Modern + Intimate Fall Wedding at a Boutique Hotel in Dallas, Texas

It was September of 2021 when Jenny inquired with me to plan her wedding! She had seen me in action at a past wedding that I had planned earlier that year, and felt compelled to contact Nothing But Love for her own wedding. I was honored!

After consulting with Jenny and Daniel, they brought NBL onboard to fully plan their Fall 2022 wedding! Their vision was modern, intimate and elegant. A few staples they wanted was:

A space that wouldn't be too large for their guest count
Opportunity to have an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception
Dinner to be served family style

Sounds fairly easy, right? Of the many venues I inquired with, family style dinner was not a popular option. As a matter of fact, we narrowed it down to a few select venues, and we ended up touring 4 of them in one day! The last one of the day was the new and hot Drey Hotel located at The Village in Dallas, Tx.

Aerial view of a Boutique Hotel in Dallas Texas — Modern Dallas Texas Wedding Venue, Drey Hotel

Upon walking into the venue, we were blown away by the space. It was welcoming, thoughtfully and tastefully put together. We were offered champagne on our tour and felt so welcomed. Quickly these two could imagine their selves getting married here. The boutique hotel offers many amenities and restaurants on the property which was a great selling point also for these two, as they wanted to make their wedding weekend a true experience for their guests. Travel alone can be pretty daunting between hotels, rentals, and plane rides.

Once the guests arrived to Drey for the weekend, they truly didn't have to venture far for a cold drink, unique dining opportunities or even a round of golf. (I promise this post isn't sponsored, but I must admit - having a wedding at a venue that offers these kinds of amenities are always a win in my book.)

Jenny and Daniel opted to have a first look, so after they got ready in their own rooms - we worked with their photographer Kalyn Shar Photography to coordinate their first look. There are many pro's to having a first look, and while we will not try to talk you out of not having one... we will educate you as to why they are amazing, and why these two decided to do one.

You get to see your person, in a private and intimate space before you walk down the aisle. YES, you will still feel butterflies when walking down the aisle. But do you really want the first time your significant other see's you in your wedding dress to also be the first time for a hundred+ other people? That doesn't seem intimate to me.
Having a first look allows you to really take your day + timeline by the reigns and maximize your photographer/videographer! You don't have to rush things, and you can truly space out your next "task"
You are able to get almost all of your photo's done before the wedding ceremony, which allows you to really be a guest at your own wedding. (Don't worry, you can still sneak out for golden hour photos later on..).

LOOK AT HOW STUNNING THESE TWO ARE! And the variety of photos that they were able to get because they opted in for a first look added so much depth to their wedding gallery!

Before the ceremony started, we had the cantor meet the couple in the speakeasy located in the bottom of the Drey Hotel. What a fun and unique way to start your wedding day formalities! The two shared an intimate moment with their closest family, and Cantor for the signing of the Ketubah.

Afterwards we proceeded with the ceremony - which included The Seven Circles, Breaking of the Glass + Vow/Ring Exchange. It was such a beautiful moment to witness on the evening of October 22.

Since these two had all their photos done before the ceremony, they got to have a private moment the two of them before their grand intro to have a cold drink, snack on some hand passed apps and decompress before they got the party started!

Scheduling in some time alone is so crucial for your wedding day. How cliché to say, right? Time will FLY BY. And it is in fact a day focused on the two of you becoming one, so why not take the time to be alone for a few minutes and soak in all the beauty in the midst of the chaos.

After the grand introduction of the new Mr + Mrs Rabkin, they began dinner and it was served family style. And let me tell you right now - THE FOOD WAS *CHEFS KISS* INCREDIDLE! All of their guests and vendors loved it!

It was time to get the party started and the proper way to get this night started was with THE HORA, and it did not disappoint! The laughter shared, the memories made - this is what it is about! All of their closest family and friends got to enjoy a lively atmosphere with the entertainment provided by In10city Band, while chowing down on some hot + fresh crapes.

We wish we could relive this day! But since we cannot, we've gathered a handful of photos to share with you all to help you envision the immaculate day that was had.

XOXO,

Jacilyn