Justine Elizabeth Hall
and
Matthew Timothy Heafner
Please join us for our wedding celebration on
Our (long) Love Story
Matt and Justine have known each other much longer than many may realize. God’s timing is always perfect. He always knows when two hearts are fully ready to accept, receive, and give love exactly as he created in us.
~~ HOW THEY MET ~~
Matt and Justine were both born and raised in the beautiful Sunrise City of Fort Pierce, FL, and even delivered in the same hospital, just 2 years, 3 months, and 8 days apart.
Matt, most affectionately known by most as “Heff”, and Justine went to the same school, Lincoln Park Academy for middle and high school. They had some mutual friends and rode the school bus together, both growing up in the same neighborhood. Little did Justine know, Matt may have developed a crush all those years ago...
Matt and Justine went off to Florida Universities, UNF and UCF, respectively. After graduation, Matt built a life in Jacksonville, FL and Justine moved to TN, first to Nashville and then Memphis before moving back to Florida in 2016.
Both created admirable careers, explored the world, made lifelong friendships, and grew into who they are today.
~~ STAYING IN TOUCH ~~
Thanks to their mutual friend, Justine's cousin, Jake, and his wife, Danielle, they would continue to be in contact throughout the years. Though not a couple, they both attended Jake and Danielle’s wedding in St. Lucia 9 years ago, frequently visited them in Colorado for concerts, hiking, and skiing adventures, and occasionally would run into one another while visiting their hometown during the holiday seasons.
According to Jake, Heff has been playing the "longest slow game ever" and that all of the connections over the years weren’t such a "coincidence" after all.
Justine always admired Matt’s photography and adventurous love for travel and the two always seemed to stay in touch. Matt patiently answered Justine's many amateur photography questions, such as when she was at Horseshoe Bend in Arizona trying to capture the perfect starry night (which she successfully did!). Even during Justine's first solo travel trip across the pond in Wales, they shared laughs when Justine told Matt the disastrous story of driving on the left side of the road and knocking not one, but two, side mirrors off of two parked cars as she was heading to visit Conwy Castle from leaving Avis rental car, only a few minutes prior.
~~ WHEN IT ALL CHANGED ~~
In July 2022, Matt was on a special 6-month hiatus, traveling the world, when he found out that a trip to Paris, France was planned for the following month. Jake and Danielle had their first baby in March 2022 and they were planning Millie's first out-of-the-country experience with Justine accompanying them. They were ready for the exciting adventure ahead and Matt asked if he could meet up, since it would be easy for him to get to France from Portugal. Everyone said, “Of course!”
Paris is known as Ville d'Amour (City of Love) and Ville-Lumière (City of Light). Although there are historical reasons for these names, both mean something to Matt and Justine as it is believed that the light of Paris shined on their love, when both of their hearts were in the perfect place to fall in love.
It didn’t take long at all to realize that the person they had been waiting for was right there all along.
Matt and Justine finally realized they were soulmates. Nothing was forced anymore. Both could be their authentic and genuine selves. Nothing more was wished or prayed for because prayers had been answered. Matt & Justine had full hearts that felt love, respect, kindness, encouragement, laughter, and honesty. The organic kind of love that only God could create.
~~ THE PROPOSAL ~~
"When you know, you know" is no longer cliché.
To set up the next part of the story there's two things you should know:
1) After they started dating, Matt frequently asked Justine "Will you pinch me?". It was his way of making sure he was in the real world and that the moment was truly happening. This of course made Justine smile every time with a little giggle of "Yes, this is real!".
2) Matt calls Justine's head-over-heels-in-love-smile the "Frenchie" or "Frenchie smile".
Now, back to the proposal story...
Matt knew exactly what he had always wanted in a partner and there was no way that he was going to let Justine go.
During the week of Valentine's day, they were babysitting baby Millie while Jake and Danielle were on a "Mom and Dad getaway" in the Dominican Republic. Aunt Carmen, Jakes mom, was watching Millie during the day and Matt and Justine were watching her at night.
As Valentine's day approached, Aunt Carmen and Justine's mom, Suzie, insisted that Matt & Justine go on a date night. They agreed and made last minute plans to go to Kyle G's, a favorite local oceanfront restaurant on South Hutchinson Island, not far from Justine's home.
Before they left, they sat outside in the perfectly cool and breezy February weather on Justine's front porch, sipping a glass of Sangria. Matt brought out the speaker and put on a favorite song of theirs, "Sweet Symphony" by Joy Oladokun & Chris Stapleton.
After a few interruptions from Millie, Matt covertly went inside and told Aunt Carmen that he needed a few minutes with Justine privately. He came back outside, re-started the song for the third time and Justine responded with "you really want to listen to this song don't you?" with a laugh, completely unaware of what was about to happen.
Not much time passed before Matt said "will you pinch me?" Justine obliged and pinched his arm. Matt got on one knee and said "will you give me the biggest frenchie smile of your life and be my wife?" Of course the joyful tears streamed down Justine's cheeks as she said yes while he put a beautiful diamond ring on her hand that he had custom created with a local jeweler and family friend (talk about Matt knowing Justine's love language of details and personalization!). Justine and Matt were able to share the exciting news with her true best friend (her mom!) right when she pulled up to help Aunt Carmen with Millie just a few minutes after the proposal. What a perfect gift. Beaming with happiness, Matt and Justine went off to Kyle G's with more to celebrate then just Valentine's day.
Although they both wish they began dancing in the kitchen many moons ago, they soak up every moment now and are bursting with gratitude.
~~ YOUR SUPPORT AND LOVE ~~
We are thrilled to share our special day with you as we become one and start our lives together as husband and wife. Thank you for taking time out of your lives to surround us with your dance moves, support, blessings, and love!
#HavingABallWithHeffAndHall