Our Story

In September 2015, my cousin, Arden, was at working at Rocco’s Deli in Provo when a group of boys walked in and ordered sandwiches. One of the boys, Mitch, thought that she was really cute so Matt helped him write her a note on a napkin, asking her out. He gave her the napkin, and then left before she could read it, but left his phone number. I lived with Arden in an apartment in Provo, and when she came home that night she told me all about it and I encouraged her to call him the next day and say yes! She did and they went out a few days later. The date was at Mitch’s place, and some other friend’s were over and they had a fire in the back yard. That night, Arden met Matt. They talked some and Arden found out that Matt had served his mission in West Africa and so he spoke French. She talked to Mitch and they decided that they should set us up on a date, since I served my mission in Paris, France and spoke French as well.

On September 19^th  the day of the date came. Matt and Mitch picked us up and we all went to the mall with 75 balloons and passed them out to strangers. I was all about that and absolutely loved it! Afterwards, we went and got some ice cream and then ate it while we sat on a hug tree stump in a park. We just talked a lot, laughed, shared stories, and teased each other. That night I went home with a false impression of Matt. I felt like I had been made fun of all night and couldn’t figure out if Matt was teasing me or completely serious. When I came home I told Kaity that I would never wanted to go out with that boy again.

Matt and I kept hanging out, though. Mitch was still interested in Arden and every time he would ask her to do something with him, she would ask me to come with her. I went and always had a good time and decided that we would all just be friends. I thought Matt was fun to talk to and also very fun to flirt with, and after a while I started to have an interest in him. I was so annoyed I kind of liked him! I remember telling Arden “Why do I like him?! It doesn’t make any sense!” A few weeks later, I planned a big Harry Potter Halloween party with my roommates. Matt and Mitch came and that night Matt and I talked a bit via text. The conversation turned kind of weird and confusing and we misunderstood each other.  

After that, I figured we weren’t friends and that Matt didn’t like me. Two weeks later, it was my birthday and Matt texted me and wished me a happy birthday. I didn’t know why he was texting me, so I didn’t reply until all the festivities had ended late that night. When I replied and said “thank you” he texted me back and asked how I was doing and about my life. We talked a little bit and then he asked me if I would like to go out again. I was kind of confused so I told him I would but we should talk first. The next day, he came over and we talked and figured everything out. Then we decided to go on a date a few days later.

He picked me up on November 21^st and we went to a Belgian restaurant in Provo. I was glad we were friends again, but definitely didn’t think that this date was going to go anywhere. We laughed a lot on the way there, and then we got our food and as we began to talk I mentioned the 36 questions to fall in love with anyone. I mentioned that I was doing them with the girls at my work because they were just really good questions to get to know people. Matt suggested that we ask them to each other. I said as a complete joke “Ok, but only if you promise not to fall in love with me.” We both laughed and began to ask the questions. We only made it through 12 of them. And it took us 4 hours. We sat in that restaurant for 4 hours and talked and talked. We talked about our missions and our families and our feelings about God and Christ. At the end of the night, I was really impressed. Matt was completely different than I thought and I couldn’t wait to see him again.

Meanwhile, I had been going on dates with another boy who I really liked. We had been hanging out for a while and he was the first person I had met in a very long time that I could see myself committing to. We went on a date, and then he left to go home for Thanksgiving break. Two days after our date was the day Matt and I went out to the Belgian restaurant.

A few days after my second date with Matt, he asked me out again. We doubled with a girl from my mission, Natalie. Everyone came over to my place and we made crepes and had such a wonderful night. After a while, everyone else left and Matt stayed behind. We sat on my couch and talked some more. After a bit he said that he was really confused and needed to tell me something. He told me that there was another girl that he had been interested in and thought he was going to date, and that I had caught him off guard. He didn’t know what to do. I told him about the other guy and said that I was in a similar situation. The more we talked though, the more I forgot the other boy. The more I was interested in Matt. Matt asked me out for a date a week later and we decided we would take a week to figure it out. But I told Matt that if after a week he still didn’t know what to do, then it wasn’t me. I wasn’t a second choice. Matt left and I went to bed.

The next morning I woke up and I just knew that nothing was going to ever happen between me and Matt. But I was really proud of myself for being so vulnerable the night before and making it known that I cared about him even though nothing would come from it. I texted Natalie and let her know what had happened and that Matt and I weren’t going to date. I told her I was sad but that I felt really exhilarated because I had been so brave and I was ready to move onto better things and that maybe I would end up dating the other guy when he got back.

That day, Natalie went to church and asked Matt what had happened. He told her everything we had talked about and Natalie told Matt that if he let me go, it would be a mistake. She told him how much she adores me and she told him that girls like me don’t come along very often and he only had one chance because otherwise I would be gone. She told him about my text and that I was already moving on. Then she asked him what he was going to do and he said that he was going to go after me.

That evening I was waiting for my home teachers when someone knocked on the door. I opened it and it wasn’t them. It was Matt. I asked him what he was doing there. He said “I couldn’t wait a week.” He came in and we sat down and he told me that he chose me and that I was the one he wanted to date. Then I asked “So, what should we do now?” He said “Well, I kiss you and we date.” But I was still confused. I told him that I still needed a week. I wanted to date him, but we should date in a week. That night, Matt stayed and we watched White Christmas. He held my hand for the first time.

The next day, I woke up and realized that I didn’t need a week anymore. I realized that I had just done the exact thing to him that he had done to me. I realized that the only person I wanted to date was Matt. I chose him. The next night, December 1^st, Matt came over and took me to go get cupcakes and hot chocolate. We went back to my place and sat on my couch and talked. Then Matt kissed me. And we decided to date.

A few months later, we talked casually about marriage just to make sure that we were on the same page. We decided that at the very earliest, we would get engaged in June.

Sometime after that, we were sitting in Matt’s car talking and he told me that his timeline had changed. It was moving up. I agreed and we decided to set a tentative time that we would get married. We talked about the end of July or beginning of August for about a week. We didn’t know how long it would take to find a ring, so we decided to go ring shopping just to get an idea. Well, in the very first store, I tried on the perfect ring. It had lots of diamonds but I just fell in love. We went to a lot of different stores and I tried on a lot of bands, but I hated them all. I had said I didn’t want diamonds and just a gold band, but that made Matt sad. He said “I want other guys to look at your hand and think “Wow, her guys treats her nice” I love that man. So we went back to the first store and I tried on that perfect ring again. We went home and talked about everything and I told Matt that I just loved that ring and I wanted that one. Then we talked about when we would get engaged and we decided probably the beginning of April. Then we realized that our mission reunions were at the end of March and we would love to be able to introduce each other to our mission presidents as fiancé.

We got engaged March 25^th. I had been planning a big group date with some friends, and unbeknownst to me, Matt had hijacked it. He was planning the engagement and feeding me all the information through my friends so I had no idea any of it was coming from him. We decided to go up American Fork canyon to have a bonfire and that we would all meet at the Timpanogos temple on Friday night. Earlier that week, I met Matt at the train station and he showed me this big picture of an amphitheatre. He told me it was built in the 1930’s and that it was right by his house and he had never realized it was that old. He said we should go there some time. I agreed, and we left the station.

That Friday, Matt and I went out to eat at a burger place and then headed up to the temple. I got texts from everyone saying that they were going to be late. Matt and I got to the temple and he said that the amphitheatre was right next to the temple and that we should go and look at it while we waited for everyone. We drove over to it and parked at the bottom. We got out and started walking up to it when I saw that the whole theatre was covered with lights. As we got closer, I all of a sudden heard ‘When You Say You Love Me’ from Josh Groban and realized that all of the lights were actually 200 candles in mason jars hat had been placed all over the steps. I said to Matt “Should we be here? It looks like someone is getting proposed to.” And as the word escaped my mouth, I realized it was me! I was the one being proposed to. Matt led me up on stage where there was a bouquet of roses and a love letter. Then Matt knelt down and asked me if I would marry him. I said “Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.” And then he put the ring on my finger and I bent down and kissed him.

We got married July 14^th. (Which happens to be Bastille Day, France’s Independence Day. Vive la France!) Matt picked me up and we drove together to the temple, the Newport Beach California Temple. We went inside and my Mom helped me dress in my white dress and temple clothes. I met Matt in the Celestial room and we waited together. We talked to our sealer and then we walked together into the sealing room. It was filled with our family and friends. We sat down and listened to our sealer give us the most beautiful advice. I held Matt’s hand with one hand and my Mom’s hand with the other. Our sealer’s name was Rulon Peterson and we sat and listened as he spoke to us about covenants. Then he asked Matt to lead me up to the altar and we knelt across from each other. We held hands as the sealer began speaking. As soon as I looked into Matt’s eyes across the altar I began crying. I was overcome with love and joy and that the man I loved wanted to marry me too and be with me for all eternity. And as I began crying, Matt began crying too. All I could do was smile at Matt as tears rolled down my cheeks. And Matt did the same. Tears poured down his cheeks and he looked at me like I had never been looked at before. And in that moment I was the happiest I had ever been. All I could see was Matt and our life together for all eternity.

He sealed us together forever and then we kissed over the altar. We then stood up and hugged everyone as they congratulated us. Then I went to the dressing room with my Mom, sisters, and Arden. They dressed me and got me all ready and then I went out and met Matt in the waiting area. Then we walked out together as a married couple. And everyone we love cheered and we went around and hugged them all. Then we took a few family pictures and we all drove to Victorville for our very chill El Pollo Loco luncheon.

The night was perfect. Everything was beautiful. The tables had navy tablecloths, point d’esprit, candles in jars and greenery. The sign-in table had an embossed leather guest book and then pictures of Matt and me and our parents and grandparents. There were globe lights strung everywhere and everything was lit by the perfect glow. My Mom also wrote our names and drew flowers on big chalkboards. The first half of the night we greeted all of our guests and talked with them. The second half was the best dance party I have ever been to! Matt always dances with me and I love him for it. I also danced with all my sisters and my Mom and my cousin and a bunch of Matt’s family. It was so much fun. We went absolutely crazy. Finally, it was time to leave. Everyone threw bird seed for us as we left. We got in our car and drove away. It was the most perfect day of my life.

I love Matt Rybin. I have never loved anyone so much. And I have never been so loved.