Courtney and Matthew Shiller are the proud owners of an A24 from Axis Boats. As major watersports enthusiasts, the couple spend every spare moment on their nearby lake shredding behind their Axis. The couple's love for one another is strong, but so is their love for their cherished boat. In fact, they love it so much that their A24 was the main character in their recent weddingegagement, photo and video shoot, which they did while surfing behind their Axis!
We met up with Courtney and Matt to find out all about them, their boat, their passion for watersports and - of course - the story about how their boat came to be part of their engagement shoot!
A LOVE STORY FUELED BY WATER AND MUSIC
Matt and Courtney live life at full throttle. He’s a packaging engineer, she’s a seasoned commercial contractor who's built ten hotels—and together, they’ve built a life on Lake Allatoona in Woodstock, Georgia.
They met on a dating app, bonded over their love of the water, and never looked back. But there’s more: music is a huge part of their vibe. Matt DJs under the name DJ Curly, a side hustle he’s had since he was 13. From house parties to their own wedding set, music keeps the energy high. However, when they are not spinning tracks, or spending time in the workshop, you can find Matt & Courtney surfing behind their A24.
FROM RENTALS TO OWNERSHIP
After renting boats for around five years, Matt came to the conclusion that they were spending so much time on the water, that their money would be better spent actually buying their own boat, and so their journey into ownership began. Their first boat wasn’t an Axis—something Matt and Courtney quickly came to regret. “It was great on gas, but terrible for watersports," said Matt. However, that didn’t stop them. Within a month, Matt picked up a surfboard and taught Courtney how to ride. Just five months later, she was helping teach others and they started looking for a new boat.
TIME TO BUY AN AXIS
The couple's disappointment with their first boat meant that they were soon looking for a replacement, and it was then that Axis Boats entered the picture. "I found a used black and yellow Axis listed for sale at our local dealership. We had also looked at a bunch of other Axis models but they weren't a good fit for us," Matt explained. "It took us forever to pull the trigger on that one because we weren't fans of the black and yellow at first. It's funny to recall that today because now we absolutely love the black and yellow scheme!" Courtney added.
A Preference for Axis Boats
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"I was always really biased towards Axis and Malibu boats," he continued. "The Axis is almost like a stripped down version of a Malibu. I don't need a misting tower or a touch screen. As nice as those are, I prefer mechanical systems as I see them as more reliable and easier for me to fix myself. Plus, Axis Boats are a lot of fun and we knew it would work with us in whatever environment we throw it into."
Their 2016 Axis A24 boasts all of Malibu Boats' famous surf technology, including Power Wedge and Surf Gate. "I also really like the hull design. It surfs well and isn't too rough. The bow's pickle fork design is awesome for entertaining friends; the amount of space on the boat and the overall design is perfect for what we do," said Matt.
"Two of my favorite features are the 23 cup holders on board, which are super convenient, and the ability to instantly switch from surfing one side of the boat to the other for surfing and pulling off some really great tricks," Courtney added.
GOING ALL OUT WITH THEIR ENGAGEMENT
Matt formally asked Courtney to be his girlfriend while on the lake, so the lake became the obvious first choice of location for their engagement. "I proposed to her on the same spot on the lake!" he said. "After the proposal, I boated us back to the marina where I had a whole lot of our family and friends waiting. They greeted us with fireworks and a toast."
Soon afterwards, the couple filmed a thrilling engagement shoot from onboard their Axis A24, carving up waves and having a blast on the water together. "Axis' theme of Go All Out really resonates with everything we do," Matt explained. "We aren't your traditional couple. We're different. When it came time for our engagement shoot, I knew I wanted to do something different so I suggested that we do an engagement surf sesh as that's something that is 'us'. I wanted something more memorable than taking pictures at a park," Courtney explained.
"We roped in the help of a videographer friend and went out on the lake one day in May and did the shoot. The video and pictures he put together were awesome! When we sent out our Save the Date cards, we used these pictures," she added.
An Axis-Themed Wedding
The couple integrated their boat and their passion for surfing on their Axis into their wedding as much as possible — including the welcome sign.
Given that their wedding was held at Lake Lanier - which is bigger than their usual Lake Allatoona - it was only natural that their boat followed them to their wedding, courtesy of a friend who towed it to the venue for them. The boat later proudly took the bridal party out on to the lake for an unforgettable cruise.
For Matt and Courtney, sharing their boat with their loved ones comes naturally. "We are fostering these incredibly memorable moments for everyone. We have taken our friends' kids out on the boat as early as a few weeks old. Our parents even met each other for the first time on our boat!"
GO ALL OUT ON YOUR OWN AXIS BOAT
Are you ready to write your own love story with Axis Boats? Did Matt and Courtney's passion for watersports inspire your own desire to get out on the water and Go All Out with Axis? Start your own Axis journey with our Build a Boat feature, or Find your Nearest Axis Dealer instantly and check out Axis Boats in person. We can't wait to hear your own Go All Out story!