A Captivating Coral Flowery Branch Wedding

Shayna and Dimetrius met on Match.com back in September of 2016. He sent her a message and they hit it off instantly. Two years after their first date, and this perfect match walked down the aisle with a sophisticated, rustic country wedding that features bold coral accents. Take a journey through Bradford House and Gardens in Flowery Branch, Georgia and check out this couple’s sweet love story and photos captured by Lorena Elsey of Your Captivating Moments Photography.

Bride’s full name, age, and occupation: Shayna Andrene Carley, 38, Assistant Principal

Groom’s full name, age, and occupation: Dimetrius Rashad Clinkscales, 38, Packaging Engineer

Place of residence: Austell, Georgia

Wedding date: September 2, 2018

Wedding location: Bradford House and Gardens, Flowery Branch, Georgia

Wedding theme: A Perfect Match

Honeymoon destination: London, England and Paris, France

Engagement story:

Dimetrius called Shayna at work and suggested they meet for dinner at a restaurant instead of cooking that evening. He suggested P.F. Chang’s,where their first date was one year ago. Shayna did not expect anything special as it was a normal Tuesday afternoon. Shayna absolutely loves Coca-Cola and always orders that, so of course she requested a Coke with dinner.

The server returned with an old fashioned Coca-Cola bottle and placed it on the table. Initially Shayna was confused as to why the server did not bring an actual glass or at least a bottle opener! When she picked up the bottle, instead of the label saying “Coca-Cola” it said “Will You Marry Me?” She immediately burst into tears and the restaurant servers and patrons all began to clap and cheer. Needless to say, she said, “Yes!”

What makes your love special?

Our love is special because of our unique bond. Ironically we met on Match.com and we are absolutely a perfect match for each other. Our personalities compliment each other. When one is weak, the other is strong and this is how we balance each other. We find joy and happiness together even when times are hard. We can’t imagine going through life with anyone else!

From the Bride:

Our wedding day was the best day of my life! I woke up so excited to marry the man of my dreams and my very best friend! I had spent months planning every little detail and the big day was finally here. I never felt nervous, I felt excited and overjoyed! We decided to do a “First Touch” and I cried like a baby! The whole day went by lightening fast and when it was all over, I wished I could just go back and relive every moment over again. I felt like a true Queen the entire day and wouldn’t change a single thing!

From the Groom:

Our wedding day was a very wonderful and exciting day. I started the day so nervous, and I hoped that I did not make any type of dumb mistake during the service. My wife really made the day special with surprises during the event, and we even had a very emotional fir
st touch. Even though I remember bits and pieces of the day, much of it seems like a blur. I know that it was a wonderful day, and I would love to relive it over and over!

Your most memorable moment:

Our most memorable moment from our wedding day was definitely the last dance. Although we did a traditional first dance, we also did a very special last dance right before the Glow Stick Send-Off. Guests were asked to leave the reception area and head outside to prepare for the send-off. While they did that, we had a special moment with just us as newlyweds dancing alone in the reception area. The only other person present was the photographer to capture the moment on camera. It was our first moment of “alone time” the whole day! (Until that night of course!)

Wedding song:

Our wedding song was “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran. We chose this song because of the message it shares about falling in love for a lifetime. The lyrics, “We found love right where we are,” truly touches us. We found each other at a point in our lives where we thought finding “the one” was not possible. This song speaks to us as a couple.

Favorite wedding detail:

The groom’s cake! I surprised Dimetrius with a special cake created just for him: A cake shaped like an Amazon Package with a label that read, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.” He is a packaging engineer, so the cake was a pun about that.

What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?

We are looking forward to a lifetime of creating memories together and starting our own family. We are excited to see what God brings to our marriage and our lives.

Advice for a Bride and Groom on their wedding day:

No matter how much planning you do, and trust me, I am a type-A planner, something will not go the way you wanted and it will be ok. What matters most is that you are marrying the love of your life and your family and friends are all there to celebrate with you.

Congratulations to the happy couple! We wish you many years of wedded bliss!