Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Wedding

Fall

Our Wedding

Matthew's Version

Our LOVE Story 

I’ve always loved telling this story — and even more than that, I love watching Bri’s reaction as she tries to correct me at every turn. But as Mark Twain once said, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”The best part about this one, though, is that every word’s true. Bri and I met on March 5, 2023, in what might be the most unexpected way possible. I was working a shift at the Houston Rodeo, bartending in the Wine Garden, when an elderly gentleman — probably in his mid-eighties — stumbled past my bar, lost his balance, and caught his head on the corner of a table. My first thought was simple: Well, damn. Time to see what I remember from Boy Scouts. I grabbed my handkerchief, walked around the bar, and started dabbing at his forehead while keeping him talking — basic questions, making sure he was coherent. A minute later, a petite Latina woman appeared beside me and said, with complete confidence, “I’m a nurse — I’ll take charge.” The old-timer instantly perked up. You could see the spark come back to his eyes. After chatting for a moment, he asked her, “Well ma’am, are you single?” She laughed. “Yes, I am.” Without missing a beat, he grinned and said, “That’s perfect, because I’ve been married 48 years — which means my wife needs a new boyfriend, and I need a new girlfriend.” The young nurse laughed again and turned away to grab something from her purse. The old man didn’t miss a beat. He grabbed my arm, looked straight at me, and said, “Son, don’t mess this up.” By the time the EMTs arrived, the situation was under control. I gave my report, helped get the gentleman squared away, and as I looked up, I saw the woman walking off toward the exit. I moved fast, caught up, and said, “Thank you so much for your help back there. I hear you’re single — and I’d love your number.” Her friend smiled and said, “Yes!” before she could answer. “Fantastic,” I said. “What’s your name?” She replied, “My name is Briana Martinez.” I played it cool — or at least tried to — and texted her about five minutes later: Hey, this is Matthew from the Wine Garden. Thanks again for your help earlier. I’d love to show my appreciation and buy you a bottle of wine. What are you doing later this week?---We planned to meet that weekend for a rodeo concert. Being the gentleman I am, I set our meeting for 6 p.m. — but I wanted everything perfect. So I showed up at 2 p.m., four hours early, to get a table and a couple bottles of wine ready. As I sat waiting, I texted my little sister, who was thrilled that I actually had a date lined up. She sent back, “Good luck tonight! I hope you have a great time!” Not long after, Bri texted me to say she’d gotten home late from a trip with her friends and family, and asked if we could reschedule. I sighed, looked at my sister’s message, and replied, “Thanks. She flaked on me.”---We rescheduled for the next week, and I half expected her to cancel again. But she didn’t. That next night turned into the first of several rodeo dates — concerts, owner’s clubs, dancing, laughter, and late nights talking about everything under the sun. By the time the season ended, I was hooked. Our first date outside the rodeo was at a place called The Puttery, a craft cocktail bar with an indoor putt-putt course. We played a few holes, talked for hours, and the conversation never once hit a lull. When that wrapped up, I suggested we head over to Urban South, one of my favorite breweries. We got there around 10 p.m., and somehow closed the place down at 2 a.m. We talked about everything — family, faith, politics, our pasts, our hopes, what we believed in, what we were afraid of. At one point, I told her “I only date with the intent of marriage. If that’s not something you’re looking for, that’s completely fine — but I just want to be upfront.” She didn’t flinch. She smiled, took a sip of her drink, and said, “That’s perfect. That’s exactly what I’m looking for too.” That night changed everything.---The next evening, I went to my brother’s house and told my sister-in-law, Yndalecia, all about it. She blinked a few times in disbelief and said, “You told her that? On your third date? You’re lucky she didn’t run for the hills!” But she didn’t. Something about it just worked. From that night on, things felt easy — not because we were perfect, but because we were honest.---Over the next few months, we spent nearly every weekend together. Rodeo season gave way to lazy Sunday mornings, road trips, and trying new spots around Houston. We cooked together (well, I cooked and she supervised), explored new restaurants, and found every excuse to sneak a quick date in, no matter how busy our schedules were. What struck me most was how natural it all felt. I never had to guess where I stood with her. She made it clear — with her time, her words, and her heart — that she was all in. That kind of honesty was new to me. And it was everything.---One of my favorite memories came a few months later, when we decided on a whim to take a weekend trip out of town to Fredericksburg for our birthdays. The plan was loose: get away, relax, and get the bus winery tour around town. After making a stop or two with the bus we decided that we wanted to split off and do our own thing so we called an Uber went back and got the car and then drove around exploring at our own pace . In our own world. Naturally, this the off our timing for our driver reservations that evening, and we ended up sitting outside in the freezing cold waiting for a new table. But we made the most of it, we found a spot by the fire pit, I went in and grabbed us drinks, and we made it work. We laughed the entire time. She had this way of making even the worst situations fun — turning frustration into something we could laugh about. By the end of that trip, I realized something simple but huge: it didn’t matter what went wrong. If she was there, it was going to be a good day.---We weren’t immune to challenges — life threw plenty at us early on. Between work, long drives, and the usual chaos of balancing family and the future, there were moments that tested us. But Bri showed me what real partnership looks like. She’s steady. She’s resilient. And she gives grace even when it’s not easy. She became my peace — the calm in the middle of every storm.When I lost my mom 2 years ago, Bri was there. She helped me through it at every turn. When I needed to cry, she let me. When I needed to scream at the world, she listened. And when I needed to sit in silence, she let us. But when Bri’s hand is in mine, or she’s sitting next to me at the end of a long day, I feel that same quiet peace again — the kind of comfort my mom used to bring into a room. That’s when I knew she wasn’t just someone I loved being with. She was home.--- Somewhere along the way, she started to change the way I saw things. The way I worked. The way I talked about the future. Her faith, her patience, and her love challenged me to be a better man — not out of pressure, but out of pride. Because I wanted to be the kind of man worthy of her. There’s a confidence that comes from being truly loved — not the kind that feeds your ego, but the kind that steadies your heart. Bri gave me that.---And just like that, what started with a stumble at the rodeo turned into something stronger than either of us expected. Now, we’re standing on the edge of this next chapter — with rings ready, vows written, and a shared future ahead that feels both exciting and deeply right. When I think back on it all — the spilled wine, the laughter, the rescheduled date, the long talks, the road trips, the quiet nights — it’s hard not to smile. All of it, every twist of fate, every coincidence, every late text and early morning, led here. And sometimes, when I replay that day at the rodeo, I can still see that old man grinning through his bandage, locking eyes with me as if he already knew how it would turn out. “Son,” he said, “don’t mess this up.”I didn’t.

Our First Interaction

Our Story

Photos

BRIDESMAID

Alexandria Prida

Meghan Martinez-Makowski

Yndalecia Martinez

Delaney Setrum 

Groomsmen

Stephen Martinez

Mark Ellison

Michael Steeple

Alex Cornell

Wedding Party

Bride and Groom request Beach FormalNo shorts/jeansNo flip flopsInspiration photos given below!

Dress Code

Resort Reservations

ALL guests MUST book through our travel agent. To book a room, please get in touch with our travel agent, Tim Hartong. He will reach out to you with pricing. The initial deposit is $100 per person. MUST have initial deposit by MAY 20TH. (330)805-7600TimHartong@gmail.com Please contact us if you have ANY questions at all. ***The two resorts below are on the same property***TRS Coral is ADULT ONLYGrand Palldium is family friendly

TRS Coral Hotel - Only Adults

TRS Coral- Adult ONLY All Inclusive24-hour butlerExclusive Restaurants &amp; BarsAccess to the full resort

Grand Palladium Select Costa Mujeres

Grand Palladium All inclusive Family FriendlyNo access to TRS and Family Selection

Travel

Best Private Charter Fishing Experience!When booking, mention "Recommneded by Andrew Ojeda" Includes private pickup/drop-off from the ResortFishing licenseFishing tackle and gearBaitBeers, sodas, and bottled waterIceCrew at your service *** Does not include $7/person docking fee

Fishing Charter

Things to Do

Registry

Briana & Matthew

Briana & Matthew

B&M

Wedding