Carrie Jo Harville & Anthony (A.J.) Matthews
September 14, 2024 | Moss Mountain Farm in Roland | Paige Seidenschwarz Photo and Video
It wasn’t love at first sight for Carrie Jo Harville and A.J. Matthews. They knew each other for years before they ever connected romantically; while they went to high school together, Carrie Jo, a year older, didn’t pay him much mind until he reached out her senior year of college.
“We knew pretty soon that it was the Lord’s plan for us to be together,” Carrie Jo said. “We said ‘I love you’ a couple months into dating and truly meant it.”
A.J. was living in Fayetteville when they reconnected, and Carrie Jo had plans to move there after she finished college that summer. By September, the couple had made it official, and their relationship only got stronger through the winter.
His proposal came as a surprise during what felt like any other date at Crystal Bridges.
“It was April, so the outdoor trails were beautiful!” Carrie Jo said. “It felt like we were the only people there. He led me to an area on the trail that was a bit secluded and surrounded by large, beautiful trees. He got on one knee and asked me to marry him! It was perfect.”
Wedding Vendors We Love
Photography
Paige Seidenschwarz Photo and Video
More Vendors
Planning and design: Leslie Carter of Bella Baxter Events; Venue: Moss Mountain Farm; Florist: Vase & Vine; Wedding dress: Violet’s Bridal; Videography: Carleigh Powell; Rentals: Eventology; Catering: Vibrant Occasions Catering; Cake: Community Bakery; Graphic design templates: EmsStudioDesignsShop; Band: Diamond Empire Band; Ceremony music: Arkansas Capital String Quartet; HMUA: Carrie Wood; Groom’s suit: Walker Brothers; Groomsmen tuxes: Generation Tux; Bridesmaid dresses: Revelry; Transportation: Capital Car Service
Q&A
Q: What was your favorite part of the planning process?
A: “My favorite part was going to do things with A.J., like touring the venue (we only toured Moss Mountain!), going to taste our caterers’ food, cake tasting and picking out the groomsmen’s attire,” said Carrie Jo.
Q: What inspired the vibe of your wedding?
A: “Because of my love for nature, I wanted our whole wedding experience to be engulfed in the beauty of the gardens at Moss Mountain,” Carrie Jo said. “I guess I was inspired by my own appreciation of the Lord’s creation!”
Q: Did you incorporate anything sentimental on your wedding day?
A: “The baskets the flower girls used were some of my Nonnie’s, who recently passed. At the time she was still living, but couldn’t make it to the wedding, and I wanted to incorporate something of hers,” Carrie Jo said. “We also used the same cake topper and champagne glasses from A.J.’s parents’ wedding!”
Q: What moment of the day do you wish you could relive over and over again?
A: “The first kiss! It began to rain right as we kissed. That moment was so magical and felt like it was straight out of a Hallmark movie,” Carrie Jo said.
Do-It-Yourself
Carrie Jo used templates downloaded from an Etsy seller to design the signage and graphic elements used in her wedding. “I was surprised at how much I loved creating all of the signage,” Carrie Jo said. “I bought templates…then rearranged and recreated things to make it my own.”
Gather ‘Round
The couple invited their guests to share a special meal after their wedding ceremony. “We had the tables in one, long row set up in a half-circle, around the ‘Big Sister Oak,’ an oak tree in front of the house that is estimated to be 300-350 years old,” Carrie Jo said. “We wanted guests to feel like they were having a fancy get-together with friends.”
