Meet “Mabby”—Matt and Abby—the couple who found a quiet moment during their wedding to eat donuts all by themselves. As cocktail hour was ending, the newlyweds snuck away to reflect. “We sat in silence, just happy to be in each other’s company,” says Abby, remembering how she and Matt snacked on donuts before the reception started. “Our first meal as husband and wife.”
Abby and Matt met at work at a digital agency in Sacramento. They dated for two years and got engaged during a New Year’s getaway in Tahoe. They married about a year and a half later in an outdoor ceremony and reception at Rancho Victoria Vineyard. They were impressed with the venue’s stunning scenery. Plus the location was ideal for their 150 guests, the majority of whom were from the Sacramento area.
Walking down the aisle was an emotional moment for the bride who tried not to cry. “I knew everyone was watching us but it felt like none of it mattered because we were together,” she says. Matt was speechless. “Seeing how happy and beautiful Abby was confirmed that we made the right decision to marry each other,” he says.
The lighthearted ceremony was short and sweet with the couple skipping personal vows, which they chose to keep private. Abby’s bouquet was wrapped in fabric from her mother’s wedding gown, which was originally sewn by Abby’s grandmother. “It was a great way to feel connected to my family,” says the bride.
The 12-person wedding party included the couple’s best friends and Abby’s brother, who attended via video as he’s deployed 6,000 miles away. “What really surprised me was how much it really meant to have my brother there, even if it wasn’t in-person,” she says, explaining he dressed up for the big day, too. “I am so happy he got to be by my side on one of the biggest days of my life.”
The couple’s “Mabby” moniker was a big part of the celebration. Guests toasted the couple with the couple’s signature drink: a White Linen cocktail. Next, attendees hung out at the couple’s Instagram station dubbed the “Mabby Lounge.” “It was a place where our guests could capture their own memory of our wedding,” says Abby.
Guests dined on BBQ, including chicken, tri-tip and pulled pork. Dessert? A naked lemon-lavender cake with raspberry buttercream from Go West Baking and Events. “It was beautifully stacked with pink peonies and dusted with gold sparkles,” Abby says.
The bride’s parents and aunt created the wedding favors: succulents planted in handmade wooden boxes, branded with the wedding date in Roman numerals.
The newlyweds honeymooned “for two magical weeks” in Cancun, followed by a stop in Walt Disney World on their way home.
Looking back on their wedding, Matt was most surprised by how fast the day went. “Between getting ready, the ceremony, photos and socializing—the day flew by,” he says. “It was mind blowing to see all of our closest friends and family supporting us and celebrating with us.”
—Kristen Castillo
