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    Real weddings

    Glamorous Dallas wedding whisks in fun Hollywood surprise — complete with swear jar

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    May 25, 2021 | 5:54 pm

    When Kristin Kay Sanders and James Robert Hallam got engaged on Mother’s Day 2020, they set a heartfelt intention for their dream wedding the following year.

     

    “Due to the pandemic, we felt inspired and called to put together a wonderful love-filled weekend with all of our closest friends and family after so many people had sat at home with little company and face-to-face interaction over the last year,” James says. “We thought the wedding should provide what folks had not been able to do — get dressed up and eat tasty food while dancing to incredible music.”

     

    On that last note, the couple had one very specific — and unorthodox — source of musical inspiration in mind: the 2003 Will Ferrell frat-boy film Old School. In a famous wedding-reception scene, a band called The Dan Band embellishes the newlyweds’ first dance to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with some, shall we say, “four-letter-word flourish.”

     

    What if The Dan Band could show up and give James and Kristin’s guests the same out-of-nowhere, irreverent, joyful belly laughs after such a long and joyless pandemic year?

     

    To orchestrate their wedding — including bringing in the famous band from Los Angeles — the couple called on Dallas wedding planner-to-the-stars, Steve Kemble.

     

    Kemble crafted a two-day extravaganza for them, April 23-24, 2021 — three events in three venues — all with larger-than-life details that would fit his signature descriptor, “FABULOUS!”

     

     Elegant extravaganza
    James and Kristin were no strangers to fabulous events and experiences themselves. James — executive vice president of Ben E. Keith Co., and Kristin — an entrepreneur in fields ranging from health foods to private investigation — are theater, arts, and fashion aficionados who have traveled the world in pursuit of all three. One of their favorite dates, they agree, was the opening of the Christian Dior exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art in 2019.

     

    The couple loves a great long-weekend adventure, so that’s exactly what they wanted to give their wedding guests.

     

    First came the Friday afternoon wedding ceremony at Highland Park United Methodist Church’s Cox Chapel, where James and Kristin exchanged vows before 125 friends and family, including Kristin’s sons, Jackson (13) and Christian (11) and James’ children, Georgia (21) and twins Hite and Hale (15).

     

    For her “something old,” Kristin wore her grandmother’s wristwatch — a family heirloom for three generations — which her dad placed on her wrist before escorting her down the aisle.

     

    The bride and groom chose not to see each other before the wedding, and the first time James glimpsed Kristin in her Carolina Herrera gown and hand-beaded veil, he nearly lost it.

     

    “When those doors opened and she walked down with her father, I have never seen something so breathtaking in my life,” he says. “Kristin was glowing and her dress was a beautiful shade of white with roses and just lovely. It was all I could do to not burst out in tears.”

     

    Bride and groom weren’t so successful suppressing tears when they were preparing to exchange their commitments.

     

    “The pastor had a beautiful message about how our love should be a guiding example for all to see,” Kristin says. “Literally, James and I were choking up before we even got to our vows. I looked to see the groom and all the boys were wiping their eyes. I had to pull it together.”

     

    After the chapel service, the wedding party and guests headed to nearby Park House at Highland Park Village for the first of two weekend receptions. The bride changed into a Chanel dress, towering balloon art sculptures greeted guests, and DJ Mark Ridlen kept the party soundtrack lively for the happy occasion.

     

     Black-tie affair
    To pull off the lavish, black-tie reception Saturday night, Kemble and a crew of 85 people worked for two days to transform Dallas Country Club into a magical, theatrical event space for 400.

     

    Twinkling candles set amid a floral wonderland cast a romantic spell for a night of dining, sipping, celebrating, and dancing. A regal black and gold “K & J” monogram created by 5 by 7 Designs adorned everything from favor boxes (containing Kristin’s favorite Nothing Bundt Cakes) to the bar station backdrops.

     

    One of the couple’s favorite details was a 12-foot-tall “LOVE” sculpture made of white roses and greenery that served as a selfie station. Guests also had fun with a smile imprint reader, who would have them kiss napkins and assess their smiles. “Men used lipstick, which was priceless,” James says.

     

    And then there was the cake — “OMG! The cake, the cake!,” Kristin enthuses. “Dallas Affaires created this contemporary, stunning design that had eight layers of pure ecstasy.”

     

    The newlyweds had kept The Dan Band a surprise for their guests, but an unusual decor detail hinted that something unorthodox was about to happen.

     

    “Given That Dan Band was going to be hurling well placed obscenities (as nice as you can) from the stage at the Dallas Country Club, I thought we should bring back the Bud Light 'Swear Jar' to get the audience wondering what in the world was about to happen,” James says. “Steve over delivered as usual and had a single spotlight on a Best Maid pickle jar, and as you would expect, as guests noticed it, they were asking “Why is there a swear jar?”

     

    James and Kristin (in a Ralph Lauren gown for this party) had taken Arthur Murray dance lessons for three months to pull off The Dan Band “Total Eclipse of the Heart" scene exactly as it unfolded in Old School — down to their “surprised” reaction when the lead singer tossed off the first obscenity. The crowd caught on and was quickly laughing along, just as the couple had hoped.

     

    After an hour of Dan Band fun and entertainment, the Jordan Kahn Orchestra — complete with brass section, backup singers, Go Go dancers, and light show — took over the stage to dance the night away.

     

    “The Hallam reception celebrated and danced until the lights were turned on,” James says.

     

    In fact, the bride and groom were having so much fun themselves, they skipped a traditional “grand exit” and were among the last to leave.

     

    “We were having so much fun dancing with everyone,” they say, “the idea of leaving early was not an option.”

     

    Just as they'd envisioned all those months ago.

     

     Wedding planner: Steve Kemble
     Ceremony: Highland Park United Methodist Church
     Friday reception: Park House, Highland Park Village
     Saturday reception and catering: Dallas Country Club
     Bridal attire: Carolina Herrera (bridal gown), Alisa Culp for Haute Hot Lingerie (custom veil), Ralph Lauren Purple Label (Saturday reception gown), Chanel (Friday reception dress)
     Groom’s tuxedo: Custom Vitale Barberis Canonico, Italy — Neiman Marcus
     Floral: Dr. Delphinium Designs and Events
     Cake: Dallas Affaires Cake Co.
     Entertainment: The Dan Band, Jordan Kahn Orchestra (Saturday reception), DJ Mark Ridlen (Friday reception)
     Photography: Danny Campbell Photography, Bryan Chatlien Photography
     Audio and lighting: Eagle AVL, Miller Pro Audio
     Favors: Nothing Bundt Cakes
     Invitations, favor boxes, napkins: 5 By 7 Designs
     Linen and chairs: TLC Event Rentals and Production Inc.
     Custom bars, food stations, dance floor: Shag Carpet Prop Rentals
     Drapery: Quest Events
     Party balloon art sculptures: EZ Party Time
     Hair and makeup: Jose Hernandez
     Transportation: Wynne Transportation
     Entertainment booking: Gary Osier Presents, Bravo Entertainment
     Accommodations: The Lumen Dallas

     

     ---

     

     Know of a Dallas-area wedding to consider for publication? Email stephanie@culturemap.com. Weddings must have taken place since July 1, 2019 and must not have appeared in other local publications.

    James Hallam and Kristin Sanders celebrated their wedding with a two-day extravaganza, April 23-24, 2021.

    Hallam wedding
      
    Photo by Danny Campbell Photography and Bryan Chatlien Photography
    James Hallam and Kristin Sanders celebrated their wedding with a two-day extravaganza, April 23-24, 2021.
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    Matcha News

    Dallas TikTok star Keith Lee crafts matcha drink for flood relief

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jul 10, 2025 | 2:42 pm
    Keith Lee and matcha drink
    Instagram
    Keith Lee hoists his special matcha drink.

    The devastating floods that swept across Central Texas on July 4 are bringing out all kinds of charitable endeavors — and that includes a limited-edition beverage from Dallas' favorite TikTok food influencer Keith Lee.

    Lee, a social media sensation whose online food reviews have benefited hundreds of small restaurants, is partnering with Dallas-based La La Land Cafe on a special drink: Called the La La Land X Keith Lee Latte, it's a matcha drink in which 100 percent of the proceeds will go towards Kerr County flood relief.

    La La Land is the coffee chain founded in Dallas in 2019 with a mission to provide opportunities for fostering youth and individuals in need. It now has 10 locations across Dallas-Fort Worth, plus three in Houston and six in Southern California.

    The new Keith Lee Latte will consist of double ceremonial matcha, with secret syrup, matcha cloud, a whole fresh strawberry, flaky salt, and matcha powder. (Lee can be seen enjoying the beverage in this video.)

    Matcha is the Japanese green tea powder that has experienced a surge in popularity, appearing in everything from drinks like the matcha latte to desserts like matcha mousse.

     Keith Lee Latte Keith Lee Latte is a matcha drink.Instagram 

    Lee, who relocated to Dallas in 2024, has been on a matcha kick ever since he tried it in Chicago, which he says "led me down a rabbit hole," and it has become his trademark drink. In May, he visited seven cafes across DFW in search of the perfect matcha in town, and that included La La Land, where he ordered a matcha with almond milk.

    He also has a charitable history, including a special visit he made to Taste Project in Fort Worth to donate $4,000 to support the nonprofit's mission to fight food insecurity.

    The Keith Lee Latte will be available at all La La Land cafes beginning Friday July 11, for a limited time only. From July 11-27, 100 percent of all proceeds will support flood relief efforts in Kerr County - "a community in our home state that’s hurting," La La Land Cafe says.

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