Lauren Fine and Benjamin Morrissey’s Playful Pastel Nuptials

There is probably a word for the phenomenon of spotting someone interesting just as you leave a room, or meeting a handsome stranger on the last day of vacation, or—as happened to Lauren Fine—finding your soul mate after you’ve accepted a job in a faraway city. Some might be tempted to call it bad timing, but the doctor and her now husband, Benjamin Morrissey, took a more positive approach.

They moved swiftly.

Lauren says she knew after their first date that Ben, who was just starting as an emergency medicine intern at Highland General Hospital in Oakland, California, where Lauren was finishing her medical residency, was someone special. The feeling was mutual, and the two fell in love quickly, talked about marriage only a week after their first kiss, and within six months were engaged and planning a wedding.

“I had been in long-distance relationships before and really didn’t want to do it again,” Lauren says about their fast-track decision. “That was not my plan for my adult life. I certainly didn’t want to date someone long distance if it wasn’t going to work out.” But right from the start, Ben and Lauren agreed on a lot—including the fact that they were a super match. They hosted their October 26, 2013, ceremony at Trinity River Audubon Center.

Lauren and Ben have spent the last two years flying back and forth between Texas, where she practices emergency medicine at Baylor University Medical Center, and California, where Ben is a second-year resident in emergency medicine in Oakland. They plan to fully make a home in Dallas in 2016. “Kind of crazy, but it works,” she says.

Where their wedding was concerned, they also took a somewhat nontraditional approach.

They chose the Audubon Center for its quiet setting and modern architecture. They worked with After Yes after falling for its pretty but restrained aesthetic. And Lauren says she is obsessed with the whimsical floral creations of Bows & Arrows. Together, the vendors delivered a sophisticated yet lighthearted setting for an evening of ceremony and celebration: a handmade chuppah with paper garlands and tassels; bouquets and table arrangements of lavender hydrangeas, peach dahlias, pink peonies, and ferns; and DIY ice-cream sundaes instead of cake.

The real beauty of the design was its simplicity. Nothing surpassed the beauty of the bride in her Nardos Imam gown; the sincerity of the officiant who spoke on the universal themes of friendship and love; or the good humor of the bride’s father, who played the guitar and sang “Fools Rush In.”

The two fell in love quickly, talked about marriage only a week after their first kiss, and within six months were engaged and planning a wedding.

Credits

  • Ceremony & Reception Site

    Trinity River Audubon Center

  • Photographer

    Apryl Ann Photography

  • Bridal Gown Designer

    Nardos Imam

  • Bridal Gown Retailer

    Stanley Korshak Bridal

  • Hair & Makeup

    Carpe Diem Bride

  • Groom's Attire

    Hugo Boss

  • Bridesmaids Dresses Designers

    Alice + Olivia

  • Bridesmaids Dresses Retailers

    Nordstrom

  • Flowers

    Bows & Arrows

  • Stationery

    Blue Eye Brown Eye

  • Ice Cream

    Carnival Barker's

  • Caterer

    Bolsa Mercado

  • Favors

    JK Chocolate

  • DJ

    Glenn Roush Entertainment

  • Lighting

    Glenn Roush Entertainment

  • Wedding Rentals

    Glenn Roush Entertainment

  • Wedding Rentals

    Marquee Event Rentals

  • Wedding Planner

    After Yes

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