Sehily Jaimes and Matthew Carlson met at a mutual friend’s wedding in New Hampshire and continued to stay in touch during the following months. At one point, Matt decided to “take a chance” by traveling to visit Sehily in Boston, and both knew they had found their perfect match.
“Throughout our first date, I remember that I was taken by how instantly comfortable we were together, as if we had known each other for years,” reflects Sehily. “After a few years of dating, including two years of long-distance while Matt was stationed in Okinawa, Matt proposed in a beautiful vineyard in the Willamette Valley in Oregon during a road trip from Seattle to San Diego. I said ‘Yes,’ obviously!”
“ALL I COULD FEEL WAS AN IMMENSE LOVE TOWARDS THIS MAN I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE MARRYING.” SEHILY JAIMES
Although the wedding process was overwhelming, the couple worked with Elite Events to bring their vision to life. “We had the best wedding coordinator, who helped us immensely,” Sehily says. “We knew we wanted to have our ceremony in a Catholic church and to have our reception at a winery or vineyard. We were floored with the St. James Cathedral and Chateau Lill for our reception. It was important to us to really honor the intrinsic beauty of the locations. Our idea evolved into ‘French countryside meets the Pacific Northwest,’ showcasing the lush greenery and lavender flowers (and of course, the in-house llamas).”
When the big day arrived, the Pacific Northwest was experiencing beautiful June weather. The bride and groom were married in the morning, and guests were given a four-hour window of time to rest before the evening’s reception.
“Our wedding day felt magical,” says the bride. “Each vendor was exceptional and expertly coordinated by Hannah, our wedding planner. We were truly blown away by how gorgeous everything looked. It felt as if we were immersed in a charming chateau with our close friends and family for the evening, with the décor giving the ambiance of elegance and warmth. Our relatively small guest list made the evening feel more intimate, but because everyone got along so well, it felt as though there were even more present. It was beyond amazing to see our loved ones in one space and to feel how much they loved and supported us.”
During the reception, guests were served a menu of Pacific Northwest cuisine, along with a few South American touches. The bride’s signature drink included Venezuelan rum, while the groom’s featured Irish whiskey – a way to celebrate their respective backgrounds.
“There were many special moments during that day, but one moment that stands out was when Matt and I were at the altar as he held my hand, and whispered to me how beautiful I looked,” Shily recalls. “I realized that I had been shaking and that he was comforting me. All I could feel was an immense love towards this man I was lucky enough to be marrying. The experience as a whole has brought us closer together as partners and further proved to us that we could take on any challenge that comes our way!”
