Blank Slate: Bride and planner went back and forth about adding table linens. “I’m glad we didn’t bring them in. It would have been more formal, but we needed that wood for all its richness,” says Shannon. Because Porter was drawn to the clean, organic feeling, they stuck with white flowers and abundant greenery. “Adri is wonderful, and her florals are artistic,” says Porter. “She added blackberries, and they’ll never be the same for me.”

Photo by Shannon Skloss Photography

Prepare to Swoon Over This Black-Tie Affair at the Hotel Drover

By Laura Kostelny

Porter Moore & Andrew Baker
August 19, 2023

After years of long-distance dating and crisscrossing the country, a couple vows to never part again with a formal ceremony at Hotel Drover.

When Porter Moore needed help navigating the New York City subway, she turned to fellow Floridian Andrew Baker. “We both grew up in Vero Beach, and our moms knew each other,” she explains. “It was so unlike me, but I had his number, so I texted him.” Before training her on the trains, Andrew took her to The Palm. They’ve been together ever since.

The first four years of the relationship required another set of navigational skills. “We were long-distance and chasing each other across the country,” Porter says. But when the world slowed down in 2020, so did they. Andrew popped the question, and the pair made it official—just the two of them—in Montauk, New York.

Three years later, the couple found themselves living in Dallas and decided it was high time to celebrate with a black-tie affair at Hotel Drover. Porter worked with wedding planner Shannon Lepard to achieve the couple’s vision for a ceremony set in an overgrown garden, followed by an old-school steakhouse-inspired reception—a nod to their first date. “We love that moody candlelit, dark, swanky vibe,” Porter says. “It all came together perfectly.”

Meat Cute

Once upon a time, Porter and Andrew were a few hours too early for the Fort Worth cattle drive. They wandered into Hotel Drover. Four mimosas later, they had a wedding venue and a wedding planner: Shannon Lepard of Lovely Event Co., who just so happened to be on-site. “Porter’s whole thing was that she wanted the feel of a steakhouse but not cigars and dark wood,” Shannon explains. “The Drover is beautiful, and there’s so much wood, so we needed to bring in a lot of white.” That mission was accomplished by the bountiful monochromatic arrangements created by Adri Smith of Moss Floral Design. To double down on the steakhouse essence, Shannon turned down overhead lights and upped the candles and table lamps. “This was very much Andrew and Porter’s vibe in Texas,” the planner says. “There was so much food and lots of booze. They hired Professor D because they wanted everyone to go straight to the dance floor. I’ve never done a wedding like this. No one was awkwardly sitting at a table. This was a party.”

Guests: 132

First Dance: “Our Love” by Gary Clark Jr.

What Got the Party Started: The Hora

To-Go Treat: Boxed-up wedding cake from New York’s Milk Bar

Honeymoon: Africa in 2025