When Nadia first met Anthony, she had one thing on her mind – to get into shape. Anthony, a seasoned personal trainer, worked with Nadia and her friends on a customized workout routine. Nadia constantly pushed herself during her workouts, which Anthony noticed and appreciated. After a few months, the pair began a friendship that eventually turned into something much more.
Early on, the two had lunch together and frequented the movie theater. As they got to know one another, they discovered they had a lot in common such as their deeply rooted religious beliefs, their fierce love for family and friends, and their driven personalities. Anthony quickly realized there were many layers to the pretty girl named Nadia.
One evening, Anthony invited Nadia over for dinner as he enjoyed cooking meals for her. As he cooked, they were casually talking and it clicked – the timing was right. The couple shared a kiss for the first time that sparked something inside both of them. They had already developed a deep friendship and now they were ready to take things further. After that special dinner, the pair was inseparable.
As they began their dating relationship, they enjoyed dining together, golfing, bowling and going to the movies. Another huge part of their relationship is Anthony’s three children. When Anthony first told his children he was dating someone, they were elated to find out it was Nadia. For the group, it was easy to have fun as a family and the transition was effortless. Nadia and Anthony both saw their relationship as the course the Lord set before them and they were so happy to begin the promising journey. Anthony soon began planning a romantic proposal that fit both of their personalities.
Being laid back people, Nadia didn’t think anything was out of the ordinary when she woke up to smells of a delicious breakfast dancing in the air. When she entered the room, Anthony presented her with a gooey cinnamon roll, which elated Nadia because she’s something of a foodie who appreciates a tasty dish. Thinking this would be the highlight of her day, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that there were M&Ms, one of her favorite candies, arranged into a heart shape with something in the middle. When she looked closer, she realized that something was a ring. Shocked, Nadia turned to see Anthony on one knee. When he asked her to be his wife, she excitedly accepted.
Throughout the next year, the couple filled their days with wedding planning. Luckily, the bride-to-be had a venue in the works as she had been busy building her dream venue, The White Sparrow Barn. Growing up in Mississippi, Nadia missed the abundance of trees. When she spotted a patch of land in Quinlan, she knew the potential of the property and began her dream of constructing a wedding venue. Her own wedding would serve as the inaugural event.
Nadia had been a wedding photographer for years and already had a clear vision of what she wanted for her wedding day. She loves the ombre look and sought to integrate the pattern into a variety of aspects. Once she settled on a striking color palette of blush with pops of red, everything fell into place. One of the most striking creations was an altar addition made of hand-dyed red ombre ribbons. She worked with DIRT Design Studio on the design as well as a stunning ombre bouquet that featured blush and mint green succulents with bursts of bold red.
Just like her venue and color scheme, Nadia knew what she wanted when it came to a wedding dress and that was – something different. When she arrived at Stardust Celebrations, she had her heart set on lots of tulle and flare. She found just that in a gown that featured a corset bodice that flared at the waist into layers of tulle. To add a touch of Nadia, she had the dress altered in the front to create a striking high-low wedding gown. She channeled her inner Carrie Bradshaw when it came to her veil. To match her gown, she had a custom veil created with layers of ivory and buttercream tulle. To top off her look, she wore gorgeous sparkling pumps.
On the day of their spring wedding, Anthony awoke with excitement. He couldn’t wait to see his bride; for months, Nadia had been telling him he had never seen anything like her wedding dress, which made the anticipation of seeing her grow. Nadia was also feeling the excitement. She was comforted by the fact that she would soon be walking down the aisle to her husband.
Anthony’s youngest son, Kingsley, walked Nadia down the aisle. When she first caught a glimpse of her groom, Nadia admits that she wanted to sprint down the aisle to be at his side. In that moment, she focused completely on him. Anthony thought his bride was gorgeous. He felt complete joy as his youngest son walked Nadia down the aisle, his oldest son, Zimri, was his best man and his daughter, Berkley, was the maid of honor. Their intertwined relationship was perfect.
Following their romantic wedding ceremony beneath the dramatic red ombre ribbons popping against the white backdrop, the couple and guests enjoyed a cocktail hour. After mingling, everyone was seated at long rustic farm tables to enjoy shrimp cocktail, fajitas and jalapeno cheese fritters. Chandeliers hanging overhead and candles throughout the barn cast a romantic glow. The tables came to life with throngs of flowers and dazzling gold dinnerware.
In a long-standing tradition for Nadia, Annie Baker of Mississippi created their wedding confections. The baker has been making the bride a birthday cake since she was a child so it was only fitting she also created Nadia’s wedding cakes. In addition, Nadia’s mother and aunt made delectable pies for all to enjoy.
Chase Inspiration kept everyone dancing late into the night. With impending rain on the horizon, the couple opted to have a mock sparkler exit before the evening came to a close. The sparklers had always been a dream of Nadia’s, and she wasn’t going to let the weather interfere!
Looking back, the couple’s favorite part of the joyous occasion was the fusion of the two families along with friends. It meant a lot to both Nadia and Anthony that everyone came together for one special night. They recall taking in the room as a whole: all the beautiful décor, the dramatic lighting streaming in from the large oversized barn windows, and loved ones laughing and dancing throughout.
Nadia and Anthony honeymooned in St. Thomas and St. John. It was a perfect time for the newlyweds to unwind and enjoy one another. The couple now resides in Royse City and is relishing married life. Nadia feels so blessed to become a stepmother to Anthony’s children. The family is now excitedly looking forward to welcoming a new baby into the family as Nadia is expecting.
Anthony continues his job as a personal trainer and helps Nadia with The White Sparrow Barn. Every time the couple sets foot into the barn, they are whisked back to that magical day when they forged an unbreakable bond in front of all those they hold dear.
Brides of North Texas Featured Vendors
bridal gown, bridesmaids’ attire / STARDUST CELEBRATIONS
decor/rentals / POSH COUTURE RENTALS
venue / THE WHITE SPARROW BARN
other local vendors: Abuelos Catering • Chase Day Events • Dirt Flowers • Tara Hooper (hair/makeup) • Southern Fried Paper • Clayton Austin Love Stories • Design Roots
Other Local Vendors:
Weddings By StarDust, POSH Couture Rentals, Design Roots, Southern Fried Paper- Custom Invitations And Event Branding, Dirt Flowers
