Stephanie and Matt: Fairytale Romance on the High Seas

by Amy Serrago

Stephanie and Matt met when they were paired up on a creative writing project in college and they hit it off right away. For their first anniversary, the two took a trip to Disney World and had such a great time that they decided to make it an annual tradition. On their third anniversary, because Stephanie’s favorite fairytale is Cinderella, Matt got them reservations for dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table inside the iconic Cinderella’s Castle at the park. Little did Stephanie know that Matt had called ahead and arranged a romantic engagement package. They enjoyed a delicious dinner and watched the nightly fireworks show, but right before their dessert course, the server brought out a large covered plate holding a bed of red rose petals and a glass slipper. As the cloche was lifted, Matt got down on one knee and proposed! Stephanie says she “could not imagine a better way to start” her engagement to Matt. With planning officially underway, the two chose a fairytale theme and when they decided to elope, the Disney Dream was the perfect choice to bring their fairytale engagement and their Cinderella theme to life.

Stephanie and Matt enhanced the nautical nature of their day with navy and sky blue details. Matt wore a navy blue tuxedo with sky blue bow tie and pocket square and Stephanie bought him Mickey Mouse shirt studs and cuff links to complete his look. For Stephanie, dress shopping was a dream. She says she had asked Matt what he envisioned her wearing on their wedding day even before their engagement was official. She kept that in mind and found the perfect dress almost immediately. She chose a princess-worthy gown with a strapless sweetheart neckline and full, multi-tiered skirting. She wore accessories that were already in her wardrobe and she says that just “proved how very ‘me’ my dress and details” were.

Because they eloped, there was only one guest present at Stephanie and Matt’s wedding, Stephanie’s dear friend and ex-roommate who served as maid of honor. She wore a sky blue gown with full tulle skirting and a dark blue belt, reminiscent of Cinderella’s gown in the classic animated film. After the happy couple exchanged the vows they personally wrote to one another, they shared a champagne and cake celebration and a private dance party that Stephanie says was one of her favorite parts of the day. “Dancing with my new husband and my maid of honor, being incredibly goofy without worrying about guests watching, was so much fun!” After the celebration, Stephanie and Matt got a chance to capture some fairytale images onboard the ship and even had fun splashing around in the water before they went off to live happily ever after!