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Mattlyn & Gabriel

June 14, 2026 • Santa Fe, New Mexico

Mattlyn & Gabriel

June 14, 2026 • Santa Fe, New Mexico

Our Story

While we have told many people that we met through our shared dorm our first year of college at Northwestern University in 2015, this is not really the case. Rather, we met in the first few weeks of classes, sitting next to each other on a dark bus heading back to campus after going to see a comedy show at Second City. Our conversation flowed naturally, but we never got a good look at each other’s faces. We later officially met through events at our dorm and were encouraged to talk to one another by a mutual friend, Braylan. After about six months of distant glances and small talk during social events, Gabe decided to make his move during our dorm’s formal. Seeing Mattie finally alone across the room, Gabe came over and began a conversation. More substantial than any of the small talk we had before, our conversation flowed for the rest of the night and continued in Mattie’s suite until early in the morning.

Our first trip together to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in July 2016

Hoping to continue their conversation, Mattie looked for Gabe in all of the common areas of the dorm and the dining hall, but she couldn’t find him for days. Thankfully, Braylan, our mutual friend, shared Gabe’s room number and work schedule with Mattie, so she would know when he would be at the dorm. After nearly a week of searching for him, Mattie finally mustered up the courage to knock on his door. While the conversation began awkwardly, Gabe asked Mattie if she would like to go out that coming weekend, on April 8th, 2016. On our first date, which Gabe planned at Naf Naf Grill (a Mediterranean Chipotle-style restaurant), Mattie was unsure if they were even on a date given the informal setting. Either way, Mattie was happy to make a new friend and wanted to see where the night would take them. After talking more and sharing about our families, it was then that we realized that we had heard these stories before. We realized our first time meeting was on that dark bus in the fall of 2015, over six months prior to our first date. It was a fun revelation to know that we had met each other in such a way at the very beginning of the school year.

An unseasonably warm day on Northwestern's Lakefill in January 2017

After dinner, we went to a student theater performance on campus that Mattie had wanted to see. We had a wonderful time, but Mattie still didn’t know if this was a date or not. During intermission, Mattie didn’t want to guess anymore and turned to Gabe and plainly asked if we were on a date. Gabe was surprised by the question but answered affirmatively and Mattie responded by saying “ok, good to know.” From there, we were largely inseparable. We texted and talked nearly every day and grew with each other during the rest of our time at Northwestern.

Graduating Northwestern in June 2019

After graduating from Northwestern, Gabe finished his master’s degree in December of 2019 and soon followed Mattie to Boston as she pursued her PhD at Harvard University. We went from being long distance to always being together as the Boston area went into Covid lockdown just six weeks after Gabe moved to the area. We worked through any challenges that were thrown our way and eventually decided to move to our own apartment after living with roommates for three years. In September of 2022, we finally had our own space together and were able to welcome our new family member, our small dog named Billy Boy, who will be the flower dog in our wedding!

Family trip with Billy Boy to West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, the easternmost tip of the United States. Fourth of July, 2024

In February 2025, Billy had leg surgery after tearing a ligament. Unable to leave him alone for several weeks after that, we decided to spend Valentine’s Day at home. Gabe made a delicious multi-course dinner with fresh pasta and freshly shaved black truffle while Mattie baked a chocolate raspberry cake. Despite Gabe’s multiple attempts to get Mattie to dress up, she was committed to her sweatpants since she was at home. Gabe gave Mattie little gifts throughout the day, such as chocolates and tea. Toward the end of the night, Gabe said that Billy also had a gift for Mattie and pulled out a ring box from the bed Billy was laying in nearby. Gabe proposed then and there at home, which surprised Mattie greatly. She said yes! While we had gone ring shopping nearly a year prior, Mattie had only tried on rings and said what parts she liked, which Gabe used to create a custom design from a jeweler in Boston. Mattie now regrets not putting on a nice dress at Gabe’s suggestion.

Gabe prepares dinner on Valentine's Day 2025. Mattie is glowing post-proposal!

We are so excited to begin the next stage of our journey together as it has been ten years since our first date, seven years since moving in together, four years since getting a dog, and now over a year since getting engaged. After moving to Chicago in August 2025, our adventure continues: two weeks before our wedding we’ll celebrate Mattie receiving her PhD in American Studies from Harvard, and two months after our wedding we move to South Bend, Indiana as she begins her postdoc at Notre Dame.

Throwback to Gabe's first trip to New Mexico, March 2018: Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque.

We cannot wait to share this moment with you all in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We have had many people ask us why we chose New Mexico, when we could have gotten married in Chicago (where Gabe grew up) or Washington State (where Mattie grew up). We chose New Mexico because of the special meaning it holds to Mattie, as her father’s side of the family lives there and has been located in northern New Mexico for hundreds of years. She spent her summers as a child staying with her extended family in Santa Fe, Los Lunas, Española, and her grandmother’s village, Cañones. While never having held an address in New Mexico, Mattie is a product of the state and the distinct New Mexican culture that gets passed down over generations. Gabe, having visited the state to meet Mattie’s family, fell in love with New Mexico at first sight. It is for these reasons that we hope you will celebrate our marriage with us in Santa Fe, New Mexico!

Santa Fe anchors northern New Mexico, where Mattie's family has lived for hundreds of years. Her grandma hails from Cañones, while her grandpa is unsurprisingly from Cordova.