This foggy morning proposal at Biltmore Estate was truly perfect! Matt was so excited that he could barely get his words out, and Carlin was so surprised! It was SO sweet and full of so much joy!
Matt contacted the photographer a couple of weeks prior to their visit to Asheville, NC, and pulled them into this surprise. He told them that he wanted to propose to his fiancé, Carlin, at Biltmore Estate while they were on a long weekend vacation in the mountains of western North Carolina. The photographer guided Matt and helped him choose a proposal location and a time of day, and shared tips on how to pull this off without Carlin finding out. The planning and waiting was so exciting!
On the day of the proposal, Matt and Carlin rounded the corner and approached our chosen spot. Carlin and Matt’s smiles and joy are SO contagious! Carlin suspected that Matt might propose on this trip to Asheville, she was still utterly shocked the moment it happened! These are some very magical proposal photos!
How did you meet?
Carlin and Matt met at their workplace in Arlington, VA. In fact, Carlin remembers that their first interaction with each other was when Matt first interviewed her for the job. Carlin and Matt started to get to know each other when they were both selected to work on a small team together. In early 2018, Carlin created a Bumble account for the first time. Although she had an eye out for Matt, it never seemed realistic for the two of them to ever date; however, this didn’t stop her from swiping right when she finally came across Matt’s Bumble profile. Weeks had passed before Carlin received a notification that she had a new Bumble match, who happened to be Matt. Carlin anxiously consulted close friends to ask whether she should message Matt. Against everyone’s advice, Carlin decided to shoot her shot and send a message to Matt, right as Bumble’s 24 hour window to send a message was approaching. Carlin spent the next 23 and a half hours wondering if Matt would reply, and finally, when Matt’s opportunity to respond (again, due to Bumble’s 24 hour rule) had almost expired, she was surprised to see the Bumble notification with Matt’s response. From there, they went on a few dates and eventually called it official. Since then, Carlin and Matt have moved to Nashville, TN, where they live with their two labradoodles, Finn and Mocha!
What is your proposal story?
Carlin and Matt had been dating for almost 4 years when they finally decided to go “ring shopping” together in February 2022. Carlin fell in love with a round solitaire diamond, and she anticipated that after their first ring shopping experience, a proposal would soon follow. Carlin spent the summer of 2022 anxiously awaiting the special moment, but had no idea how, where, or when it would happen. Meanwhile, Matt spent the summer diligently researching and selecting the perfect ring, the perfect location, and the perfect photographer for the big day!
When Matt’s plans finally came together, he mentioned to Carlin that he might have a special weekend trip planned. He kept the details of this trip, including where they were going, where they would stay, and what they were doing a secret. While a secret, surprise trip was out of the norm, Carlin chose not to ask any questions and instead went into the weekend hopeful for the best surprise of her life.
On Thursday night, Carlin and Matt arrived at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC – a place that Carlin had frequently mentioned wanting to visit. Matt requested that they both be awake and ready by 8am Friday morning, as if this didn’t raise suspicions for Carlin… On Friday morning, Matt drove Carlin around the Biltmore Estate, and he even managed to get them lost on the intertwining roads of the property. When they arrived at the Diana Statue, Carlin and Matt got out of the car and walked to an open, empty field. A rush of emotions and excitement overcame Carlin as Matt said loudly “Well, Carlin, Today’s the day.” Matt got down on one knee, as Carlin stood in shock with tears in her eyes – a moment she still describes as the best moment of her life.
But wait – there’s more! Not only did Matt propose in the most beautiful location in front of the Biltmore Estate, he had also diligently researched and hired a photographer to capture the proposal. Following the proposal, the photographer, Jessica, unexpectedly popped out of nowhere and informed Carlin that Matt had hired her to do an hour long photo shoot around the beautiful Biltmore property. Although it was a humid and foggy morning, Jessica was able to capture the most beautiful proposal picture, along with several other engagement photos that Carlin and Matt plan to use for their wedding website and save-the-dates.
Tell us about the ring/band.
The ring that Matt chose is from a local Nashville jewelry store – Green Hills Diamond Broker. It is a round solitaire diamond with a white gold band.
Tell us about your engagement shoot outfits and accessories.
It was foggy and humid on the morning of our engagement. Since Carlin was unaware of the plans for the day, she consulted Matt to choose the outfit she would wear. Carlin’s dress is from Pink Lilly, and Matt’s shirt is from Bonobos.
Have you started planning your wedding? What is your wedding date?
Yes, we have started planning our wedding! After researching several venue options in the DC, Philadelphia, and Baltimore areas, we finally found our dream venue in Baltimore. We will be getting married at The Winslow on April 27, 2024.
