Wedding | Kim & Jonathon

Tell us a little about yourselves!

Jonathon and Kim are an unlikely pair. Kim, a doctor, spent most of her life in Minneapolis and Chicago, while Jonathon, a bodybuilder and gym manager, called Denver and St. Louis home for many years.

Bonded by their shared love of food, music, and community, they overcame years of long distance and cross-country moves. Eight years later, they’ve built a life they love in Dallas, TX, alongside their 15-year-old dog, Bubba.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Our tea ceremony was the day before at the bride’s parents house as is Vietnamese tradition.

We chose our wedding venue for many reasons. I always dreamed of a garden wedding, and we fell in love with the variety our venue offered: a tree-lined alley and beautiful fountain for the ceremony, a garden terrace and koi pond for cocktail hour, and views of the iconic Texas State Fair Ferris wheel surrounded by blooming perennial flowers that will always remind us of our wedding month. The butterfly garden added even more charm and gave guests a unique experience to enjoy.

More than anything, we were drawn to the venue’s character and effortless nostalgia. We wanted a place that felt meaningful beyond just weddings — somewhere we could return to for years to come and one day show our children where we got married.

How many guests did you have?

150.

What was your budget?

90K.

Tell us about your outfits.

Tea Ceremony Dress: This is called an Ao Nhat Binh, a formal dress once worn by royal women during the Nguyen Dynasty. Different from your typical ao dai, this style of dress felt regal and special, a celebration of culture and history. The blue crown was inspired by my grandmother who also wore a blue crown on her wedding day.

Wedding dress: I am a lover of all things old and vintage. My entire closet is hand-me-downs or thrifted. It was only fitting that my wedding dress was, too. Something timeless, patinaed, high quality silk/satin with hand beaded details that is so hard to find these days with new dresses. My seamstress took the original dress and crafted something one-of-a-kind and undeniably me while still preserving the original dress. She even created two dresses in one. The skirt was detachable, turning the inner sheath into my reception dress.

Groom’s suit: Jonathon decided to do a white tux jacket as an ode to his late grandfather who wore the same thing on his wedding day.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

Everything we did and decided on was done with the intention of creating a wedding that was undeniably us. Personal touches everywhere. Focusing on feel rather than just look. Stimulating all 5 senses. We knew early on that what was important was how the day felt. So we focused on texture, sensory layering, lighting, ambiance, unforgettable moments, a heavily curated playlist and most importantly, good food and drink.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

We drew on my love for vintage everything when planning this wedding. From vintage fruit table number holders, to our vintage style cake, we leaned heavily into the timeless elegance and character.

Food was also a huge part of the experience for us. As self-proclaimed foodies with a particular love for Italian cuisine, we chose a multi-course Italian family-style dinner because it felt warm, personal, and exactly how we love to eat, complete with the bride’s sourdough on the table.

The most important element, though, was connection with our guests. Since so many travelled from out of town and the wedding day goes by so quickly, we wanted everyone to feel truly seen and appreciated. We extended cocktail hour to spend more time with everyone, handwrote individual letters to each guest, and made table touches during dinner so we could hug and talk with every person there.

We also included personal details that reflected us as a couple, like signature cocktails inspired by drinks the groom used to make while bartending at an Italian restaurant in Durango years ago. And our three-part choreographed first dance—starting with just us, then my siblings, and finally the entire wedding party—completely set the tone for the night.

We also prioritized elements that would preserve memories long after the wedding day. The photo booth and audio guestbook became some of our favorite details because they allowed us to relive the joy, laughter, and even the voices of loved ones afterward. Listening back to those messages transported us right back to that day—and some still make us cry.

Our music playlists were one of the most important parts of the wedding. As huge music lovers with very diverse tastes, we carefully curated every playlist to reflect different sides of our personalities through a mix of genres. Our favorite was the cocktail hour playlist, which felt more like the soundtrack to your favorite underground bar than a traditional wedding. From Geto Boys and Frank Ocean to Tinlicker, Bun B, Project Pat, Gipsy Kings, and Dua Lipa, the playlist perfectly captured our energy and set the tone for the celebration.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Be authentic to yourselves! Don’t get caught up on the internet trends and seeing these elaborate weddings online. The wedding is a reflection of you as a couple and should be filled with what you love. Do what feels like you and work with the venue you have. Anything that saves you time on your wedding day so you can enjoy it as much as possible is worth it.

Book vendors whose work gets you excited and makes you giddy to work with. My vendors were literally my inspo and they were just as excited to execute my vision as me. In the end, you have to trust your vendors to carry out your vision so choose wisely and with your heart!

Photographer: Maci Neal Photography @macinealphoto | Planning: Maxwell and Gray @maxwelland

gray | Flora: House of Honor @thehouseofhonor_ | Videographer: Habeeb Shoots @habeebshoots | Ceremony & Reception Location: Texas Discovery Gardens @texasdiscoverygardens | HMUA: Kuny + Cali @kunylemakeup | Catering & Beverages: Beyond the Box Catering @beyondthebox_catering | Cake: Cake Flower @cakeflower_dfw | Stationery: Etsy @etsy | Entertainment:Exhale Event Productions

 @exhaleeventproductions | Wedding Dress: Vintage 2001 St. Patrick dress, from I Do Designer Consignment Bridal (Chicago) | Tea Ceremony Dress (Ao Nhat Binh): Custom from Vietnam | Suit: The Black Tux @theblacktux | Veil: Etsy @etsy | Engagement Ring: Ethan Lord Jewelers (Chicago) @ethan

lord_jewelers | Other Jewellery: Olive and Piper