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The best kinds of homes are the ones that feel welcoming and comfortable as soon as you walk through the doors, no matter if you’re kin or just an acquaintance of the people who live there. Our history with Christina and Blair goes way back (they modeled in our V6 cover shoot and shared words of wisdom in V7, and Christina is a Blue Ribbon Vendor!), but I’m certain that anyone and everyone will want to pull up a chair at their dining room table or sit down for a slice of pecan pie in their cozy living room. Everything about their Houston home exudes warmth, hospitality, and intentionality, and we’re so thrilled that they gave us a tour, especially now that their house is decked for the holidays!

Thank you so much to Jen Dillender, another beloved Blue Ribbon Vendor, for these lovely photos!

The couple: Christina Leigh Frederick, 28, and Blair Michael Frederick, 30
Years married: 2 years and 3 months
Where you live: Houston, TX is where we call home, but I also spend time in Tulsa, OK where I maintain an office for Christina Leigh Events

Tell us a little bit about yourselves. I love glitter and bows and am the owner of Christina Leigh Events. Blair is an antique hunter who finds new life in fans and guitars, and is a business development manager for GE Oil and Gas. We have two “little girls,” Remi (a petite golden doodle) and Landry (a standard golden doodle), also known as the CLE mascots. We love taking our girls out each weekend and spending time with our families.
Tell us your love story in one sentence. Blair would say when he met me in my sorority house in 2006, he knew I was the one (even though he and I both had significant others at the time), but a span of four years eventually led to dinner with friends, and then daily conversations led to marriage.
Tell us a little bit about where you live. Blair purchased our home in 2011, so I was able to assist with decorating from the beginning. We love that our little area of town is growing and that we have a Whole Foods within walking distance. We also have a new taco and pizza place across the street that have become weekly staples in our not-so diets.

What is your approach to decorating your home for the holidays? Each tree/room in our home gets a different theme. We don’t use “traditional” Christmas red and green when it comes to colors–we use decor that complements each space. The 15’ tree in the living room (I squealed when Blair brought it home for me last year!) is gold and brown. There are deer ornaments for Blair, cross ornaments for Jesus, and big bows for me. The tree in my office is decorated with white ornaments from my great-grandmother (a series of nine hand-sculpted ornaments from a French artist) and my Grammy (gold angels and white wedgwood ornaments). I have added a sweet SW shop ornament to the family heirloom tree as well! Our tree in the game room is decorated with mini football helmets from our alma mater, The University of Tulsa, and football ornaments. The tree in the kitchen matches our drapes and has silver and gold decorations to tie it in with our dinner table. This year, Blair brought home a baby tree for our bedroom, and I love the simplistic white and the smell it adds to our special place. Blair would say my approach is glitter. I wouldn’t argue that. :)
What is a favorite holiday tradition your family has created post-wedding? Before our first Christmas together, I had no clue what “did you find the pickle yet” meant. Blair comes from German heritage and it has been a lot of fun to learn about the prized pickle ornament that is always hidden in his parents’ Christmas tree. We added a pickle to our 15’ tree in our living room, but Blair is not allowed to hide it above 6’. Blair’s family also goes to church, eats appetizers, and opens all presents on Christmas Eve. While I was a little confused at first, this has given us Christmas morning to ourselves to create our own traditions. Waffles, the parade, and hanging out with our doodles is the perfect way for us to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

What different decisions, if any, would you make for your registry if you knew then what you knew now? Blair and I never registered for china. I love to add different napkins and chargers to our great white collection from Pottery Barn to create a formal feel for each dinner we host, but now that we are settling into our style, we have decided to begin collecting MacKenzie-Childs parchment check dishes to act as our china.
Who cooks dinner? We both do. I handle the kitchen and Blair mans the grill. We love fresh grilled chicken and steak with salads and veggies. When I feel brave enough to attempt a baked meal, he washes the lettuce and helps prep the sides.
What’s your favorite place to find recipes? Since my mom and her mom were such great cooks, I love calling my mom for recipes. My Grammy and I were also both in the Junior League, and her old Tulsa cookbooks full of her notes, as well as my Houston cookbooks, are the perfect places to find great dishes to try and goodies to bake!

Tell us about the process of moving in together. Do you have any tips for blending your two styles? Since Blair worked in international business before we got married, he still called his childhood house his home, as I did with my mom, so neither of us had a ton of things to move in together. For us, building our home was a ground-up task from the beginning. Even though I did move the cowhide rug from the living room into our game room, balancing his cowboy boots with my pearls has made for a fun pairing. I look at the decor in our home much like I looked at designing our wedding–each thing we add has a purpose or meaning, and is fairly neutral so things can change with seasons and holidays.

What most makes your house feel like home? When Blair lived here before we got married, it was really empty, so when we got married, I loved adding things that were “home” to each of us. For me, our magnolia leaf garland in the kitchen reminds me of my Grammy’s huge magnolia tree that I grew up under. Our Mr. and Mrs. chair ties from our wedding now hang above our bed to remind us of that special day. It’s the small things that make a big difference in reminding us of our roots and our marriage.
What is your favorite memory from your wedding? Blair may have been most excited about the food: steak sliders, chicken, and full ears of grilled corn. When it was time for our grand exit, he made sure our to-go food was in tow. I was so hungry when we arrived at our hotel that I sat down on the bed in my dress and immediately grabbed the bag of food, only to find 10 ears of corn. With no butter or salt, Blair opted to phone in some delivery pizza for our 2 A.M. dinner. Eating on the bed, fully dressed in our wedding attire, was the perfect moment to recap the day.

Where do you splurge and where do you save when decorating? What are some of your favorite sources for home things? We definitely splurge on good quality furniture. The first piece of furniture we purchased was our dining room table, follow by our dresser that is large enough for both of us. We save with the little things, like throw pillows in different colors for different seasons and small things for our entry table. HomeGoods, Pottery Barn sales, and a few local stores are favorite sources for accent items.

Is there anything else you think our readers would love to know? Blair often works from home, so for our first anniversary I took the traditional gift of paper and the modern gift of a clock, and turned it into an office. It’s a place just for him that is rich with wood, his elk antlers, and his guitar collection. I did get away with adding a small tree for Christmas, too (no glitter or bows on this one though)!
What is one small way you love or serve your spouse? Blair has the heart of a servant. He is always at my events to help with setup or strike, and to make sure I eat. I serve Blair by making our bed every day. He is often up before me and I could go a full day without making the bed, but I know it’s important to him to have a tidy room.

What’s your best tip for balancing your relationship and other life priorities? Since my office is in our home, I have to be really intentional about turning off the light and walking away from my computer and phone at quitting time each day. When Blair gets home, that’s my cue to take time for us. We spend weeknights just the two of us and add in time for extended family on the weekends.
This year, our family is most excited about… some exciting new business ventures we have been working on together–we can’t wait to share soon! Two minds are better than one, and when the other mind is your other half, it makes it twice as great!

What is your favorite part of being married? Being that our dating and engagement was long distance, marriage meant living under one roof. It’s so fun to wake up next to my best friend and spend weekends together instead of on FaceTime.
How do you navigate the holidays with your extended families? With my family in Oklahoma, we make one holiday trip per year to Tulsa, this year being Thanksgiving. With Blair’s family down the road from us, we’ll be celebrating Christmas Eve with them, and eating Christmas lunch with them as well. Family is such a big part of who we are and we adore being around loved ones during such a special time of year!

We’re so grateful to Christina and Blair for sharing their hearts and home with us! Be sure to follow along with them:

Christina Leigh Events
Christina on Instagram

P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
16 Comments
  1. avatar Fifth Day of Christmas » Christina Leigh Events reply

    […] When the SW ladies contacted me to ask if we would love to do a holiday home tour my heart did a happy dance! You see, I love Christmas (all five of our trees) and every single thing it represents! You can see our HOME TOUR HERE! […]

  2. avatar Rhiannon reply

    So beautiful! Christina has such great taste that it’s no surprise her home is so truly lovely :)

  3. avatar Liz | Ellie And Addie reply

    This might be my favorite home tour you’ve done! Everything is beautiful!

  4. avatar Lindsey reply

    Christina is such an incredibly kind, thoughtful and genuinely sweet person. Her home and marriage are equally beautiful, so I was so happy to see this feature and learn more about their Christmas traditions!

  5. avatar Natalie reply

    I absolutely love Christina and Blair’s beautiful home! Sweetest couple, and the home exudes that love and warmth. PS. Those dogs are precious!

  6. avatar Amy reply

    Just had to write to tell you that all of the pictures look so pretty. best part for me, is the bride and groom smiling, those are true smiles – best of love and luck to them all. from amy

  7. avatar Barbara reply

    Where did they get those beautiful Mr. and Mrs. chair ties?

    • avatar Lisa reply

      Hi Barbara! They are from BHLDN, and you can find them here: http://bit.ly/1E2AkJx :)

    • avatar Christina reply

      Hi Barbara! Lisa is correct, they are from BHLDN. We had them at our wedding, you can see an image from our wedding at https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaLeighEvents/photos/a.411515912243601.96868.180350395360155/411516535576872/?type=3&theater, then we had them framed at Hobby Lobby to match our bedroom suite!

  8. avatar Alexandra Bee Blog reply

    Their pups are too cute! Christina’s office space is so cute and I absolutely love how they framed the “Mr” and “Mrs” chair decor from their wedding!

    • avatar Christina reply

      Thank you so much, Alexandra! Our chair ties are most definitely a favorite that I get to see every day, and the #CLmascots still pose for the camera occasionally on Instagram. :)

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Friends, it is with unbelievable delight that I introduce you to… the Southern Weddings V6 cover!!!

Oh my stars, indeed!! We are so, SO, so, SO, so, SO very proud of this beauty. Not only because she is quite obviously beautiful, but because of all of the stories between the pages that she represents. Ready for a little bit of her own backstory? Here we go!

Last spring we started working on an editorial shoot with our friends Ryan Ray and Stefanie Miles. (You may remember them from last year’s Yellow Rose editorial.) The shoot went off just as planned, and Ryan sent us the finished images a few months later. They were GORGEOUS, and we were so happy! I had mentioned to him before the shoot that we did not have a cover for V6 planned, and that we’d love for him to keep that in mind when cropping and posing portraits.

We didn’t immediately spot a cover, so we went busily about the business of finishing our shoot season. We selected a lovely image from one of our other editorials for the cover, and even sent it to the printer for proofing! From the beginning, though, we had been tweaking and adjusting to try and get the image to really shine, but when we saw the printer proofs, we just knew it wasn’t going to “sing.”

So, with just days (hours?) left before our final, final, FINAL version was due to be printed, we made the HUGE decision to scrap all of our cover plans (and launch party color scheme!) and choose an entirely new image — Ryan’s. Talk about a leap of faith — we never even saw a printed proof of the cover until the finished magazines arrived at our office!! I have to say, I was very resistant to the idea at first — as much as I love Ryan, I was looking forward to having a new talent grace our cover, and we were so far into the process at that point. But when we saw the new version mocked up, it was simply undeniable — this was our cover.

Perhaps the very BEST part? The couple on the cover is married in real life!! The bride is Christina Frederick, a wedding planner in Tulsa and Houston (one of our Blue Ribbon Vendors!) and one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet. We actually had the chance to surprise her IN PERSON with the news that she was going to be our cover girl! She attended Lara’s Making Things Happen Conference in October, and was totally bowled over when we flashed the cover on the screen. Thankfully, we had a photographer there to capture the moment:

So many emotions in such a short span of time! THANK YOU to Robyn Van Dyke (also a Blue Ribbon Vendor!) for capturing them all!! Of course, Christina knew that we’d be publishing the shoot, but at that point she hadn’t seen ANY photos from the day, and she most certainly didn’t know that she was going to be on the cover! She and her husband Blair are such a perfect example of why we love weddings and marriage, and we are so proud and blessed to have them grace our pages.

Though our official release day is Tuesday, we’ve heard that copies have already popped up on newsstands around the South! Yeehaw!! Be sure to snap a pic of yourself with your copy and tag #SWV6 on instagram or Twitter! If you live outside the South, you can always find a copy in our store. (And speaking of our store — be sure to stop by on Monday, when we’ll be sharing a look at the famous SWPS!)

THANK YOU, RYAN AND STEFANIE!!!

In the meantime, we’re DYING to know: What do y’all think??? Did we make the right decision? Are you as much in love with V6’s cover as we are?

P.P.S. Check back on Tuesday to see more from this gorgeous editorial!

emily Written with love by Emily
31 Comments
  1. avatar Harmony reply

    You guys made a great choice in choosing this cover and it’s especially sweet that it’s a real couple.

  2. avatar Oh My Stars! | Christina Leigh Events reply

    […] a marriage more beautiful than your wedding. If you have found the new issue, or if you have seen their post today you know where this post is headed. This post comes from a beyond blessed and completely honored […]

  3. avatar Christina Frederick reply

    Oh My Stars! Emotions have come rushing back! What an honor it is to be a part of V6 in such a special way. Blair and I could not be more blessed to not only be part of the SW family, but to have worked with such an amazing team that had the vision for the shoot, and to grace the pages with true love that resonates marriage! Thank you all for luring your heart into another fabulous issue!
    Here’s a peek at my take on this amazing issue. :)
    http://christinaleighevents.com/blog/blessed-completely-honored/

    xo Christina

  4. avatar Rebecca reply

    awwwwww what a SWEET post! I cant wait to get a copy of mine in the UK!

  5. avatar Katie Selvidge reply

    My heart is just bursting with happiness for Christina and Blair! Could not be more proud. Y’all, it’s just beautiful.

  6. avatar Sara Velordi reply

    This is gorgeous! Y’all have done it again! :)

  7. avatar Kat reply

    Ladies, I LOVE the cover & can’t wait to get my hands on my preordered copy!!!! It’s simply stunning – I love her dress, that gorgeous bouquet & the fact that they are ACTUALLY married really emphasizes what Southern Weddings is all about! I can’t wait to spend an entire day taking in every page :) SO HAPPY for you!!!!

  8. avatar Laura reply

    It’s beautiful! And you can definitely see the real-life love between the couple.

  9. avatar shelby reply

    oh my stars, that story makes me so happy! The cover is beautiful beyond words! congratulations ladies, I can’t wait to snag my copy :)

  10. avatar Robyn Van Dyke reply

    SO happy I was able to capture Christina’s priceless, tearful reaction!!! Can’t WAIT to get my hands on this gorgeous issue!! :D

  11. avatar Madi Reid Sanders reply

    I am totally TEARING UP as I see these images! Y’all never cease to amaze me with your dedication to this publication, the brand and the core of what it’s all about. I am so proud of each of y’all and what you’ve brought to the wedding industry…The focus on what matter’s most. I’m always cheering you on in every endeavor! Sending big southern hugs. AND Christina—YOU LOOK STUNNING!
    Love it all!
    -Madi

  12. avatar 11.8.2013 | Madi Reid Sanders reply

    […] teared up over this incredible post on Southern Weddings.  Man, oh man, these ladies are […]

  13. avatar Kylie reply

    SO IN LOVE with every square inch! Cannot wait to get my hands on a copy to see the rest of the amazingness. Y’all are simply wonderful, so happy for each of you! Big hugs from Oklahoma, xoxox

  14. avatar Jordanne Van Wert reply

    LOVE IT!!!! You definitely made the right choice!! Congrats Christina!!! That is so amazing!!!! :) Makes me tear up watching her face!

  15. avatar Jenn Dean reply

    The cover is absolutely stunning! I grew up with Christina- she is truly an amazing, loving, caring woman inside and out who works hard to make others’ special day the most beautiful it can be! She is so incredibly talented and loves sharing her talent with everyone else to make their dreams a reality! Couldn’t have picked a more deserving person to be on the cover!

  16. avatar Amanda reply

    In a society where marriages are breaking up all around us, it is so refreshing to see Southern Weddings taking a stand for the goodness of marriage. Love the cover and what it represents. Real love between real people. Love your hearts. Love your vision. Keep up the fantastic work. Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!

  17. avatar Nancy H reply

    It’s gorgeous!!!! Im one of the lucky few that was in the room when the cover was revealed. I welled up seeing Christina’s reaction and can not wait to see all of the delcious pages in person. Amazing work ladies :)
    XOXO
    Nancy

  18. avatar jacin reply

    what a gorgeous cover and i’m so happy for christina! she truly is one of the sweetest gals!! what a special moment for her :)

  19. avatar ame reply

    YES! YES YOU DID!!! What a GORGEOUS couple!!! I love seeing her reaction too, SO adorable. I got a little misty seeing this! Cannot wait to get mine!

  20. avatar Nancy Ray reply

    Undeniably the right choice. And watching Christina’s face when you revealed it was priceless. Can’t wait for the celebration next Thursday!

  21. avatar Stacey White reply

    My SW copy is on its way to my mailbox…and I cannot wait, in fact, I won’t…I’ll be buying another copy or two at the store. The cover is timeless and the cover couple, well, simply PERFECT! Thank you SW for your leap of faith; you did good!

  22. avatar Krista Janos reply

    Love hearing the sweet story behind this cover. Her face is priceless. What special way to remember your special day! Am I the only one wondering what the second choice cover looked like?

  23. avatar Blair M. Frederick reply

    First of all, Thank you all so much for capturing this moment of my gorgeous wifey! Secondly, I have to commend you gals for pulling off such an awesome surprise, Great job!

    We are both truly grateful and honored to be part of such a prestigious publication, and look forward to see you all at the launch party!

    Take care and see ya’ll then!

  24. avatar Madelynne Moulton reply

    Just fabulous. What a sweet sweet story and a happy ending to all of it! I cannot wait to go get my issue this week!

  25. avatar Southern Weddings Weekly Round-Up | Southern Weddings reply

    […] Oh happy day!! Many of y’all already have V6 in your hands (if you pre-ordered, your order is on its way!), and even though our official launch isn’t till Tuesday, we couldn’t be more excited about our new issue popping up a little early. We can hardly wait to hear what y’all think–don’t forget to use #SWV6 and tag us on social media if you take pictures with your magazines! Just in case you missed it this morning, we debuted our gorgeous new cover! Don’t miss the sweet story behind our decision, as well as pictures from the unique opportunity we had to reveal it to our gorgeous cover girl, here! […]

  26. avatar SWPS Volume 6! | Southern Weddings reply

    […] garage and we had opened a few boxes to get our first look at the V6 cover (read more about that here), we got to […]

  27. avatar SWPS Volume 6! – Southern Weddings Magazine reply

    […] garage and we had opened a few boxes to get our first look at the V6 cover (read more about that here), we got to […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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