Story by Shelbi Lemeilleur Photos by Kristina Ross Photography
Simple. That is what Taylor Dailey was aiming towards as she and her mom planned her upcoming nuptials to fiancé Matt Atkinson.
The couple met in July of 2014 at a church retreat through St. Mary’s Catholic church, where they would get married three years later on June 17, 2017. After the retreat, Taylor was able to track down Matt’s phone number. The two began talking and quickly hit it off.
In March of 2016, Matt surprised Taylor with her dream proposal. “Matt was in the Corps [of Cadets] at Texas A&M,” she says. “My parents had gotten engaged under the Century Tree when they were at A&M, and that was something I had always loved.”
An elaborate ruse was put into place so Taylor, hopefully, wouldn’t know the proposal was coming. Matt asked her on a fancy date, but first, her brother wanted help studying on campus. Once her brother steered her towards the Century Tree, Taylor knew exactly what was going on.
“All of Matt’s friends were there with the sabre arch,” she says. “He got my mom to come in [from Dallas] too, which was really awesome.”
Taylor opted not to use a wedding planner, instead working with her mom and relying on suggestions from friends. If a friend who recently had a wedding liked their vendor, Taylor was sure she would also like the vendor, she explains.
Having the wedding in College Station was also a big part of the planning process. Both Taylor and Matt have family from around the country, and Taylor and her family moved around a lot.
“Many places were ‘home,’ and since Matt and I met in College Station, we decided to do it here,” Taylor says. “It was home to us for five years.”
Taylor describes herself as a simple person, and she wanted that to be reflected in her wedding day. “I like things to be clean and crisp,” she says. “I wanted it to be something easy: white, cream, ivory. It is easy and everything would coordinate.”
From the décor to the choice in vendors, easy, clean, and simple were the perfect words to describe Taylor and Matt’s special day.
Taylor and Matt were married at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s in College Station, which is an early wedding by most people’s standards. That gave the couple time to relax before the reception at Pebble Creek, and even allowed the guests to mingle during a cocktail hour. In fact, the newly married couple spontaneously joined their guests at the cocktail hour before the reception, adding an extra special element to their wedding day memories.
The rest of the night was spent dancing, eating, drinking, and visiting with friends and family from around the country. “It was amazing that so many of our family was able to come,” Taylor explains. “All of our families were able to mesh and meet, and who knows if they will ever be able to do that again.”
For future brides planning their weddings, Taylor has some advice: “Once you know you want something, just stick with it. Don’t let people dissuade you if they think it is too expensive or if there is a better way to do something. Don’t let them make the decision for you. You have a vision and it is your wedding.”
Atkinson Vendors
Ceremony St. Mary’s Catholic Church Reception/Catering Pebble Creek Country Club Photography Kristina Ross Photography Flowers Petal Patch Florist Cakes Cakes by Blondie Hair and Make-up Celebrity Spa & Salon DJ Downtown Event Services Invitations Aggieland Printing Watercolor Decor Rachel Kosh – Instagram @rachelannkosh Other Decor Party Time Rentals Bridesmaid’s Dresses David’s Bridal Groom/Groomsmen Tuxes Men’s Wearhouse Dress Allure Bridal – purchased at Weddings by Debbie
