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