Teach me how to Dougie...

July 15, 2011 was the big day for Ashton Miser and Caleb Watson. We hosted their ceremony and reception and I think it is safe to say that everyone had a good time. Kathy Bullard with was their wedding planner and she did a great job on making everything come together the way Ashton wanted it to. The ceremony was held outside on the terrace. We spent all morning draping pink fabric above the east wall, setting chairs out, and even putting little fans on everyone’s seat trying to help them beat the summer heat. The ballroom tables had black linens with hot pink centerpieces and damask design tying it all together. Before the ceremony started we greeted Ashton and Caleb’s family and friends with cold bottled water in the foyer. Finally 7:00 came and it was time. Ashton was a vision in white (and pink high heels.) The way Caleb looked at her when she was walking down the aisle made my heart melt. Caleb kissed his bride and then everyone found their way back into the Grand Ballroom so the reception could begin. While everyone was having dinner, which was catered by Johnny Carino’s, a slideshow played showing the couple before and after they fell in love. After dinner comes dessert! The groom had cake balls in strawberry, red velvet, devils food, and chocolate flavors. They were delicious! The bride’s cake was white with the black damask design covering it. It was also very tasty! My favorite part of the night was when Ashton and the best man, Colbey, got out on the dance floor and taught everyone how to dougie!! They were really good dancers! And I learned a new dance! Thanks you guys! All good receptions eventually have to end. When it was time for the night to be over we sent off Ashton and Caleb with a sea of bubbles! I am sure that the photographer was able to get some great shots of it! I will post them for all you blog readers as soon as we get them!

To Ashton and Caleb, thank you for letting us be a part of your day! I enjoyed this day so much and I hope y’all did too! Everyone looked so beautiful from the bridesmaids in white and black dresses, and groomsmen in white tuxedos, the bride in her dress and pink high heels and the groom in his white suit! We hope your honeymoon in Florida was a blast! Good luck in all your future endeavors as husband and wife!

What a Weekend!

The first weekend of this month was crazy busy around here! As I hope you have already read July 1, we had Ricka and Blaine’s ceremony and reception, July 2 we got to hang out with Tiffany and Weston for their reception, and on July 3 we got to do it all over again for Aaren and Brandon’s’ ceremony and reception too! I had the pleasure of being here all three days, and now I get to blog about it soooo here it goes…


Tiffany & Weston McCalip




July 2, 2011 was all about Mr. and Mrs. McCalip at the Wellington! We had so much fun at this reception, I was so sad when it was time for the newlyweds to make their exit! Judy with Kathy’s Bakery was the coordinator for this day, and she for sure lived up to her end of the bargain. The ballroom was decked out in hot pink and black. There were even little hints of zebra in some places. The tables had centerpieces on them with hot pink flower arrangements on top. The head table was set up on the stage behind the dance floor. Judy and Kathy made an awesome drape to hang behind the wedding party that had the couples’ initials on it, and a little bit of bling too of course. The foyer was absolutely amazing. The table had Tiffany’s mothers wedding gown and Weston’s mother wedding gown on mannequins, the trains covered the table perfectly falling all the way to the floor. There were pictures set up of the couples grandparents and great grandparents on their wedding days. It was nice to see all of these people still happily married. It was also neat to see the style transformation of the dresses through the years. Tiffany was a gorgeous bride. She looked like just like one of the brides you see in the magazines, only prettier. Mark Schroeder provided the tunes for the night and as always did a great job. When the clock struck 9:00 it was time for the ol’ red Studebaker truck to pull up and take the young couple off into the night so they could begin their honeymoon. It made for some very cute pictures as everyone threw pink rose petals and waved their goodbyes!







Aaren & Brandon Halencak




The next day our team came together to get everything ready for Aaren and Brandon. Kim Southard with The Swanky Thang was the planner and like always everything turned out perfect. The day started with an early morning rehearsal. One for the ladies and one for the guys since the tradition does say the bride and groom are not supposed to see each other on their big day. After that the guys headed of f so the girls could get ready. We turned the music up and got to work. Aaren and Kim decided to go with brown table linens and orange centerpieces. There were also hints of ivory in the ballroom which really set the orange tones off. The ceremony was held inside. The bridesmaids wore brown dresses and the groomsmen wore ivory suits. Aaren looked like the perfect bride in her dress. She really did a great job picking out that gown. During the ceremony Aarens brother, Adam, sang his rendition of “Wait for me.” He has an amazing voice. After the ceremony, always comes the reception, and this was a great party. Monarch set up a mashed potato bar, salad bar, sliders and a fruit station. And as always the food was delicious. Kathy’s Bakery was in charge of the bride’s cake and it too did not disappoint. The groom’s cake showed Brandon’s love for the Texas Rangers and chocolate covered strawberries. Iron Horse set up the bar, and kept the guests cups filled all night. I’d have to say the funniest part of the night was when it was time for the bouquet and garter toss. Brandon with the help of his best man, Austin, pulled out his hard hat and tool belt and then put on quite the show. Finally after using all the tools he had he was able to pull the garter off of Aarens leg and throw it to the single guys in the crowd. What seemed as such a short time after, the clocked turned 12 and it was time for the party to end. Everyone threw birdseed as the couple made their exit.






I had such an amazing time working with both of these couples and their families! Thank you to Lauren Pinson with Lauren Pinson Photography for the great pictures of Mr. and Mrs. McCalip! And thanks to DeEdra with Photo[E]motion Photography for the awesome pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Halencak!

To Tiffany and Weston and Aaren and Brandon, thank you for letting us at the Wellington be a part of your big days. You guys were great to work with and we hope y’all nothing but the best of luck on your new ventures as husband and wife!

"It's a Nice Day for a White Wedding!"

July 9th was definitely a hot day in July for Nathan and Laura’s Wedding Day! However, despite the Texas heat, even the white flowers held it together for this special day.
The excitement started early here at the Wellington as the bridal party arrived in a white stretch-Hummer. The girls applied their make-up in our Bridal room fully stocked for full-relaxation and enjoyment as the rest of the wedding party and guests enjoyed the sun poolside at the Holiday Inn Express next door! The bridal party ended their time here, before loading back into the limo for the church, getting photographed by the amazing Rachel Archer who is going to provide us with beautiful pictures of this romantic and exciting day! Be on the lookout for her pictures to be posted!

Meanwhile, in the ballroom, the wedding planner was putting her final touches to the white floral arrangements full of roses, hydrangeas, carnations and orchids that were beautifully arranged by Kim Southard with The Swanky Thang. The centerpieces were absolutely stunning and elegant! We even had Shiloh back in the house helping out!

6 o’clock came and went as the lovely couple exchanged vows at a local church. Thoughts of “I Do’s” and first kisses were on our minds as we swept through the ballroom lighting candles and making sure things were just right for the newlyweds.

Hors D’oeuvres were served just as the guests began to arrive. Monarch Banquet and Catering passed bacon-wrapped shrimp along with scrumptious spinach quiche before dinner was served. The couple chose food stations of Sliders, Quesadillas and a Roast Beef carving station with horseradish sauce that would make any guest’s mouth water!

Once the wedding party arrived in an even larger vehicle, the bride and groom were swept off to one of our private rooms for an intimate first-dinner. I love this because, really, when do the bride and groom actually get to enjoy the meal on their special day? This way, they got to share some time together reliving the day’s events before being introduced for the first time as husband and wife in our grand ballroom!
Once Laura and Nathan entered the ballroom, the festivities began! They immediately danced their first dance followed by the father-daughter dance and mother-son dance.

The speeches were to follow. They were each full of laughs as well as tears. My favorite part of the speeches had to have been the matron-of-honor’s advice as a married woman herself. She said, “You fall in love by chance. You stay in love by choice.” These are wise words to live by! With as many weddings as we have seen around here, I will always keep that with me.
Then, onto the cakes! Kathy’s Bakery provided the stunning white bride’s cake and festive groom’s cake, which was surrounded by chocolate-covered strawberries and topped off with sugar made to look like ice! These cakes stood out especially this week thanks to the Wellington’s new toys: upgraded pin-spot lighting! There is nothing worse than your cake not standing out is what I always say!

Next: dancing! I have to say, I had my suspicions for this particular reception. You see the bride is an Aggie while the groom is a Sooner. So, on this particular day, the Wellington was a house-divided. Most of the groomsmen were from OU while many of the girls were Chi Omega sorority sisters from Aggieland. I had imagined the dance floor being divided with the guys not quite sure about these Aggie women. However, thanks to Drive the Band, I was proven wrong. Aggies and Sooners can, in fact, intermingle while dancing the night away. During dinner, the band played everything from Jason Mraz and John Mayer to the Beatles.
Once it was time to kick it up a notch, they really got the crowd up and moving! What got the guests to make their way to the dance floor was when the band played “Shout!” A wedding essential, of course, but the band was so into the song that even I found myself getting a little bit louder now! At this point, the band was taking requests and playing everything from Katy Perry to Michael Jackson to Prince’s “Kiss”, another wedding essential in my book. Being an Aggie myself, I particularly enjoyed when the band took a break to play the Aggie War Hymn. (Whoop!) A wedding involving an Aggie is incomplete without the whooping and swaying that we love so dearly!
The guests were dancing all night until the last song was played at 11:30 that was another Beatles' classic, “With a Little Help from my Friends.”
Once this song was over, it was time for the bride and groom’s big exit. The entry doors were opened and everyone was given a handful of birdseed to toss at the newlyweds who left in style in their, of course, white limousine.

And so an Aggie married a Sooner.
Congratulations, Laura and Nathan!
We hoped your day was just as special as you had imagined it to be. We wish you all the luck and love in your future together.
-The Wellington Crew

The Beginning of a New Chapter ...

My Final Wedding.

Excuse me bloggers, while I am quite sure that I will become misty-eyed while writing this blog. This is, indeed, my last blog to write for the Wellington Banquet and Conference Center. *Tear*. I am so sad to be leaving this place, but so happy to have gained the knowledge and experience that I have. As some of you read in my earlier blogs, I came to the Wellington to complete my work-study hours here to go toward my degree in Restaurant Hospitality Management with my concentration being in Meetings and Events Management. My time is now up and I will be returning to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. You guys don't have to lie to yourselves; I know y'all will miss me. But, enough about me, let's get on with this past weekend's reception, shall we?

My last wedding reception here at the Wellington was for Taryn and Grant Rogers. These two were a precious couple and had such a wonderful reception. Their ceremony took place at Our Lady Queen of Peace and their reception immediately followed around 4 in the afternoon. For the first hour, guests enjoyed a cocktail hour in our foyer and boardrooms. Kim Southard with The Swanky Thang was the planner for this event. She did a FABULOUS job on the decorations! It was absolutely breath-taking with the lime-filled vases topped off with roses painted of pinks, red and purples. My favorite sight, though, was probably the bridal portrait display table covered with pictures that showed off Taryn's beautiful dress and cute and quirky personality. The guests anxiously awaited to see what was in store through the ribbon-tied doors leading into the grand ballroom. 5 o'clock arrived and the doors were opened! The Band, A Formal Affair, began to play some soft dinner music while the guests enjoyed passed hors d'oeuvres. After the wedding party arrived and were announced, Taryn and Grant shared their first dance as husband and wife to Gavin Degraw's "Belief". I don't know if it was the beauty of the moment, or if I was getting sentimental with it being my last wedding, or the lethal combination of the two, but I began to weep like a baby. In fact, all of the staff was tearing up! It was such an amazing moment! The food was catered by some of my favorite ladies from Bistro Express. Their food is always to die for and they are such a joy to work with. Meegan Weaver was the photographer for the evening. She always does such a great job! (We will post her pictures here as soon as they arrive! :) )

You would think that a wedding reception beginning so early would wind down early as well. But, no, Taryn and Grant's reception was so much fun that no one wanted to leave! It was amazing! I have to admit, I was a little jealous that I was working and not a part of the wedding. I definitely would have loved to bust out to some Journey with Taryn and her friends! Taryn and Grant had their send off with their close friends and family tossing birdseed as they ran through the entrance of the Wellington. It was a wonderful send off!

When the night dwindled down and it was time to clean up, I became very sad. I wanted them to stay longer so that my last wedding here would never end. However, what a wedding to end with! The reception was amazing and definitely one for the Wellington books. Congratulations Taryn and Grant! We all wish you guys all the best! Thank you for being my last wedding and for being so fabulous!

On this note, it is time for me to say farewell. I shall always miss writing this blog and filing everyone in on the details of the weekend's previous events. I hope you all will miss me, too! Thank you to everyone who read my blogs!

Ricka and Blaine

What better way to start off the month than with a ceremony AND reception! July 1, 2011 we had the great honor of hosting the Ricka Garlington and Blaine Willett wedding here at the Wellington! Ricka and her mother, Diane, did all of the decorations themselves and did quite an impressive job. We draped purple and silver fabric on the east wall of the terrace where they were married in front of about 260 friends and family members! Ricka and Blaine did not stop the Texas heat from keeping their ceremony from going exactly as planned! The flower girl was just as cute as she could be. She did not throw petals down the aisle as most do, she rang a cow bell! Ricka was escorted down by her mother to Carrie Underwood’s’ “Mama’s Song.” It was so sweet. After Blaine kissed his bride they danced their way back down the aisle to Smashmouth’s “I’m a believer” and then everyone headed into the ballroom to get the reception started! Monarch did an excellent job on the food. They served chicken fried chicken and steak with mashed potatoes and fried okra. It was super tasty! For dessert we had wedding cake (of course) and peppermint ice cream in honor of Rickas’ late father. Rickas cake was gorgeous and four tiered with purple flowers that sat on top of it to match the centerpieces on the tables. Blaine’s cake made sure to show his appreciation to his second great love, golf. It was served with chocolate chip cookies. The DJ really knew how to keep the party going! He played everything from Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” A big thanks goes out the wedding coordinator Julie Caldwell with “I do Weddings” for helping keep the night fun and run smooth. Another thanks to Ms. Geri Merrick, the photographer for the evening, for taking such great pictures all night. We got to know Ricka and Diane pretty well since last October when they first came in and toured the facility. A lot of planning went into this event and we are very happy to have got to be a part of it and meet such wonderful people. We wish Blaine and Ricka the best of luck on their new lives together.