Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/135428
PAPERCITY'S LAURANN CLARIDGE WEDS HER VERY OWN PRINCE WILLIAM JENNY ANTILL AS CHRONICLED BY LAURANN CLARIDGE ZEITZ. PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID BATES. T he lovely Kate Middleton isn't the only girl who's found her Prince William. I found my own princely sort, née William Andrew Zeitz of New England, in the most unlikely of places — at a lingerie trade show in New York. We were there on business with Claridge + King when my sister, Lizbeth King, couldn't help but notice "that handsome guy who's walked by our booth about 10 times." I, too, had spotted the stylish, shy man, there to lend a hand to friends launching a line. As fate would have it, we met, became fast friends and soon were having our first date. (I was very impressed that he'd drive six hours from Yarmouth, Maine, just to take me to dinner on my next trip to NYC two weeks later!) Needless to say, that was the start of a fast fall that felt destined to be. By the third date, we knew it was love and began what would be nearly a year-long courtship, winging back and forth from Portland, Maine, to Houston every two weeks or meeting somewhere exciting in between until William popped the question late last May at his favorite Houston spot: The Menil Collection's former Byzantine Chapel. When talk turned to wedding plans, we aimed for an early spring affair in Houston — on Saturday, March 24, 2012, to be exact — and desired something intimate with our family, closest of friends and exquisite food, flowers and a setting beyond compare. Given our affection for the Menil, we chose to tie the knot at the Rothko Chapel, with William's uncle — Father Craig Gavin, an Episcopal minister — marrying us. And with a mutual obsession for every shade of gray, we incorporated the sophisticated hue wherever apropos, from our attendants' dove-colored dresses and charcoal suiting to the steely-gray ink atop our engraved invitations and envelopes. We nixed any thought of a band, DJ and dancing at the reception, all of which might compete with lively dinner conversation. Instead, we treated our nearly 60 guests (two-thirds of whom traveled to the event from out-of-town) to a splendid early-evening alfresco cocktail party, followed by a scrumptious seated four-course dinner in the private room of RDG + Bar Annie. Each eight-top table was dressed in Swift + Company's white Italian hemstitched linens. The room positively burst with towering cherry blossom branches and small white spring flowers arranged in mint julep cups beneath, all artfully articulated by the incomparable David Brown. Read on for more details about how it all evolved and the talented souls who made this beautiful day come together seamlessly. JENNY ANTILL Top left: Laurann readied for the big day at home. Middle: The bride's calla lily bouquet by David Brown. Top right: The groom, William Zeitz, dressed at the Hotel Derek. Far left: Father of the bride, Michael G. Licopantis with sister/matron of honor, Lizbeth King, en route to the Rothko Chapel. Middle left: The wedding cake, created by Susie Edwards of Susie's Cakes & Confections. Middle right: The bride's pristine wedding ensemble. Above: Cartier's Trinity ring with pavé diamonds. THE FLOWERS I've long been obsessed by the work of floral designer David Brown and the team at his chic, eponymous Uptown Park boutique. The moment he glimpsed my wedding dress and suggested I carry nothing but elegant miniature white calla lilies, I knew that this man got it! With an unerring eye, he helped me gauge the season, scouring flower markets across the globe to find what would bloom precisely the fourth weekend in March. William wore a boutonnière to match my bouquet, while the girls carried demure posies of intoxicatingly fragrant ice-pink hyacinth mixed with ruffle-edge tulips. David also coordinated a scaled-down lapel version in shades of white for the best men, ring bearer and my father. He painstakingly realized my vision of walking into an indoor garden setting with white cherry blossoms arranged in slim, clear glass cylinders above white linen clothed tables. Seven to ten days before the event, he coaxed the branches to bloom by taking them outside each afternoon to drink in the sunlight, then cooling them back down in the walkin refrigerator for a long night's rest. Drawing the focus upwards to the flowering branches looming overhead made the view to dinner companions across the table unencumbered, but David wisely suggested we arrange a trio of small white bouquets of tulips, ranunculus and hyacinths — three of my favorite flowers — in mint julep cups to captivate diners at eye level as well. Best yet, as a sweet surprise, we encouraged our guests to take those small bouquets home to enjoy. Gorgeous! THE FARE Robert and Mimi Del Grande, the co-owners of RDG + Bar Annie, and I go way back. I've always been in awe of how Robert's science-oriented mind works to craft sophisticated, yet utterly thoughtful dishes that are lauded in circles near and far. Recalling Robert's detailed approach to composing a menu, as well as the warm feeling that comes over us every time we dine chez RDG + Bar Annie, our first call was to Denisse, their events manager, to reserve the private room. Aiming to treat our guests not only to a swoon-worthy meal but to a relaxed, fun celebration, Robert suggested we host a cocktail hour on the patio,