1. Real Weddings

A Formal Southern Wedding at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas

<b style="font-weight: normal;">Millie Freeman (26 and a marketing coordinator) and Luke Reinhart (25 and a law student), who first met in elementary

Millie Freeman (26 and a marketing coordinator) and Luke Reinhart (25 and a law student), who first met in elementary school and started dating in high school, threw a classic Texas wedding in San Antonio at the elegant Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. "Our goal was to make everyone feel comfortable, so we tried not to lean on the opulent," Millie says of the formal space. "We did not want any crystal or bling, but we thought a hint of gold would make it all come together.” In addition to the couple's navy, blush and white decor, the performance hall shone with floor-to-ceiling lighting with patterned lit walls that surrounded the entire room. To set the mood for dinner, Millie had the lights set to a cozy glowing amber and then had the panels switch to various vibrant colors throughout the night to help boost the energy for dancing and celebration. The San Antonio locals served upscale Southern comfort food inspired by their home states of Texas and Kentucky: warm biscuits with cinnamon-infused butter, jalapeno-battered fried chicken with chipotle-honey sauce, pot-roast-style short ribs, a mashed potato bar, Southern grits cakes, smoked duck breast on French toast and even late-night breakfast tacos. “We had three goals for the reception: We wanted our out-of-town guests to get a feel for San Antonio, the food to be great and everyone to have the time of their lives,” Millie says. To keep the day sentimental and personal, the couple had a family friend officiate at the ceremony, and Millie’s cousins sang for the father-daughter and mother-son dances during the reception. —Juliette Cheatham

Matching the gift boxes and the menus, the stationery carried the same motif of bright blue, natural brown and white. Delicate light pink flowers and greenery were printed on one side of the save-the-date, while the couple’s initials were printed on the outer invitation envelopes.
Guests were given natural brown boxes, including water bottles, mini bottles of champagne and a few other postwedding necessities as they exited the reception. The boxes were tied shut with a bright blue ribbon and adorned with a sticker that included the couple’s monogram.
“I had decided on my dress months before we even got engaged,” Millie says. She fell in love with a Hayley Paige Dori gown with a high neck, a tulle skirt, and a dramatic low back. For her accessories she wore borrowed jewelry from family members for an especially sentimental look.
During the ceremony, Millie walked down the aisle in a metallic Jimmy Choo sandal heel. TShe changed into classic pewter Manolo Blahnik flats with broach details for comfort and dancing during the reception.
The only criteria Millie had for her bridesmaid dresses was that they be navy and floor length. It was important to her that all her best friends felt comfortable, so in order to accommodate a range of body types, she let each woman choose a gown in a different style.
Luke did not want a black-tie feel. It was important to him that instead of a tux, he wear something a little more casual. The groom and his groomsmen donned modern slate gray Burberry suits for a classic look.
Thick beds of flower petals lined the aisle for the ceremony along with tall candles placed in glass vases. “My husband and I individually selected all the songs to be played acoustically on a guitar during the ceremony, and it was such a special touch. Every song meant something personal to us,” Millie says.
To go with the dramatic performance hall, Millie and Luke had a center head with 50 guests, surrounded by smaller round tables. The tables were covered with light pink cloths, runners of seeded eucalyptus and elegant gold accents. Every seat included a menu what was at the dinner stations.
White spray roses and mercury candles were delicately scattered across all the reception tables. The round tables placed around the performance hall were adorned with mercury-glass vases full of seeded eucalyptus, pale pink and white flowers, and blue thistle.
Millie and Luke offered their guests three cakes, including a standard four-tier white iced wedding cake with gold and bright blue details. The bride and groom's cakes were displayed on opposite sides; Luke had a TCU football stadium cake, and Millie had a UK basketball stadium cake.
To keep travel time low and uncomplicated, the ceremony and the reception were at the modern Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Antonio, Texas. The breathtaking floor-to-ceiling lights and monstrously tall ceilings gives the space a chic ambiance.