Some love stories begin at a young age and grow stronger with every passing year. Such is the case for Carson and Katie-Beth, who met when they were just 16 years old and dreamt of the day they would celebrate their union. On a rainy Monday, their long-awaited wedding day arrived, set against the enchanting backdrop of a Dallas, Texas estate. While raindrops fell from above, the sun burst through just in time for their first look, an auspicious sign of the bright future that awaited them.
About our wedding and honeymoon- Carson and Katie-Beth met at just 16-years-old and dreamed of their wedding day for as long as they can remember. They had a rainy start to their Monday, January 8, 2024 estate wedding in Dallas, Texas, with the sun coming out just in time for their first look. They wanted a classic, timeless wedding with a modern feel and subtle pops of blue and green. Pearl details were incorporated throughout the venue space, tablescape, and bride’s attire. The bride and groom also made almost all decor themselves! As high school sweethearts, planning each detail with intentionality throughout their wedding planning season was so special to each of them. The bride asked each bridesmaid to choose her own dress, and the bride handmade all bouquets for her girls. With a touch of Texas wildflowers, the bouquets collectively contained all of the bride’s favorite florals. Continuing the feeling of personal details, rather than a formal sit down dinner, the lovers opted for a taco bar. Carson’s favorite food is chips and salsa, and Katie-Beth’s is tacos, so this just made sense! Surrounded by their closest family and friends, Katie-Beth and Carson could not have imagined a more perfect wedding day to celebrate their love.
For their honeymoon, Katie-Beth and Carson were so grateful to take time away and slow down in the South of France. The couple divided their stay between Saint Paul de Vence and Nice and enjoyed soaking in the off season of this popular travel destination with delicious food, views, and history. Rather than take the more “classic” all-inclusive resort or hotel route, the newlyweds rested in an airbnb that doubles as a historical landmark. La Miette, the name of their airbnb, is a restored historic 12th Century apartment in the center of the medieval village of Saint Paul de Vence. La Miette was once both owned and lived in by the French screenwriter, poet, and writer, Jacques Prévert, in the 1940s. Their stay felt like a piece of art in itself, well, because it is! Their favorite part of their honeymoon was making memories together seeing the incredible architecture and stories hidden within each building and location. During their time in Nice, Katie-Beth and Carson loved seeing the more quiet view of the coast, with the January waters clear and stunning. Shopping in Nice was one of their favorite afternoons strolls, with Starbucks in hand, of course. Can’t take the Texas out of the girl! If there is one thing the couple loves, it is trying new restaurants and food together. Some of their favorite eats included Le Tilleul, a cozy and locally owned sit-down nestled within the walls of the medieval village of St Paul, and Cafe Fino, a popular brunch and cafe close to the coast in Nice recommended to them by sweet friends of the couple. The locals at each of these spots were nothing short of some of the kindest, gentlest souls they encountered during their stay in France. Outside of these spots, as you could imagine, an abundance of crepes, French icecream, and paninis were consumed. Overall, Katie-Beth and Carson would describe their French honeymoon as nothing short of a dream! If you are weary and in need of rest post a busy wedding planning season, the French Riviera is sure to provide an unforgettable getaway where you can reset and recharge with your lovebird, peak season or not. All photos were shot by the couple themselves on digital and film.
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another? Hi, Katie-Beth here! Carson and I met in middle school, but did not officially introduce ourselves to each other until the first day of our sophomore years of high school. As cheesy as it sounds, both of us knew we were going to marry each other the second we walked into algebra class that August morning. Naturally, as one does, I denied this gut feeling for as long as I possibly could. As we both ran from that feeling for a year, we inevitably and quickly became best friends. After asking me on a date over the holidays (in which on the date itself he recalled to me a conversation where he told his dad he would “never date me”), we started dating on January 26, 2018 at seventeen-years-old. I will spare you the unbearably awkward FaceTime call where we had to confess that we had both always loved each other, but I will say that going from friends to lovers is pretty rough there for a few weeks. Throughout the rest of high school, we were blessed with incredible community and opportunities that we look back on with nothing except gratitude. Senior year was marked with fun school dances, laughs, final performances, and getting crowned prom king and queen! After high school we both attended Texas A&M University (Whoop!), where I majored in Psychology and Carson in Civil Engineering. I am now in my Master’s program for Clinical Counseling at Liberty University. I could write a book about the Lord’s faithfulness to us in college. These are and always will be some of the most fun years of our entire lives. We found lifelong friends, our individual callings, and got to watch each other grow up while loving each other through our changes. Flash-forward over six years later from that first day of school, and I can say that Carson is still my best friend, my high school sweetheart, my biggest encourager, and now, my HUSBAND!! 🙂 
What is the best thing you’ve learned from one another? Katie-Beth- The best thing I’ve learned from Carson is how life can be full of passion, fun, and joy even in the most mundane and difficult moments. He is truly my best friend and invites others into his life with such a gentle passion and energy that continuously inspires me to live the same.
Carson- Katie-Beth has taught me what it looks like to truly walk in humility. As a louder personality I tend to be more bold and seek affirmation for what I do, but through her actions and conversations that we’ve had, she has shown me what it looks like to lead and love boldly but also quietly. It’s something she’s naturally great at and something I continue to learn from her every day. 
What is your favorite thing about each other? Katie-Beth- My favorite thing about Carson, similar to my answer above, is his passion, gentleness, and faithfulness to everyone he knows and everything he does. He knows who he is and has always been a natural servant leader in every area of his life.
Carson- My favorite thing about Katie-Beth is her indescribable joy. The first thing I noticed about her over 6 years ago is still one of the most prominent characteristics she displays today. Her joy is contagious, encouraging, comforting, and loving and I am forever grateful to love someone who shines as bright as she does. 
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding? Katie-Beth- My favorite part of planning our wedding was literally just dreaming together! Forgetting what was “traditional” or “expected” and following what actually felt like “us” in today’s wedding industry was sometimes hard, but ultimately so rewarding and gratifying. Carson was the best at supporting this vision and gave so much input into our details and decisions, which I asked for and was so appreciative of. You do not have to fill a mold that is not representative of you and your dream day!
Carson- My favorite part of planning our wedding was counting down the days until I would finally get to read my vows to my bride. I’m somewhat of a hopeless romantic and have dreamt about that moment for years, so the fact that it was almost tangible made me so excited to get to our wedding day. 
What is the most honest thing you can say about love? We both agree that love is not an idealistic, conceptual romance. Love is sacrifice, and love is an action. Grand gestures are beautiful and have a place, but real love is built in the shadows of the every day. It’s the doing the errand you know your spouse hates without them even knowing you did it, it’s the cooking their favorite meal and having it on the table for them when they come home from a hard day, it’s giving them the most honest and vulnerable parts of yourself. The strongest form of love is both loud and simultaneously silent. Love like this creates a romance that others will interpret as grand, but is actually built in moments which are quite the opposite. 
They also documented their honeymoon in the South of France and sent over some snapshots of that adventure for us …
Venue / The Springs at Valley View Estate / https://springsvenue.com/valley-view/ / @springsvenue @springsvenuevalleyview
Digital & Film Photography / Corinne Vaz Photo / https://corinnevazphoto.com / @corinnevazphoto
Videography / About August Films / https://aboutaugust.com / @aboutaugustfilms
Day-Of Coordination / Dream Day Details / https://dreamdaydetails.com / @dreamdaydetails.dfw
DJ / Southland DJs (now The Springs DJ) / https://springsvenue.com/services/dj/ / @thespringsdj @thespringsdfw
Linen Rental / AM Linens / https://amlinenrental.com / @amlinenrental
Catering / La Colina Catering / https://www.lacolinacatering.com
Cake / Whole Foods / https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com / @wholefoods
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