Wedding Day

Ceremony

South Gate Manor

Reception

St. Joseph-St. Thomas St. John Neumann Parish

Wedding Reception

Our Wedding

How We MetMatthew and Caitlin’s story began all the way back in middle school. In 2012, Matt was a student in Caitlin’s mom’s 8th grade honors math class—her classroom also happened to be his homeroom. Caitlin’s homeroom was just next door, and she often popped into her mom’s class to say hi, grab something, or just hang out. Even back then, Matt remembers noticing Caitlin, thinking she was cute—even if nothing came of it at the time.Life eventually took them in different directions. They went to different high schools, different colleges, and pursued their own paths. Matt became a firefighter, and Caitlin began working toward her master’s in special education, preparing to become a teacher. Years passed—twelve, to be exact—until fate stepped in again.One evening, while Caitlin was at her best friend’s house for a girls’ night, a message popped up on her phone. It was from Matt, on a dating app. His message said something along the lines of, “I think we went to middle school together and were in the same class one year. I always thought you were cute.” That simple, sincere message made her smile. It was the perfect icebreaker—and it worked.They ended up talking the entire night, getting to know each other in more ways than one. The conversation flowed so naturally that they quickly left the app behind, and Matt asked Caitlin if she’d like to go out the very next day. He took the time to learn about her—asking about her favorite food, her go-to drink—because he genuinely wanted to plan a first date she’d enjoy. They went to Hobrah, a fun local spot, and from that very first date, something just felt right.It didn’t take long for them to realize they’d found what they’d both been searching for all along: someone who felt like home.

How We Met

After their first date, Cait and Matt quickly found themselves swept up in something special. By the time their second date rolled around, Cait’s parents were more than eager to meet the man their daughter had been raving about. When Matt arrived to pick her up, he was completely taken by surprise when both her mom and dad came outside to greet him (Sorry Matt).From there, things moved quickly. They had their third, then fourth date… and before the week was over, they had spent nearly every day together. It didn’t take long for them to decide—they were officially a couple. More dates followed, more memories made, and before long, they were saying “I love you” like they had always known.Just one month into dating, Matt looked at Cait and told her, “I want to propose to you.” Cait smiled and gently reminded him, “My parents made it very clear—you have to wait four full seasons before you do that, Matthew.” And so, he waited—just like she asked.Exactly one year after their first date, they planned to return to the tulip farm they had visited during their first month together. Cait couldn’t wait; she had been talking about it for weeks. But Matt had something else in mind. The original farm wasn’t open yet, and heavy rain had made it impossible to visit anyway. Thinking quickly, Matt found another tulip farm further south in New Jersey, where the skies were clear and the flowers were blooming.Cait had no idea. Matt had convinced her—flawlessly—that he hadn’t even started thinking about proposing yet. With the help of her family and friends, he completely threw her off the scent.They wandered through the tulip fields together, hand in hand, just like they had a year ago. Matt kept her busy, asking her to find the tallest, prettiest tulip he claimed to have spotted. Confused but humoring him, Cait walked down a row to look for it.When she turned around, nothing could have prepared her for what she saw: the man she had fallen in love with exactly one year before, down on one knee, holding a ring she had shown him months ago. His face was lit up with the biggest smile as he asked, “Will you marry me?”She burst into tears—happy, stunned, overwhelmed—and said “YES” through joyful sobs.They spent the rest of the day capturing the moment in photos, her eyes locked on the ring that sparkled almost as much as the man she now knew she would spend her life with.And just when she thought the day couldn’t get any more perfect, Matt had one last surprise: a dinner where both of their families were waiting, smiling and ready to celebrate their love.Cait found her person—and her forever began with tulips, laughter, and a heartfelt “yes.”

One year later...

Our Story

Photos

Danielle Velazquez

John Esposito

Samantha Hourican

Charles Dimino

Megan Hourican

Michael Dimino

Kristina Hourican

Patrick Hourican

Jenna Martin

Sean Hourican

Julianna Martin

Michael Maiz

Jessica Castro

Matthew Dambakly

Jenna Kuczera

Tony Williams

Nicolette Gallo

Eddie Kieran

Alex Larosa

Joseph Martin

Wedding Party

Q + A

If you’re traveling from out of town and would like to stay the night before the wedding—Friday, March 13, 2026—you’re in luck! The same special room rate will apply when you use the code EL79F8. Just a heads up: the reservation cut-off date is February 13, 2026, but rooms may fill up before then. If you're planning to stay over, we highly recommend booking early to make sure you have a cozy place to stay for the big day! Check-in begins at 4 PM, and check-out is at 11 AM. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!UPDATE: Hotel Update – Please ReadAt this time, the Radisson Freehold Hotel is completely sold out of rooms for March 14, 2026.There are plenty of rooms at the Courtyard by Marriott Wall at Monmouth Shores Corporate Park. Please stand by—we will share more information as soon as another room block becomes available for our wedding guests to book accommodations.Thank you so much for your patience! 💙Here is address information for both hotelsCourtyard by Mariott Wall at Monmouth Shores Corporate Park1302 Campus Pkwy, Wall Township, NJ 07753Distance: 16 minutes from South gate Manor

Radisson Hotel Freehold and Courtyard by Marriott Wall at Monmouth Shores Corporate Park. 

Travel

Things to Do

Registry

Caitlin & Matthew

Caitlin & Matthew

C&M

Wedding Day

Reception

Ceremony

Wedding Reception