Real Weddings: Brittany & Gregory

While sitting in class at business school, some of Brittany’s classmates turned her on to a brand new dating app: Tinder. While she was skeptical of finding true love via an app, Brittany downloaded out of curiosity. After only a couple of days of swiping left and right, she came across Gregory’s profile and was intrigued right away. Moreover, she noticed they shared some mutual friends. She swiped right, and to her pleasant surprise Gregory messaged her that very same day. They spent all day chatting and planned a date for that evening at a beer garden in Washington, D.C. Instantly Gregory and Brittany felt at ease around one another — they spent the night talking, laughing, joking and before they realized it was 4:30 in the morning. This was all it took. Brittany, who went to Howard University and is a director for The Estee Lauder Companies, confesses she has an obsession with photo booths. “Wherever we go, if there’s a photo booth opportunity, I’m taking it,” she says. Gregory, who is a graduate of North Carolina A&T and works for JP Morgan Chase, cleverly incorporated photo booths into his proposal. He found a way to coax Brittany to “meet friends for happy hour” at a restaurant called The Smith which had a vintage style photo booth. Naturally they went inside it to take photos and on the second picture, Gregory pulled out a ring. Brittany’s iconic reaction is forever captured in the pictures from the booth. Meanwhile, the Texas native’s best friends were arriving at the restaurant as they were in the booth, including one of her best friends who flew all the way from Sweden. It turned out to be a surprise engagement party. Brittany was completely shocked and grateful. For their nuptials, Gregory and Brittany did have to reschedule their spring wedding that was to be during 2020, but in 2021 the couple made it down the aisle, 115 guests witnessing the special occasion. Guests also spent the night raving over the deliciously catered menu. Guest experience was something that mattered a lot to Gregory and Brittany.The couple devised a fun and interactive late night snack. The pair had a great debate over the best donut in the country, and so they passed out boxes that each had a Krispy Kreme and a Shipley’s donut. Guests could scan the QR code on the outside of the box to cast their vote for the best donut. Brittany and Gregory kept up the fun surprises at their reception where they let off color smoke bombs and Brittany changed into a lace jumpsuit to boogie on down on the best night of their lives.

Wedding Details

LOCATION: Dallas, TX

TIME OF YEAR: Spring

WEDDING STYLE: romantic, garden, industrial

CEREMONY & RECEPTION: Hickory Street Annex

MENU: During cocktail hour, crab beignets with remoulade and mini chicken and waffles drizzled with bourbon maple syrup were passed. Dinner featured a salad shaker station with chef-crafted dressings and vinaigrettes. There was a savory pot roast with red wine and mushroom gravy, presented with Yukon Gold rustic garlic mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables and shrimp and grits. Assorted rolls were set alongside including a jalapeno cornbread muffin with smoky honey butter. The late night snack was two types of donuts.

DESSERT: Cake and donuts. The cake boasted flavors of almond buttercream, double Dutch chocolate with fudge buttercream and strawberry bliss cake with strawberry buttercream among its layers.

FIRST DANCE SONG: “Anything For You” by Ledisi and PJ Morton

INSPIRATION: An industrial space paired with a garden to bring romance and lushness indoors

SPECIAL FEATURES: pink and orange colored smoke bombs; an interactive dessert favor where a Krispy Kreme donut and a Shipley’s donut were put in a box together and passed out at the wedding, guests could eat them and vote via a QR code which donut they liked best; a custom bourbon and champagne wall for the cocktail hour; cake was by the Food Network baking contest winner The London Bakers; photo booth

HONEYMOON: Mini moon to Jamaica and an actual honeymoon to Hawaii

COLORS: