Taylor Foster and Jeffrey James did not have a typical first blind date. In 2009, Jeffrey’s mother drove him to pick up Taylor for his sophomore year homecoming dance at Highland Park High School. The two hit it off and attended countless more homecomings, proms, and formals throughout high school and their shared time at Baylor University.

After seven years of dating, Jeff picked out a ring and began to plan his proposal. Jeff told Taylor that his boss had offered him tickets to a show over the weekend. As the two were on their way to the supposed “show,” Jeff made an unexpected detour to Williams Park, the special spot where Jeff’s father proposed to his mom.

Underneath the sunlit trees, Jeff got down on one knee and asked his high school sweetheart to be his bride, to which Taylor eagerly responded “yes.” As if that were not enough romance for the night, Jeff continued to surprise Taylor with an engagement dinner at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, filled with their beloved family and friends. “I felt so loved that Jeff would not only figure out the ring, proposal, and dinner, but also make sure all of our loved ones were there to share in that special night with us,” said the bride.

On May 19, Jeff and Taylor were married at Park Cities Baptist Church. “Jeff and I wanted our wedding to be meaningful, joyful, and a celebration of everyone who has been a part of our story along the way,” said the bride. Neutral and metallic colors paired with fresh flowers of whites and greens maintained the classic and timeless look Taylor had always dreamed about.

Taylor and Jeff shared their wedding date with none other than the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry and America’s own, Meghan Markle. To start off the big day, Taylor and her bridesmaids rose early, slipped on silky robes, and gathered around the television to watch the royal wedding.

The bridesmaids maintained the neutral color scheme with light blue dresses. Taylor’s Baylor University Kappa Kappa Gamma sisters made up her house party and wore black dresses.

“It was really important to both of us to not have a ‘first look,’” said Taylor. “We had waited eight years to get married, we figured we could wait one more hour.” Jeff saw his bride for the first time as she walked down the aisle. Following “I do,” the newlyweds and the bridal party hopped on a champagne-catered party bus to the Dallas Country Club.

The romantically lit reception space was adorned with florals, a six-tier wedding cake, and a chocolate groom’s cake in the great shape of Texas. The guests sipped on uniquely-crafted cocktails, such as the “Baylor Fizz” and the “HP Old Fashioned,” named after Taylor and Jeff’s alma maters. To finish the night off right, everyone got up and graced the dance floor. To pay homage to the royal wedding, Taylor and Jeff arranged for glowing crowns to be passed out on the dance floor to light up the night and make their guests feel like royalty.

Minutes before the newlyweds made their exit, hamburgers courtesy of Shake Shack, the couple’s favorite burger destination, were passed out to their guests. After the late-night snack, an old-fashioned white car with “Just Married” written in bold letters on the rear window pulled up to pick up Jeff and Taylor. Just as they met for the first time in Jeff’s mom’s car, the two drove off into the moonlight as Mr. and Mrs. James.

“Jeff and I wanted our wedding to be meaningful, joyful, and a celebration of everyone who has been a part of our story along the way,” said the bride.