MMB: Engagement Story Contest Winner!

When did the two of you first meet?
Katie: We met in July of 2011. I was working at Starbucks and they were transferring me to a new location, which happened to be the one Matt worked at. We went on our first date just a few weeks after meeting and we hit it off. I was a supervisor at the time and dating a barista was frowned upon, so we had to hide our relationship for a while. It definitely made things interesting!
Was it love at first sight?
Matt: I first saw Katie when she came in to visit at Starbucks after she was transferred to my store from another store. She walked through to the back room to meet with the manager, and after she walked past I remember looking over to another barista all wide-eyed and mentioned how gorgeous she was. After her meeting with the manager she walked behind the bar and made herself a drink. I couldn’t help but to poke some fun at her saying something along the lines of, “You think you can just walk back here and make a drink like you own the place?” I don’t remember if she said anything, but she smiled shyly and I knew that I was lucky she transferred to my store.
How long did it take before you got engaged? Katie: 5 ½ years.
Tell us about your proposal:
Katie: I have a habit of finding cheap plane tickets and convincing Matt to book the flight on a moment’s notice and take a trip with me. This time was no different. I found a deal on airfare over my birthday week, booked an AirBnB, and we were off to Siesta Key, Fla., to soak up some sunshine in January. Our first full day in Florida was spent on the beach. We plopped our beach rentals down at about 10 a.m. and stayed there until it was time for dinner — my idea of the perfect day. Our beach day was followed by pizza and beer at one of the more “local” spots on the island. We watched live music on the patio as we ate and as we were finishing up, Matt suggested taking a walk on the beach. After parking the car, we kicked off our shoes and headed back towards the water. We were the only two people on the whole beach and just as I was about to dip my feet in the ocean, Matt grabbed my hand, got down on one knee and popped the question. It was the best proposal! I was so surprised, I actually had to ask him again later what he said during the proposal because I totally blanked!
Matt, when did you know she was the one?
Matt: Every year I take a fishing trip to the Boundary Waters with my dad, uncle and cousins. The first trip I took after we started dating I was making the drive up to start the trip. In the middle of the drive I got a picture message on my phone from Katie. She was holding a huge bass! I didn’t even really know she went fishing. My first thought was how lucky I was to find someone so fun, adventurous and beautiful. I showed my dad the picture and he took the words right out of my mouth, “You’ve got a keeper there!”
Who did you attend the MMB Bridal Show (Pfister Hotel, March 5, 2017) with? Katie: I attended MMB with my mom. It was the first wedding show I had been to.
Where/who did you get the tickets from? I got tickets from Front Room Photography.
What was your favorite part about the show? Katie: Tasting all of the delicious desserts!
Do you have a wedding date set? If so, when and where is the reception?
Katie: August 18, 2018, at The Seeboth in Milwaukee.
Did you hire or are you going to hire anyone from the MMB show? Katie: We’re not sure yet! We’re still pretty early in the planning stages, but there were a ton of great vendors there so it’s definitely a possibility!
What was your favorite vendor at the show and why? Katie: The Cake Lady. Like I said… desserts!
What is the must-have item or vendor from the MMB show? Katie: This isn’t really a must-have item, but the wedding dresses on display by White Dress Bridal Boutique were gorgeous! They gave me a much better idea of what I‘m looking for, and that’s going to be the first place I look when I start dress shopping.
What type of wedding will you have? Katie: We want it to be laid-back and fun, and represent who we are as a couple. One of our must-haves included a DJ who could keep the party going, so that ended up being one of the first vendors we hired. We just want to make sure our friends and family have a great time!
#MMBshow #BridalShow #contest #FrontRoomPhotography #TheSeebooth #WhiteDress #Pfister