Meet Matt Diiusto + Matt Turner, a Hoboken couple who recently got engaged at Pier C. A first name isn’t the only thing these two lovebirds share – Matt + Matt also work at the same company, Mars (yes, the candy manufacturer behind M+Ms). Matt Diiusto and Matt Turner’s love story began just before the COVID-19 pandemic on a dating app. Despite the circumstances, Matt + Matt maintained a long-distance relationship, frequently traveling between Boston and New Jersey to visit each other. Two years ago, the couple settled in Hoboken and made The Mile Square their home. The Hoboken Girl had the chance to sit down with Matt + Matt to learn more about their love story. Keep reading for our conversation with this newly-engaged Hoboken couple.
(Photo credit: @willowandgracedesign)
Hoboken Girl: What do you both do for a living?
Matt Diiusto + Matt Turner: We both work at Mars (the candy that makes M+M’s – like us M+M)! Matt D is an Engineer + Matt T is in Sales.
HG: What city do you both live in and for how long have you lived there? What’s your favorite part about living here?
M+M: We live in Hoboken, we’ve been here for 2 years and just purchased our condo last year. Our favorite part about living here is trying all the great restaurants and bars in Hoboken.
(Photo Credit: Matt Diiusto + Matt Turner)
HG: When/where did you and your partner meet?
MD: We met on a dating app right before COVID when I was living in Morristown and Matt T was in NYC.
HG: How long have you been together?
3 and a half years.
HG: Was there an instant connection/chemistry between you two?
MT: Yes, neither of us was looking for anything serious at the time but after a few dates that changed quickly.
MD: Trust me, he made it very apparent he wasn’t looking for anything serious.
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HG: What are the qualities you love most about each other?
MT: I love that Matt is always up for an adventure, and he is always keeping me laughing while also knowing how to cheer me up or say the right thing if I need help.
MD: I love Matt’s spontaneity, sense of humor, and thoughtfulness. He is always looking to do something fun and different which I love, keeps me cracking up, and always puts me first.
(Photo Credit: Matt Diiusto + Matt Turner)
HG: When was the moment you knew you were meant to marry each other?
MT: During COVID when I was living at home in Boston and we were doing long-distance but I was coming to Morristown to see Matt all the time. Despite the world shutting down and being long-distance we were still good at communicating and making the best of the situation we were in. During that time I realized this was who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
MD: The moment I knew I was going to marry Matt was the first time we said “I love you” to each other. There was a feeling I had inside me that I never had with anyone else and in that moment I couldn’t imagine my life without him.
(Photo Credit: @willowandgracedesign)
HG: Tell us about your proposal. (How it was planned, where it took place, who was there, why like that? etc.)
MT: I proposed to Matt D at the end of Pier C with all of our family and friends hiding off to the side. I chose Pier C because we love going on walks along the water together, so it’s always been a meaningful location since we moved to Hoboken. After I proposed, we went to Grand Vin for a private dinner with our families (which was absolutely incredible). And then, returned back to our apartment common room where 60+ of our friends and family were there to surprise Matt D. I’ve been planning this for months, and I knew where I wanted it to happen. The hardest part was coordinating all of our family and friends to be at the right spot at the right time but everyone came through!
HG: Was it a total surprise?
MD: So…not all of it was a surprise. I had a pretty good idea that the proposal was going to happen since both sides of our family were conveniently going to be in town for a “Mother’s Day dinner.” But I didn’t know how Matt T was going to propose so that was very special. He also surprised me with an engraved lock that we put on the fence at Pier C. I also had no idea the party he planned with all of our friends and family, that was a huge shock to me and was super special. He did such an amazing job planning everything and making it so special, it was the best day of my life!
(Photo Credit: @willowandgracedesign)
HG: How long have you been engaged and what has been the best part about it?
MT: We’ve been engaged for two weeks. The best part is realizing how many people truly care about us as so many family and friends have reached out to say congratulations!
MD: The best part for me is just thinking about the wedding and the time leading up to it. We definitely have a lot of celebrating to do!
HG: Where are you planning to get married? If no specific venue yet, in what city?
MT: We want to have a New Year’s Eve wedding. We don’t have a specific venue yet but are looking to stay local in the Hoboken area if possible.
HG: What part of the wedding planning process are you most excited about and what part are you not looking forward to?
MD: I’m most excited to tour all the venues and know when I find the right one. There’s not really anything I’m not looking forward to, or at least I haven’t found it yet in these last two weeks. My brother and his fiance just planned their wedding so we will definitely be reaching out to them a lot!
MT: I’m most excited to plan for all the small details that make the event special and meaningful (and cake tasting). The part I’m not looking forward to is paying for it.
See More: The Best Proposal Spots in North Jersey
HG: How many people do you plan to have at your wedding? If you prefer an intimate/micro-wedding, please explain why.
About 300 people, we both have larger families and a ton of friends that we want to celebrate with.
HG: Did you hire a photographer to capture the moment? If so, tell us a bit about them / why you chose them.
MT: Yes! We worked with Lindsay at Willow & Grace Design on Instagram! She is a local Hoboken photographer who we could not recommend more. She was incredibly easy to work with, gave us direction on some of the shots so we could get the best photos possible, and even made sure no one was at the end of the pier before I proposed.
MD: We are beyond thankful to have had Lindsay beautifully photograph such an important day for us. Thank you, Lindsay!
HG: Do you plan to use any local vendors at the wedding? If so, which ones and why those vendors?
MD: We are looking at local venues and would love to include local vendors in our wedding! Always looking for recommendations!
HG: What are you looking forward to most as a married couple?
MT: We love to travel so we’re really looking forward to traveling as much as possible in the years shortly after our wedding.
(Photo Credit: @willowandgracedesign)
HG: What are some of your favorite local date night spots?
MD: Olivia’s for cocktails, and Bagels on the Hudson + Mojo for bagels and coffee on Saturday mornings.
MT: Grand Vin, Otto Strada, 10th Street Pizza, Torna’s, and Baja!
We are so happy for this newly-engaged couple — congratulations to Matt + Matt!
