Nicole Koeijmans thought she and her boyfriend, Tyler Duncan, were going to enjoy a weekend with their friends at her family’s lake house until she walked through the door. The entryway was lined with rose petals, and the house was decorated with candles and flowers as their song – “Have I Told You Lately” by Van Morrison – played through the speakers. Five years after meeting Nicole at this very lake house, Tyler asked her to be his wife. 

One year and one month later, the couple was married at the church the bride grew up attending, having even gone to the attached school from kindergarten through eighth grade. Arm-in-arm with her father, the bride walked down the aisle wearing her mother’s veil and a lace gown paired with an open-front tulle overskirt – both of which she found at Mark Ingram Atelier. “The dress was very special and fashion-forward but still bridal,” she confirms. In a hint of the contemporary floral design that would be seen at the reception, Nicole carried a cascading garland of white blossoms in lieu of a traditional bouquet. Her bridesmaids were elegant in floor-length ebony gowns and carried calla lilies arranged in presentation bouquets. The sophisticated flower would be seen throughout the big day. 

As guests entered the ballroom of the Dallas golf club, they walked under a square archway with upside-down calla lilies suspended above. “I wanted the wedding to be modern, unique, elegant, fashion-forward, sophisticated, and formal, but mostly fun and exciting,” the bride explains. This effect was achieved to perfection with the chic black-and-white aesthetic embraced by the newlyweds. Unique centerpieces included long-stemmed calla lilies wrapped with alabaster orchids and tulips swirled in bowl vases. Lucite tables were used to make floral arrangements – and even the cake! – appear to float. Revelers wore light-up glasses as they danced the night away to tunes played by the band. “Dancing on stage with my entire family at the end of the night was so memorable,” reminisces Nicole. One of the reasons she and Tyler selected their venue was the ability to do their dream send-off. And what a getaway it was; after their friends and family waved black-and-white pom-poms during the grand exit, the new Mr. and Mrs. Duncan boarded a helicopter to fly away from their memorable celebration.