1. Real Weddings

A Timeless, Classic Wedding at Madera Estates in Conroe, Texas

Katheryn “Katy” Connor, 23 and a dance teacher, met Steve Thoroughman, 32 and an independent petroleum landman, through mutual friends. Katy and Steve

Katheryn “Katy” Connor, 23 and a dance teacher, met Steve Thoroughman, 32 and an independent petroleum landman, through mutual friends. Katy and Steve had a Memorial Day wedding and decided to play off the red, white and blue by softening the palette to pale shades of blue, blush and ivory. The couple chose to be wed at Madera Estates near Houston, Texas for its romantic vibe throughout: the venue’s plethora of dark wood and brown colors blended with lots of flowers, candles and lanterns created a sweet balance of masculine and feminine. Katy wore a strapless ivory A-line silk organza gown with a sweetheart neckline and a chapel length train, a timeless style to match the elegant atmosphere of the day. The floral arrangements included muted pinks, whites and blues, with an extra pop of color in the bridesmaids’ bouquets to compliment their bright blue gowns. The ceremony and reception hall featured grand chandeliers and a double Spanish door that served as the altar where Katy and Steve exchanged their vows. Their cocktail hour took place on the patio, where guests enjoyed a full bar and tunes from the 80s and 90s—the newlyweds’ favorite decades in music. Since Katy and Steve both love wine, their guest book was four bottles of wine labeled with the numbers one, five, ten and twenty: guests left messages on pieces of paper to drop into one of the bottles that the couple will open on their corresponding anniversary. Katy and Steve made a grand exit from their reception through a cascade of bubbles and into a white limousine to top off their timeless, classic wedding.

Ivory Wedding Invitations with Blue Accents
Steve picked out Katy's engagement ring himself, with input from Katy that she wanted a round stone. The couple chose their wedding bands together: Katy wanted something she could comfortably dance in, and Steve liked the muted shine of tungsten for his.
Bridal Suite at Madera Estates near Houston
Blue Kitten Bridal Heels with Embellishments
Bridesmaids in Blue Robes Getting Ready
Katy’s bridesmaids had the same flowers as her bridal bouquet with an added touch of blue. “I wanted my look to be more subtle and my bridesmaids to have a pop of color, like their blue dresses,” says Katy.
Katy’s bouquet included all the muted pinks, whites and blues of the wedding color palette, and included calla lilies since her mother also had lilies in her bridal bouquet.
Katy wore an ivory A-line strapless sweetheart silk organza gown with a rosette pattern and chapel-length train. Paired with blue kitten heels, a pearl and stone belt and a diamond solitaire necklace borrowed from her new mother-in-law, Katy looked elegant and timeless.
Seating Chart on Easel at Reception
The bride’s cake was four-tiered: two tiers reflected the rosettes on Katy’s gown, and the other two tiers were a small polka dot pattern. The couple decided to go without a cake topper.
Floral arrangements throughout the venue included soft hues of blue and white hydrangeas, blue delphinium, Juliet garden roses, ivory stock, peach berries and lamb’s ear. The colors were spun from a muted version of red, white and blue for the Memorial Day wedding.
Katy and Steve’s ceremony and reception took place in the elegant hall at the Madera Estates. They decorated the room with big floral arrangements, lanterns and candles with greenery circles.
Katy and Steve chose to be wed at Madera Estates because of the romantic vibe of the hall and the outside area to take stunning photographs.
Elegant Tall Table Floral Arrangements
Tall Table Florals in Blue, Ivory, Blush
Black and White Couple's Shot in Madera Estates
Madera Estates provided two giant bubble machines at the door, and guests had their own bubble wands to shower the couple as they made their grand exit from the reception.