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Callie and Chris are a couple after our own hearts! Not only did they celebrate their wedding day in true Southern fashion–in cowboy boots and pearls, surrounded by their favorite people at Classic Oaks Ranch, under the beautiful Texas sky–but they also ever-so-carefully prepared for their marriage while planning their sweet celebration. Callie prayed throughout their planning process that they would not solely be focused on their wedding day, but also be prepared for the days to follow and “the most important part,” their marriage!

Thanks so much of Anne Brookshire for sharing this special day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I wanted something comfortable and romantic. I had been eyeing a dress online and planned to try it on once I had a break from work. My mom and good friend, Megan, went with me, and they were the best support system! I tried on the dress that I thought I would love, but it just wasn’t right. Two dresses later, I tried on the perfect dress–elegant, comfortable, and goosebumps-worthy! There was a Sprinkles cupcake store right next to the bridal salon, so naturally, we made our way over to snack on a cupcake while I made the decision. It was a wonderful experience!

We focused on Ephesians 5:22-33 during our engagement and premarital counseling, so our pastor emphasized this scripture during our ceremony. This scripture is a great reminder of the husband and wife’s roles, and how together, man and wife seek to fulfill God’s purpose through submission and relying on faith. Chris’ grandfather, Pop Pop, also told the story of Abraham and Sarah during our ceremony, which was incredibly meaningful.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We didn’t end up doing a first look. Chris and I both loved the idea of our first moment locking eyes on our wedding day being while I was walking down the aisle, and I’m so thankful we stuck to that decision. It is a moment I’ll never forget!! We did have a first touch, where we exchanged letters and gifts, and boy, was that fun!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Walking down the aisle, hands down. I didn’t think I’d be nearly as emotional as I was during that moment, but I lost it (in a good way!). There is truly nothing else in the world like that moment, and I’ll remember it vividly for the rest of my days!

How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? This was something I prayed for consistently during the planning process–to not be so focused on the wedding planning that I didn’t prepare for what was to come after that day, the most important part! I tried my best to enjoy the fun planning moments, but to not dwell on too many specifics. Chris and I had an incredible premarital counselor, and he taught us a lot about specific aspects of marriage that might be awkward to randomly bring up. We feel like we were given so much incredible advice, and now, we are enjoying the ups, downs, hard, and fun moments of marriage! It’s so incredible going through every journey in life with your best friend.

My aunt is a florist, and boy, did she pull out all the stops! We have very similar taste, so I knew she would make everything look just like I envisioned. I wanted big blooms and greenery to be the general theme, so we used peonies, garden roses, eucalyptus and succulents. All of the bouquets and arrangements turned out more perfectly than I could have ever imagined!

Describe your wedding cake or dessert. The bride’s cake was a very classic white wedding cake with fun, different fillings in every layer, including lemon, raspberry, cream cheese, and strawberry. The groom’s cake was classic chocolate cake with strawberries, but we added a fun twist and put antlers all over the top of it! Chris is a big fan of hunting, so it was the perfect touch at our ranch wedding.

We’re both from Southern states (Texas and Oklahoma) and loved the idea of getting married on a ranch. I looked into some different places, and Classic Oaks Ranch was the obvious winner. The owners of the ranch, Joe and Cathy, were absolutely incredible! They were both so relaxed and such a joy to work with when planning the best day of your life!

From the cowboy boots and cotton boutonnieres to the pearl necklaces and lace dresses, our whole night had both subtle and obvious Southern details! We got married under the Texas sky at a ranch and enjoyed some Southern rainfall as we left for the night, surrounded by our favorite people celebrating with sparklers! We also had bacon-wrapped quail as one of our appetizers, and I’m not sure if you can get more Southern than that! :)

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Chris and I both went to Baylor University, and anyone who went to Baylor knows of a huge tradition we have every February called All University Sing. His fraternity and my sorority performed together during our senior year, and although we didn’t meet during that time, we had a lot of mutual friends and vaguely knew of each other. We eventually ended up at the same place at the same time, and he asked me to a fraternity take-a-date, which was to a minor league baseball game. We ate hot dogs and Dippin’ Dots, watched some baseball, and got to know each other, and the rest is history! He was so kind and pursued me so sweetly from the very beginning. I knew he was the one!
Tell us all about the proposal! Chris casually mentioned he wanted to have a date night, but that he had a special surprise. We live in Oklahoma City, and there’s a riverwalk area downtown where you can ride a riverboat. Every time we go to this area, I ask him if we can ride a boat because it looks like so much fun, but Chris always rolls his eyes because it’s a thing only tourists do. But that night, the big surprise (or so he told me) was that he had rented a boat for just the two of us! I arrived at his apartment (not suspecting anything) in casual clothes with my hair in a braid. He sweetly asked, “Babe, will you wear your hair down for me tonight?” He knew I would want my hair down for the proposal and pictures! I was reluctant at first, but didn’t think anything of it because he loves my hair down, so I unbraided it. We got to downtown, hopped on the boat, and then Chris got pretty quiet–when he asked me to take off my sunglasses, I knew! He asked me to marry him and I said yes. As we continued our ride, we looked around the curve to see our closest friends and family all along the river bridge!
When did y’all get married? June 26, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 325
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! I did! My something borrowed was my maid of honor’s ring and lipstick! The red lipstick was a last minute decision, and I’m so glad I trusted my best girls on that one! My something blue was a cute sticker I put on the bottom of my shoes with “Mrs. Tkach” on one shoe and our wedding date on the other. My something old was my grandmother’s pearl wedding ring she gave me on my 16th birthday, the sweetest gift. My something new was a beautiful pearl necklace from my soon-to-be husband!
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? Wedding invitations! It really boggled my mind that it’s possible to spend thousands of dollars on paper that people usually end up tossing, so I went with pretty simple invitations. I addressed all the envelopes using Mail Merge on my computer and printed them on my printer! Lots of labor, huge money saver!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Enjoy it! It’s so easy to hope for engagement while dating, and then hope for the wedding day once you’re engaged, but embrace every moment while you’re experiencing it because it will fly by. While it’s so tempting to think of the future, let every day and every moment with the love of your life fully hit you. Oh, and have lots and lots of cake.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are currently learning how to live life with me working full-time as a NICU nurse and Chris finishing medical school. Our next crazy journey will be finding out where he matches for residency. We’re just loving and learning and pursuing the Lord together, and there’s nothing better!

Photographer: Anne Brookshire / Videographer: Jake Brown / Planner: Sunny Looper / Venue: Classic Oaks Ranch / Florist: Annie’s Garden / Cake Baker: Cakes by Charlesa / Caterer: The Reata Restaurant / DJ: Ed Petty / Paper Products: Wedding Paper Divas / Bride’s Gown: “Onyx” by Catherine Deane / Bridal Salon: BHLDN / Earrings and Necklace: Mikimoto / Hair and Makeup: Kiss and Makeup DFW / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Celia” by BHLDN / Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse / Harpist: Jenny Glass

marissa Written with love by Marissa
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Anyone who has experienced a long distance relationship can attest to how tough it can be, but if there’s one plus side, it’s that the time when you and your love are together becomes all the more special! Kristan and Jason are college sweethearts whose post-grad jobs brought them apart for a year before they were reunited in Houston and engaged shortly thereafter. For their Texas wedding, they drew inspiration from their seven years of dating by writing their vows together, serving their favorite bundt cake flavors, and even naming their reception tables after places that were sentimental to them. Their planner, Lauren at Something to Celebrate, and florist, Maxit Flower Design, took these sweet details from Kristan and Jason’s love story and helped them tie it all together–topped off with the prettiest coral charm peonies!

Thank you kindly to Sarah McKenzie for sharing this special day with us!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? While we love the tradition of the bride and groom seeing each other for the first time when the bride walks down the aisle, we decided to do a first look based on the recommendations of married friends. All of our friends who had done one talked about how nice it was to have that special moment together without everyone watching, and how, from a logistical perspective, it just made the day run smoother. Having now done a first look at our wedding, we could not agree more! It really was perfect and allowed us to have a very special, intimate moment together, and to take plenty of pictures of just the two of us, without missing out on the reception!

Our flowers were, without a doubt, one of our favorite aspects of our wedding! We are so thankful that we had the chance to work with Maria Maxit–her work was absolutely breathtaking and we feel like the beautiful arrangements and decor that she crafted truly helped to make our wedding everything that it was. Maria captured our vision perfectly, finding ways to integrate vibrant color and gorgeous flowers (so many peonies!) throughout every element of our special day.

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? From the incredibly meaningful and touching words of our officiants, to the exchanging of personal vows, to the sun setting in the background as we took communion together as our first act as husband and wife, we will forever treasure every second of our wedding ceremony.
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did write our own vows, and we are so glad that we did! We co-wrote five promises that we each wanted to say to one another, and then we each added another promise and additional words about what the other person means to us. One of our favorite lines from the five promises that we co-wrote stated, “I promise to love you selflessly, as you have loved me, and as Christ has loved us.”

We knew we had found our venue the moment that we arrived to visit Balmorhea last fall. It is breathtaking and unique and felt every bit “us.” We were so drawn in by the amazing owners (who built the venue themselves!) and the incredible staff (we worked with Alison McIntyre, who was phenomenal!). We could not have dreamt of a more perfect place to celebrate our special day. It captured the essence of Southern charm by beautifully combining rustic design with classic elegance, and creating a welcoming, down-to-earth atmosphere that truly felt like home to us and our guests.

Did you pull any wedding inspiration from memories you have together? Tell us about it! We decided that instead of doing table numbers for our reception, we wanted to name the tables after cities that were significant to us. Katy & Co. helped us craft a seating chart, as well as a corresponding display board which explained why each city meant something to us. Each of the 17 cities were places that had become very special throughout our seven years of dating–from Waco, where we first met at Baylor, to Houston, the city we now call home. We made sure each table had a picture of us in the city represented by that table.

We have always loved Nothing Bundt Cakes and were thrilled to find out that they could cater our wedding. We decided to give guests the choice of our favorite flavors: lemon and red velvet.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met at Baylor University’s summer camp for incoming freshman. We dated throughout college and the beginning of our professional careers. After seven years of long distance dating and many hours of travel, we are so ecstatic to finally be able to call each other husband and wife, and to have the opportunity to do life together each and every day in the same city!
Tell us all about the proposal! After a year of long distance, I was so excited to be reunited with Jason in July 2014 when I moved back to Houston. We knew that we were ready to get engaged at some point soon, and while part of me wanted to be surprised, the other part of me wanted to know EVERYTHING about the proposal! After much persistence on my part, Jason gave me four weekends to block off. The first weekend rolled around and Jason sweetly arranged for me to meet up with my dear friends from college to do brunch and get our nails done. It was a fantastic day, but I had convinced myself that he wasn’t going to propose until the last of the four weekends he had told me to block off. The next weekend, Jason told me that I needed to be ready at 3:30 in the afternoon, and when 3:30 rolled around, my cousin Brianne showed up at my house and said that she was going to be my coffee date. When we arrived at Starbucks, my brother and his girlfriend Ashley, who had come home from Baylor in Waco and were inside! They handed me a handmade mug and a note from Jason that told me what the next few hours had in store–Brianne would be taking me across Houston to various locations that were representative of things about our relationship. At each stop, there would be a clue and a puzzle piece that I would collect. While I could read the clue, I was not allowed to open the puzzle pieces. After stops at the Houston airport, IHOP (a place where Jason and I had many a breakfast), a movie theatre (one of mine and Jason’s favorite things to do is see movies), and my favorite store (Nordstrom in the Galleria, where Jason had chosen a dress for me), we drove over to the beautiful fountain wall at the Galleria. Brianne dropped me, and when I saw Jason in the middle of the field, I ran towards him! I had accidentally left the puzzle pieces in Brianne’s car, so without hesitation, he bolted off after Brianne, who was driving away, and caught her just in time. He proceeded to tell me about the significance of each piece as he unwrapped it and placed it on a board. The pieces spelled out “will you marry me” on top of a collage of pictures from us from the past seven years–he said so many amazing, wonderful things, and then got on one knee and proposed with the most beautiful ring I had ever seen in my life!
When did y’all get married? June 6, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 170
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My grandmother passed away when I was younger, and not having her to celebrate with us on our special day was so tough. However, I have no doubt at all that she was there in spirit, and to honor her, we integrated her brooch into my bouquet as my something old.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We were so blessed to be surrounded by friends and family throughout the wedding planning process who consistently helped us focus on what matters most. Rather than getting caught up in the details of the wedding day, they reminded us of the importance of investing in and preparing for the marriage that followed. In addition to the great advice we received from friends, family, and our officiant, we attended premarital counseling at our church in downtown Houston.
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? One of our best decisions was to hire a day-of coordinator. Our coordinator, Lauren, was fantastic–she kept us on track in the weeks leading up to the wedding, provided fantastic vendor recommendations, and perfectly executed all of the details we had planned on the day-of. We highly recommend that everyone get a day-of coordinator to make sure that you have the chance to truly let the logistics go and focus on enjoying all of your hard work on the day of the wedding.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are currently having so much fun getting settled into our first home together just outside of downtown Houston. We are so excited for all of the adventures in store for us in the coming years–from getting the chance to enjoy all of the small, simple joys of life while at home in Houston, to hopefully having the chance to travel the country and the world with friends and family. We could not be more thankful for all that lies ahead.

Photographer: Sarah McKenzie Photography / Videographer: Brad and Monica Eggerton / Planner: Something to Celebrate / Venue: Balmorhea Events / Florist: Maxit Flower Design / Dessert Baker: Nothing Bundt Cakes / Caterer: Cafe Natalie / Linens: House of Hough / DJ and Lighting: Johnny Black Productions / Favors: Laura Baartmans / Paper Products: Katy & Co / Bridal Salon: Mia Bridal Couture / Hair and Makeup: April Thompson / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: “Style F15810” in Black by David’s Bridal / Menswear: The Black Tux / Calligraphy: Cypress Calligraphy / Ties: Knotty Tie Co.

Sarah McKenzie is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
3 Comments
  1. avatar Maureen Goldman reply

    So beautiful! I love the pops of coral against the black bridesmaid dresses!

  2. avatar Dana reply

    that is some proposal story! wow!

  3. avatar Cafe Natalie reply

    It was an absolutely beautiful wedding. So happy for Kristan and Jason! Thank you for letting us be a part of your big day.

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Many of us girls dream about our wedding day for years, myself included! I personally always knew I’d wear the pearl bracelet my grandmother wore on her wedding day. Most grooms, on the other hand, may not have prepared for quite so long. :) However, it’s so important to view wedding planning as a preparation for your marriage, so sharing in decision-making is a great way to get your beau involved. Today’s sweet couple is a wonderful example of this in practice. Amy dreamed of a romantic, timeless, and luxurious-feeling wedding day, so she and her groom, Gabe, planned their special day at The Governor Thomas Bennet House. They chose to make decisions together and compromise often so that they both were happy with the details of their wedding, like their heartfelt ceremony and brightly-colored blooms. Amy said “It is through shared decision-making and communication that a strong marriage is built.” I could not agree more!

Big hugs to Kelly Dillon for sharing this Charleston wedding with us!

Gabe and I met in January 2012 at Trio, one of our favorite spots in downtown Charleston. We were there with a group of mutual friends and started talking, and then danced together the rest of the night. We went on our first date the next day and have been together ever since. After dating for eight months, I got an opportunity to teach in South Korea for a year. This was something I had always wanted to do, but I knew it would be hard on our relationship. Gabe was really supportive and wanted me to take advantage of this opportunity. We Skyped almost every day, and both feel that our relationship grew stronger during this time, even though we were half a world apart.

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I tried on so many different dresses from almost every shop in Charleston. I wasn’t sure what kind of dress I wanted at first, but finally decided that I wanted a big princess dress with beading, lace, and some sparkle. I tried on a Justin Alexander dress at The Bridal House of Charleston, and loved the fullness of the skirt, the beautiful underlay of delicate lace, and the beadwork on the bodice. I decided to switch the high neckline to a sweetheart neckline, and added a tulle sash with a sparkly embellishment.

For the flowers, I chose various shades of pink with accents of gold for the vases and candle holders. The flowers were a mix of coral, blush, and bright pink peonies. We also included accents of dusty miller, pink spray roses, and white hydrangea. I loved the lush, summery feel of the flowers.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows, but we had a family friend be our officiant. She has known me since I was a baby, and it was very special that she was the one to marry us.
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? My grandmother gave a heartfelt blessing at the start of the ceremony. She is a very special person in my life, and it meant a lot to have her be a part of the ceremony.

We fell in love with The Governor Thomas Bennett house because of its old Southern charm and history. It was built in 1825 and has been completely restored and beautifully furnished with period pieces. I was immediately enamored with the free-standing staircase, the only one of its kind in Charleston. We also loved the Southern feel of the large live oak tree that spread over the garden where the ceremony would be held. Once we saw the house, it was an easy choice. I didn’t want to get married anywhere else.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: I wanted the wedding to have a romantic, timeless, and luxurious feel. To get that feel, we hung a chandelier from the live oak near the ceremony site and three chandeliers in the reception tent. This added so much to the old Southern charm of our venue.

Tell us all about the proposal! We got engaged at the end of January 2014. Gabe is a pilot in the Air Force, and he had just gotten back from a two-month deployment. It was so exciting to be back together after what felt like forever. The day we got engaged was unseasonably warm for January, so we decided to take a walk on the beach at Sullivan’s Island. We walked all the way down to the point where you can see Fort Sumter. He stopped, turned to me, and said, “A lot of amazing history has happened in this spot, and I’m excited to make more amazing history with you. I love you so much. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.” He then got down on one knee and asked, “Will you marry me?” It was a very sweet moment. I was so happy a bystander got a picture of the moment we got engaged.
When did y’all get married? June 6, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 100
Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We decided not to do a first look. Gabe and I didn’t want to lose the excitement of seeing each other for the first time at the altar, and we love the tradition of waiting. We were very happy with our decision.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. We chose to use traditional songs for the ceremony: the bridal party walked down the aisle to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” and I entered to “Here Comes the Bride.” For the first dance, Gabe and I danced to “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran, which has been our song since it came out. My dad and I danced to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. This was special for us because Gabe and I are moving to Hawaii at the end of August, since he is being transferred to an Air Force base in Honolulu.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! My dad lent me a blue diamond ring that is a family heirloom, and I wore my sister’s veil. My dress and shoes were new.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We made many decisions together and compromised to make sure we were both happy with each aspect of the wedding. It is through this shared decision-making and communication that a strong marriage is built.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? We shared some rental items with the wedding that was held the night before.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Gabe said his most memorable moment was seeing me walk down the aisle. I would have to say my most memorable moment was our first dance, and walking down the aisle and seeing Gabe with tears in his eyes. It was also so much fun getting ready with my beautiful bridesmaids in the gorgeous house.
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? We are moving to Hawaii and are hoping to have many adventures there!

Photographer: Kelly Dillon / Videographer: George Street Photo / Planner: Cory Winn Lambert / Venue: The Governor Thomas Bennett House / Florist: Branch Design Studio / Cake Baker: Artistic Cakes by Linda / Caterer: Hamby Catering / Rentals: EventHaus Rentals / Lighting: Thomas Smith / DJ: Epic Charleston / Bride’s Gown: Justin Alexander / Menswear and Bride’s Jewelry: Ralph Lauren / Hair and Makeup: Lashes and Lace / Bride’s Shoes: Betsy Johnson / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Mori Lee

marissa Written with love by Marissa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Charleston Wedding Videographer reply

    Absolutely gorgeous! The Thomas Bennett House is an amazing venue!

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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