Lacie Tramonte and Blake Matherne
Married 2.9.18
Southeastern Student Union Ballroom
Lacie Tramonte and Blake Matherne were first introduced to each other by a dear friend on Southeastern’s campus in Cayman Cafe`. This was not a “love at first sight” kind of meeting. In fact, it took quite some time for the two to realize they were meant to be. On November 21, 2011, they made their relationship official, and 7 years down the road, became Mr. and Mrs. Matherne on February 9, 2018.
Sidenote: Blake is currently in medical school and could not be present for the interview. Thus, their love story is told through Lacie’s perspective…
How old were you when you first met?
I was 19 and Blake was 18 years old.
Describe your first date.
Our first date was at Kirin Sushi. I think we were both kind of nervous, as we were good friends prior to dating – and no one wants to attempt to date a friend and risk ruining a friendship if the dating each other doesn’t work out. But, we both played everything off really cool and used that date to continue to get to know each other better.
When and where did you first kiss?
We first kissed at my apartment one evening after Blake came over for a “casual” dinner. I believe this was probably before our first real date to Kirin.
What was it about your spouse that made you realize that they were “the one”?
I never truly dated around because I was so picky. I always made sure I dated someone that I truly thought could be my forever. Blake had something about him that made me just always want to be around him, and he made me a better person and was always supportive of me. That’s how I believe “the one” should make you feel.
Tell us your engagement story.
Blake and many close friends helped plan a perfect set-up on a beautiful night in Friendship Circle – the heart of Southeastern’s campus – to ask me to be his wife. He had 2 short days to plan the quickest and best engagement ever! He really thought about every detail and had to ask our mutual friends for some help and advice. Seeing that we met on Southeastern’s campus, he decided it would be the perfect spot to propose – however, randomly getting me there took quite a few lies!
How long did you date before becoming engaged?
We became engaged after dating for just over 5 years. And, we were engaged for 10 months before the wedding.
How did your family react when you told them you were getting married?
My mom literally screamed with excitement! Everyone in the family was also beyond excited to hear the news.
What was the easiest part of wedding planning? Or, your favorite part?
I think the easiest part of the wedding planning has been nailing down all the vendors. I had many ideas in mind of who and where, and all the vendors we wanted were actually available on the date we decided to get married, surprisingly!
Our favorite part has probably been the food and cake tastings…duh!
What was the most difficult part of wedding planning?
The little things… picking out exactly what your “Save the Dates” would look like, the actual wedding invitation, etc.!
Why did you choose Southeastern for your ceremony/reception location?
We chose Southeastern because not only did we meet here, but Blake proposed here, and so why not get married here?! I also worked in event planning at Southeastern and knew just how beautiful a wedding could be in the Grand Ballroom, along with the best food!
Where was your ceremony held?
Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Hammond
How many guests did you invite to the wedding?
Our guest list unexpectedly grew to about 350. Honestly, our giant friend group combined was more than each of our families’ invites on each side. Over a third of those invited were close friends of ours.
What song did you choose for your first dance?
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
What food was served at the reception?
Southeastern Catering served jalapeno bacon wrapped shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp fettuccine, pulled pork sliders, crabmeat au gratin in a puff pastry, gumbo, prime rib carving station, shrimp and grits, and jerk chicken skewers. Everything was absolutely delicious!
Which bakery did you choose for the wedding/grooms’ cake?
Cocoa Bean
What flavor of cake did you have at your wedding? How many tiers did the cake have?
We had a 4-tier cake. The main flavor was white almond cake with buttercream icing, and each tier was a different flavor filling: strawberry cheesecake, chocolate buttercream, and regular almond buttercream filling. The Cocoa Bean did a great job!
After a sparkler send-off, the new Mr. and Mrs. celebrated with a honeymoon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. They now reside in Jackson, Mississippi for Blake’s residency training in Ophthalmology.
