Catherine Chesnut and Joe Calvillo Said “I Do” to Hue

By Lauren Kazemba

Though Catherine Chesnut and Joe Calvillo both attended the University of Texas, their paths never crossed, as Joe graduated a year before Catherine started. But cross they finally did during Catherine’s junior year in 2012, when her sister introduced them over Christmas break. Catherine thought Joe was “interesting,” and Joe thought Catherine was “cute,” and that was the extent of their relationship until after she graduated and moved back to Dallas. The two crossed paths yet again at mutual friends’ parties and at church, resulting in Joe finally asking Catherine on a date.

After 14 months of dating, Joe planned his sentimental proposal. The couple was traveling to East Texas for Thanksgiving. As they stopped for lunch, the place where they shared their first kiss, Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, was nearby. The two wandered over to their spot, and to Catherine’s surprise, the bridge was adorned with flowers. Joe got down on one knee and received an overwhelming “yes” from the love of his life.

Originally, Catherine and Joe envisioned an “English garden party” theme for their wedding. As Catherine was ordering the bridesmaids’ dresses, she called Joe to admit she was rethinking the theme. “It felt too serious for us, and I wanted something that showed our personalities more,” says the bride. The two went back to the drawing board with the goal to make the theme and decor “happier,” which they accomplished with their decision on fiesta-themed colors to represent Joe’s childhood in San Antonio and Catherine’s colorful career as a graphic designer.

Catherine’s dream of an outdoor ceremony altered when the couple decided on a late-July wedding date. “Our flowers were our way to bring the outdoors inside,” says the bride. The bright-colored floral overhang crowned the dance floor, effortlessly creating an unwavering feeling of joy to the space.

Catherine will always remember her emotions as she waited to walk down the aisle on July 29, 2017. “I felt like I was supposed to feel reverent, but I just felt excitement, giddiness, and ready to be married,” says the bride. As the doors opened to the ceremony space, Catherine crossed Joe’s path for the last time as his fiancé and for the first time as his wife.