Meaghan + Matt’s Cincinnati Country Club Celebration

Meaghan + Matt’s October wedding was all radiance with a measure of the timeless. Vows were exchanged in St. Francis de Sales Church, one of Cincinnati’s most beautiful and historic buildings. The festivities followed at Cincinnati Country Club where the grounds were set for croquet and corn hole with a personal touch. One of our favorite photos is of the wind catching Meaghan’s veil as the couple embrace under the autumn sky. The day was photographed by The Carrs Photography.

Describe your and Matt's style.

We have more of a classic style, and wanted to make sure our wedding would stay relevant and timeless through the years.

Tell us a little about you and Matt.

Matt and I currently live and work in New York City. I grew up in Cincinnati and spent ten years in Washington, D.C. through college at Georgetown University and my first job. Matt grew up in Connecticut, went to Hobart College in upstate New York, and moved to Washington D.C. in 2013. We met shortly thereafter, and the rest is history!

How did you and Matt meet?

We were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. We know it's once in a blue moon that blind dates actually work out, and we couldn't be more grateful that ours beat the odds!

Tell us about the proposal.

We bundled up for a walk one evening last December to a park that runs along the East River on the Upper East Side. That particular evening, the park was hosting both a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and a Hanukkah celebration, with crowds of families and children, holiday music, and lots of cheer. I thought we had really lucked out - what a fun bonus to our evening walk! - but little did I know that Matt was totally surprised by the hubbub surrounding what he had hoped would be a quiet, secluded, and very private moment. We walked circles around the park for awhile, ducking in and out of pockets of revelers, when finally I suggested we get out of the cold and go home. After agreeing to one final loop around the park, we found ourselves alone under a streetlight, and there Matt asked if I would marry him. After a good many happy tears and a "yes!," we walked to our favorite neighborhood restaurant - the first place we ate after moving to the city together - where an older couple next to us secretly paid for our dinner as an engagement gift. We never got to thank them, and haven't seen them since. So Barb and Norman, if you're reading this, thank you for making our special evening all the more memorable!

What was your initial vision for your wedding? How did you decide on your color palette?

We wanted a wedding that focused on the things most important to us: family, friends, and faith. We also dreamed about having a live band, lawn games, bluegrass music, and a timeless evening that we'd look back on fondly for years and years. To keep with our vision of a wedding with clean and classic style, we kept our color palette to neutrals and navy blue.

Did you have a special way of asking your bridesmaids to be part of your wedding?

I asked each bridesmaid from the heart with a letter written just for them. The wedding was not just about Matt and me, but about the joining together of our families and friends. It was important to me that each one knew how grateful I was to have them in my life, and how much I wanted to have them by my side to witness the vows we would make.

Describe your wedding day. Is there a particular moment that remains in your memory most vividly?

There are so many happy memories. Having a few quiet moments with my mom as she helped me into my dress. Singing "going to the chapel" with my bridesmaids on the way to the ceremony. Walking down the aisle with my mom and dad. A shared moment of laughter after tripping over our first vows. Looking out at all of our family and friends as we said "I do." Exiting the church to a shower of cheers and rose petals. Enjoying the most perfect autumn sun while being serenaded by a live bluegrass band and playing lawn games with friends before the reception. The speeches that left us in stitches and happy tears. My brother's surprise performance during the father/daughter dance. How do we pick just one? It's impossible!

Were there any wedding planning challenges?

Planning a wedding in Cincinnati while living in New York City presented quite a few challenges. Luckily, my parents were our eyes and ears as we worked through the first few decisions on flowers, decorations, music, and invitations. I remember standing on a busy street corner in Manhattan during my lunch break, face timing with my mom as she showed me invitation samples at Poeme. It certainly made the process more adventurous!

Tell us about finding your dress.

I was so lucky to have my mom and mother-in-law join me for a whirlwind weekend of dress shopping in New York City last winter. I started off with a vision of the dress I wanted, and by the end of the weekend, had totally changed my tune. I ultimately found my dress just a few days later, on a late night trip to Pronovias with a girlfriend. It took just a few moments of wearing it to realize I had found the one!

Tell us about your venues and why you chose them.

We chose St. Francis de Sales Church because it was my childhood parish, the church my parents remain active in, and the one Matt and I attend when we visit Cincinnati. It doesn't hurt that it's a gorgeous setting, too! After the ceremony, the crisp lawns, classic white buildings, and gorgeous main dining room at the Cincinnati Country Club provided the perfect backdrop for the rest of our festivities. We couldn't have asked for better venues and feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to host our day in both.

What was your favorite detail? Did you DIY anything?

We had a few fun DIY details. The signature cocktail and dinner menu were a project we took on the week before the wedding. We also added custom napkins and blue and white straws to the cocktail hour for a fun personalized touch. My parents surprised the group with a customized corn hole set complete with our names and wedding date. And the "Just Married" sign on the back of my dad's red convertible made for a picture-perfect moment just before we sat down for dinner.

What song did you choose for your first dance?

"Make Me Yours" by Bettye Swann

How did you use social media through the wedding planning process?

We used a dedicated hashtag to share wedding planning updates along the way. It was a fun way to preview a few details with family and friends who couldn't be part of the process in person.

What aspect of wedding planning did you enjoy most?

Seeing it all come together in the days just before the wedding, and then after the wedding, knowing there was no more planning left to do!