Each couple’s love story is a unique one all their own that’s shared and enjoyed by those that love them. Their wedding day is a reflection of that story and in that way is unlike any other before or after it.
For these Oklahoma brides, their wedding was a day for family and friends to celebrate. By blending tradition and meaningful touches to their day each created an event to remember.
Downtown Diamond
When the Snyder family began the loving restoration of the historic Mayo Hotel in downtown Tulsa, it once again became one of the city’s premier wedding venues. The hotel became that much more a part of their family when daughter Macy Snyder, who was instrumental in the reopening of the hotel, decided to celebrate her wedding there.
Snyder had been working with brides as the event coordinator at the Mayo, so when she became engaged to photographer John Amatucci on New Years Eve 2009, she knew exactly what she wanted her own day to be like.
Both she and Amatucci are passionate about the revitalization of downtown Tulsa, so it was only natural that they marry downtown.
On Oct. 9, the couple exchanged vows on a perfect fall afternoon on ONEOK Field at home plate in front of 250 guests seated in a circle around them.
The couple achieved a unique blend by hosting the black-tie affair complete with a string quartet on the baseball field.
“No one has a black tie affair on a baseball field,” Snyder says of her choice to brave the dirt in her Monique Lhuillier gown.
“The outdoors didn’t bother me; getting my dress dirty wasn’t really a concern for me since I only plan to wear this once in my lifetime.”
After the ceremony, guests were trollied to the Mayo for an elegant reception, where they enjoyed a cocktail hour in the lobby followed by a seated dinner and dancing to I.J. Ganem and his band in the Crystal Ballroom.
A black and white theme was carried throughout the evening’s events and was accented with merlot calla lilies.
The celebration was filled with family.
“One of my favorite parts was having 70 family members there to celebrate,” says Snyder. “It was so much more enjoyable to have our huge family all together.”
Set Up For Love
Nearly five years ago, as students at the University of Missouri, Ashley Casillas and Jon Althage were set up by a sorority sister and fraternity brother.
“I would say our friends did a pretty good job,” laughs Casillas, recalling her first date with Althage, to a Mizzou basketball game.
The couple became engaged in December 2009 when Althage, with the help of Casillas’ sister, surprised her while on a trip to Aspen when he proposed on a mountaintop.
The couple was married in front of 300 guests on Oct. 30 in a full Catholic ceremony at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa. The church itself holds a special meaning for Casillas because both her parents and grandparents were married there.
When it came to her dress, the bride knew just what she wanted, and that’s exactly what she found.
“It was the first dress I tried on,” beams Casillas of her first shopping expedition to Dallas with her mother, sisters and bridesmaids. The gown was lace with a sweetheart neckline from Neiman Marcus and was coupled with a cathedral veil.
“I did try others since we were already there,” she admits, “but I knew which one was for me.”
The reception was held at Southern Hills Country Club, where guests were treated to a cocktail hour, which featured a seven-foot ice bar that served a signature Althage martini. The drink was a blend of vodka, champagne, a touch of berry and sprinkled with gold flakes.
The four-course dinner included an elegant pumpkin soup served in individual miniature pumpkins, a special request of the bride.
The fall theme of the wedding was enhanced with dramatic lighting, creating the look of leaves peppering the ceiling. Tall vases filled with orchids and roses from Toni’s Flowers and Gifts completed the decor. Tulsa favorite, saxophonist Grady Nichols and a live band from Dallas provided entertainment.
In addition to a groom’s cake by KoKao and bridal cake by Ludger’s, guests enjoyed a late night snack from a hot dog vendor that served six varieties of french fries.
“The entire evening just had an elegant warm feeling to it,” says Casillas.
This Magic Moment
While attending Southern Methodist University in 2004, Lauren Auffenberg of Tulsa and Austin Hill of Dallas were introduced by mutual friends. Little did they know that day would be the first of a lifelong journey together.
The couple became engaged on July 3, 2009, while at Grand Lake and were married a year later on July 10, 2010, in a traditional Catholic ceremony at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa.
“We wanted the ceremony to be traditional and very meaningful,” says Auffenberg. “We wanted the ceremony to reflect our families and our faith.”
The couple loved the idea of having apple green as their central color. White and touches of pink were used as accents. It carried out the elegant, fresh, magical feeling the bride had wanted.
“My mom came up with the idea of the magnolia and lemon leaf garland with lights,” Auffenberg shares. “This really added warmth to the whole room.”
The guests were welcomed into the cathedral by hydrangea wreaths hanging from chic ribbons. Each pew featured a gathering of white hydrangeas. Adding to the elegance was the bride’s Vera Wang Luxe gown and veil. The reception was held at Southern Hills Country Club.
“I grew up (at Southern Hills) as a member and was fond of the many memories,” says Auffenberg. “Austin is an avid golfer and loved the location.”
A bevy of striking floral displays were on full view, including a garden room filled with vases filled with pink flowers, a particular favorite of the bride.
Before the wedding, the bride had been advised to take it all in, and that’s just what she did.
“We danced to nearly every song and spent the entire evening together,” says Auffenberg. “My parents gave me this wonderful moment, and it was the best gift I could have ever received.”
