“Timeless with a touch of whimsy,” is a phrase that captures the celebration perfectly: bright colors, thoughtful details, and a day built entirely around their story and the people they love most.
A Love Story the Universe Kept Trying to Write
Long before Grace and Austin officially met, their paths kept crossing without either of them realizing it.
“We had never met before, but we had a few of the same friends. The people who introduced us, Morgan and Mark, were actually a John Cain wedding too. I grew up with Morgan, and I remember her talking about Austin, but never in a ‘that’s your person’ kind of way. Once we finally started dating, we’d laugh and realize, oh, I was at that event, you were there too, we just weren’t dating each other yet. My mom always says the universe knew the second we really met that we’d be inseparable.”
Once they did meet and talk, everything moved quickly.
“We were engaged in nine months, and married ten months after that.”
Their actual meeting had its own charm: a chance run-in at Morgan’s wedding shower, held at Grace’s parents’ house, followed a week later by an impromptu night at the Ice House that then later turned into their first date.
A Lavish Dinner Party, Not a Traditional Reception
From the very beginning, Grace envisioned something that felt like an upscale dinner party with her favorite people.
“I’m all about my people. I wanted it to be like a chic dinner party, but then also have that flair of grace in summertime, happy, because I love summer.”
The “whimsy” she once resisted turned out to be exactly the right word.
“I hated that word during wedding planning so much. But then when I looked back at it, I was like, it was kind of whimsical. Every single thing you looked at in our wedding was thought through. The china at the reception is our wedding china. I am obsessed with tulips. A lot of the girls in our wedding were from TCU, so I wanted an ode to that time in my life. That’s kind of how it became whimsical, with the tulips and the way Gro designed it.”
Tulips became a defining visual thread throughout the day, incorporated above the dance floor and even into the cake design.
“I am obsessed with tulips.”
China Made for Everyday Life
One of the most personal touches of the day was Grace and Austin’s china pattern, a soft pink chosen almost instantly.
“I had no idea what I wanted, but our planner was the one who said, I think this pink will be good. I was like, we need it everywhere. That’s the winner. I love pink. I think it’s the happiest color.”
More than a design choice, the china has become part of daily life.
“Austin and I love having people in our townhome. I love a dinner party, I would so much rather go to a dinner party than out to a restaurant. For us, all the major moments, looking at that china is so special. Even unloading the dishwasher and looking up and seeing them reminds us of that day. We use those pink plates every night. China is meant to be used. China is meant to be on display in your home, and I will die on that hill.”
For Grace, those small reminders carry deeper meaning.
“I always say a little wink, whether it’s a God wink or a wink from an event. When I look at my kitchen every day, it’s like a little wink to our wedding.”
Signature Drinks & Handwritten Napkins
Grace and Austin’s signature drinks told their own story, an Aperol spritz and a summer beer, staples from their weekly football Saturdays at the Ice House.
“Our drinks are always an Aperol spritz and a summer beer. I always make funny drinks, or a twist on something, so that summer I was always drinking an Aperol margarita. I wanted to write that out on the napkins. Our guests would look at them and say, wait, that’s Grace’s order every time, that’s Austin’s order every time.”
Mamba Candy & Late-Night Treats
No detail was too playful to include, including a life-size Mamba candy cake, a nod to Grace’s ever-present sweet tooth.
“Austin and I spend so much time in the car together. I always have to have a snack, always a piece of candy, a Mamba. My birthday last year, right before we got engaged, Austin got me a life-size Mamba cake. Everyone couldn’t stop laughing about it. There’s nothing better after a late night than a bunch of candy, in my opinion.”
The late-night food followed the same playful spirit, milkshakes and candy, with a musical nod tucked into the signage.
“Everything had a little tie-in. The milkshakes had ‘Sugar, Sugar,’ and the candy had ‘You Were My Candy Girl,’ because I’m always the candy girl.”
A Day Full of Joy
More than any single detail, what stands out most from Grace and Austin’s wedding day is the feeling captured throughout, joy, ease, and connection.
Every detail, from the china to the candy, from the tulips to the napkins, was chosen with intention. And most of it hasn’t stayed behind on the wedding day. It’s still part of Grace and Austin’s everyday life, one dinner party, one Ice House Saturday, one piece of candy at a time.
