Abby Brehm and Robert Cowlishaw met on a blind date—which, as it turns out, is a family tradition.

There’s nothing like a series of disastrous first dates to turn one off dating completely—which is exactly how Abby Brehm, a busy medical student, was feeling. But sparks flew quickly between she and Robert Cowlishaw, who had been set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. Little did Abby know that destiny was working in their favor: Robert’s father and grandfather had also met their would-be wives through blind dates. Two years later, Robert surprised Abby by returning home early from a trip—with a ring. For their wedding on May 26, 2018, Abby remembers, “Robert and I wanted our wedding day to feel relaxed, laid-back, and calm.” They chose the Nasher Sculpture Center, opting for an intimate indoor ceremony followed by a magical, whimsical evening under the stars.

If the Shoe Fits
It was love at first sight when Abby found her Prada wedding shoes at Forty Five Ten, especially since pink is her favorite color. The chunky heel was perfect for the grass at the Nasher and, as it turned out, her mom and aunt both wore shoes from the same Prada collection.

Lady in Waiting
To complete her bridal look, Abby wore a white lace robe from Bhldn while getting ready at The Joule hotel.

Something blue
Donning a blue tux, Robert served as Abby’s something blue

Flower Power
Abby and Robert chose to have the wedding ceremony indoors at the Nasher because they loved the intimacy of the room. However, since the backdrop was a floor-to-ceiling glass wall overlooking the grassy stairs to the garden, Abby wanted to incorporate that garden feel inside as well. Enter Alicia Rico, a family friend and creative director for the Dallas floral company Bows + Arrows. “She knew that I wanted something playful, colorful, and fun, and she absolutely went above and beyond anything we had ever imagined,” Abby says. “We wanted the flowers at the ceremony to feel as though they were naturally growing out of the ground, as if we were outside in a hidden garden.” To create the look Abby was wanting, Alicia chose flowers with an airy, whimsical feel, including alliums, roses, and colorful orchids. “Walking down the aisle, I felt like I was surrounded by flowers, and the beautiful smell in the room was just mind-blowing,” Abby says.

An Affair to Remember
Rugs. And Barry’s Lounge. Ask any guest at Abby and Robert’s wedding what they remember most, and these two things just might take top billing. After all, how many couples have a cardboard cutout of their dog floating around their wedding—let alone an entire lounge area dedicated to it? But when you love your pup as much as these two do, it’s completely expected. And if you’ve ever been to their house and seen all the unique Persian rugs that decorate their floors, then you’d feel right at home at their wedding reception, too. That’s exactly what their wedding planner, Wendy Kay, owner of Birds of a Feather Events, was going for. “Robert and I love the look of fun, colorful Persian rugs. They are everywhere in our house,” says Abby. “Wendy likes getting to know these types of details about a couple, and she wanted to figure out a way to incorporate that into our wedding so people would say, ‘Wow, that’s so Abby and Robert.’ ” So when Wendy found some adorable Persian rug coasters and suggested using them as the seating cards, it was a perfect match. “We instantly fell in love with how quirky and unique her idea was,” Abby says. “Plus, I love going to my friends’ homes and seeing the coasters on their coffee tables or at their work desks.”

Awash in Watercolor
Abby chose a watercolor design in shades of mauve and pink for the wedding cake to keep with the natural theme of the outdoor wedding—and her love of the color pink. Florist Alicia Rico of Bows + Arrows and planner Wendy Kay from Birds of a Feather Events suggested adding cascading flowers to tie in the whimsical, garden look.

A Dog’s Life
Since the couple’s dog, Barry, wasn’t allowed at the wedding, their wedding planner, Wendy, came up with the idea of creating a life-size Barry cutout and placing him on the couch in the lounge area. Throughout the night, “Barry” partied it up in the lounge, at the bar, and on the dance floor, and he even made an appearance on stage.