Real Weddings

Couple transports guests to Mediterranean villa with elegant Dallas wedding

Newlyweds Rachael and Sargon Daniel met in the unlikeliest of places: an oil and gas investment pitch dinner.

Sargon entered the room, took an empty seat next to “a cute girl and her older husband,” and introductions were made. Once it became clear that “the cute girl and her older husband” were actually father and daughter, Sargon made his move.

Following an oceanside proposal in Santa Barbara, the couple embarked on wedding planning with event planner Julian Leaver in the driver’s seat. They chose July 1, 2017 for the big day, and booked First United Methodist Church of Coppell for the ceremony and Union Station for the reception.

“Our goal was to make our wedding feel personal and intimate,” says Rachael. “We wanted our guests to feel like they were stepping into a Mediterranean villa. Julian helped us hone our vision and create the progression our guests followed form the rehearsal dinner to our big exit.”

To achieve the intimate aesthetic the couple envisioned, David Kimmel Design created cascading floral arrangements using a palette of pink and orange for cocktail hour and green and white for the reception. Fresh herbs and lemons were were featured heavily throughout, scenting the space and adding a lively touch to the decor.

The citrus also nodded to Sargon and Rachael’s respective Assyrian and Lebanese heritages, which was high on the their priority list.

“We had a traditional Assyrian bride and groom entrance,” says Rachael, “and a hookah lounge on the terrace.”

Other personal touches included Rachael’s walk down the aisle to an instrumental version of “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica (Sargon’s favorite band), and a groom’s cake, which doubled as a birthday cake for the groom’s 94-year-old grandmother.

“Our wedding day felt like an extension of us,” says Rachael. “The entire day just felt right — no stress, just a lot of love and fun. My father’s speech was most special to me. In his words, ‘You make each other better. Now go build an amazing life together.’”

Planning:Julian Leaver Events