chest during dinner, Lauren says it was an easy decision to say yes. “I couldn’t have been more caught off guard,” Lauren said. “In our relationship, I knew where we were. I knew getting married was definitely on the near horizon. That night was a complete surprise.” The surprises continued when Lauren’s parents and Charles’ mom joined the newly engaged couple for dinner. After dinner was over, Charles surprised Lauren once again with an engagement party with their closest friends at The Joule Hotel’s underground bar. “The first part was a big enough surprise that I was overwhelmed with joy and excitement and having our family there… but then the second surprise at the Midnight Rambler was just too much to handle,” Lauren said. “There were lots of tears,” Charles added. The couple spent nearly a year putting together their dream wedding. Since Lauren and Charles were both born and raised in Dallas, the location was an easy choice for their April nuptials. They wanted a venue that was unique and unexpected. The Joule Hotel’s rooftop terrace fit the bill in more ways than one. Not only had the couple never attended a wedding at The Joule, but there had never been a reception at the Eyeball Garden – a private outdoor venue located across the street. “A traditional ballroom wedding can be very nice and beautiful but there is something to be said for the uniqueness and romanticism of having an outdoor wedding at night,” Charles said. “It was pretty awesome.” Having an idyllic park setting was easy for Lauren to determine the décor, and she wanted to create an image from her own imagination. “I wanted to create an atmosphere that was not too traditional but still very romantic,” Lauren described. “White was the only color of our wedding and it kind of created this clean and crisp modern look. It was just a nice clean palette against the backdrop of the city. I wanted something timeless that I could look back on for years and still really love the look.” The bride chose all-white décor and florals while the bridesmaids and groomsmen were dressed in black. Since Lauren was keen on keeping things classic but unique, she decided her gown would be the perfect opportunity to have something tailored to her personality. She decided to pull a risky move and tried on a new dress just two months before the wedding. She had fallen in love with designer Mira Zwillinger’s luxury bridal wear, and found her dream dress in a stunning and feminine blush-pink. “It was just so sweet and so romantic and like nothing I could even dream,” Lauren gushed. “It just felt like it was meant for me.” While holding back tears, Lauren says her mother-inlaw’s words on her wedding day confirmed that her risky switch was the right choice. “When I walked out and my mother-in-law saw me she said, ‘That’s how
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