Caterer - Cajun Cravings DFW

If you know anything about us, then you know that we like to eat! So, this was by far the most critical decision of the entire wedding. We wanted to find something that best represented both of us well, have a southern feel, but also had an upscale vibe. Surprisingly, this was hard to find.

As a gag, we originally thought of going with our favorite restaurant and just have them drop food off at our house. But, after seeing the logistics of it being located 45 minutes away and not having servers, that was a failed idea. We kept searching to find places that gave high-quality food, but continued to strike out. One day, we were at the open house at our venue, and I ran into another fellow bride who was getting married there. We talked about several wedding things, and then she decided to share her caterer with me, which was Cajun Cravings DFW. I looked at the menu briskly, and was already in love! On top of that, they are from Louisiana, which was a cool point for Tracy’s side of the family. We decided it would be worth giving them a tasting.

THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GREATER THAN WE COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED! First, Chef Tootie came to our house for the tasting! I couldn’t believe it. Then, she brought so much food! She put an evaluation sheet in front of us so that we could leave on our remarks about each dish. It was so clear that Chef Tootie puts her heart into this ministry of cooking because her character truly shined through the experience. It brought so much warmth. That, plus how INCREDIBLY GOOD the food tasted led us to easily say yes to her business at our wedding! So, get ready for an upscale, feel-good, southern-style cuisine from Cajun Cravings DFW! xo

Photographer: Stephanie Ray Photography

As a photographer (more by hobby/trade), I was most nervous about the process of finding the right photographer for our day. Finding someone who is in our budget, provides high-quality photos, and cares intentionally about effectively capturing our skin tones and quirky moments was a prayer I laid at God’s feet. Blessedly, in came Stephanie.

Stephanie is actually one of my friends from dance class. She always brings such positive energy and a fun attitude. She often talked in class about her photography and I often looked at her incredible photos online. I decided to inquire if she knew of any wedding photographers and she quickly showed me her portfolio from her business, Stephanie Ray Photography.

Stephanie Ray Photography is so professional from the very first step. We quickly booked and she communicated so thoroughly. We decided to purchase the package that included engagement photos, as well as two photographers on our wedding day.

We have already taken our engagement photos and we were immediately blown away by the results. I can’t even imagine how our photos will look on our wedding day! xo

Wedding Dress: Lulu’s Bridal

Lulu’s Bridal (now known as Stardust and Lulu’s Bridal) was an experience to always remember.

I had no original plan to go dress shopping so early, but that is another story for another day. I grabbed a group of my friends and we went to try on several dresses. I don’t want to give too many details at all because I truly want it to be a surprise when my fiancé sees me at the alter, but what I can share is that I picked a dress that is the last of its kind (literally, the company made the very last dress specifically in my size, and it was already discontinued). This made me so excited because I know now that my dress cannot be replicated in the future.

The most special part about Lulu’s Bridal was Kennedy. Kennedy is one the best people to help anyone find the perfect dress for their special day. He really knew the right things to pick out, and knew how to ensure that I would successfully fit the dress. He made me feel confident, beautiful, and prepared for the big day! I absolutely cannot wait for Tracy to see my dress, and I cannot wait to share pictures with you all after the wedding! xo

Venue: Firefly Gardens

I’m so excited that we chose our venue for marriage, but there is such a funny story about it.

Since I was a child, I had my heart set on a beach destination wedding. I grew up on the beach as a kid, so it would make sense to unify with my better half in the same sands. But, after recently going to a destination wedding, as well as experiencing a drastic shift of our country’s economics, we decided that it would be easier on everyone if we stayed local in Texas.

So, since we were staying local, I insisted that it has to be in a breathtaking venue that has NO reminiscence of Texas visible to my eyes (i.e. a star, longhorns, a barn, cowboys). We looked through just a few venues, and thought we found the one in Anna, Texas.

Beforehand, I had several conversations with one of my friends about a venue that was just eight minutes from my house, Firefly Gardens. I forcedly insisted that I would not “settle” for a venue that was in my current city because it was too “cliche”. Nonetheless, she convinced me to just look at the place, and if I don’t like it then I can choose the huge, beautiful castle in Anna. I kindly obliged to show her how wrong she was about the venue.

I’ll never forget the day—it was very cold but bright and sunny. I had a pretty bad virus coming on, so I was literally dragging myself to the venue. My friend came with me, and we walked in together.

From the first moment I was amazed. They have their own Bridal HOUSE to get ready on our special day. Hair room, Makeup room, full bathroom, bar, kitchen, sunroom, and a POOL! I just couldn’t believe it. I refused to look over at my friend because she knew she was right. We then walked over to the actual venue. I looked at the bride and groom suites and they were very nice sized and cozy. Seems like everything was going in a great direction. By now, it was time for the big reveal of the venue space. I’ll let the video share my response.

It was honestly breathtaking. The HUGE windows. The clean, white walls. The spacious room. And, the beautiful outdoor area. Everything pulled together so effortlessly in the space. I saw myself walking down the long, dramatic aisle to the love of my life. This was my venue.

So, we are getting married at Firefly Gardens, and we are excited about it. Shoutout to my friend for being right. We can’t wait to share pictures of our wedding afterwards! xo