Real Love Stories: Shannon and Matt’s Camelot Wedding in a Fairy Tale Castle
Photography by Amanda May Photography
The Love Story or How they Met as told by Shannon Young
Life really does have a way of putting you exactly where you belong. Sometimes the detours become the destination, and the unexpected becomes the greatest blessing.
Sometimes it begins with a house that wasn't on your list. Sometimes it starts with a flooded cellar during a rainstorm. And sometimes, if you're willing to trust the unexpected, it leads you to a love story more beautiful than you ever could have dreamed.
People often ask how Matt and I met, expecting some elaborate story or an online dating tale. The truth is, our story feels less like a coincidence and more like something that was simply meant to happen.
I was planning to close the current work chapter of my life, looking for a quiet place to settle down and eventually retire. I traveled nearly 100 miles to look at a house that made absolutely no sense for me. It wasn't in the area I planned to settle and nothing like what I thought I wanted. But for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to see it.
The weather couldn't have been worse the day I toured the house. With pouring rain, the power went out, the sump pumps stopped working, and the cellar flooded. Then, three other couples submitted offers on the house
I didn’t plan to attend the closing, but at the last minute, I decided I wanted to stop by the house.
When I walked in..Matt was standing there.
The amazing “random moments” that lined up perfectly for us to meet cannot be explained. What began as a chance meeting became a life together - best friends, greatest adventure companions and the loves of each other’s lives.
Photo by Amanda May Photography
Camelot and our Wedding Day
Four years later we decided to marry and bought and transformed a house - a house called Camelot. Camelot was our sanctuary, a place where we created so many memories and the backdrop of the life we were building together.
Over a year we transformed Camelot into a space magical enough for our wedding ceremony. Friends, family, and many talented craftspeople gave their time and skills. Doorways built by hand, chandeliers carefully designed and constructed - every detail created for the life we were building together and to bring our vision to life.
On our wedding day, after days of rain, the clouds parted, revealing the most beautiful blue sky we had ever seen.
It was as if nature itself had decided to celebrate with us.
Photo by Amanda May Photography
The Vendors: Amanda May Photography; Two Fly Guys Videography; Radiant Gatherings Officiant; Rothschilds Catering and Conference Center; The Plaid Apron; Chariots for Hire
We spent weeks choosing the people who would help bring our vision to life
Amanda May Photography captured our day with her authentic, joyful style, by preserving every smile, every tear, and every embrace. But we knew photographs alone couldn't capture the atmosphere we had worked so hard to create. After much searching, we found Two Fly Guys Audio & Video. Their team documented every emotion, every laugh, every spoken word, and every unforgettable moment in motion.
One of the greatest blessings was finding Reverend Sandy Tracy. She didn't simply officiate our wedding ceremony; she invested in our story. She took the time to understand who we were, where we had come from, and what had brought us to the moment. Together, we created a ceremony that reflected our personalities, our faith, our journey, and our love. It was uniquely ours.
We had dreamed about our first kiss as husband and wife. Working with the county and with Pyro Shows, we made that dream a spectacular daytime powder fireworks that erupted the instant we kissed.
Rothchilds Catering & Conference Center designed and constructed a breathtaking 40-by-105-foot clear-top tent. As we shared our first dance beneath thousands of twinkling lights, our family and friends watched an incredible fireworks display illuminate the night sky above us while enjoying a delicious meal catered by The Plaid Apron.
To make the experience effortless for our guests, Chariots for Hire transported everyone to the ceremony, allowing them to relax and enjoy the evening without worrying about parking or a long walk.
It felt like a fairy tale.
None of it would have been possible without the countless friends and family members who gave their time, encouragement, and talents. Every person left their fingerprints on our day, and every contribution became part of the story we will carry with us forever.
Standing there, surrounded by the people we loved, in the place that had unexpectedly brought us together years before, we realized something:
It truly was the perfect day. ❤️
Photo by Amanda May Photography