Our wedding day was truly a dream and vision come true! It was everything that I imagined it would be, and yes, I’m THAT bride who would love to do her day over and over and over again! The Big Day started early, 9:00 am, with all of the ladies arriving at the venue for hair and makeup. 8 bridesmaids, 2 mothers, a sister-in-law, and 1 very excited bride makes for a full day of work for a Glam Squad! We set up shop in the courtyard buildings with beautiful views of the Kingwood Rose Garden and Greenhouse. It was the perfect location for a morning of hopefulness, happiness, and optimism!
Once my hair and makeup were finished, my Mom and I headed to the greenhouse to get into my dress and have some mother-daughter moments together. These are some of my favorite pictures from the day, as it was a very special time to share with my Mom. I was also able to spend some time here, reading a note from my husband-to-be, and truly soaking at the moment. The greenhouse at Kingwood is like a lush, tropical forest mixed with whimsical desert plants and cacti. This made for some very unique photos, which we loved! After stepping into my gown, it was time to do a small reveal with my bridesmaids, and then off for the First Look with my groom.
Our First Look was classic – Michael eagerly awaiting near a bubbling fountain, and me, approaching from a long walk up a brick path. This moment is exactly what you’d expect….anticipation, hope, excitement, and love! As soon as he turned and we saw each other looking our best, I lost it. Tears of happiness, of course! It was an amazing feeling to know we were approaching the big moment for which we’d be waiting. We wrapped up our First Look and headed to the mansion for our bridal party pictures, where we were able to let loose with all of our closest friends. This was a very upbeat break in our day and gave us a chance to continue smiling, laugh even more, and just enjoy the day with all of our favorite people.
Before we knew it, it was time to take our places for the start of the ceremony! The Allee’ was our ceremony location and was the perfect setting for the start of our evening. This location provided a fairytale entrance with a very long aisle (think: length of a football field!), and is flanked by tall trees, colorful flowers, and lush greenery. As each bridesmaid started her walk up the aisle, I became emotional because it just hit me that “this is happening!”, and like many brides, it really was a day I had dreamt of, thought about, and designed in my head for a long, long time. I knew at that moment that I was a very lucky girl to be there that day with all of the people who love and support us. My walk up the aisle was emotional, happy, and joyous! I cried the entire walk, but make no mistake, they were just tears of happiness and disbelief that my day was here, and I was walking towards the most perfect man for me! I walked the first half of the aisle alone, and upon approaching the guest chairs, was joined by my Mom and brother, who have always been by my side over the years. They escorted me to the altar, and then I was with my groom. Michael had plenty of his own tears to manage, so we smiled, laughed, and took our places at the altar. After a beautiful handwritten poem from my Godmother, and a heartfelt reading from Michael’s sister, our pastor proclaimed us Husband and Wife, and we were official! As we recessed down the aisle, there were bubbles in the air, music in the background, and lots of laughs and love overheard from our guests.
The reception was everything! The sun had gone down, the guests took their seats, and our bridal party made an entrance to kickoff the evening….and then it was our turn! The new Mr. and Mrs. Michael Vogt appeared from the french doors and hit the South Lawn with our expected enthusiasm and joy. As we made our way to the open-air tent, we invited all of our guests to the dance floor to get the party started with us. This was a highlight of the night and really got things started on the right foot. From here, we moved into our First Dance, surrounded by all those who had joined us on the dance floor. Michael sang the entire song to me, as we danced into the first hours of our marriage – I cried, of course! (You’re sensing a pattern yes?!) . The next part may be one of the best aspects of our reception, in our eyes… Michael doesn’t care for cake, so we had decided that rather than having a wedding cake and all the traditions that come with that, we would have a champagne tower, and get the champagne flowing early in the evening! Our DJ played some old-school music that got everyone singing and moving, and we then poured bottle on bottle on bottle of champagne over the couple glasses that had been so neatly stacked for us. It was perfect!!!!! From here, everyone took their seats, enjoyed dinner, and 5 wonderful speeches from our parents, siblings, and honored bridal party members. There were laughs and tears and many beautiful words spoken. The rest of the evening consisted of dancing, laughing, smiling, and enjoying the atmosphere. Of course, the time went quickly, and the clock eventually struck midnight, signaling the end of our special evening, but the start of our happily ever after. BEST. DAY EVER.
-Meaghan V.
