Paddlefish

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Our Wedding

In 2014, Matt started a company that finds volunteers all over the world to teach people how to play board games. In late 2015, Matt was recruiting on a popular social network when he received a message from a certain young lady from Adairsville, Georgia, who had experience running games at Anime Weekend Atlanta. We started talking about the job at first, then the game industry, then our love of gaming, then our other hobbies... and eventually, everything else. For Christmas that year, Matt got Victoria a plane ticket to come down for three days beginning with her birthday in February 2016. The anticipation nearly drove us both crazy!

A Chance Meeting

Victoria's flight was canceled - twice - and so some minor miracles needed to be done to get her down here at all. We ended up routing her through Tampa and Matt drove down from Orlando at 1AM to pick her up. Thanks to a nice lady we met in the terminal, we have something pretty rare for a couple -- a photo of our first kiss!We stopped for a late dinner, but we were too excited to sleep, so we stayed up all night talking. We swung by Matt's work, where she drew a heart on the glass wall of his office that is still there today. We stayed up so late that we overslept on her birthday, and missed our reservations to the Be Our Guest restaurant at the Magic Kingdom! (We're going to make up that visit on our honeymoon, no worries!) After a short day at Disney (the place was overrun with cheerleaders in town for an international championship and every ride had 90+ minute waits), we headed back to the house, watched movies and just enjoyed each other's company all day. On Saturday, we invited Leia and her family over to Matt's house for dinner. (Matt is no fool and knew that winning over the best friend was pretty critical.) Matt grilled steaks, we played games, and had a fantastic night. As soon as Leia and Jerry's car pulled out of the driveway, we sat down on the couch and Victoria told Matt something he never expected -- she'd made up her mind. One way or the other, she was moving to Florida in a month to see how this relationship could work! (Matt guesses the steak was just that good.)Sunday, we stopped off at a local mall for a bit, and Matt picked her up a stuffed dragon to keep her company until she could return to Florida. We went by Michael and John's place as well, so she could meet Matt's family. Despite some grumbling about her choice of NFL fandom, Michael and John were very impressed with her. Monday, she flew home. There were tears. At least we knew it was short-term...

When It's Right, You Just Know

On March 6, 2016, Matt was on the interstate by 4:00AM and watched the sun rise from a rest stop on I-75. Traveling as fast as his Scion xB (dubbed "the Toaster") could carry him, he made it to Adairsville at just past 2 in the afternoon. There, he met Traci and Greg Conway, Victoria's aunt and uncle, and visited with them. Somehow, Matt defied physics and fit all of Victoria's belongings into that little car. We grabbed a bite to eat at a steak and rib joint (literally called Steak and Ribs) in Cartersville, hit up a Wal-Mart for some snacks, and crashed in a nearby Hampton Inn. The next morning, Victoria became an official Floridian!

Operation Peach to Beach

The first five months of our relationship saw its share of struggle -- not between us, but due to exterior factors. Our elderly dog, Rain, had major surgery, Matt fell ill with complications of diabetes, and there was stress from all corners. Through that all, however, Victoria instantly became a rock of support for Matt in ways he never thought possible. There was never fighting. There was only loyalty, faith in one another, unending support and unconditional love. Both of us have had our share of relationships that didn't go the distance, and we knew a good thing when we saw it. In early August 2016, we had a trip up to Indiana for work, and made a pit stop in Georgia to visit Greg and Traci. Unbeknownst to Victoria, Matt pulled each of them aside separately, made his intentions known, and formally asked for Victoria's hand -- a request which was enthusiastically approved.

The First Five Months

On August 15, 2016, Matt made good on a promise he'd made on Victoria's first visit -- that he would take her to a beach to see a sunrise. We woke up at 4:00AM and drove out to Cocoa Beach, near Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral, arriving just minutes before the sun broke the horizon. Matt will freely admit he fumbled his words a bit, and it took Victoria a few minutes to realize what he was actually asking her -- but fortunately the sight of his grandmother's engagement ring in his hand, which she had tried on months before, cleared things up. And just like that, another promise was made... one we can't wait to spend forever keeping.

Promise Kept, Promise Made

Our Story

Wedding Venue

Our wedding is taking place on the third deck (the Bow Room, to be precise) of Paddlefish, a restaurant built on a steamboat docked in Lake Buena Vista in the heart of Disney Springs. Disney Springs is a free area -- there is no Disney park pass required to get in. We'll be including a Disney Springs map in every invitation to help guests find the Paddlefish -- but seriously, it's a big white boat in a big lake, next to a giant dragon made out of Legos. ;)

Parking

Disney Springs is easily accessible from exit 67 on Interstate 4. Parking is free. There are ample surface parking lots as well as two parking garages - Orange and Lime. Any of these options will get you where you need to go, but the Lime Garage is by far the closest parking. Both garages have a bridge to Disney Springs on the second floor.If you'd prefer not to drive, most of the hotels on the Disney strip (International Drive) offer shuttles to Disney Springs. Of course, Lyft and Uber are options as well.

Getting To the Venue

From the Lime Garage bridge, you'll want to take the stairs down to the ground level. Hang a right at the fountain, next to the Polite Pig. Walk until you see the Levi Store on your right, and turn left there. It's the first left you can take -- if you pass the T-Rex Cafe, you're going the right way. Once you see the T-Rex Cafe, look straight ahead and the Paddlefish boat will be clearly visible. Of course, any Disney cast member will be happy to help you find the Paddlefish if you need a hand.

Food Options

Food

As this is an early afternoon wedding, we've opted to go with a selection of hors d'oeuvres. The following will be available:* The Burger - Pickles, red onion, pimento cheese, brioche slider *&nbsp;Chicken Skewers - Preserved lemon vinaigrette *&nbsp;Spinach & Artichoke Tartlets- Gruyere, leeks, goat cheese *&nbsp;Roasted Corn Elote - sweet Florida corn, fresh lime juice, chili lime salt, cotija cheese *&nbsp;Tomato Caprese Skewers-Teardrop tomato, bocconcini, basil, balsamic glaze *&nbsp;Seasonal fruit display *&nbsp;Domestic cheese display&nbsp;

Beverages

Water, tea, and Coke products are available. We are not serving alcohol at the event, but there is a bar inside the restaurant if you would like to get something.&nbsp;

Cake

Our wedding cake is a strawberry champagne cake with buttercream frosting. Our groom's cake is a sugar free&nbsp;chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

Getting and Staying Here

Ride Sharing

In the interest of reducing the financial stress of celebrating our wedding on our family and friends, we ask that anyone able to offer a ride to a fellow guest from the Atlanta metro area please contact Victoria. We've also found that <a href="https://us.megabus.com/" target="_blank">MegaBus </a>has pretty affordable rates from Atlanta to Orlando and back.

Hotels

We've not had much success booking a large hotel block due to financial concerns. However, we used a wedding planning thing which gave us some pretty significant event discounts on lots of hotels around the Disney Springs area. You can<a href="https://www.hotelplanner.com/162738888/EventPage3996785" target="_blank"> view the discounts and book one here</a>.

Additional Guests

Due to limited space on the ship, we are unfortunately unable to extend this invitation beyond those named, including children. We hope that the parents among our families and friends view this as an opportunity to enjoy an adult day and celebrate with us.

Gifts

First and foremost, we understand that money is tight for everyone. Your presence at our special day will be present enough -- especially considering how many of our guests will need to travel from Georgia and elsewhere to attend. Our home is already established, and bursting at the seams. We're really dreaming of a fantastic weekend at Disney to set down our work and spend some quality time together to begin the great adventure of our lives. Should you wish to celebrate our new family with a gift, we'd greatly appreciate a contribution to this magical beginning in lieu of a more traditional gift.For those who would prefer something for us to unwrap, we have also created a minimal registry at Amazon.com -- and of course, we love to be surprised as well!

Our Vendors

Venue & Food

Paddlefish @ Disney Springs <a href="https://www.paddlefishrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">www.paddlefishrestaurant.com</a>

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/paddlefishORL">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/paddlefishorl">Twitter</a>/ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/paddlefishorl/">Instagram</a>

Ceremony Officiant

Sensational Ceremonies <a href="https://www.sensationalceremonies.com/locations-weddings/central-florida/" target="_blank">https://www.sensationalceremonies.com</a>

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sensational-Ceremonies-LLC/68983671698" target="_blank">Facebook</a>/ <a href="http://www.twitter.com/flwedminister" target="_blank">Twitter</a>

Photography & Videography

Lalalu Photography <a href="https://www.lalaluphotography.com/" target="_blank">https://www.lalaluphotography,com</a>

<a href="http://www.facebook.com/lalaluphotos" target="_blank">Facebook</a>/ &nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lalaluphotos/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/Lalaluphotography">YouTube</a>

Wedding Cake

The Sweet Shop (4 Rivers Specialty Cakes) <a href="https://www.4rspecialtycakes.com/" target="_blank">https://www.4rspecialtycakes.com</a>

Groom's Cake

Florals

Oviedo Florist Flowers &&nbsp;Gifts 

<a href="http://www.oviedoflorist.com/" target="_blank">http://www.oviedoflorist.com/</a>

Bridal Hair & Beauty

Salon Dulay <a href="https://salondulay.com" target="_blank">https://salondulay.com </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalonDulay" target="_blank">Facebook</a> /&nbsp; <a href="https://twitter.com/SalonDulayAveda" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;/&nbsp; <a href="http://instagram.com/salondulay" target="_blank">Instagram</a>

Menswear

Mens' Wearhouse

<a href="http://www.menswearhouse.com" target="_blank">www.menswearhouse.com</a>

Wedding Website

The Knot <a href="http://www.theknot.com" target="_blank">www.theknot.com</a>

Stay Up to Date

To help our guests stay abreast of developments as we plan our special day - admittedly on very short notice - we've created a Facebook group located at https://www.facebook.com/groups/holdenhardmanwedding. We encourage all guests to join to get real-time updates for important wedding details. We promise we won't blow up your feed with a zillion pictures of cats. Just half a zillion. (Sorry, Victoria's cat Prince Caspian is *really* cute.)

Event Details

Photos

Amanda is Victoria's cousin and might as well be her sister. Joined at the hip since infancy, the two grew up together in Georgia.

Amanda Kenyon

Michael is Matt's big brother and the person who taught him everything good about being a man. He and his husband John just adopted four beautiful children whom we are proud to call our nieces and nephews.

Michael McKinney

Leia and Victoria have been close friends for many years, and our relationship owes her a lot -- she was Victoria's designated safety net here in Orlando on Victoria's first visit. Fortunately, Matt turned out not to be an axe murderer, and all was well! Leia lives in Georgia with her husband Jerry and their daughter, Emily.

Leia Eller

Colin has been Matt's closest friend for twenty years, and has been a part of every crazy idea Matt has ever had in one form or another. Colin resides in Massachusetts with his wife, Ashley.

Colin Davis

Lakeland-based&nbsp;Danny Lott is a board game designer, having just released his first title, Coma Ward, on Kickstarter.&nbsp;Danny and Matt&nbsp;met through Matt's work with the Indie Game Alliance and Matt, Danny and his wife Kari&nbsp;became fast friends.&nbsp;

Danny Lott

Kristen and Victoria met in the marching band in high school and have been friends ever since. She resides in Georgia with her husband, Chris.

Kristen Sherer

Wedding Party

Q + A

Registry

Travel

Enjoy the freedom to visit between 4 must-see Walt Disney World® Resort Theme Parks. Discover all that Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park have to offer, from Disney characters and movie magic to exotic animals and the human spirit.
Magic Kingdom® Park
 Experience the timeless enchantment of fantasy, adventure, and the promise of tomorrow. Fairytale dreams come true for children of all ages at Magic Kingdom® Park.
Epcot®
 Discover worlds of wonder, the power of imagination and a magnificent showcase of nations. Explore exciting attractions, enchanting international pavilions, award-winning fireworks and seasonal special events at Epcot®.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios®
 Star in your own showbiz adventure and play in worlds from some of your favorite Disney stories. Movie magic comes to life at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, awash in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom®
 Explore the wild side of Disney and discover the wonders of nature. Encounter exotic animals and exciting adventures at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, one of the largest animal theme parks in the world.
Magic Your Way Ticket Options:
Magic Your Way Base Option – Enjoy one visit to your choice of one Walt Disney World® Theme Park per day.
Add more flexibility with the Park Hopper® Option – Want to enjoy more than one Theme Park per day? Add the Park Hopper® Option. With so much to see and do, you'll love the ability to come and go as you please through all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks on the same day for each day of your ticket.
Add even more fun with the Park Hopper® Plus Option – This is a great way to add more Disney fun beyond the Theme Parks! This option provides a certain number of visits, based on the length of the ticket purchased. For each visit, you can choose one of the following: Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park1, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park1, Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course2 (greens fees), ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex3, Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course4 (before 4 p.m.) or Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course4 (before 4 PM).
Disclaimer: Tickets and Options are nontransferable and expire 14 days after first use of the Ticket. Does not include activities/events separately priced. Visiting multiple Theme Parks on the same day requires the Park Hopper® Option. 1) Water Parks subject to rehabilitation, seasonal and weather closures. Age restrictions may apply for access to certain facilities. 2) Tee times required and subject to availability. 3) Valid only on event days. Some events require an additional admission charge. There are no events on certain days. Days and hours of operation of concessions, venues and attractions varies. 4) Valid for 1 round. Only 1 miniature golf course visit per day.

Walt Disney World® Resort Magic Your Way Ticket

Take your vacation to the next level at Universal Orlando Resort™. Three amazing theme parks provide thrills and adventure beyond your imagination. Vacation beyond anything you’ve experienced before at Universal Orlando Resort™.
Experience the magic and excitement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at 2 parks connected by the Hogwarts™ Express, which you can ride* with a Park-to-Park admission ticket. Plus, Universal CityWalk™ offers a dazzling variety of dining and entertainment options from early in the morning until the wee hours. It’s days and nights of endless fun for every member of the family.
Immerse yourself in the next generation of blockbuster entertainment at Universal Studios™, entering The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Diagon Alley™, encountering mischievous Minions, and joining forces with the TRANSFORMERS as you find yourself right in the middle of the action.
Journey through the legendary worlds of incredible heroes at Islands of Adventure, where you can explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Hogsmeade™, come face to face with King Kong, battle villains alongside Spider-Man, and flee hungry raptors in Jurassic Park™.
And finally, enjoy the thrills and relaxation of a tropical paradise like no other. At the all-new Universal’s Volcano Bay™ water theme park, now open, you’ll find an oasis of excitement along with laid back luxuries creating an entirely new vacation experience.
Copyright, Restrictions, and Permissions
 HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © &amp; ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s17)
 *Additional restrictions apply. TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2017 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. © 2017 MARVEL. Jurassic Park TM Universal Studios/Amblin. Universal elements and all related indicia TM &amp; © 2017 Universal Studios. All rights reserved

Matt & Victoria

Matt & Victoria

Photos