A Quintessential Southern Affair With Old European Flair

Lauren Megerdichian
June 4, 2021
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic, The Blog, Traditional Elegance

This is the type of venue that will leave you feeling shook after finding out it’s not actually in some distant European countryside locale, but in fact right here in the States. Today’s gorgeous real wedding at Houston Oaks flawlessly combines southern charm with old world European flair. Belle Events planned every detail to perfection while Flower Power Productions created floral magic in a romantic palette of greenery, ivory, and hints of pink. See it all at the full gallery, captured by Mackenzie Reiter.

From Mackenzie Reiter… The fifteenth century French chapel that served as the backdrop of Caroline and Grant’s Houston nuptials bears a striking resemblance to their relationship: crafted with precision and built with love, brick by brick. The idyllic, old world chapel is second to the waters of the picturesque lake surrounding it. Mighty oaks adorned with the South’s signature Spanish Moss make Houston Oaks an all-around stunner–and the perfect locale for Caroline and Grant to say “I do.”

“The venue alone is breathtaking,” said Caroline, the bride. “As a couple, we love to spend our free time outdoors, but come from more traditional families. The French chapel hosted everything we valued in one space. The surrounding greenery, ivory, and hints of pink provided a color palette that completed the venue and provided an effortless and natural look that we desired. The oak trees surrounding the chapel made decorating easy.”

Time-honored European flair and two hundred year old oak trees complemented a contemporary yet enduring aesthetic. The bridal party led the charge with the ladies rocking sleek, fresh silhouettes in neutral tones and the gentlemen opting for dapper suits with grey skinny ties. The bride’s gown was an absolute show-stopper by Rime Arodaky. From Caroline: “Choosing my wedding dress was the easiest part of the whole planning experience. My dress has everything I want in a romantic outfit. Once I tried on the dress at Lovely Bride: Dallas, the poofs on the shoulders and the lace top provided me with a sophisticated look that I could not get married without.” Caroline’s delicate, floral hair pieces created an elegant finishing touch that every bride can appreciate. The ceremony kicked off with a reaction from her groom that every bride dreams about. Tears were shed, promises were made, and the greatest party of the year was all but promised to follow. Besides a stunning ceremony and wedding day fashion to remember, Grant and Caroline made their priorities for the day clear: No one would be bored. “The Grooves Band did an excellent job of keeping our dance floor packed and the energy high by playing some old school sing-a-longs,” said Caroline. “However, this did not cause anyone to miss the ice cream bar, requested by Grant, served will all the toppings available. Many guests brought their ice cream back to the dance floor to keep the dancing going. All of this was surrounded by fire pits and oak trees lit for the evening to create a romantic ambiance.”

When it comes to planning a COVID-19 affair, the bride and groom had this advice to offer: “Don’t get stuck with one vision of what your wedding day can be. Seek out someone to help you plan, or be open to advice and try something that you wouldn’t normally go for. The wedding day can end up being even better than what you originally planned.”

The bottom line? You can make it happen. A stunning fete can be yours–even in a global pandemic. “I think that people who are easy going, open to new ideas, and focused on their love for their future spouse will have the easiest time,” offered the bride. “I think that the best part about planning a wedding was the intimacy of the size of the wedding. Grant and I felt like the people present were individuals that we truly loved and we got to spend time with them at our reception.”

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And one last thing–get a wedding planner! “Being paired with a person who can help you envision your day and take responsibility to ensure that it’s even better than you dreamed it, is worth every single dollar,” said Caroline. “Chelsea, from Belle Events, has blown us away. Grant and I truly did not feel stressed during our planning process.”

At the end of the day, Caroline and Grant would tell a wedding planning couple to trust the process and remember why you’re doing this. It’s about so much more than the wedding–it’s about the marriage.

“The reason that a couple gets married is their love for each other. It is not about the love of details such as decor, hair, makeup or the flowers. Being able to keep that mindset present makes for a very romantic day and brings about a wonderful realization of how true the commitment is to each other.”