
Name Games: One of Lauren’s favorite elements of the day were the table- assignment cards, all of which were printed with icebreaker questions on the back. “I love getting to know people,” she says. “When my friends saw those questions, they all said, ‘This is so Lauren.’ ”
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
She’s Got the Look: For her ceremony look, Lauren paired a diamond bracelet borrowed from her mom, a spritz of Chanel No. 5, and beautiful “Candice” d’orsay shoes by Bella Belle. “I had two engagement rings,” says Lauren. “But the one Sascha proposed with was his great-grandmother’s ring that has survived two world wars.”
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Back in the Day: The “Dakota” gown by Anais Anette, which Lauren originally purchased back in 2020, was a fitting frock for the formal ceremony when it was finally performed in 2022.
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Room to Bloom: Lauren trusted florist Maxine Owens’ expertise for centerpieces and the bouquet. “I told her, ‘Whatever works for you works for me,’ ” the bride says with a laugh. “She sent me photos of different flowers she was going to use, and then on the wedding day, I saw how it all came together for the first time.”
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Garden State of Mind: It was fate that the couple would eventually exchange vows at the Nasher. “We went there on one of our early dates, and I remember telling Sascha, ‘I would love to have a wedding here,’ ” says Lauren. “It’s a mix of urban feel with a garden, right in the middle of Dallas. Getting married there was a dream come true.”
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Best of Both Worlds: Lauren looked to Wendy to come up with the perfect palette for the day. “She really listened to Sascha and me—she said he’s one of the most involved spouses she’s ever worked with!” Lauren says with a laugh. “I love that it’s both feminine and masculine—pink, terra-cotta, cool blues, and black.”
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Stark Contrast: Florals added a soft element among elegant dishware, sleek acrylic menus, and plenty of pops of black. “Lauren likes feminine but not overly girly,” explains wedding planner and designer Wendy Kay of Birds of a Feather Events.
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Simply Sweet: While Lauren wanted a modern cake that wasn’t too flashy, her mother was looking for a statement piece. Sugar Bee Sweets came through with a very tall, very tasteful (and tasty!) vanilla and blackberry cake with cream cheese filling. “It was the biggest cake I’ve ever seen, but I loved it. I had an accordion-style veil, and the design played off that,” says Lauren.
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
A Seat at the Table: The bride and groom said “I do” in front of 100 people—many of whom came in from other countries. “It was very international. Sascha moved here from Canada, so he had friends who traveled from there,” says Lauren. “We had family from Ghana and Germany, and we even had a friend who came in from Australia.”
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Dripping in Lights: Because the reception was at night, Sascha and Lauren wanted a fun lighting feature by the DJ stations. “A friend of Sascha’s created the lighting tubes, and the florist created a structure around them with tons of flowers,” says Wendy.
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Dressed to Thrill: At the reception, Lauren donned a House of CB dress that allowed her to move more easily. The couple performed a bachata as their first dance as Bob Marley’s “Is this Love?” played. “It was a song we both really liked, and it came on the radio when we were driving to the courthouse to get married. We felt like it was fate,” says Lauren.
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Blazer of Glory: Right before the couple made their exit, Lauren changed into her final look of the evening, a tuxedo dress by Kiki de Montparnasse. “That was my favorite look,” she says. “It totally embodied who I am.”
Photo by Charla Storey Photography
Lauren Attiah & Sascha Ludwikowski
October 22, 2022
Sascha Ludwikowski was late for his first date with Lauren Attiah. “That was a big deal [to him] because he’s German,” explains Lauren. “He had actually arrived 30 minutes early, but he was at the wrong restaurant.” After a few frantic texts, the two connected and were in sync from then on—getting engaged in 2019. Then things got complicated. “We ended up getting married at the courthouse to start the permanent resident process,” says Lauren. “I’m an all-or-nothing person, so I thought I’d either go to the courthouse or have the dream wedding. But I ended up having all and nothing.”
Two years after the courthouse ceremony, the couple wanted to throw a more-is-more affair at the Nasher Sculpture Center. They looked to Wendy Kay of Birds of a Feather Events to create an exceptional experience specific to them. Says Lauren: “My parents are from West Africa, and he’s from Germany, but we wanted an American wedding with cultural touches here and there.” On October 22, 2022, Wendy more than delivered, maximizing some of Lauren’s minimal ideas. “She was leaning toward neutrals, and I told her no,” laughs Wendy. “That’s going to fall flat, and in the end, even ‘timeless’ looks dated eventually. I say go big and get what you want in the moment!”
At the reception, Lauren donned a House of CB dress that allowed her to move more easily. The couple performed a bachata as their first dance as Bob Marley’s “Is this Love?” played. “It was a song we both really liked, and it came on the radio when we were driving to the courthouse to get married. We felt like it was fate,” says Lauren.
Ceremony/Reception Site
Photographer
Charla Storey Photography
Ceremony Gown Designer
Anais Anette
Ceremony Gown Retailer
a&bé Bridal Shop
Reception Gown Designer
House of CB
Reception Gown Retailer
Nordstrom
Exit Dress Designer
Kiki de Montparnasse
Hair & Makeup
Janaye Bryant; Melissa Mallam
Groom’s Attire
Hugo Boss
Groom’s Attire Retailer
Nordstrom
Flowers
Max Owens Design
Stationery
Longest Time Design (invitations)
Stationery
Southern Fried Paper (day of)
Cake
Catering
Wolfgang Puck Catering
Music
DJ Jason Esquire
Lighting
DJ Jason Esquire (pin spots and washes); hardware provided by Davaine Lighting
Videographer
Peyton Frank
Wedding Rentals
Wedding Rentals
Big D Party Rentals
Wedding Rentals
Perch Décor
Wedding Rentals
Wedding Planner/Designer
Photobooth
Smile, Bish
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