Vanessa and Casey were married on a cloudy, wet day in December but no amount of rain could effect their celebration of love. Despite the dreary weather, everything about their special day was colorful and bright. Vanessa came to us with a vision of a Texas chic reception at the Gallery, with a calming and neutral color palette of champagne, ivory, plum, aubergine and lavender. Tamara Menges knocked it out of the ballpark with her purple ombre peony bouquets, setting the tone for this gorgeous casual chic affair.
Our favorite kind of bouquet, peonies galore! These stunning bouquets set the tone for the evening from the ceremony to the reception. Floral by Tamara Menges.
The perfect combination of floral for a winter bouquet that’s full of color and drama. Floral by Tamara Menges.
The artistic details of a church is what truly sets it apart. The stone carved portraits are one of a kind at the St. Basil Chapel.
Simple lavender roses to warm up the ceremony altar, we love the touch of pine – perfect for a winter wedding.
The rose garden on campus was the ideal location for an intimate first look between the bride and groom.
The couple attended the University of St. Thomas and their friendship began at a campus ministry retreat, but it wasn’t until a mutual friend’s wedding that the sparks really flew. Given their love story, the St. Basil Chapel at University of St. Thomas was the ideal location to host their holy matrimony. They both have a passionate heart for the Lord, making their holy commitment to one another even more beautiful. The St. Basil Chapel is truly breathtaking and unique, from the unmistakable gold dome to the stone carved portraits in the mass hall – each detail is a work of art all on it’s own. A very modern interpretation of Catholic beliefs tucked away at the liberal arts campus. But we may be a little biased, we have two UST alumni on staff…GO CELTS!
Traditional and chic all white peony bridal bouquet. Vanessa wrapped her family’s rosary for a personal touch. Floral by Tamara Menges.
Gorgeous lace Enzoani gown, even more gorgeous on!
Bridesmaids dresses in plum, each wore a different styled top making each unique.
A real snow princess! The faux fur wrap was the perfect touch for Vanessa’s winter bridal look.
Ranunculus and Lavender boutonniere for the groom.
Smitten with this peony and lavender combo by Tamara Menges!
After shooting their engagement session in a lavender field, Vanessa knew she wanted to incorporate lavender into her theme. Of course, lavender was used throughout the bouquets and boutonnieres, but we also incorporated it throughout the reception. Custom lavender macarons by Macaron by Patisse were given as favors, escort cards were displayed on top of a bed of lavender seeds and a signature lavender cocktail was served laced with lavender sugar.
Escort cards were rested on a bed of lavender seeds, incorporating the lavender theme and left behind a heavenly smell!
We love how the Gallery’s ornate mirrors create the perfect backdrop for the sweetheart table.
Centerpieces were a mixture of re-purposed bridesmaid bouquets and distressed lanterns, with touches of mercury glass throughout.We love the BHLDN mercury vases Vanessa picked out! Perfect addition to their home after the big day.
With the floral so bold, we kept the linens neutral. Aztec Events and Tent’s Chelsea and Ecru linens are a great alternative to your basic white or champagne with a subtle design.
These distressed lanterns are the right amount of rustic for our Texas chic theme.
To achieve the Texas Chic theme that Vanessa had envisioned, we did a fair mixture of both. Our Texas elements were incorporated through the food – local handmade artisan cheeses from Houston Dairymaids served during the cocktail hour and some of the finest Texas BBQ from Goode Co. for dinner. We love their saying, “You might give some serious thought to thanking your lucky stars you’re in Texas!” We sure do count our lucky stars! We kept the chic elements in our decor, neutral ivory linens with a subtle design from Aztec Events and Tents, minimal but bold floral by Tamara Menges and touches of mercury glass throughout. Vanessa and Casey gifted their guests with individual boxed custom lavender macarons from Macaron by Patisse, and a macaron-covered cake by Susie’s Cakes. It looked as beautiful as it was delicious!
Um, how cute is this tiny house card box? The cutest thing I ever did see!
Continuing with our Texas theme, local handmade artisan cheese from Houston DairyMaids served at the cocktail hour.
It’s not a Texas reception without some good ol’ BBQ! Guests were served some of the best from Goode Co. BBQ – “Texas Style”!!
Simple but chic single peonies for the sweet heart table. Just a little goes a long way!
The macaron covered cake by Susie’s Cakes was as delicious as it was beautiful.
A sweet thank you from the bride & groom – custom lavender macaron favors from Macaron by Patisse at each place setting.
After dinner, guests were lined up for their turn in the custom photo booth by our favorites, Smilebooth. Too bad we don’t have those photos to show you! The evening continued with dancing and a heartfelt UST Alma Mater chant from Casey and his fellow alumni. And before they knew it the evening was over! The newlyweds made their grand exit with a brightly lit, sparkler send off as the new Mr. and Mrs. Casey Johnson! We were honored to be apart of such a beautiful day, and a big thanks to Archetype Studio Inc. for providing a stunning photo recap. We love the dynamic Brown duo!
Vendors
Ceremony Venue: St Basil Chapel at University of St. Thomas
Reception Venue: The Gallery
Photographer: Archetype Studio Inc.
Coordinator: Ashley Joseph with Two Be Wed
Dress: Enozani
Floral: Tamara Menges Designs
Linens: Aztec Events and Tents
Artisan Cheese: Houston Dairymaids
Catering: Goode Company
Cake: Susie’s Cakes
Macarons: Macaron by Patisse
Photobooth: SmileBooth
Entertainment: Kevin Shipley, family friend