It was a December wedding. It had a picture-perfect setting, gorgeous weather, beautiful people, breathtaking decor, and “masks!” No, it was not a masquerade wedding but a masked wedding! That bear witness that 2020 managed to take away with it so many dreams and wishes but not LOVE! 

The domino effect of the pandemic last year swallowed the wedding dreams of millions of couples, but it was amazing to see how the to-be-married couples took the bull by the horns and rerouted their wedding journey to happy-ever-afters with the micro or virtual form of weddings. You would want to witness one of those daring love stories that create a euphoric sense of freedom to celebrate the happiest day of life in the most beautiful way by complying with just a few easy-breezy guidelines to keep the evil away.

Flashbacks: How it all began?

7 is their lucky number (JK)! It was July 2017 when they saw each other for the first time! Thanks to their mutual friend who knew they would make a great couple! Interesting! How many times does a mutual friend introduction lead to “forever together?” We guess that’s a movie or web series stuff! Riley and Desiree have shared many wonderful moments (#SaveTheBabyBears), from texts/calls/Facebook messages to friend hangout to group dinner dates to light flirting here and there to board game/movie nights with Riley's family and their friend, and finally to their ‘first kiss’ (YAY!!) that the love birds shared in Desiree’s apartment! Thanks to the American Horror Story that they were watching after returning from a dinner date at BoomerJack's.

Yasssss queen, the magic moment happened! He asked, and she said “YES”

It was the dual celebration on the Mother's Day weekend (Friday) of 2019 - Riley's graduation and Mother's Day in Waxahachie, TX. Desiree and her family were also invited. When it was time for Riley to give a speech, he asked Desiree to stand by him. "I want to thank you all for being here and being there for me to help me through school, and now as I graduate. This weekend is about more than just my graduation, it actually involves a couple of parts - like all the mothers for example. "The other part of it," - pause as Riley turned to Desiree - "involves you. I love you so much, Desiree, and I can't imagine my life without you. There's really nothing else left to say except," - pause as he got out the ring box, got down on one knee, and there Desiree started tearing up - "will you marry me, Desiree Noelle Heath?" After a pause only because she's ugly crying like Kim Kardashian, Desiree says, "YES!" and hugs/kisses/smiles like a madwoman into Riley's neck before slipping on the beautiful ring. (#AMillsTimesYes).

The location

Willing to incorporate the city’s effortless feel into their wedding, they chose their home city, Dallas-Fort Worth, for their laid-back black-tie affair. From smaller communities loaded with tons of charm and hidden treasures to big city areas brimming with excitement and chic destinations, the nation’s largest inland metropolitan area is a treasure chest of unique finds and fantastic sights! Further, to make it easy for everyone, the Dallas-Forth Worth-based couple decided to have both the ceremony and the reception in the same place and that was none other than The Springs in Rockwall located in Terrell, Texas. Perched East of Dallas, this rustic and elegant countryside estate makes for quaint and intimate celebrations in complete privacy. With a variety of indoor and outdoor event spaces available, this manor wedding venue played a perfect host to the wedding they always dreamed of. A staircase descending from the bridal suite to the reception area made for a great prop for swoon-worthy wedding photos in a grand entrance.

When it was time to rise & shine (literally)!

We’ll start by conceding that we love winter weddings! The day was brighter and promising than ever. The bride and her bridesmaids leaped out of bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. The groom and his groomsmen were also like a dog with two tails. Our DFW wedding photographers were already on their toes with their cameras to capture the bridal and groom’s getting-ready moments. Soon they were called to the dazzling bridal suite where they not only clicked the gorgeous bridal portraits of Desiree but also her beautiful accessories. From the flat lay shot of the cute day-of accessories arranged thoughtfully on the floor with the wedding rings to getting-ready shots, they did the fabulous job of capturing all the must-have photos of the bride. We love the ring shot where all three bands are placed on the rustic MDF ring box calligraphically saying “and the two become one.” And the rear shot of Desiree in her black getting-ready robe showcasing the laid-back braided chignon is simply gorgeous! And how can we not talk about the aesthetically pleasing capture of Desiree holding her mom while her ‘maids are making her slip into her stunning sparkly silver ballet flats! Once the essential wedding photography in the bridal suite was done, the professional wedding photographers in Dallas- Fort Worth headed to the ceremony space to capture one of the most awaited moments of the day - the bride walking down the aisle!

HER wedding day look!

Determined to cut a dash in a gorgeous dress, Desiree slipped into a dreamy bridal gown which was sure designed in romance. Featuring bardot neckline framing her head and shoulders to perfection, three-quarter-sleeve tulle overlaid bodice embellished with crystals sparsely and a ravishing sash belt cinching her waist, the dress painted quite a picture of poise and grace for the wedding. She rocked a romantic style by opting for a two-tiered finger-tip angel-cut veil which was tucked subtly into her perfectly imperfect chignon. We love the way her mid-parted hair was braided from one side leaving the face-framing tendrils behind and swept back to contribute to the messy hair craft, which was further accentuated with an embellished pearl backcomb trailing to the other side. Keeping the whole look soft and relaxed, the addition of that beautiful braid gave the updo a romantic, modern twist. The minimal makeup with the brown lips highlighted her pretty face and her minimalistic bling, a bracelet, a pair of earrings, and a delicate pendant, tied the ensemble together! Her bridal bouquet was flourishing with wintry elements like red winter berries and pinecones, white roses, and greens with a hint of yellow. The bokeh shot of the bouquet in Desiree’s beautifully manicured hands is spell-binding indeed! We love her fingernails overlaid with ivory nail paint!

HIS big day look!

Looking like a million dollars in his black suit paired with a white shirt and a light blue tuxedo vest, Desiree’s groom was so handsome even after wearing that jet black face mask spruced up with a tiny 3D bow, "We bet he was." Regal, romantic, and timeless - we love the single rose boutonniere he tucked in the lapel of his jacket to match his bride. His glossy black derby oxford shoes and powder blue tie completed his groom look! The gentleman’s brown side-parted slicked back hair and short boxed Tom Hardy-style beard that day stole je ne sais stole how many ladies’ hearts! The cute smile was simply perfection!

Riley’s rad boys and Desiree’s daring girls

Looking like peas in a pod, her bridesmaids rocked a matchy-matchy look in powder blue sleeveless full-length gowns and maid of honor in a darker shade. On the other hand, matching with the style and feel of the groom’s look (as well as with the females in the bridal crew), Riley’s gang of bodyguards including the handsome young man (who played ring bearer) too dressed up to the nines looking like a cut from the same cloth! Dress to impress is the name of the game, after all! While the bride and her bridesmaids were stealing the spotlight on the big day, the groom and groomsmen also were looking as pretty as a picture! The groomsmen coordinated their attire not only with the groom but also the bride and bridesmaids by donning powder blue ties and white rose and berry boutonniere. The sense of formality that came along with uniform fashion was worth capturing! We absolutely loved the synergy of the attire that their bridal party donned pulling their best friend’s wedding vision together sans taking the spotlight away from the star couple. We couldn’t help but fall in love with the group photos featuring the bride’s chirpy birds and the groom’s black panthers doing something impish! They all were in high spirits morning, noon and night!

Check out the matriarchs & patriarchs!

The leading ladies of the family stood out on the big day in their choice of attire! They are classy ladies, and they like what they like! While the mother of the groom donned a dark green sparkly tea-length cocktail dress along with a dual-shaded fur jacket, and a pretty floral corsage to join the group. Conversely, the mother of our bride decided to match the color palette by putting on a navy blue long evening gown. We simply adore the well-coordinated look of both the dads! While the father of our groom looked dapper in his three-piece jet black suit and a white shirt complete with a fresh white rose boutonniere, shiny black shoes along with a red silk tie and pocket square. Our dashing father of the bride too rocked his black three-piece suit and white shirt paired with a black tie and the similar boutonniere and shoes. The wedding family group photos where both the parents are looking gorgeous and the happiest had our hearts swollen with second-hand emotions!

The ceremony & reception

On December 12th, 2020, Riley and Desiree exchanged vows hand in hand amidst their nearest and dearest in the venue’s spacious wood pavilion located among the trees in the daytime at 3:00 pm and held a modern reception (at 5:30 pm) in the main hall (The Springs Rockwall Poetry Hall) complete with its gleaming oak floor and open-beam construction. The dress code of their unplugged ceremony was cocktail & of course masks, so the guests could enjoy the ceremony root and branch leaving their cameras and cell phones in their pockets or clutches. Focused on having a joyous, memorable celebration for everyone, the couple put a spin on traditional wedding elements and had a ‘first touch’ ceremony instead of ‘first look’ and the bride walked down the aisle with her mother. They wanted something very simple and classic, and they both have really been into woodsy everything lately, so they decided to get custom signage for their ceremony.

After Riley kissed his bride as husband they headed to lush grounds for some breathtaking couple photography with our Dallas photographers. Once done with an awesome outdoor couple photo session, the newlyweds posed with their family members! Soon was time to rope in the wedding party for some fun group pictures. The photographers made the most of the time remaining before the next event and captures some wonderful shots in the captivating frames. The weather added to the allure! In a little while, the clock pushed them all in to get ready for the most enjoyable part of the day- their wedding reception! As fresh as a daisy, Desiree and Riley entered the main hall to celebrate the remainder of the day with their loved ones! The reception party was overlaid with elegance and class! The guests were waiting for them while mingling with one another. They danced with each other, family, and friends, cheered the toasts, listened to the speeches, cut the cake, and headed to their forever land!

We adore the decor!

Their perfectly planned cold-weather formal (blue-tie) affair corroborates that winter is the perfect season for embracing simplicity and minimalism. The wedding decor couldn’t fall through cracks in the tide of their lightning-like smile and the gleam of the bride’s dreamy tulle wedding dress! From the wood pavilion decked up with floral danglers and a trendy candle-style crystal chandelier to the appealing white chairs adorned with white illusion ribbon to the fishbowl-style centerpieces with poinsettia floating in the water, the setting gave us and everyone chills reminding of holy Christmas which was around the corner! From the venue to the flowers and the dress to the food, there are a lot of components of a wedding that brides and groom alike invest some serious thought (and money) into. And we glad that our professional photographers in DFW managed to seize all the big little details! We love the way the sweetheart table set against the white industrial stone wall and behind the signage reading “The Mills Family,” which has also acted as a great photo prop for Desiree’s cheerful photo, placed amidst poinsettia and winter foliage, flickering candles, and fairy lights! The silver-gold mason jar and a string of gold and silver paper hearts sprinkled the gold here and there adding to the festive vibes! Keeping to their color palette of black and blue, the couple worked with the venue staff who greased the wheels to make their journey as frictionless as they could while providing their guests with a quintessential DFW experience. We must say, despite difficult times, the duo pulled out all the stops to live the day of their dreams! 

The 'pawesomely' sweet moment of the day!

Psst! For me, sweet means cake, and cute means dog! I don’t know about others, but I am beyond obsessed with cakes and dogs! And we are thrilled to see both our fave things together in the same frame! We adore the couple for including their fur babies in the happiest and most special occasion of their life! The couple topped off their dream day with a dreamy confection, a four-tiered nude white wedding cake featuring beautiful winter woodland detailing and pearl piping between each layer garnished with bunches of pinecones, white roses, and leaves placed on a rustic wooden cake stand. And a mini version of the newlyweds' dogs was the finishing touch to this work of art! With no sweat, the professional and affordable wedding photographers captured their cake-cutting moments in the sweet frame!

The wedding pictures that have our hearts

The seasonal COVID-19 wedding of Riley and Desiree was no less than over-the-top weddings. And the team of professional wedding photographers in and around Dallas Forth Worth did a superb job of capture every precious moment in the perfect frames, be that emotional vow exchange moment or fun cake-cutting phase. It’s hard to pick some fave shots from the thousands of stunning captures they clicked, but there are a few photos that go down our favorite photo gallery! Let’s start with the indoor photographs - Riley holding the hand of Desiree in the first touch picture melts our hearts every time we see. We know this private and tender moment between them will be cherished forever and a day! We love all the reception pictures, particularly the ones featuring the newlyweds’ first dance and the mother-daughter dance of the belle of the ball, our beautiful bride Desiree. There is something about the first dance pictures in masks, that is even more appealing! Sometimes wearing a mask is the best way to show our true selves! It’s also not easy to forget the cloud-9 joy on the newlyweds’ faces in the shot where Desiree is showcasing their “bond of forever together,” their marriage certificate!

Speaking of outdoor photos, all the couple portraits clicked outdoors in the natural light directly enter our heart through eyes, especially the one where Riley is dip-kissing his bride and Desiree’s wispy veil is adding a cinematic touch! You will agree too if we say that the sun-kissed picture of the duo where Riley is kissing Desiree is a winner! We also appreciate the Dallas wedding photographers for capturing the newlyweds with their crew in various styles. The photo where the couple is taking a stroll in the garden with the gang (busy doing their own things) blurred behind the scene is incredible! Look at the photographs where our gorgeous bride is posing with her lovelies, the pastels all around are sure to remind you of spring! Our dapper groom is looking even more handsome when standing with Desiree’s spring-like bridal party! All the group photos, with masks on or without masks, sure belong to stock photos! Plus, the sun-kissed couple shots are Pinterest-worthy too! We love the forehead-to-forehead couple portrait shot under golden tones of the sun with everything else blurred in the backdrop! It’s giving us IRL heart-eyes! And lastly, but not least, the sentimental snap where Desiree is being walked by her mom with welled-up eyes to the altar holding vow card in hand and tears in her eyes is a photo that we will not forget any time soon!

Maybe the bright sunny weather as neat as a new pin, maybe the tons of greenery in mint condition as far as eyes could see, maybe the lovely ladies looking fresh as a daisy in pastels, the whimsical winter wedding in Dallas-Fort Worth was absolutely no less than an ethereal spring wedding. We are pleased as punch that we got to be part of the most special day of Riley and Desiree as it’s not every day we come across a star-crossed couple like Riley and Desiree whose love stood the test of pandemic times! And their love story definitely is one for the storybooks! Their masked wedding in Dallas-Fort Worth is something that no guest will forget anytime soon, you bet! And us? It’s already etched in our memories forever and a day! We even forgot for some time that it was the pandemic time! We can’t wait to share the gorgeous pictures of Riley and Desiree’s Dallas wedding that are indeed a sight for sore eyes altogether. There you go, enjoy!