Jennifer Marshall an event and wedding coordinator for G & M Catering, had been working at a wedding on one of the most humid days that summer, when she spied a tall dark and handsome groomsman that took her breath away. She knew right there and then that she had to find a way to meet him.

She spent the first part of the night observing him and chatting with her coworkers about whether it would be okay to flirt with him since she was officially working. By the end of the evening, she had found out that he was single and confident, and that she had to meet him. Jennifer normally had a very traditional dating philosophy and hitting on him was a bit strange for her, but she decided that it had to be done.

After a few hints to the bride&rsquos sister about the groomsman, she decided that she would have to be more forward, and made the statement that when she was given an envelope with her tip, that instead of a tip she would rather be introduced to the handsome groomsman. She couldn&rsquot believe she really said that!

A few minutes later, the tall handsome groomsman, Matt, came up to her and thanked her for making his best friend&rsquos night so memorable. Then he said, &ldquoThis is a cause to celebrate.&rdquo Jennifer thought that he meant that the wedding party was going to celebrate, and told him to have fun. Matt then replied &ldquoI was thinking more along the lines of taking you to dinner to celebrate.&rdquo Matt and Jennifer went to dinner the next Thursday and that was it! They were meant for each other. She says, &ldquoI still can&rsquot get enough of him to this day.&rdquo For adventure in January, 2007, they decided to move abroad to teach children. However, before going abroad, on March 2, 2007 Matt proposed with a &ldquotemporary&rdquo ring while they waited for his grandmother&rsquos wedding ring to be resized. &ldquoIt is such an honor to wear her rings and I cherish the family heirloom.&rdquo &ldquoI believe she loved her man as much as I loved her grandson,&rdquo said Jennifer. The two decided to get married before going overseas and so they quickly got busy planning an August 18th wedding.

Since Jennifer was previously a wedding coordinator, she planned it all with the help of her mom and sister. She tried not to buy things and services if she could do it herself and save money. &ldquoI&rsquom saving it for the bar tab!&rdquo &ldquoIt&rsquos the Marshall way!&rdquo jokes Jennifer. However, Jennifer says that it was a thousand times harder to plan her own wedding than someone else&rsquos, since there were so many emotions, opinions, and feelings involved. It was a special time for Jennifer being able to spend an abundance of quality time with her mom and older sister.

After a barrage of engagement celebrations, showers, teas, fiestas, bridal luncheons, rehearsal dinners, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and packing up their apartments, Matt and Jennifer were finally ready for the big day.

The wedding took place at Hyde Park United Methodist Church. Jennifer loved the people and the atmosphere of the church, the peaceful serenity, and the beautiful stained glass windows. She knew that she just had to marry Matt in this beautiful old church that held a special place in her heart. It was important for Matt and Jennifer to involve as many family members and friends in their special day as possible. They had eight attendants, two best men, two nieces as flower girls, a brother-in-law that read scripture and a new sister-in-law that read a poem. Even their dog Smokey was involved as the ring bearer and came running down the aisle in the middle of the ceremony with their rings. &ldquoThe ceremony was calm, peaceful, and serious for a while until Smokey, wearing a bowtie, ran down the aisle with the rings as the &ldquoWilliam Tell Overture&rdquo played&rdquo. said Jennifer. During the ceremony Matt and Jennifer asked all the marred couples in the congregation to renew their marriage commitment to their spouses by taking each others hands as Jennifer and Matt made their commitment to one another. The couples were asked to remember the importance of the person whose hand they were holding. &ldquoIt was a very touching ceremony,&rdquo said Jennifer.

&ldquoThe reception was the best party of the year!&rdquo said the couple. Two hundred and fifty of their closest friends packed in Onion Creek Country Club&rsquos dining room. After taking pictures in front of the country club, they had their first dance to &ldquoShe&rsquos Everything,&rdquo by Brad Paisley. The two were so busy greeting guests, that they didn&rsquot get a chance to eat the wonderful food. Jennifer had arranged for a fantastic three-tier cookie cake with milk for the grooms cake, and the wedding cake was a five tier monochromatic whimsical cake created by Matty Cakes.

It was a night of dancing and laughter. For the garter dance, Jennifer surprised Matt with a &ldquoperformance.&rdquo Jennifer placed three chairs in the center of the room, and Matt, her dad, and her brother-in-law sat in the chairs. Jennifer, her mom and her sister, danced and lip synced to a collection of silly, girly songs like &ldquoYou&rsquore the one that I want&rdquo from Sister Act and &ldquoYou Give me Fever&rdquo by Peggy Lee. The girls had boas and choreographed the whole thing. &ldquoIt was quite theatrical which was right up our alley,&rdquo laughs Jennifer. Minutes after the ladies danced in their own debut, Jennifer&rsquos father, brother, brother-in-law and close family friends came trotting out with big orange cowboy hats, vests, and fake guns. They performed and got the crowd rolling.

As you can imagine it was a great party. &ldquoLots of laughter and fun!&rdquo laughs Jennifer. &ldquoWhat can I say? My Dad can throw a great party.&rdquo

As the evening came to an end, Matt and Jennifer took their last dance, ran into the locker room and changed into their swimsuits. Their grand exit was under a smoky tunnel of sparklers into Onion Creek&rsquos swimming pool.

For two hours they had their &ldquogoing away to China after reception pool party&rdquo! Their most determined partygoers jumped in the pool in their formals. Later, Jennifer and Matt slipped out quietly and that was the last time that they saw their friends. On Sunday they attended a family brunch with guests and families, spent the afternoon unwrapping gifts, and tying up last minute details. Tuesday they left for Maui, Hawaii for their honeymoon, and by Saturday, were moving into their apartment in Shanghai, China. The newlyweds are still trying to catch their breath from the wedding.

After a whirlwind relationship, wedding, and exciting move to China, they truly do have &ldquoA Cause to Celebrate!&rdquo

Austin Resources

Wedding Coordinator for Day of the Wedding:
Holly Appel &ndash Fairy Godmothers

Coordinator:
Onion Creek &ndash Michele of Onion Creek Country Club

Wedding Cake:
Matty Cake

Photography:
Lisa Pittman Photography

Video:
Crossroad Legal Video

Flowers:
Sue Ellen&rsquos Flowers

DJ:
Non-Stop Music

Rentals:
Austin Party Central

Organist:
Adam Roberts

Limo:
Transportation Consultants

Printing:
Quick Print

Soloist:
Chip Rodgers

Invitation Design:
Pink Tulip

Veil:
Hems and Bustles

Wedding Dress:
Weddings by Debbie