Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/135428
passing lobster rolls and Casco Bay Fizz drinks (both a wink to Maine, the latter a vodka, cranberry and basil concoction named for a bay there) and barbecue Texas crab and margaritas in homage to Houston. As the dinner hour descended, our guests started with a "wow" first course: seared ahi tuna sashimi dotted with fresh mango and pink grapefruit atop a Napa cabbage slaw tossed in a bright ginger vinaigrette. What a way to start! Fond of butter lettuce, I asked Robert to create a salad around that delicate, flavorful leaf. The result was studded with avocado, teardrop tomatoes, jicama, radish and crumbled queso fresco with a creamy buttermilk-herb dressing. The main course was inspired by William's favorite dish: lamb. As I love mint and jalapeño jellies, Robert melded both flavors in a light sauce atop wood-grilled lamb chops, cooked to utter perfection and accompanied with a potato cake flecked with asparagus. Wines — red, white and sparkling — hailed from France and Italy, and complemented the four-course feast (cake would complete it) flawlessly. The fabulous meal had our guests chattering for weeks. THE INVITES JENNY ANTILL JENNY ANTILL JENNY ANTILL We entrusted paper couturier PH Design Shop to fashion everything from our save-the-date cards to the engraved wedding invitations. Co-owner Amanda Valentine, my frequent collaborator, was inspired from the start. For the save-the-date cards, I was channeling a light, Rothko-like art moment (apropos for the venue) when she coaxed me to paint a watercolor, taking note of the abstract colorist's brighter canvases. She scanned it and, with the restraint of the artist himself, laid out our brief copy atop it to create a postcard, printed on sheets of cold-press watercolor paper. The fonts on our invite were Amanda Valentine created the modern similarly rendered in shades of charcoal-gray ink (I prefer it to the coldness of black). Referencing oversized charcoal-and-white engraved double-back invitations. correspondence cards, Amanda suggested we engrave our wedding-paper suite with a mixture of Neutra and shaded steel-plate gothic lettering, then double-back each invitation to create a stiff, thick card literally double its former weight. Choosing a complementary charcoal hue, she had each of the four sides bevel-cut; the wide beveled border was then carefully hand-painted. For the finishing touch, we tissue-lined each white envelope with a pewter-gray shade. The stamps were a Maine-inspired Edward Hopper seascape, care of the U.S. Postal Service. Finally, I asked PH's Chris Charles to design the menus placed at every plate with the same font style and colors as the invitation. The result: exquisite papers we'll covet for a lifetime. Top: Nephew William King served as the ring bearer. Seating cards arranged outside RDG's private dining room. The happy couple exiting the Rothko Chapel. The bride's nieces and flower girls, Taylor and Avery King, in Crewcuts. Bottom: RDG's dinner menu design by PH Design Shop. Gleaming mint julep cups filled with white spring flowers stand beneath flowering cherry blossoms, all by David Brown. A peek inside the tables dressed for dinner at RDG. Father Craig Gavin, William's uncle, inspects the marriage certificate. THE WEDDING CAKE I'd like to think I know a thing or two about cake; after all, in my former life, I went to culinary school in Paris and devoted a good deal of time to crafting pastry. But I was positively gobsmacked the moment I tasted the array of cakes baked by the talented Susie Edwards, owner of Susie's Cakes & Confections. Moist, yet rich with a dense, luscious crumb, coated with a creamy buttercream that was perfectly sweetened … William and I collectively swooned at the very first bite. The hardest decision was choosing the flavors for our three-tiered cake. The subtle nuances of vanilla, almond and cocoa were intoxicating, but in the end we chose the classic combo of almond and chocolate cakes with fillings of vanilla-bean buttercream and bittersweet chocolate ganache beneath a matte smooth covering of rolled fondant. Decorating with exquisitely detailed sugar-paste dogwood blossoms, each painstakingly made by hand, Susie carried out our spring theme flawlessly, with edible branches cascading down each beautiful graduated tier. Nearly every single guest asked for seconds (even thirds — good thing we planned for that), and we're still hearing raves about "that amazing cake." WHAT WE WORE Laurann: I chose a deceptively simple Romona Keveza strapless silk-satin gown in a pearl hue with a cathedral-length veil and blusher by Vera Wang, both from Joan Pillow Bridal Salon. There was not a single pearl, piece of lace, tulle, crystal or extraneous stitch anywhere on this slim sheath or its small train. Keveza, like an architect, constructs her pieces so they drape elegantly about your frame, so I didn't wear many jewels — save for Elsa Peretti's Laurann and William head to the reception at RDG/Bar Annie. DETAILS, DETAILS… pearl drop earrings and my engagement and wedding rings. William: A friend of Thom Browne (and loyal customer since Browne started the line from his Park Avenue apartment), William wore a custom charcoal wool Thom Browne suit with a Black Fleece doublebreasted waistcoat (also by TB for Brooks Brothers), Charvet white shirt, Ralph Lauren charcoal tie and Cartier cuff links. Wedding Party: Forgoing the ritual of obligating my best girlfriends to purchase dresses they'll never wear again … we obligated our family instead! We asked William's boys, Peter (18) and Gavin Zeitz (21) to stand up as his best men in charcoal J.Crew suits. My sister (and matron of honor) Lizbeth's two daughters, Avery (13) and Taylor (11), served as flower girls and her son, William (8), as the ring bearer; all three wore dovegray, rendered in dresses and a suit by Crewcuts. THE RINGS The engagement ring we chose — a custom diamond eternity band set with emerald-cut stones — was stunning, yet admittedly a wonderfully untraditional choice. Searching long and hard for a complement to it, we selected Cartier's iconic Trinity Ring, which is created with the latter adorned with a pavé of diamonds. William's choice: Tiffany's elegant Lucida platinum 6-mm-wide band. Each ring was handengraved, too, with a message from our intended. PHOTOS: Bates Photographic Studio. I appreciate that David Bates captured so many wonderful moments before and during the celebration — never unnaturally staging them, but snapping shots quickly and discreetly. CEREMONY: The Rothko Chapel at The Menil Collection. Favors: Iced sugar cookies shaped as three-tiered white wedding cakes, handmade by Michael's Cookie Jar. BRIDAL MAKEUP: Corinne Williams, owner of Façade. AIRBRUSH TAN: St. Tropez by Darcie Teasley at Trellis, The Spa at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa. HAIR: Color and cut by Dan Donnelly, Kharisma Hair Salon; Styling Trey Gillen, Tre Spa. HEADQUARTERS FOR OUT-OF-TOWNERS AND THE SUNDAY BREAKFAST: Hotel Derek and Valentino Vin Bar. TRANSPORTATION: Karr Limousine. (We also hired a small bus to shuttle our guests between Hotel Derek, the Rothko Chapel and RDG + Bar Annie. Best idea ever.) CHAPEL MUSIC: Classical string duo from Divisi Strings. Linen Rental: Swift + Company. We splurged on snow-white Italian linen tablecloths and hemstitched dinner and cocktail linen napkins from Elizabeth Swift Copeland's trove of 100 percent pure linen cloths. They looked smashing beneath David Brown's glorious spring flowers. CALLIGRAPHY: Invites and place cards by Calligraphy by Patricia. (In charcoal gray, natch.) HONEYMOON: A photo safari in Botswana, Africa, arranged by &Beyond.