Natalie and Andrew’s spring wedding at Union Station was planned by Stephanie, one of our lead Dallas wedding planners. It was a realization of Natalie’s childhood dreams, culminating in a classic and timeless evening filled with elegant details. Natalie’s vision of a formal black-tie affair was expertly brought to life with a focus on gold and black accents, white blooms, and lush greenery. The venue itself exuded a sense of grandeur, setting the stage for a sophisticated celebration that perfectly matched their aesthetic.
One of the standout features of their wedding was the custom-built wall, serving both as a creative seating chart and a picturesque photo opportunity. Adorned with fresh baby’s breath and the words “And so it begins,” this installation fulfilled Natalie’s vision perfectly. Natalie’s late grandfather had a tradition of trying to guess the number of candles at each wedding he attended. Natalie didn’t know, but Stephanie had the candles counted and surprised Natalie with the exact number of candles (591!) present on her wedding day.
Natalie’s connection to her late mother was beautifully woven into the fabric of the day. Butterflies, symbolizing her mom’s presence in her daily life, graced each bridesmaid’s bouquet. The flower girls ringing bells, instead of tossing petals, created a tribute to those absent but not forgotten. The captivating music by Melange by Intensity had everyone on the dance floor. The night ended with a New Orleans-style second-line exit that accompanied Natalie and Andrew to their vintage getaway car – what an exit!
Congratulations, Natalie and Andrew!
Tell us about your love story – how did you meet?
Andrew and I went to high school together, but didn’t connect during that time. Although we had several mutual friends, our paths never crossed. We connected 14 (!) years later with the help of good ‘ol social media. Whether Andrew wants to admit it or not, he slid into my DM’s… modern day romance kind of stuff! One night watching the Dallas Stars and the rest is history!
What was your vision for the wedding?
Like many girls, I have dreamed about my wedding my whole life. The vision had evolved as I grew up and became more refined. I knew I wanted very classic with subtle nods of us. The all black and white Black tie affair achieved just that. I also knew I always wanted the GRAND Texas Wedding. This became even more fitting due to Andrew being Canadian. With everyone coming from near and far, I wanted to show just how we do weddings down here in Texas. With the wedding being nestled beneath Reunion Tower in the heart of the Dallas skyline, I think it showed the true essence of downtown Dallas. We knew we wanted a party, too. I said all my life, that my wedding would be a success if I successfully got every guest on the dance floor. I am pretty sure I achieved that!
What was your favorite part of the day?
Beside the obvious of getting to marry the love of my life, I would say my favorite part of the day was being surrounded by 200+ people we love so dearly. I wish I could have talked to everyone for hours at a time, but was lucky enough to share many great moments with them on the dance floor. The whole day was flawless and one of the very best days of our lives. The venue, the food, the band (that people are still talking about), everything down to the dessert bar and late night buffalo sliders was done to perfection! Every part of the day was very “us” and exactly how we had envisioned our big day!
What unique elements or DIY details did you include?
The giant “And So It Begins” wall with the seating chart was one of my favorite features. It was very grand, and set the scene of the room, but also made a great backdrop for my guests to take photos. We did signature cocktails for our four legged daughters that were a hit. Andrew’s drink “The Lily” was a nod to his canadian heritage, and my drink “The Ru” was our family’s signature cocktail, “The Beas Knees”. Lily and Ru also made an appearance on our wedding cake!
Another unique feature of our wedding was the candles. That may seem like not that big of a deal. But it was important to me to know exactly how many candles were used on our wedding day. My Granddad loved candles and use to count the candles at weddings and other celebrations. He would have been a busy man on our big day, because there were 591 candles.
Were there any sentimental moments/items incorporated to the wedding?
The biggest thing is I wanted my late mother to be honored during the day. Butterflies are how I see my mom in everyday life. Every bridesmaid had a butterfly on their bouquet. Also, during the ceremony, my flower girls rang bells instead of dropping flower petals. This was used as a reminder of those who weren’t there in person.
Between Andrew and I, we did a first look, but we also had it set up so I would walk down our aisle to him. It gave us the private moment for a first look, but also gave the feeling of walking down the aisle to see him for the first time. The last dance was also a special moment! We enjoyed dancing our final dance of the wedding night and looking around the giant empty room and reminisce of all the people we love who had filled that room all night long.
What advice do you have for other couples/brides-to-be?
Embrace the process, and enjoy the ride! I was a relatively laid back bride. I didn’t want to stress about the day, or process and I very seldomly did. At the end of the day, you get to marry your person, and all the other stuff is just extra. But, don’t get me wrong, I loved all the extra, too!
Wedding planning and the actual wedding week was one of the best seasons of life! Find, a great planner (I’ll recommend Stephanie at Keestone Events until I am blue in the face!) that will keep all things in perspective, but also deliver your dream day. Take it all day by day, and then soak it all up when the day arrives! I know it’s cliche, but it really does go by so quick!
Below is the glowing review Natalie left for Stephanie:
“I have thought long and hard about how to properly express what a phenomenal job Stephanie did at planning and executing our wedding. Not only that, but she was also a friend and confidant throughout a potentially stressful season. I say potentially because there wasn’t one instance, I was stressed about our dream wedding. This is the only wedding I’ve planned (ha!) but I don’t think that is the norm. I can 100% say the stress-free experience was due to Stephanie and the rest of the Keestone team.
I chose the full planning package, and I am thrilled I did. Stephanie made sure I had small, manageable checklists each week for me/us to execute and made sure we were budget conscious the whole way through. The Dallas wedding scene is massive, and Stephanie made choosing my vendors so easy! Between those connections and the overall management skill of an event our size, Stephanie is truly priceless!
On the day of our event, not one thing went array. Every. Single. Thing. was handled and planned to a tee. We were so calm, and I had so much comfort knowing Stephanie was in charge during our special day. Our dream wedding went off without a hitch!
Stephanie first and foremost, but also the rest of the Keestone Events team deserved the most raving review. If you are thinking about hiring them, don’t wait another minute. You will truly get to enjoy the wedding planning experience, and I have zero doubts they will deliver your dream wedding! We cannot thank Stephanie enough for making all our wedding dreams come true!”
You can view other weddings that Stephanie has planned for below:
Black Tie Wedding at Union Station
