Height of Serendipity

On Saturday, December 14, 2024, I officiated Julia and Matt’s wedding ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Palm Beach, Florida. Here are the remarks I shared with them and their guests:

Julia and Matt meeting each other was the height of serendipity. Julia says: “Matt and I met in Florida, when I was on vacation with my family one weekend. He was living there at the time as his work in solar moved him to the Sunshine State.” Matt adds: “Julia and I met in downtown Delray. I was out because my friend was DJing and of course Jules was there because she loves to dance. I actually almost didn’t go because I was exhausted from working all week but something inside me knew it was going to be a special time.” 

Julia says, “We locked eyes and started chatting. Matt was looking at me all night. I remember being instantly drawn to his goofy energy and his loud laugh.” Matt says that he noticed this pretty, tall, blonde girl kept staring at him and so he decided to take his best shot. Julia disputes this: “Matt will say that I was across the room looking at him, but I swear, he was the one staring at me!” I guess we will never know the truth, but it doesn’t really matter. Something unique happened the day Julia and Matt met. A day hasn’t gone by that they have not spoken ever since.  

Julia remembers being worried about how things would work out as the long-distance posed a tricky obstacle – her living in Connecticut and him living in Florida – but Matt wasn’t worried. The day after they first met, Matt told his mom, Bonnie, and his Uncle Greg that he had met the woman he was going to marry.  

When talking about Julia, Matt says, “She is the most special person I’ve ever met. We are both fiery personalities and when we are together, our flames burn the brightest. She inspires me to want to be a better person for her and our future children. I truly believe we were meant to be.”

When talking about Matt, Julia says: “After I met Matt, I felt like I could finally take a deep breath because everything was going to be okay. He is such a strong person and not just physically, although his muscles are easy on the eyes! His big smile and silly laugh always remind me not to take life or myself too seriously. I know that life with Matt will always be a beautiful adventure.” 

She adds that “Matt makes me feel understood, seen, loved, and safe…Well not always safe… like the time when he took me fishing on a boat in the middle of the ocean in the pouring rain with ten-foot waves and then caught a shark.”

In all seriousness, though, feeling seen may be the most important thing partners can do for each other. As Kirk Pineda writes, “Feeling seen is a state in which a part (or parts) of our identity, emotions, needs, and physical being are fully recognized and reflected back to us by another.” Julia and Matt, may you continue to mutually feel seen, loved, and at least while on dry land, safe too.