southern hills country club | tulsa, ok
photography SHAWN CONNELL

Born in Oklahoma, the bride,  now a New York City resident, was excited to take everyone back to Tulsa, where she and her Long Island groom were getting married.  She couldn’t wait to show off her beloved hometown and share the wonderful hospitality of her favorite place. Friday evening the Rehearsal Dinner and Welcome Party greeted everyone with a good old fashioned Oklahoma Hello!! A black and white themed event…where the bride wore black, a custom Nardos crinoline, horse hair hemmed over skirt with a velvet v-necked bodysuit and hot pink Miron Crosby boots, guests arrived to mini beers, Oklahoma BBQ, a custom fitted cowboy hat haberdashery completed with branded personal monograms, trick roper and the best blue grass band. It was the perfect kick-off for the  out of town guests and the hometown guests alike.  The best way to get the party started.

The wedding ceremony was held at the bride’s childhood home, where she and her best friends spent the day together getting ready, reminiscing and enjoying being together.  The bride’s choice for her wedding gown was a lace Reem Acra gown,  long sleeve, high neck, with a key hole back and high slit,  traditional yet modern, timeless, yet fresh, it set the tone for the entire wedding.  Bridesmaids’ fashion was curated by the bride, finding just the right colorful look for each of her 14 bridesmaids.  From a multi-colored silk spaghetti strapped frock to a pink jumpsuit, the bridesmaids made a colorful, modern display as they walked the long drive from the house to the meadow where the wedding ceremony took place.   Personal vows written by the couple referred to their favorite phrase from Walt Whitman, we were together, I forget the rest, this phrase could be seen repeated on welcome bags, seating charts and other points of design.  The chance to emphasize their love for each other and their guests and the importance of remembering the moment.   The bride and groom were serenaded by a choir singing Amazing Grace, a hymn that was to honor the missing grandparents from the ceremony.  As the Bride and Groom were pronounced husband and wife they were showered with butterfly shaped paper confetti that brought the most magical touch to the moment. 

The reception was held at the country club, where the bride spent summers with family and friends, diving during the 4th of July pool competitions, playing bingo, enjoying Easter Sunday brunch and many other memories during her childhood.  3 tents were erected on the property  on elevated decking.  An open deck for cocktail hour featured a custom 16 foot bar with vegan leather front and a wall behind that served one side as the bar shelving with lighting and the other side was the seating chart with the engagement image of the couple and the words “we were together”  Guests noshed on a bountiful charcuterie table as they found their name, then made there way inside the dining tent where there were several different table styles to keep the look interesting and cozy.  Some of the seating areas contained banquettes while others boasted cozy custom linens.  Custom light fixtures were the main focus hanging from the ceiling.  After toasts from the bride and grooms brothers guests were invited into the dancing tent where the first dances took place.  The bride and her father honored his life long love of the Grateful Dead donned Dead tshirts and danced to Scarlett Begonias.   The dancing tent held a two sided bar dedicated to the groom’s love of Tostito Chips and their dog of the same name.  The entire tent floor was an overblown representation of the liner from their Save the Date.  Specialty cocktails named for their hometowns represented the couples favorites.   The bride changed into an Oscar de la renta beaded creation with tennis shoes, while the groom donned a velvet dinner jacket.  After Jets hats and light up cowboy hats were passed around the couple were hoisted in the air and nearly brought down the tent from all the jumping up and down.  The couple dressed in their Mr. and Mrs. Bowling shirts for their grand exit as their next stop was the downtown bowling alley, where guests(and their amazing photographer) partied until the break of dawn and everyone bowled a strike