1. Real Weddings

Kandi & Jordan: A Chocolate Brown and Blue Wedding in Houston, TX

Though they'd been friends as undergrads, it wasn't until three years after college at a mutual friend’s wedding that Kandi and Jordan became somethin

Though they'd been friends as undergrads, it wasn't until three years after college at a mutual friend’s wedding that Kandi and Jordan became something more. The two began dating even though Kandi lived in Dallas and Jordan in Houston. After a year, Kandi moved to a place of her own in Houston, and four months later she received a message by courier -- her first clue in a scavenger hunt. After tracking down roses and a bottle of champagne, Kandi made it back home where she found Jordan waiting on one knee. The Bride Kandace (Kandi) Lambert, now 28 and a healthcare account manager The Groom Jordan Handel, 29 and working in global sales The Date September 30 Guests had been primed for the celebration beginning with the invites, which first introduced Kandi and Jordan's chocolate brown and light blue palette, as well as the monogram logo a graphic designer had created for the couple. I chose the color scheme because I felt those colors were simple and elegant, the bride explains -- the exact look the couple hoped to achieve. They used the hues on everything from the weekend itineraries for the guests to the cocktail napkins.

The couple chose to marry in their adopted hometown of Houston at the church where they are both members. The traditional ceremony took place in a small chapel featuring a neo-Gothic architectural style and stained-glass windows. Kandi wore a gown made of double-faced satin with a draped neckline and ruched back.
The crowds finally thinned out as everyone headed outside to toss rose petals while Kandi and Jordan made their escape in a white limousine. Their final destination? A Hawaiian honeymoon.
The ceremony programs coordinated with the invitations as they both featured chocolate brown and light blue type on a cream-colored card.
The light blue rectangular menu featured the couple's new married monogram in chocolate brown.
Carrying a pomander of lush white blooms, the flower girl walked down the aisle in an ivory dress with a light blue sash tied at her waist.
The newlyweds kicked off the night with a first dance to I Could Not Ask For More by Edwin McCain. And that was just the beginning -- Our band was such a hit and kept everyone on the dance floor all night long, the bride remembers.
The colors were also brought into the ceremony by the bridesmaid dresses: long, strapless, chocolate brown numbers with a light blue sash that Kandi designed and had made by a seamstress.
The reception site had a very intimate feel, which was exactly what we wanted, Kandi says. It was important to her and Jordan that their entire celebration have a personal touch. Dinner was served in a candlelit room with a high domed ceiling. Chocolate brown linens covered the tables, and centerpieces alternated between tall arrangements featuring white orchids with brown curly willow, and lush low arrangements of white roses. Our goal was to have a clean look with the flowers and the lighting, Kandi says. A bar was also set up in an adjacent garden area for guests who wanted to get a little fresh air during the evening.
The bride's cake was a three-tiered square confection, with each tier decorated in a different design. The groom's cake was a two-tiered square cake done in chocolate brown and light blue to match the couple's wedding colors.