![\"Savanna](\"https:\/\/cdn.essensedesigns.com\/blog\/uploads\/2018\/08\/F206EDD2-65D5-4166-8355-7D8BE07E7964-1024x708.jpg\")
<\/p>\nYou what they say: weddings are always bigger in Texas! High school sweethearts Savanna and Matt said “I do” in a simply Southern wedding, complete with a stunning church ceremony and reception by the lake. Get ready to swoon!<\/p>\n
My now husband took us back to our hometown\u2019s downtown area where we\u2019ve had many dates since we met in high school. It was during Christmas time so we walked around with hot chocolate and looked at the Christmas lights. Then we came to the gazebo that\u2019s in the center of downtown, to take \u201cpictures.\u201d And as soon as we got set up to take pictures, Matt knelt down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I was so excited I barely remember what he said! I just wanted to say “Yes, yes, yes!” We then proceeded to one of her favorite restaurants and we were treated with dessert cocktails by the amazing staff at Napoli\u2019s in downtown Grapevine Texas.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t sure exactly what I wanted going into my shopping for my wedding dress. I went to one store before I found my wedding dress. I was trying on more modern dresses, and since I was having a Catholic wedding I knew I wanted something kind of classic with a train, but still whimsical and sparkly and a little bit sexy. I hadn\u2019t had that OMG-this-is-the-dress feeling, but when I put on the dress I knew it was incomparable to any of the others and met all the expectations I had in mind for my wedding dress.<\/p>\n
![\"https:\/\/www.essensedesigns.com\/martina-liana\/wedding-dresses\/822\/\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.essensedesigns.com\/blog\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Savanna-Matt-1-1024x880.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Savanna](\"https:\/\/cdn.essensedesigns.com\/blog\/uploads\/2018\/08\/9B24B5E6-F67A-4C82-BBDD-0992170B3B87-613x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
When my fianc\u00e9 and I were thinking and planning our wedding we knew we wanted to have our ceremony in a church. But not just any church, we wanted to have the most beautiful stained glass and architecture we could find in our area. St Patrick’s Cathedral in downtown Fort Worth was the best of the best of anything we could find in DFW. I had always dreamed of an outdoor reception, and I was very inspired by the natural greenery and setting that is provided by an outdoor area. We went with a garden theme, with lots of greenery and flowers everywhere with all kinds of colors. Being outside surrounded by trees and bushes and twinkly lights really brought that whimsical garden feel to our reception.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"Savanna](\"https:\/\/cdn.essensedesigns.com\/blog\/uploads\/2018\/08\/E85B0992-B47C-4AEC-96B5-BFE18A34927D-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
We were able to find our reception location in our hometown area, on a lake, where we spent many nights as young teenagers dating. Also gave us that kind of laid-back feel, being by the water, enjoying a drink and dancing and just having a great summer night. On this lake every Friday night In the summer, they have a firework show, and we watched this hundreds of times while we were younger. So, we thought to include fireworks at our wedding would be the perfect touch for us and our guests to enjoy, and this would be a very special memory for us.<\/p>\n
![\"Savanna](\"https:\/\/cdn.essensedesigns.com\/blog\/uploads\/2018\/08\/EE968972-847F-4F77-9CA7-50BA256E5E46-683x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n