Kayla Kiser had no idea what she wanted her wedding day to look like when her then-boyfriend of seven months, Mitch Myers, proposed at his parents’ East Texas lake house. She just wanted a memorable day that kept the attention where she felt it ought to be: on the couple and their union.

“I was hoping for something really special and meaningful for Mitch and I to focus on each other and our faith,” she says.

They decided on an intimate morning ceremony and Sunday brunch reception at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, where Kayla’s family has long celebrated special occasions. They chose the menu (the Mansion’s famous tortilla soup is one of Kayla’s favorites) and the music, being ardent music fans. And of course Kayla chose a dress: A clean and classic Anne Barge gown that felt appropriate for the understated morning affair.

“As a bride, you kind of want to do more and more and more, so I fought that temptation,” she says. “This one felt perfect when I put it on—like I was wearing the dress rather than it wearing me.” But as far as the nitty-gritty details were concerned, Kayla says, “If I could have had a surprise wedding, I would’ve wanted one.”

Fortunately, she had the right person in her corner: Her sister, Krisi Johnson, is one half of the creative duo behind GRO Designs. Kayla gave Krisi and her husband, Nathan, free reign to outfit the space as they saw fit. Despite Krisi’s prodding for Kayla to start a Pinterest board for inspiration, Kayla didn’t so much as give them a color scheme.

“Nathan is a creative genius, so I just let him go,” Kayla says. “I just told them I wanted it to be classic and clean and fresh and bright, and they did everything else.”

The night before the big day, Mitch and Kayla skipped a rehearsal dinner and instead shared a pizza at Louie’s, the place where they’d had their first date. On the morning of December 20, 2015, they said “I do” at an 11 a.m. ceremony that was presided over by Mitch’s uncle. An intimate brunch for 75 of their nearest and dearest followed, with guests signing Christmas ornaments in lieu of a guest book.

The decor was a complete surprise to Kayla, from the single-stem peony centerpieces that ran the length of the family-style tables to the elaborate flower wall that Nathan spent all night constructing. “I have a new favorite flower: I love peonies now!” Kayla laughs. “But if you had asked me before the wedding, I wouldn’t have known what that was.”

Following a romantic honeymoon in Turks and Caicos, the couple hosted a New Year’s Eve bash for 150 friends at The Joule in place of a formal reception. The new Mrs. Myers wore a beaded Jenny Packham gown to ring in 2016. And though she hopes to be able to wear the dress again for a future event, this New Year’s Eve may not be that occasion, as Kayla and Mitch have something even more special to welcome: their first child, son Charlie, due in January 2017.

—Jessica Otte

The night before the big day, Mitch and Kayla skipped a rehearsal dinner and instead shared a pizza at Louie’s, the place where they’d had their first date.