Military Match
By Brandee Dishner | Photography by Cheyenne Schultz Photography
Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 29, 2009
For every soldier serving our country in Iraq, there is a loved one at home eagerly awaiting their return. Through phone calls, emails and letters, they send their love, hope and updates on every happening. This was not the way that Lee Ann Hartley imagined her love story would unfold. But when a friend begged her to join her at a party in Savannah one evening, Miguel Jaco caught her attention.
Lee Ann understood the challenges of dating Miguel, including that he was scheduled to be deployed for the second time. What she didn’t know was when he would leave or how long he would be gone. “Quite honestly, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life,” Miguel says.
Knowing it would be just as hard for Lee Ann to see him go as it would be for him to leave, Miguel left something behind to remind her of his commitment to giving their relationship a chance, despite the long distance challenges. “I gave her one of the things that meant the most to me at that time: the purple heart that was pinned on me by a four-star general.”
For the next 15 months, Lee Ann and Miguel made special efforts to connect although their relationship was new and the distance between them was great. In the process they found they had a lot in common. Miguel says, “We learned we both speak Spanish as it is my native language and it was Lee Ann’s minor in college. We also found out we both love the outdoors and share the same faith.” He shares, “We could not reach out and hug or hold each other, so all we had were words to describe our past, our hopes for the future and how we felt about each other. It was a true test in our relationship, but I knew in my heart all along that we were going to make it.”
During the time Miguel was away, Lee Ann finished school and moved to be closer to her family in Florida.
While on leave for a few weeks, Miguel visited Lee Ann and the couple went ring shopping for the first time. “It was like meeting him for a second time when he came home for a few weeks. It was so wonderful to see him face to face and do everyday things that we couldn’t do before. He also decided to move to Florida when he returned home again!” Lee Ann says. With that reality nearing, Lee Ann began to flip though Carolina Bride and other magazines, putting together an idea of what she would like for a Florida wedding.
On the night of the proposal, Miguel lured Lee Ann away for the evening to an upscale waterfront resort. “He told me we were going to check out a potential reception site and he even made reservations at the restaurant for taste-testing purposes,” Lee Ann laughs.
“I even did a little research to make sure there was a beautiful full moon that Lee Ann could enjoy while looking out at the water,” says Miguel.
Asking Lee Ann to take a walk around the resort, Miguel silenced the room and dropped to his knee in front of a very surprised Lee Ann. “The sun was setting right behind him and all I can remember is that I said yes!”
Now with Miguel home and a ring secured around her finger, Lee Ann began to plan her big Florida wedding. But the plans were soon interrupted when Miguel wanted to look for a job in another state. “We decided Charlotte would be a wonderful city for us, and I wanted to support Miguel’s decision to change jobs,” she says.
After barely settling in, the couple started planning their wedding in the Queen City. The couple’s love of the outdoors determined their theme of peacock feathers. The jewel-toned colors became the inspiration for bridesmaid’s dresses, flowers, place settings and even the centerpieces. Lee Ann says, “I had to start from scratch and remembered my friend really recommended Cheyenne Schultz Photography. It was the best decision because Cheyenne basically helped me plan my entire wedding! I would email and ask for her top two recommendations for DJs, videographers and cake vendors, and then I would make my selections from there.” Lee Ann also credits Miguel for his help in making the planning process go smoothly. “He came with me to every appointment and was all about it!”
On May 30, family and friends joined Miguel and Lee Ann at St. Matthew Catholic Church for a traditional ceremony. Miguel, of Puerto Rican decent, was raised Catholic and shared this similarity with his all-American bride. Lee Ann shares, “True to a traditional ceremony, we shared communion, lit the unity candle and joined together to pray to Mary and offer flowers.” Lee Ann wore a long veil and blusher over her sweetheart-style gown by Casablanca, while her bridesmaids stood beside her in a vibrant blue-green, clutching bouquets arranged by Emma’s Royal Flowers.
The couple agrees that one of the best decisions they made was planning a cocktail hour after the lengthy ceremony. This allowed the perfect amount of time for Cheyenne Schultz to capture great photos of the couple and the bridal party without making the guests wait. It also allowed the couple to run home to take pictures with their dog, Sammy Joe. Lee Ann says, “It was special to capture a few pictures with the three of us before heading back to the party!” So while Cheyenne snapped away, the guests enjoyed drinks, including a signature martini and hors d’oeuvres at Bentley’s on 27, the uptown venue with panoramic skyline views also chosen as the site of the reception.
Once reunited with the party, the couple enjoyed dinner and salsa dancing, only stopping to make sure every guest was greeted. “We purposely had a smaller wedding so we could really connect with all of our guests,” Lee Ann explains. “It was really important to us that we personally thanked everyone for celebrating with us.”
Miguel remembers the funniest moment of the evening was their grand attempt to cut the three-tiered cake by Edible Art, decorated with flowers and ribbon. “We just kept trying to cut through the ribbon and laughed the whole time while everyone was waiting and taking pictures,” Lee Ann adds. “I guess we didn’t want to ruin it!”
At the end of the evening, Lee Ann remembers stopping for a moment to take in the scene and the decorations that she so carefully coordinated. The peacock feather theme was artistically displayed throughout the reception room in the centerpieces as well as with one feather at each place setting. A note attached to the feather explained that the couple made a donation to the National Audubon Society in honor of their guests. “It went nicely with our theme, and because of our love for nature, we really respect the work they do,” Lee Ann shares.
Lee Ann and Miguel agreed to wait for cooler weather before they plan their honeymoon. They hope to enjoy some time away from their busy schedules, preferably with snow. One might imagine their dog Sammy Joe, will be along for the ride.
