Adriana Urbina and Victor Ruiz’s Garden Glam DFW Wedding Captured by Stephanie Brazzle Photography

Adriana Urbina and Victor Ruiz’s Garden Glam DFW Wedding Captured by Stephanie Brazzle Photography

Adriana Urbina was not looking for love when mutual friends introduced her to Victor Julio Ruiz. However, the universe had other plans – although it wasn’t obvious with the couple’s first date. Everything about the date that could go wrong did. For one, Adriana was 20 minutes late. And then, at the end of the night, Adriana’s car was trapped in valet parking after the couple lingered too long at a nearby bar. This led to a mountain of frustration, and needless to say, no romantic sparks were flying. But Victor didn’t give up, and after a few more dates, he won Adriana’s heart. With Adriana’s family hiding nearby, waiting to surprise her, Victor proposed April 5, 2015. A few months later, Adriana finished her master’s degree to become family nurse practitioner, and then quickly launched into wedding planning mode. They set their date for September 24, 2016, giving them a year to plan the wedding. They were grateful for the time – and even more grateful they hired a wedding planner, Sarah Kee from Keestone Events. The night of the wedding, the couple had no worries and lots of time for fun. “I danced the entire night, and I never dance,” Adriana said with a laugh. The couple chose Marie Gabrielle Restaurant and Gardens for their ceremony and reception. Located in the Harwood District in Uptown Dallas, Marie Gabrielle Restaurant and Gardens is a 1.5- acre garden oasis, known for its vast event space and great dining and catering options, featuring a European-influenced design. Manicured gardens, ancient art, and stunning oak and river birch trees encompass the 8,265 square foot pond that is found at its center.

Before finding the venue, Adriana and Victor had never heard of Marie Garbielle gardens. From the street, they couldn’t see much, but after a quick elevator ride, Adriana and Victor quickly fell in love with what they found. It was the perfect venue for their 110 guests. “It was like a secret garden in the middle of downtown,” Adriana said. For her colors, Adriana chose blush, gold, off white and ivory. She picked a theme that was a mix of a black-tie event and a garden party. She wanted their wedding to feel classy and somewhat formal, but still incorporate the venue’s beautiful, luscious gardens. Adriana appreciated her florist Lauren Clinkscales at Backyard Boutique for Lauren’s focus of finding locally grown, in-season flowers, which made the couple’s ceremony feel more unique. During the planning process, one important detail Adriana kept putting off was finding a dress. She knew it would be harder because Adriana lost her mother to cervical cancer about five years ago. The moment she had always imagined couldn’t ever be because her mother Virginia couldn’t be there. “It was very emotional to go look for a dress without having her,” Adriana said. “You see all these shows on TV – ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ – and you see them with their mom and how important that it is. I didn’t want to go through that moment by myself.” Once she was ready, Adriana invited her sisters, her aunt and her mother-in-law to go shopping with her. Surrounded by family who loves her, Adriana found the perfect gown at Bridal Boutique in Lewisville. She picked the Enzoani Justice gown, which features a soft sweetheart neckline, a luminous satin bodice and full tulle skirt, accented with gold and ivory stones and embroideries along the seam. She added a full-length cathedral veil. “Everyone started crying, and everyone knew this was the dress,” Adriana said. “I know that’s still my dress. I love it.” The day of the ceremony, Adriana carried a bouquet with her mother’s necklace, which she wore during her battle with cancer, wrapped around it. As she walked down the aisle, a string quartet played “Beethoven’s 5 Secrets,” a mixture of the OneRepublic song “Secrets” and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. The couple chose not to do a first look, and as Victor and Adriana saw each other, the tears started to fall. “I wanted to see his face when I walked down the aisle,” Adriana said. “That’s my favorite part of any wedding – the groom’s reaction, so I wanted to see that. Of course, I’m the one who cried.”

At the reception, they served a plated meal, featuring steak and filleted sea bass. After a great meal, the guests enjoyed drinks and danced the night away, inside the venue with the happy couple as the rain fell outside. Looking back, the weather was the only stressor. It rained all day, and late in the afternoon, the wedding planning started talking about plan B, taking the wedding inside. This was Adriana’s biggest fear with having the wedding outside, and Victor knew that she was stressed. He and his groomsmen were outside taking pictures when it started to pour. But when Adriana arrived at the venue about 30 minutes before the ceremony, there were no clouds. It was sunny. “It had completely stopped raining,” she said. “I really think it was my mother and his grandmother. They were looking down and making sure our wedding was perfect.” And it was. Adriana remembers smiling all night as she enjoyed the company of family and friends who traveled near and far to celebrate the couple’s life together. It was the wedding that Adriana had imagined since she was a little girl. “It really was a dream wedding – my fairy tale wedding, and then I had the perfect groom,” Adriana said. At the end of the night, guests lined an outdoor walkway with streamers. Adriana and Victor then enjoyed their honeymoon at Casa de Campo Resort and Villas, a 7,000-acre hotel, resort and residential community on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic. They enjoyed six days of fun – and continue to enjoy their lives as Mr. & Mrs. Victor Ruiz.

FEATURED VENDORS

Bridal Gown | Bridal Boutique

Cake | Sugar Bee Sweets

Photography | Stephanie Brazzle Photography

Wedding Planner | Keestone Events

other local vendors: Marie Gabrielle • DJ Brandon • Pixie Glam Studio • Dallas Gate • BBJ Linen • Backyard Boutique