Amor Verde

There is a Native American Proverb that says, “We did not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” Such is the philosophy of our featured wedding couple, who held their intimate wedding ceremony and reception at their own completely green home in Dallas this past spring.
 
Many of the materials making up the beautiful home of Donna Wilhelm and John Gunn are renewable resources, having been repurposed, reclaimed or recycled. Naturally, this couple, who is passionate about protecting the environment and the earth’s natural resources, took the same approach for their wedding – starting with the 100% cotton invitations from Crane’s.

Donna and John were wed by Reverend Marty Younkin in their spacious living room with approximately 100 friends and family members looking on.

  
At the end of the wedding ceremony, the guests were invited to take a small stone from baskets near the pond in front of the home. They were asked to make a wish for the newlyweds and throw the stone into the pond, leaving a memory for the couple. This “blessing stone tradition” led by Reverend Younkin was so touching, and the couple enjoyed secretly witnessing it by peering from the house through a nearby window, unseen by their guests. Donna and John took great pleasure throughout the evening asking their friends and family what wish or advice had been cast into the pond for them.

It was time for the reception, starting with cocktails…next door. All the guests strolled on a pathway of greenery to enjoy the cocktail hour at the new, equally amazing eco-friendly home of the bride’s daughter (who also served as Matron of Honor) and son-in-law. The guests noshed on hearty passed hors d’oeuvres of beef Carpaccio, salmon tartlets and onion squares before heading back to the bride and groom’s home to continue the celebration.

As guests returned, they were treated to the couple’s first dance and cake-cutting ceremony before the buffet opened and the casual, lively celebration continued. This was an encore wedding for both Donna and John, and they wanted to add special touches unique to their life together, including bringing in their love of travel. Guests were treated to food and music from all over the globe.

Chefs Jonathan Calabrese and Brad Dickens from the trendy – and very eco-conscious – Savory Catering Company prepared Mediterranean chicken with olives and wild mushrooms served on creamy Parmesan polenta onsite while guests toured the beautiful and interesting house, taking in the green elements and fascinating art and sculpture.

The couple had a miniature tiered wedding cake for their cake-cutting ceremony but the guests enjoyed a delightful assortment of cupcakes and tarts for dessert.  All of the food was served on earth-friendly bamboo plates and all the utensils were also made of bamboo, one of our most plentiful, renewable and biodegradable resources.

Music performed by the percussion-driven “Duriye and Friends” drifted throughout the house the entire evening as guests of all ages danced on the patio to the jazz, funk, Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms, again in tribute to the couple’s international travels and love of various cultures.

The décor was all about nature. The muted pastel color palate was a wonderful way to bring the outdoors in, from green and ivory linens to the natural wood containers filled with lush white, green, peach and yellow flowers fresh from the garden…Junior Villanueva’s garden, that is. Junior of The Garden Gate did a fabulous job of keeping all the décor earthy and in balance with the couple’s lovely eco-friendly home, with his usual stunning style.




As the evening wound down, guests were sent home with hugs and small pots of fresh herbs, which the happy couple hoped they might plant in gardens at their own homes, bringing a little more green into all of their lives.

Vendors

Bamboo dinnerware: Smart Living Companies

Catering: Savory Catering

Florist: Junior Villanueva, The Garden Gate

Linens/chairs: BBJ Linens and Ducky Bob’s Event Specialists

Minister: Reverend Marty Younkin, Love Notes

Music: Duriye and Friends

Photography: Graham Hobart

Wedding cake/ Cupcakes: The Cupcakery

Wedding Planners: Marsha and Staci, StarDust Celebrations

A Family Affair

Years ago, when Jenny and Marsha started StarDust Celebrations, they made a pact that if – and at the time, that was a big IF – their sons ever got married, they would plan each other’s son’s wedding celebrations. Fast forward to early this past spring when on a brisk day, Marsha and Bob received a phone call from their son Jonathan, asking them to join him and his girlfriend Angela at the Arboretum. He invited them under the guise that he was going to propose to Angela, so imagine the Frenches’ shock when they arrived to find they were just two of a handful of family-only guests to attend Jonathan and Angela’s surprise wedding!

While the couple wanted a tiny, simple ceremony, they were open to a larger, more elaborate reception celebrating their marriage. So Jenny, and her right-hand assistant, Staci Freeman, set to work helping Angela plan the event she envisioned: a sweet yet elegant, family-centered dinner party. The celebration was to be a compilation of their children, their community, nature and their friends and family.

The couple has a restaurant (State and Allen Lounge) so amazing food would also be an important element. The delectable station-style dinner was provided by Savory, the restaurant’s catering arm. One other element would cement the whole theme together – green. Green is a way of life for Angela and Jonathan, and their restaurant has earned numerous accolades for the company’s efforts to create a positive impact on the environment. So, not only were some of the wedding elements environmentally green, but green also served as the main color for the reception’s theme.

As you can see in these fabulous photos by the talented Gary Donihoo and Kym Skiles of f8studio, the results were just beautiful.

The reception was held at the historic Filter Building on White Rock Lake, in the community where the couple lives and plays. The cool, funky Filter Building is just across the lake from the Arboretum, where Angela and Jonathan “eloped”. The location overlooking the lake and the vintage industrial vibe lent an urban elegance to the celebration that was just the right style for this hip, casual couple.

The space was transformed by a juxtaposition of banquet and round tables with Chivari chairs brought in by M&M Special Event Rentals. Junior Villanueva of The Garden Gate dressed the tables with lilac and apple green lamour linens. The green theme was punctuated by bushels of Granny Smith apples, bouquets of green hydrangeas and punches of bright pink and purple scattered throughout. Tommy Evans, DJ and owner of Specialty Sound, arranged the lovely lighting that finished the space design with warmth and softness; Tommy also kept guests of all ages on the dance floor by playing casual, lively music throughout the evening.

The couple wanted something more fun than just the traditional guestbook so they brought in a photo booth for guests to have pictures made to put into Angela and Jonathan’s bright green photo album along with some thoughtful words.

Because children are very important to Angela and Jonathan, the tables were named after children in their families, including the three they have between them. Also in a nod to the kids (and the young at heart) in attendance and their free-spirited style, the couple chose whimsical cupcakes in a multitude of colors and flavors as their wedding dessert. As the evening grew dark, a more grown-up touch appeared on the outdoor terrace when a professional cigar roller started hand-rolling cigars in the traditional Cuban fashion for guests to enjoy.

On their way out, guests were presented with delicious favors of caramel green apples Angela and her friends had made. And in keeping with the eco-friendly theme, the couple was sent off with streamers attached to wands, leaving no litter left behind after their departure. 

This was truly a family affair all around, as Angela and Jonathan were surrounded by their loved ones in a celebration that was uniquely them – full of love and laughter, good food and dancing…and a touch of green!

Vendors

Catering: Savory Catering

Cigar Roller: The Cigar Roller, Sabino

Entertainment/DJ and Lighting: Specialty Sound, Tommy Evans

Floral/Décor: The Garden Gate, Junior Villanueva
Linens: BBJ Linens
Make-up: Elan Make-up Studio, Anita Haar
Photo Booth: boothBOOTH
Photography: f8studio, Gary Donihoo and Kym Skiles
Rentals: M&M Special Event Rentals
Stationery: letterpress invitations from Crane
Transportation: Superior One Limo
Valet: DFW Access
Venue: The Filter Building on White Rock Lake
“Wedding Cake”: The Cupcakery