Heartfelt Pennsylvania Wedding

Convinced they actually met each other lifetimes ago, the love story between Jacqueline and Matthew is truly a sweet one. The couple decided to base their wedding day loosely around the head and the heart, cheekily naming each reception table after a part of the anatomy. Thank you to danfredo photos + films for capturing their day, and to Heart + Dash for bringing their vision to life!

From the bride, Jacqueline: We’re convinced our story dates back a few lifetimes ago; about 4 of them to be exact. There is something just so familiar about our love. As Rumi might say, “Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.” One fate-filled day in October of 2012, we met at a wedding. We locked eyes the moment we saw one another, and eventually began chatting and dancing together later in the evening. And our relationship progressed into sort-of just that. A lot of chatting and a lot of dancing together later in the evening. It should be noted that, as we started to get to know one another a bit more, it was realized that there were a lot of times when our paths had crossed prior to our first “actual” meeting. We were in the same place at the same time a few different times – concerts, city events, etc. but never saw one another. We agree that perhaps the timing just wasn’t right and that the universe was creating its own plan we knew nothing about.

We envisioned our day to be one that was bright and beautiful — exactly how it feels when we’re together. We hoped it to be relaxing and enjoyable, with a multitude of moments where we remembered to stop, look around, and mindfully recognize how fortunate we are. You’ll notice we tended to forgo many of the “traditional” wedding customs, and attempted instead to focus on the love we feel so blessed to have. We went with a central theme of “the HEAD & the HEART”, which was quite purposeful. Early on in our relationship, I had given Matt a card with a sketch of an anatomical heart on the front of it. While sketching, I read up on the physiological happenings of the heart when one falls in love and told him about it. Shortly after, I sketched him an anatomical brain and outlined the physiological happenings of the brain when one falls in love. It was truly fascinating to learn these neural correlates of love, and the experience has remained important after all of this time. We think that, for us, the journey from the head to the heart and its continuous boomerang effect spans no distance. We think, they are but one. Tiny relics and small details have been influenced by the theme, from the table names to the decor. We interspersed a few of our other passions too ~ including music, books, photography, etc. We were going for a more eclectic and airy flow to the look and feel of the day, and brought a lot of things from our home/that were personal to us and our love. Natural elements and neutral colors balanced the greenery and earthiness of the location.

Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? We wanted to be as present as possible the day-of the wedding, and we made sacrifices in order to ensure this was possible. Our wedding planners were literally a god-send; they took our vision and made it come to life without us needing to lift a finger. Their communication with us and with one another was seamless. If you are prone to stress, forgo the cake/expensive flowers/etc, and hire the planners! Also, fall in love with your wedding photographers. We sure did.

View all images from this wedding in the gallery

Wedding Music:
Prelude: “Hallelujah,” instrument acoustic version
Processional: “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Elvis Presley (instrument acoustic version)
Recessional: “Me and Julio,” Paul Simon (instrumental acoustic)
First Dance: “Electric Love,” Børns