Lindsey West and Dietrich Riepen have had much to celebrate in recent years.
After graduating from UT Southwestern Medical Center, where they met during their first week of medical school, the couple jetted to the South of France to fête their success and decompress.
Little did Lindsey know, Dietrich had even more in mind.
On their second day in France, the couple rented a small boat in Villefranche-sur-Mer and rode along the cliffs, enjoying Champagne and snacks along the way. Capitalizing on the picture-perfect setting, Dietrich parked the boat off the coast and proposed, while a strategically mounted GoPro captured the whole thing.
“We spent the rest of our trip celebrating the engagement,” says Lindsey.
After returning stateside, the couple began planning their big day. And though they initially envisioned an intimate ceremony with immediate family, they quickly realized the momentous event would feel incomplete without their close friends and extended family in attendance.
“Our primary goal was for the focus to be on all of the special people around us,” says Lindsey. “We simply wanted a gathering of friends and family in a beautiful setting.”
So, on April 20, 2019, they had just that.
While Lindsey spent the day at her mother’s house, getting ready with family and friends, Dietrich enjoyed a sports day with close friends at Reverchon Park.
It had been an unseasonably wet April, but on that day the clouds parted and the sun shined brightly — which was lucky, because the ceremony took place outdoors at Dallas’ Arlington Hall.
With the sun setting behind trees that surrounded the altar, the couple said I do. A string quartet played a few of their favorite pieces, including Clair de Lune, Canon in D, and La Vie en Rose.
Following the ceremony, guests gathered indoors for an elegant reception. From towering floral arrangements in a subdued color palette to tea light candles and a five-tier, white cake, the ambiance was classic, romantic, and intimate — very much in line with the couple’s vision.
For their first dance, the bride and groom danced to “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young, a favorite of the couple and of the groom’s late father.
It was just one of many sentimental details incorporated throughout the celebration, including a photo tribute to loved ones who had passed, which made the day all the more special.
Ceremony & reception venue: Arlington Hall
Wedding planner: Fabulous Fête, Kristin Butler
Photography: Carter Rose
Videography: Johnny Apple Films
Floral: Bella Flora of Dallas
Hair & makeup: Brittany Jones Beauty
Band: Downtown Fever
Lighting: Stage 2 Lighting
Cake:Panini Bakery
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To submit a wedding for consideration, email stephanie@culturemap.com. Weddings must have taken place around Dallas-Fort Worth since July 1, 2018.
Thoughtful details were incorporated throughout.
