Becoming a first-time homeowner is an incredibly taxing experience. There are a lot of tears, sleepless nights, and frustrations that go into eventually finding the home of your dreams. But at the end of it, you wind up with an amazing result that you’re oh-so grateful for! Speaking of which, that reminds us a lot of…well, weddings! When Chelsee and Matt finally closed on their first-ever home in Fort Worth, Texas, they knew it was destined to be their wedding venue as well.
We knew it was a great blank canvas for our wedding—when we closed in May 2020, Matt said, “We just bought our wedding venue”.
As two entrepreneurs (Chelsee owns a creative studio and Paul owns a custom pool company), the couple was more than prepared to tackle the challenge of planning their wedding. With a little help from day-of-coordinator Mo & Co. Custom Events and photographer Madison Katlin, things went off without a hitch. And the vision? To combine the ambiance of a smoky jazz club, Tulum, and a cozy, elevated barbecue. If that sounds like a lot – you might be right! But we promise, the results are nothing short of amazing.
Home Sweet Home
This invitation suite is one for the books! Not only is it visually stunning, but it conveys information to guests in such a thoughtful and creative way. Plus, remember what you see embroidered on the handkerchiefs! That will come into play later.
Chelsee’s wedding day style was largely influenced by her grandmother. More specifically, the pearl earrings her grandmother gifted her. Every aspect of her look was carefully curated to let the earrings lead the way, and that includes the dress!
Speaking of which, let’s talk about Chelsee’s BHLDN gown! A close friend of Chelsee’s happens to be an influencer – and one that has worked with the brand in the past. Knowing that Chelsee was a creative consultant and was in the midst of planning, she was able to connect her with the brand for the potential opportunity to work together. Low and behold, it was a match! BHLDN decided to gift Chelsee with the exact dress she was envisioning. What a dream come true!
I wanted something classic and loved the relaxed nature of this dress—it had pockets, pleats, a square neckline, and I loved the silhouette and the way it moved. I also knew I wanted my accessories to be the hero.
Matt and Chelsee shared an extra special embrace before walking out to their ceremony. With a wedding this personal, we can only imagine how amazing this moment must have been!
Country Lovin’
Guests were greeted into the event by a pergola decked out in greenery and a trendy neon sign.
Can you spot something special about the music choices?
Processional: River by Leon Bridges
Recessional: Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis
First Dance: Never Too Much by Luther Vandross
If you guessed the tie-in from the invitation suite earlier – you are correct!
Cheers to the bride and groom!
We had one of our dear friends who is a poet + author officiate. His words are like magic.
Chelsee: "I remember getting to the top of the aisle before we started walking down and I said to my dad "this is crazy"— it was such a surreal moment seeing everyone we love in our backyard and seeing Matt at the altar. I remember wanting that moment to go by so slowly as I tried to take it all in."
Matt: "As Chelsee was walking down the aisle, I feel like I had the cheesiest, biggest smile on my face and there wasn't anything I could do to stop it."
Chelsee and Matt were able to take wedding photos in their very own living room. A true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
The Best BBQ
The seating chart was crafted on an antique wooden door and held against a tree. Needless to say – that is adorable!
Why have a regular mobile bar when you can amp it up with wood paneling?! A well-loved wheelbarrow and logs of wood gave this bar the perfect, Texan touch.
The decor was Fort Worth-chic, with a splash of Tulum! The focus on wooden elements continues here into the reception space with cozy-feeling tables and chairs. The exposed wood helped bring the couple’s vision of an elevated barbecue truly come to life.
Local eateries were a major focus of the day! The delicious food was catered by Panther City BBQ, a true favorite of the couple.
We hired Panther City BBQ to cater and they had just that week been voted one of the Top 10 BBQ joints in all of Texas by Texas Monthly, which is such a huge honor. To be able to have our friends and family enjoy one of our favorite places in Fort Worth and rave about it for the weeks and months following was so special.
This is advice most people get, but when it came to our wedding look, feel, and vibe, we truly did what was the best reflection of us. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have everyone we love at our home and we wanted it to feel like a more elevated version of any other Saturday where we'd have people over.
Also, be sure to delegate! We weren't good at this at the beginning of planning, but in the weeks leading up to the wedding, my sister and nephews came over and helped prepare hotel bags, which freed us up to do other things around the house to get ready.
For the day of, take breaks for just the two of you. Hiring Madison as our photographer was one of the best decisions we made. She really helped us with scheduling and sneaking us away, and those are the moments we will truly cherish.
Ok, that pearl bow?! WE ARE IN LOVE!
The cake by Loft22 was surely a showstopper! Hand-pressed florals are an amazing way to elevate a blank canvas.
We’re fairly laid back and not very fussy or precious people and we wanted our wedding to feel that way, too. We managed our expectations and kept each other grounded knowing that there would likely be hiccups (and there were, of course). We really tried to keep our focus on the most important things, like each other and the people who were there and our interactions with them.
photography: Madison Katlin Photography // venue name: Private Residence, Fort Worth, Texas, USA // event design: Bride, Chelsee // planning: Mo & Co Events // florals: Venus + Co Flowers // wedding dress: BHLDN // hairpiece: Jennifer Behr // bride's shoes: Chanel // hair stylist: Hollie Pockett Hair // makeup artist: Melissa Donald // videography: Jordan Jeanty // paper goods: designed by Chelsee + Matt // catering: Panther City BBQ // cake: Loft 22 // tabletop rentals: loot rentals // furniture rentals: loot rentals // linen rentals: loot rentals // specialty rentals: HD Liquid Supply // cocktails: HD Liquid Catering // table numbers: Mel Shute from Shuteing Your Style // brownies: Sweet Licks Brownies
This kind of weddings I want :) So natural and perfect, nice to watch