Sara and Andre were one of the best kind of couples we can work with; busy, hard working, and trusting! They attended a friend’s wedding in August of 2020 that we had the pleasure of planning (Tina and Henry), so when it was their time FINALLY (more on that later) they knew who to turn to and to trust us to do our job. Both Sara and Andre are busy doctors and didn’t have spare time to plan their wedding. They knew they needed extra help so we were ready to help plan out their wedding design and all their vendors!!

When we joined to help Sara and Andre they had secured a venue months prior but then life got in the way, and these two wonderful people had already waited a very long time to get married so this date was not going to pass by without some rings on their fingers. They had selected The Carriage House for their elegant yet laid back affair that they waited 1,660 days for! Thats right, a little over 4 years and 6 months!! It was the perfect venue to celebrate their fall wedding, with rich wooden tones to accent the slate and blush, and their signature red door was the inspiration for the red and burgundy florals.

They decided to do a first look so they were able to enjoy the cocktail hour with their family and friends, so Kristen Giles was able to capture some meaningful photos that not only captured the beauty of the day but also the fun personalities of couple and their friends. These two know how to have a good time, and their friends do as well. Traditional wedding photos were not going to cut it, they were happy and wanted to world to know. And before all you Aggies and Longhorns ask, this Texas wedding was one for the Florida Gators. Sara and Andre met at the University of Florida in Gainesville and ended up in Texas, but the Gator’s came out to Texas to celebrate their union!

After the had their fun taking pictures with family and friends, it was time to walk down the aisle in the beautiful sunlight filled chapel. In true Andre fashion, he got a round of applause as he walked down the aisle :) But don’t you worry, Sara still upstaged him on the arm of her father. To make their ceremony unique they added two great ideas that we hope to see more of in the future. They wanted their fur babies, Bella and Maggie, to be part of the day, but unlike most weddings where they enter before the bride, this time they entered after! Sara didn’t want everyone to see her girls but her, so they made their way down the aisle to greet both their mom and dad! After the dogs made everyone smile and the ceremony resumed, Officiant Jennifer Luu handed the wedding rings to the wedding party who then passed them to all the guests as a way of including each and every person into the blessing of the rings.

As the guests enjoyed the beautiful fall weather outside under the canopy of trees and lights, The Posh Affair and E Johnston Designs were inside handling the final touches. Sara and Andre opted for a head table down the middle of the room so they would be surrounded by the guests, and with tall centerpieces to draw focus to the ceiling beams and twinkling chandeliers. To soften the look they used slate velvet linens with touches of burgundy, blush, gold, and candlelight. We especially loved the extra touches on the head table of vintage blush and cornflower glasses and hand written place cards by Jen Krause Paper Co.

One of Sara’s favorite elements was the dessert display from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Since a wedding cake was not a high priority for the couple, they opted to do a bundt cake wedding cake with multiple flavors of bundtinis. The Carriage House has a farmhouse style buffet table that is just perfect for storing all the cakes in drawers and cabinets.

After a relaxing cocktail hour everyone gathered inside to get the party started! They started with first dance leading into dinner, then the toasts, parent dances, and cake cutting. Once those formalities were done it was time to let their hair down and enjoy the night. We knew the couple were fun, but we underestimated just how much. This wedding was ready to dance, and dance the did! DJ Alton from J&A Entertainment got everyone on the floor and kept them there until the night ended. After hours of dancing (and sweating) it was time to end the celebration with a private last dance for the newly wed couple and then wishing them off under the glow of sparklers.

It was such a pleasure making your long awaited day everything you dreamed of Sara and Andre!

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Venue: The Carriage House

Photography: Kristen Giles

Floral: E Johnston Designs

Caterer: The Posh Affair

Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes The Woodlands

DJ + Photo Booth: J&A Entertainment

Rentals: Premiere Events Austin

Invites + Signage: Jen Krause Paper Co

Officiant: Jennifer Luu

Beauty: Hey Lovely Makeup

Transportation: A&H Premium

Hotel: Embassy Suites The Woodlands

Bridal Gown: Martina Liana Bridal from Brickhouse Bridal

Bridesmaid’s Dresses: BHLDN

Groom’s Suit: Suit Supply

Groomsmen Suits: Men’s Warehouse

Houston Venue

The Carriage House is fantastic because it has an amazing history and the ability to host both ceremony & reception on site. The chapel space had the dreamiest windows & the reception venue is cozy & warm. Convenient to many areas in Houston, it a great choice for couples wanting the quintessential southern elegance & history charm

Couple’s Wedding Style

We loved the unique personal style choices for both the bride and groom. Callen‘s bolo tie was a great nod to Texas. Not many of our grooms choose this tie alternative, but after their wedding, we were secretly hoping to see it more!

And can we also just throw up the praise hands about Allison’s dress? That thigh-high slit is everything! It’s a stunner and fit her like a glove.

Personal Moments

In lieu of a first look, they had the sweetest “first touch” ever. Although our heart melts just seeing the photos, Callen’s expression seeing Allison for the first time was even better (which we really didn’t think was possible). All. The. Feels.

The reception was all about good food and good times - from the laughter-filled toasts to the packed dance floor, it was a true celebration!

Personalized Details

There was a subtle Star Wars theme woven in throughout the night. Their guestbook was shaped like the Millenium Falcon, cake topper said “I love you, I know” (which is a popular phrase from the movie), strings played the theme song during the ceremony and lightsabers were used on the dance floor and for the exit.

We had a great time working with these two and wish them all the best in their marriage.