A Summer Dream - Dierdre & Matthew

Deirdre McCann, of Bethesda, MD, and Matthew Leybold, of Yorktown, VA, were married on June 11, 2016 at the Williamsburg Winery in Williamsburg, VA. The couple met at a local consulting firm and saw each other at larger work events. Matthew's charm, jokes, and daily treats from Starbucks and Deirdre's favorite, Georgetown Cupcakes, led to a strong friendship and ultimately them dating and a strong relationship (Matthew blurted it out to her best friends at work before she even got a chance to tell them)!

Shortly after they began dating, Matthew left for basic training with the National Guard, in which they could only communicate via hand-written letters. It was during this training that their bond grew even stronger and they knew they had something really special. After almost four years together, Matthew proposed on a trip to Los Angeles. He had told her that she would be getting her belated birthday gift while they were on their trip - and what a wonderful surprise she was in for!

Matthew, who previously lived in Los Angeles, took Deirdre to Malibu. They drove a yellow convertible down the Pacific Coast Highway and ended up at Geoffrey's, which has stunning views on the ocean. After lunch, Matthew asked Deirdre to close her eyes, and when she opened them, he was down on one knee. The rest is history! Matthew's thoughtful research and planning made the proposal even more special. Both Matthew and Deirdre are big fans of the show, "Entourage," and Matthew planned the proposal to be exactly where their favorite TV couple got engaged - they sat at the same area at Geoffrey's and drove down the PCH in a convertible before the engagement.

Then it was time for the wedding planning to begin! Deirdre focused on dress shopping, photography and finding a florist, all from their home in Washington, D.C. The Williamsburg Winery was the first and last venue they looked at. "It was really important to us both that our wedding was a close family and friends affair and that it felt like us," said Deirdre. "We wanted to combine Matthew's southern roots with my feminine taste and settled on the Williamsburg Winery, which is near where he grew up."

The beautiful photographs are by the talented Jillian Michelle Photography.





Pinterest was a big source of inspiration for Deirdre. She knew she wanted their special day to be family-oriented, romantic and warm with blushes, whites and lots of greenery. As for the flowers, she had her eyes on a mix of peonies, white roses and eucalyptus. The couple was also looking to tie in details from the winery with lovely wine boxes for the tables and flowers spilling out over the sides of wine barrels.



   

   

   

   

Deirdre focused on many of the details, including the Save the Date cards, custom wooden signs, designing a DC Metro guestbook, and creating "Virginia is for Lovers" cookies with a baker.

   

What was the couple's favorite thing about their special day? Being surrounded by their closest family and friends as they said our vows. Deirdre said, "We made sure to keep our wedding intimate and our priest, Betsy, engaged our guests, asking 'Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?' and all of our guests yelled 'We will!' and it was such a beautiful moment. I loved the feeling of our vows being something not just between Matthew and I, but also with the people we love."



   

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Leybold! We loved being a part of your wedding and we wish you a lifetime of happiness, love and special memories. Shay Lynne Weddings was the wedding planner and the photography was by Jillian Michelle Photography.