This Texas Wedding Transported Guests to an Elegant English Garden as Soon as They Entered The Olana
Like any great love story, Aubre and Erika began as friends first. They met in the summer of 2013 after their freshman years of college, and they stayed in touch through social media and intermittent contact through 2016. When Aubre was deciding on a law school, she reached out to Erika, who was already in her first year. After a visit, Aubre chose to study at the same law school, where their friendship blossomed into something more. By 2022, Erika proposed to Aubre at Central Park, just down the street from their New York apartment, with Aubre returning the favor in California on the cliffs of Shark Fin Cove not long after.
With their shared love of travel, the two brides knew they wanted to transport guests from their Texas venue, The Olana, to a “European garden party.” That meant pops of color, a floral-heavy atmosphere and antiques to elevate that vintage feel of their estate wedding. That meant choosing vendors who could bring their vision to life. They say, “We incorporated florals in every way we could, including in our more sentimental parts like the Remembrance Attendant bouquets. We also used greenery hanging from the chandeliers and balconies and had florals on the busts that we had found while antique shopping.” This springtime wedding utilized classic florals, like roses and poppies, alongside more unique options, like alliums, to add more texture and shape.
Erika and Aubre hoped to surprise each other with their wedding gowns, a feat accomplished thanks to the crew at their Dallas dress shop. “The owners got to know and see both of us and made sure our dresses captured our personalities while staying cohesive… In the end, we both ended up with the dresses we adored, and they worked perfectly together,” they say. Aubre opted for a pearly gown to match her “sparkly and elegant but fun” personality, while Erika chose a classic gown that had the fun function of pockets. They found ways to complement the other’s dresses with colorful shoes and matching Converse sneakers for the reception.
They started their wedding day together, getting ready beside their families and wedding parties. Even after their family photos, the couple took an unconventional pre-wedding party route – by going for a round of bowling at their family venue. To them, this was the perfect start to the celebration and it helped calm their nerves before the walk down the aisle. They shared their vows in private before sharing them again in the garden in front of their guests. The ceremony itself was performed by a close friend, who, they say, customized it for them perfectly. During this, their officiant held a “ring-warming” ceremony and “encouraged our married guest[s] to hold the hand of their spouse as we made our vows and to reaffirm their own commitment,” say the brides.
Their keyword for the day was intentionality. “We wanted every aspect of the day to be intentional. This started [with] our choice to get married in Texas. Being a same-sex couple from Texas, it was important to us to have our wedding in our home state where we grew up and where we met,” the couple says. That included celebrating their families, especially their “new” family, through this union. “The most important thing to us when planning our wedding was we wanted our guests to leave knowing and feeling our love for each other and for them,” Erika and Aubre say. A special way they ensured that connection was by handwriting notes as their place settings for each and every guest—all 200 of them.
They also honored their family who couldn’t be there with their little touches. They add, “Erika’s sisters served as what we called 'Remembrance Attendants,”'and walked down the aisle with bouquets to honor and represent the loved ones lost on both sides of our family. One of those bouquets was wrapped in a beautiful bouquet wrap made from Erika’s mom’s wedding dress. Erika also gave her brothers handkerchiefs of their mom’s wedding dress as gifts on the day of the wedding, while Aubre carried her late grandfather’s with her.”
Other ways they personalized their wedding include a newspaper full of facts about the couple and their guests, a QR code for a Spotify playlist and the history of legalization of same-sex marriages in Texas. A watercolor artist created the table numbers and seating chart based on notable places in Aubre and Erika’s relationship. But one of the most memorable parts was their guestbook. “We also used an audio guest book so our guests could leave us messages. Now, we get to hear their voices forever! We made the messages into a record that we can play whenever we want,” the newlyweds say.
To prepare for their first dance together, Aubre and Erika took dancing lessons and worked with a choreographer to make the dance more personal. The reception space, despite being indoors, kept the garden party theme with vibrant hues and European-inspired decor, including a unique table shape so guests could mingle throughout dinner. According to them, some of their favorite parts of this decor include: “The organic shapes, like our serpentine head table, our florals and greenery, the string trio playing modern music during our cocktail hour really brought our vision to life.”
All of these small moments came together to create an unforgettable day for the two brides. Aubre says, “Seeing so many loved ones, people who have poured love into our lives and our relationship was so special to us. Ultimately, the wedding day was about us and our people, the community that shows up for us day in and day out.” And one piece of important advice they both wish to impart to future couples: Don’t forget that you’re the guests of honor, not the hosts. “This day is about you and the new family you are creating! Do what feels authentic to you.”
