On May 29th, Natasha Cooke and Matthew Goode were married at Heather’s Glen! The couple met at Texas Tech their freshman year, through a mutual friend, Kyle. Tasha had a little crush on Kyle, and invited him to a friend’s house. He agreed but asked to bring a “lady friend.” Luckily for Tasha, his lady friend turned him down and Kyle brought his buddy Matt! She was instantly attracted to Matt, but because she had recently sworn off dating, tried to set him up with her roommate. Matt wasn’t interested in her roommate. The two got to know each other over the following few months. One night after dinner with friends, Tasha was dropping Matt off at his dorm when he leaned in for what she thought would be a nice hug- but what turned out to be their first clumsy kiss!
Two years later, the couple was having a tearful goodbye. Tasha was visiting Matt in Arlington on her long journey home to Houston. She had to make it home on time, and was not looking forward to being apart for a week! She made the drive home and met her family at a new Irish pub in Katy called the Angel and the Ox. It was the week of St. Paddy’s Day, so the pub was full of Irish dancers and a rowdy live band. Tasha was waiting for her drink and keeping an eye on the soccer game on the tv, enjoying the band and the atmosphere, when next to her appeared Matt, kind of hunched down on her left side! As she was trying to process that he was both right next to her while she thought he was in Arlington, she also noticed that his mother was standing nearby. She was still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together when Matt took her hand, stood her up, knelt on one knee, and asked her to marry him. She said yes, and during the exclamation, the band announced the engagement to the crowd- they were the first to be engaged at the Angel and the Ox!
Matt proposed to Tasha with a beautiful and unique Claddagh ring. Tasha was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, and the Irish symbol of Love, Loyalty, and Friendship is very important to her. She wore a Claddagh ring since she was a toddler. Tasha explained, “If you wear one on a daily basis then the point of the heart points towards you if your heart is taken, and away from you if your heart is open.” Matt purchased the ring from The Claddagh Store in Galway.
Tasha’s wedding dress story is quite unique because she never tried on the dress or saw it in person before she purchased it! She found her dream dress online, but the only photograph of it was in red! She called dress boutiques in Texas, Oklahoma, and even Louisiana in search of this gown, but to no avail. She took a leap of faith and bought the dress online, sight unseen! When it finally arrived, she tried it on and knew it was perfect because it had every element she wished for: ivory color, halter neck, beaded bodice, ballroom cut, and lace. The bride’s search for her bridesmaids’ dresses proved much easier! Her bridesmaids were simply required to wear any tea-length, “vintage leaf” colored Mori Lee dress that they chose.
To honor the bride’s Irish heritage, the couple chose green, gold, and ivory for their wedding colors. The wedding cake read “Love, loyalty, and friendship,” and Matt’s groom’s cake was a double T to honor their alma mater. Cheryl’s Flowers designed Tasha’s bouquets. “We went with Cheryl because she used her knowledge of flowers and Heather’s Glen to help us pick fun and interesting colors! She was wonderful and very helpful!”
At their reception, Matt and Tasha shared their first dance to “At the Beginning” by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis. Growing up loving Disney movies, Tasha chose this song from the Anastasia soundtrack. “The song is about a journey, how you don’t know what you are getting into when you start, and then you are back at the beginning together. I thought it was very symbolic of our relationship, and getting a fresh start together at our wedding.”
The couple went to Rivera Maya, Mexico for their honeymoon, and stayed at an all-inclusive resort called El Dorado Royale Casitas. A gorgeous beach, gourmet meals, snorkeling, and massages provided a perfect and romantic start to their marriage. Heather’s Glen wishes Matt and Tasha a lifetime together full of laughter and joy!
Please view Matt and Tasha’s stunning wedding photos by Candid Stories on the slideshow below:
http://goode.lwpics.com