1. Real Weddings

A Quaint Afternoon Wedding at the Trinity River Audubon Center in Dallas, Texas

Grace Adams (25, Emergency Room RN) and Joseph Gerke (27, Structural Engineer) fell in love over time, and then all at once. Grace met Joseph at the b

Grace Adams (25, Emergency Room RN) and Joseph Gerke (27, Structural Engineer) fell in love over time, and then all at once. Grace met Joseph at the beginning of college, and the two fostered a friendship over the next four years. The two faithful Christians became a couple after Joseph asked Grace's parents for their blessing, after which the new pair shared their first kiss on the banks of the Red River. After 10 months of going steady, Joseph proposed to Grace on the top of Reunion Tower in Dallas, Texas (known to Dallas locals as the "Dandelion"). On April 12, 2014 the pair tied the knot at the Trinity River Audubon Center in Dallas surrounded by 250 guests. Following the Christian ceremony, Grace and Joseph invited guests to enjoy a relaxed afternoon reception featuring an array of outdoor games including croquet, sac toss, and pentaque (a French take on bocce ball). Both avid travellers and international missionaries, Grace and Joseph were sure to include details reminiscent of their past adventures and future endeavours as newlyweds. In the spirit of giving back, each guest received an ethically-sourced chocolate bar from Uganda, purchased from Hello Cocoa, a shop owned by a close friend of the bride and groom.

Christian Ceremony Musician
Grace and her father walked arm in arm down the aisle in the Trinity River Audubon. Grace wore her mother's tulle veil with a silk flower crown for the ceremony.
The bride and groom exchanged Christian vows in front of 250 loved ones. The couple chose to wed in front of the floor to ceiling windows which flooded the room with natural light.
Grace held a classic bridal arrangement of white hydrangeas and roses. The simple flower choices kept costs low.
White Rose and Hydrangea Boutonniere
The bride and groom kept guests in the know by assigning loved ones to distribute ceremony programs prior to the processional.
Bride Getting Ready
A Private First Look
Photographer Taylor Jackson of Barefeet Photography and Design, LLC captured bride Grace looking radiant in her beaded mermaid wedding dress.
"My bridesmaids wore teal sleeveless dresses and Sseko sandals, benefitting women in Africa," says bride Grace. Grace's girls clasped small arrangements of hydrangeas.
Joseph's groomsmen wore matching grey suits and teal plaid ties. The bride's mother made paper rose boutonnieres from vintage maps, representing their travel theme.
The groom wore a modern grey suit and white tie. His white hydrangea and rose boutonniere matched the bride's bouquet of identical blooms.
Grace and Joseph swayed to a performance of ""Dance with Me," a biblically-based worship song for their first dance as husband and wife.
Father Daughter Wedding Dance
The bride and groom cut into their four-tiered Italian creme cake designed by Dallas-based Stein's Bakery. The two also served a groom's cake, which was decorated to look like a vintage world map.
Newlywed Reception Exit
The Couple's Getaway Car