goes to a local charity in Oklahoma. It’s called Brush Creek Youth Ranch, and it’s for troubled teenage boys to get back on track, so-to-speak. I LOVE it that our celebration of marriage is going to help improve the lives of others–what an honor to get married under such circumstances!

We’re having a “beer” and “eco-friendly” themed wedding.  We’re trying to be sustainable in pretty much everything possible–right down to the 100% recycled soda bottle ribbon that is holding together our mismatched silverware (procured from thrift stores all over, and we’re donating it once we’re done!). Our only big non-sustainable factor is travel, but if we didn’t have it in Tulsa my mother couldn’t attend, and that’s worth the eco-sacrifice in my book.

The Proposal Story

We were on a roadtrip across the northeast. We both enjoy traveling, good food and trying different beers. And Matt loves movies and Carrie is a wedding and fine art photographer–and for this story, these are important details to know! On October 12th we traveled from Matt’s grandmother’s house in Philadelphia to Mystic, Connecticut (yes, where Mystic Pizza was filmed) seeing the sights along the way (America’s Largest Clock, the Holland Tunnel, the Statue of Liberty, the World’s Largest Tooth, etc).

We got to Mystic in the evening and went to a local oyster bar for dinner, per the hotel’s recommendation. The server recommended two pubs in the area, so after dinner was over we crossed the Mystic River bridge to visit pub #1 and enjoyed a local brew.

On the way to pub #2, we had to walk across the bridge a second time, and Matt said “let’s take a picture on the bridge–we’ll use the timer on your camera.” Carrie set it to go, and while we waited on the timer, Carrie kept telling Matt to put his arm down–she thought he was giving her bunny ears or something ridiculous! It took three tries to get the light right–the pictures kept turning out too dark on the little point and shoot.

After the third picture Carrie went to check how the image turned out, and saw something white in Matt’s hand. Carrie turned around to show Matt the image and ask what he was holding, and when she did, Matt was on one knee and said “Carrie, will you marry me?” Of course she said YES!

Matt wanted to make sure to integrate Carrie’s photography into his proposal–it’s something she really loves and spends a lot of time on–and he was thrilled to see the perfect spot on their way to pub #1. Carrie is thrilled that he proposed in Mystic–she was looking forward to that stop on their roadtrip the most of all, and had chosen it because of the movie-landmark in the middle of town.

And, Carrie is overjoyed that Matt went back to purchase the ring that they had seen at the estate/antique jeweler when they went looking together–such an eco-friendly purchase and it’s extra sparkly to boot! :)

Congratulations to Matt + Carrie, and keep an eye out for their Engagement Session soon!