SAM & MATT

Are Getting Married

07.06.2024

Photography by Christopher Bellizzi

OUR STORY

Matt and Sam met at a client meeting in New York City one snowy morning in February 2014. Sam was a hardworking intern at the time, and Matt, an up-and-comer visiting from the exotic city of Boston.

As years passed, their work brought them closer. Matt regarded Sam’s beauty as an occupational hazard. Sam had her eyes on Matt also (or so she claims). Despite best efforts to stay professional, a romance blossomed. After several dates, and several trips to the Human Resources department, they were swept away in a whirlwind of love, laughter, and adventure.

Today Sam and Matt blissfully reside in Long Island City with their beloved cat, Pumpernickel. They are thrilled to welcome you to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which is only steps away from where it all began.

The Dairy, Central Park, New York, NY

Completed in 1871, the Dairy is a small building in Central Park, New York City. This is the site of Sam and Matt's engagement, which took place December 22, 2022. Matt planned a night on the town followed by an overnight stay at a hotel on Central Park South. As luck would have it, the weather turned to rain during their evening stroll through the park. The couple ducked for cover in the Dairy, where Matt worked up the courage to ask the big question that would change their lives forever.

Pumpernickel, pictured in her favorite spot, Hull, MA

Pumpernickel (aka "Pump") is an approximately four-year-old American shorthair. Pump was born in Brooklyn, NY and rescued from the streets of Brownsville by a childhood friend of Sam's eldest sister. During her visit with the Ducker girls, Pump took to Sam, and the two became inseparable. When it was time for Sam to move in with Matt, she informed him that she and Pump were a package deal. While Matt wasn't previously a cat lover due to his childhood experience with an ornery neighborhood feline, he wouldn't change a thing about his new life as Pump's dad.

Arabian Desert, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Sam and Matt love to travel. Last Fall, the two planned a desert safari during their stay in Dubai. They rode camels, drove off-road through the dunes, and witnessed a falconry show. Millennia ago, nomadic Bedouins made their homes in the arid, sweltering climes of the Arabian Desert. In this harsh ecosystem, food was hard to come by and even harder to catch. To survive, this ancient civilization turned to the region's superior hunters: the falcons that migrated overhead each year.

Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, New York, NY

Bethesda Fountain, the gorgeous focal point of the Bethesda Terrace, is one of the largest fountains in New York, measuring twenty-six feet high by ninety-six feet wide. It is one of the most well-known fountains in the world, and the statue at its center was the only sculpture to have been commissioned as a part of Central Park's original design. While the fountain is a sight to behold, it was Sam who stole the show that day.

The Kay House, Hingham, MA

In July 2022, the Ducker and Kay families congregated at Matt's childhood home in Hingham, MA. The celebration of Sam's 30th birthday was a memorable experience in part because this was the first occasion that many members of the two families met each other. Even more notably, Matt's first niece and goddaughter, Charlotte Kristen Kay, was born only weeks prior.

Bow Bridge, Central Park, New York, NY

Built in 1862, this Victorian-era bridge spans across Central Park Lake. Bow Bridge gets its name from its graceful arc shape which resembles that of an archer's bow. This photo showcases the unique talents of photographer and artist, Chris Bellizzi, Matt's fraternity brother and groomsman. Chris resides in Brooklyn and works as a freelance photographer and videographer. Sadly he will not be taking any photos at the wedding given he is a guest of honor. To see more of Chris's work, please visit www.christopherbellizzi.com.

Dragon's Back Peak, Hong Kong

Sam and Matt's work takes them to the Far East regularly for client meetings. Here they are at Dragon's Back, which is a mountain ridge in southeastern Hong Kong Island. The peak offers a breathtaking view of the South China Sea. During their last trip to Hong Kong, Matt and Sam experienced a record breaking storm. Between 11:00 p.m. of 7 September 2023 and 12:00 a.m. of 8 September 2023, the HKO headquarters recorded 6.22 in of rainfall within one hour, the highest hourly rainfall rate ever in Hong Kong since records began in 1884. Matt and Sam were out having drinks with friends at the time, and didn't even have an umbrella!

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Here is Matt and Sam soaking in the spirituality of the beautiful Joshua Tree National Park, where they traveled with Sam's sisters last Spring.

Bethesda Terrace Arcade, Central Park, NY

Bethesda Terrace Arcade is the arched, interior walkway in the center of Central Park that links the Mall to Bethesda Fountain and the Central Park Lake. Designed in the 1860s, the Arcade features a stunning tiled ceiling with more than 15,000 colorful, patterned encaustic tiles from England’s famous Minton Tile Company. These elaborate tiles were originally used on the floors of European cathedrals. Bethesda Arcade is the only place in the world where these special tiles are used for a ceiling!

O'Brien Estate Winery, Napa, CA

Last Summer, Matt tagged along with Sam on a family trip to San Francisco and Napa. The idyllic family-owned winery they visited is a new happy place for the couple.

Our story