Kathryn Calhoun and Brandon Cornelius’ Romantic Garden Wedding by Silver Lining Events + Co

Kathryn Calhoun and Brandon Cornelius’ Romantic Garden Wedding by Silver Lining Events + Co

The sun peeked through the canopy of emerald trees illuminating a long aisle lined with creamy clusters of flowers. It was enchanting with rows of white wooden chairs nestled between a forest of trees, and the spirit of love swirling around this quaint oasis. The sweet sounds of a tune familiar to the bride and groom started to play, and they knew their lives were about to change forever. The bride remembers thinking, “I’m about to marry the best guy I’ve ever met. Someone that loves me so much for who I am. My soulmate, my love.”

Kathryn and Brandon have two loves in their lives: each other and the practice of medicine. They met in the fall of 2013 at the hospital where they both worked. She was a third-year medical student, and he was in his fourth year of residency. They instantly clicked on their first date, which ended up being a four-hour dinner full of conversation. For nearly two years, the couple shared countless memories on trips together. Kathryn loves surprises, so she was thrilled when she found out Brandon was surprising her with another trip in August 2015. She eagerly packed her bag, thinking they were going to New York City. It wasn’t until they started walking to their gate at the airport that she realized Brandon had stealthily grabbed her passport, and they were going to the most romantic city in the world: Paris. “I had a great time planning the whole trip.  It took a lot of international calls and reading reviews online, but by the time the trip had come, I felt confident that things would go great,” Brandon says.

The first day in Paris was full of sightseeing, enjoying wonderful food, and thoroughly enjoying their time together. “I felt so special. I remember during dinner looking at him so many times and just longing for him to ask me to marry him,” Kathryn remembers. She wouldn’t have to wait for long. After dinner, the two got on a boat and took in the Parisian scenery at night. Kathryn was taking video of the Eiffel Tower, and Brandon told her to turn around. He had her perfect ring waiting with the perfect proposal she’d been longing to hear. “I just felt a sense of happiness and peace that I had never in my life felt before. He said the sweetest words to me during the proposal, and I’ll hold on to those forever,” Kathryn says. The rest of the Paris trip was a huge celebration of their engagement.

When the couple returned home, Kathryn scooped up a handful of bridal magazines and got to work. They started looking at venues and nailed down the date for April 2017. After exploring several options, they booked Marie Gabrielle in uptown Dallas because they just loved the serene setting with all of its trees and romance. Brandon and Kathryn are both artsy and love to engage their creative sides, so they took on several projects for the wedding from painting to woodwork. After a twenty-month engagement, they were truly ready for their big day.

The morning of the wedding, Kathryn’s bridesmaids woke her up with surprise gifts from Brandon. “We had strictly agreed on no presents, so this once again, was a complete shock,” Kathryn said. A nod to their remarkable Paris engagement trip, the first two gifts were Louis Vuitton luggage and a Louis Vuitton luggage tag with her new initials. The third present was a necklace Brandon designed. “Every day we were together, he always had worn a necklace that said ‘make the most of the best of who you are,’” Kathryn says. He made her necklace to match his new one that read, “make the most of the best of who we are.” “I cried a lot! [It’s] hard to verbalize how special this was to me,” Kathryn says. Kathryn and Brandon each spent time with their attendants getting ready for the ceremony. Kathryn and her bridesmaids caravanned to the ceremony, while Brandon and his groomsmen took Uber and even made a beer run on the way!

When they all got to Marie Gabrielle, it was just as they had imagined. In a little hideaway of trees, Kathryn and Brandon met with their backs turned to each other because they wanted to keep the big surprise. After having exchanged hundreds of cards throughout their relationship, it was time for another one with extra special meaning. They both smiled reading each other’s words and prayed together before the ceremony began.

At half past six on April 22, 2017, about 120 friends and family gathered to witness the marriage of Kathryn Calhoun and Brandon Cornelius. The ambiance was so peaceful as bridesmaids made their way down the aisle in neutral blush floor-length gowns. Brandon and his groomsmen wore classic black and white tuxes with bowties. A particularly sweet moment unfolded when Kathryn’s grandmother walked down the aisle serving as the “flower girl” with her floral crown and a beaming smile across her face. Then the melody of “Heaven’s Knife” by Josh Garrels started to play, the song Brandon had chosen for Kathryn to walk down the aisle to. They had listened to the song numerous times before together. “Every time we listened to it, we cried… I just thought back to those nights where we couldn’t wait to become husband and wife, and then I kept telling myself, ‘we’re here,’” Kathryn says.

Escorted down the aisle by her father, the bride wore a timeless and regal avant-garde gown with handcrafted flower lace appliques covering the entire gown, complete with demur cap sleeves, an illusion neckline, sheer bodice, and deep back that transcended into a flowing six-foot long detachable over skirt by designer Berta. She wore her long brunette hair in soft wavy curls and finished her look with a pearl bracelet her grandmother had just given her that morning. The ceremony was very sentimental and meaningful from the Celtic handfasting to the vows the bride and groom had written for each other in books labeled “soul” and “mate.” “It was truly special getting to tell [Kathryn] how I loved her in different ways than had been said over the course of our relationship,” Brandon says. The ceremony concluded when Brandon kissed his bride, and the Drs. Cornelius led the way to the reception.

Guests sipped on old fashioned cocktails and prosecco, chatting under the string lights sewn from tree branch to tree branch. The dessert table was filled with decadent tiers of wedding cake and even a doughnut cake to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. The couple shared their first dance as husband and wife to “My My Love” by Joshua Radin. Then Kathryn took off her skirt overlay for a night of dancing. Her planned dance with her father never transpired because he jumped in to sing “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder, just as he had always played for her when she was growing up. For hours, loved ones enjoyed themselves dancing until Kathryn and Brandon took the floor for their final dance. To the lyrics of “By My Side,” they locked eyes under the glow of all the lights and everything else melted away; soulmates beginning their new life together.

FEATURED VENDORS

Bridal Gown | Bridal Boutique

Entertainment | The Royal Dukes Band

Florist | R. Love Floral

Transportation | Blue Diamond Limousine

Wedding Planner | Silver Lining Events + Co

Dallas Affaires Cake Co • Nothing Bundt Cakes • Corner Donuts • Krispy Kreme • Marie Gabrielle • The Electric Violin Lady • Drybar • Art by Ellie • The Makeup Story • A Sea of Love • XO Creative • Steel City Pops • Dallas Event and Party Rentals