St. Cecelia and Dunlavy Wedding | Ashley + Ben • Kati Hewitt Photography

SUMMER WEDDING IN HOUSTON

Ashley and Ben are officially Mr. and Mrs. Heasty! The day started off at Magnolia Hotel where the girls were getting ready in downtown Houston. I had never been to the hotel before, but I’ve always heard its name thrown around as one of the historic hotels in Houston. It turns out the original building is from 1926! (Alex and I love history, so of course we had to research it.) When we got there, all of the girls were relaxing in their matching pajamas, and we felt so welcomed from the beginning! I loved all of the natural light coming in from the windows at the hotel- it was the perfect place to take photos of all of Ashley’s bridal details before the day got started!

When it was time for the ceremony, we relocated to St. Cecilia Catholic Church. The Mother of the Bride and bridesmaids helped Ashley into her dress, and she looked absolutely stunning! The first thing she did was share a First Look with her dad before the ceremony. They were both trying to hold back tears when they saw each other! It was such a sweet moment to witness. Soon after, they were walking arm in arm down the aisle so Ashley could meet her future husband at the altar! Ashley and Ben were all smiles throughout the ceremony, and you could tell how excited they were when they were officially announced as husband and wife!

RECEPTION AT THE DUNLAVY

After the ceremony concluded, everyone headed to the reception at The Dunlavy. The Dunlavy is a gorgeous restaurant and event venue located on Allen Parkway, and it’s a stunning space! There are floor to ceiling windows on every side of the building, and most noticeably, there are chandeliers everywhere! It was the perfect setting for Ashley and Ben’s family and friends to gather for a seated dinner and listen to a round of hilarious toasts!

Alex and I always love when couple’s choose to incorporate toasts during the reception- it’s such a fun time to capture genuine smiles and laughter from the bride, groom, and their guests. We heard speeches from 5 people, and guests were engaged and laughing the entire time! The Father of the Bride even surprised everyone by breaking out in song at the end of his speech! After the toasts and the cake cutting, guests were surprised with a pop-up dessert table and a midnight snack. The midnight snacks were chicken biscuits specially wrapped with a scratch-off lottery ticket! (We didn’t win the lottery, but here’s to hoping one of the guests did- haha!)

It was such a beautiful day from beginning to end, and we are so honored that we had the opportunity to capture it! Mr. and Mrs. Heasty, congratulations again on this new adventure!!

Gotta love Kendra Scott! Aren’t these the cutest matching PJs? LOVE this shot of Ashley! Ashley’s First Look with her dad- so sweet!! Pure joy as they make their way to the altar- with Ben’s family looking on! Sneaking a glance at his beautiful bride! Such a beautiful, moving ceremony! Talk about an incredible seated dinner!Time for toasts!