Real Wedding | Ashley + Aaron | November 10, 2023

Ashley and Aaron tied the knot in a breathtaking Fall ceremony at The Laurel. Join us in reliving the beauty and romance of their special day, complete with all the stunning details!

We met online during the pandemic – in the fall of 2020. It was an awkward time to try and date, but we hit it off pretty fast. A little more than two years later, Aaron proposed under the Delicate Arch at Arches National Park. It’s Ashley’s favorite national park, and it was symbolic of our love for the outdoors.

We wanted a venue that was rustic but also convenient for our out-of-town guests, so The Laurel was perfectly situated near the airport and hotels but also centrally located for our friends and family spread out across the metroplex.

We loved our arch in the ceremony and the aisle decor from Haute Floral. They did a great job making it look rustic and elegant. We also thought the trees through the window behind us looked beautiful.

What were your favorite location(s) to take photos at The Laurel?

We loved the backyard space by the trees, as well as the spot near some greenery along the sidewalk on the south side.

What did your guests have to say about the event? Any favorite anecdotes?

They said it was stunning, gorgeous, and fun. They loved the patio and the venue. They also liked some of our touches – like the book decor.

We were going for a rustic aesthetic, and since reading is important to both of us, we wanted to work in some books for the decor. So we used our own books, borrowed some from friends and family, and collected books from estate sales over several months to incorporate them into our centerpieces. We also used customized wooden bookmarks for our wedding favors and library check-out cards for our table numbers. We also ordered a customized three-book set from Etsy with each book titled for the date of our first day, our “yes day,” and our best day.

Our favorite moments included reading our vows, having Ashley’s Dad officiate and Aaron’s Dad read from his grandfather’s Bible, and dancing on the dance floor. Seeing the kids dance was also super fun. And we loved seeing our guests enjoy the patio and outdoor space. The heaters and fireplace really added to the ambience.

We chose the roasted chicken and rice plate. We remember liking the champagne, and we felt so grateful that the staff brought us some apps while everyone else was enjoying cocktail hour. We really needed those snacks then.

Are there any vendors you felt were instrumental in making your day special?

Matt Zafra with Mattventure was our videographer, and he was absolutely incredible and did an incredible job. Haute Floral was also really easy to work with, as was C. Marie’s. All of our vendors were great. Our photographers -- Two Pair -- were fantastic. Our DJ did a good job with the lighting and getting people out on the dance floor right at the beginning. We were just really thankful for Carly and her assistants that day. The Laurel truly made the whole wedding planning process a lot easier than we anticipated, and we feel really happy with our decision to get married there.

Do you have any advice for future couples?

Ashley was silly and didn’t eat much before the wedding that day, and as a result, she felt a little off that night and couldn’t think clearly. She also wishes they would have eaten dinner during cocktail hour when we were hidden away, so that we could have spent the whole dinner hour doing our table walks.