PAGE 120 X METROPOLITAN WEDDINGS X SUMMER / FALL 2023
WRITTEN BY | MEG DANIEL PHOTOGRAPHED BY | SHELBY CHANTÉ PHOTOGRAPHY
it ' s all in the details
When you have been looking for your soulmate for a while and you finally find them , you will rapidly know this person is “ the one .” Caitlyn and Matt met at a bar where Caitlyn was celebrating a friend ’ s birthday in December of 2019 . They both realized pretty quickly that they were meant to be together . Caitlyn is a self-proclaimed dog person , while Matt has now grown to love dogs . So to ask for her hand in marriage , Matt had decorated the room with soft lights , candles and music . But the best part ? The dogs were wearing signs proclaiming his love for her and asking her to marry him . Caityln says it was so sweet and thoughtful and she thought , “ this is true love ! It was so romantic !”
Shelby Chanté is a photographer , but she is also Caitlyn ’ s best friend . Caitlyn had always loved Shelby ’ s work , it was so classically beautiful and through her photos Shelby can recreate the feel and vibe of each wedding . Caitlyn was torn between asking her to be part of the bridal party or to do the photography , but in the end , there was no one else she could envision who would so perfectly capture their wedding day . Shelby ’ s husband did the videography and between their teamwork , creativity and guidance , Caitlyn and Matt were overjoyed with the photographic results .
Since they met in December , the couple knew they wanted a December wedding with a classically simple theme . They also knew they would have a large guest list and finding a venue that was indoors , in the winter , and could accommodate 200 + people was a challenge . They fell in love with The Old Glass Place and its industrial look for their reception .
Caitlyn was worried about finding her dress . She was looking during the pandemic and had heard horror stories about dresses being backordered or not available . She had always imagined a simple , yet elegant dress . “ I did not want to look back in 20 years and say ‘ what was I thinking ?!’” While she found her dress in Kansas City , Matt stressed her out and waited until the last minute when he found his suit at Paul Phillips Formalwear . It was very classic , black tie .
Matt ’ s cousin owned the catering business , Infused Catering , and so that was one less detail they had to sort out . Serving buffet-style prime rib and bacon-wrapped chicken , the guests raved about the delicious food . Their five tier cake , modern and elegantly simple , was from Beth ’ s Bake Shoppe , and while their guests loved it , Caitlyn says that she and Matt were so busy , they did not even get to eat a piece ! The tables were adorned with black candlesticks and low centerpieces so that guests could see across the table . But the pièce de résistance was their last name in lights on the stage . Caitlyn rented the lighted letters from Alpha Lit Springfield . This backlit focal point just made the whole room “ pop !” And when the live band , The Mixtapes , took the stage , the party came alive !
Caitlyn is a planner , and her attention to detail and communication made sure their day was perfect . She had created and shared Google docs with her entire team , bridal party and family . She also had timelines mapped out where each person needed to be and when , what the decor should look like , and all the vendors names and phone numbers so if someone had a question , they could easily call a vendor and the phone number was at their fingertips . Caitlyn says by doing all this ahead of time and sharing her vision with everyone , it allowed their day to go off without a hitch ! At first , her bridal party was laughing at her meticulous planning , but by the end of the day , everyone appreciated this open communication and attention to detail . Caitlyn and Matt did not have to worry about a thing - it was already planned out and they could just enjoy each moment .
Her favorite moment was after the ceremony at King ’ s Way United Methodist Church , the whole bridal party was on the rented party bus , ready to go to the reception at The Old Glass Place , and the newlyweds looked at each other , grinning from ear to ear and said , “ We did it ! We made it through !” All of the planning , meticulous scrutinizing and effort was worth every minute as they went to the reception relaxed and on cloud nine . Xxoxo