Chandler Hefter and Greg May
As a nod to the couple’s shared alma mater and vision for a timeless, elegant celebration, TCU’s Robert Carr Chapel and the Colonial Country Club were the perfect settings for their September nuptials. Chandler stunned in a Sareh Nouri dress and the same veil her mother wore in her own wedding. The reception featured vibrant floral arrangements in pinks, oranges, and yellows and a checkered dance floor where guests danced the night away. Unique touches include blue and white ginger jars for the floral arrangements, a custom monogram, cocktails honoring their Texas and California roots, beer burros and a frozen banana stand inspired by their favorite Newport Beach treat. Getting married on TCU’s opening home game day, a classic white trolley for transporting the wedding party, and heartfelt moments like the private last dance before a silver streamer-lined exit to a Rolls-Royce getaway car, helped make the celebration a true touchdown. Join us for an exclusive Q&A with the bride as we dive into the details of their special day.
the couple. Chandler Hefter & Greg May
the venue. Robert Carr Chapel | Colonial Country Club
the planner/designer. Treasured Heart Events
the photos. Megan Kay Photography
The Love Story
Greg and I both attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. While we didn’t know each other during college, we often reflect back on the same date parties and mixers we both attended and laugh how we probably bumped into each other. Greg and I met shortly after college when we were both living in Dallas. Greg was living with his good friend who was dating my friend from TCU. This was in the height of 2020, so many of our first memories together were take-out picnics and walking the Katy Trail. We often joke if we could survive 2020, together we can survive anything!
The Proposal
Greg is from Newport Beach, California, and we have many fond memories traveling to California to see his family. We were traveling from Dallas to spend Christmas with his parents and two sisters and their families. After a bumpy travel day including lost luggage, we were excited to wake up the next morning in one of our favorite places. We woke up early on Christmas Eve from what I thought was only jet lag and excitement, and had to put on the same clothes from the travel day before due to the lost luggage. One of our first stops when we are in Newport is always Balboa Island for a walk and breakfast at our favorite spot. After breakfast, we walked around the Island. On Balboa Island, all of the streets are named after precious stones, so Greg had chosen — without me knowing — Diamond Avenue for our special spot. When we got to Diamond Ave on our walk, Greg got down on one knee and proposed. I was so surprised and didn’t see it coming at all! We took some pictures and soaked in the moment, and then returned to his parents house for a party. We now have moved to Newport, and pass by our special spot almost weekly and are reminded of this day. We also laugh about still being in our travel clothes from the day before and it only adds to this perfect memory.
The Wedding Venue
As we began to plan our wedding, I knew I wanted something classic, elegant and timeless, but I also wanted to make sure to include fun touches that were personal and very us. I was born and raised in Texas, and my husband is a Texas cowboy at heart, so we knew immediately Fort Worth, Texas, would be the location for the wedding. Greg and I both attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and have many fond memories there, so the TCU chapel for our ceremony was something we had always dreamed and talked about. When looking for a reception location, Colonial Country Club was our first choice. We loved the classic and timeless architecture, as well as the stunning golf course.
The Vibe
When our wedding planner asked me to describe my vision for our day, I said timeless, classic and elegant. I knew both of our venues lended themselves to a more formal affair. I love an occasion to get dressed up and fancy and I wanted that for our guests, too. I also knew I wanted to bring in our fun and outgoing personalities with bright colored floral and other personal touches.
The Photography
Anyone who knows me, knows I absolutely love taking pictures of anything and everything. Pictures and the memories you remember through them are extremely important to me. I absolutely fell in love with Megan’s work. I loved her timeless look that captured the day in a more laid back style. I really wanted a mixture of digital and film photography for our day. She came to Newport to take pictures on Balboa Island where Greg and I got engaged, too. She was an absolute dream to work with and made us both feel so comfortable and have fun on our wedding day.
The Dress
Similar to my vision for our wedding day, I knew I wanted a dress that was timeless, elegant and classic, but with a touch of fun. I had always dreamed of finding my wedding dress at the bridal salon at Neiman Marcus. The dress I chose was by the designer Sareh Nouri and captured my vision perfectly. The modern take on a bow in the back and the train it created was my favorite part.
The Accessories
My favorite accessory I wore on my wedding day was my veil. The veil I wore on my wedding day was my mom’s she wore at her wedding. It had small pearls all over it and I absolutely loved it. I used the pearls on the veil as the inspiration for my other jewelry. I wore simple stacked pearl earrings and a pearl bracelet. For the reception, I also added a pearl headband to my look. My shoes were my touch of blue, and were a classic bow heel. I then changed into some pink Alexander McQueen sneakers for the reception.
The Bridesmaids
My bridesmaids wore matching light blue one shoulder bow gowns in a satin twill fabric. These dresses turned out beautiful and the bows were my favorite touch. I had nine bridesmaids: my maid of honor was my childhood best friend from ballet camp, two were my husband’s sisters, and the other six were all fellow teachers, some from college and some from my school I taught at.
The Groomsmen
Greg wore a white dinner jacket and tuxedo from Bonobos. The boots he wore on our wedding day were custom black cowboy boots from M.L. Leddy’s in the Fort Worth Stockyards that I gave him as a wedding present. His groomsmen wore classic black tuxedos from The Black Tux.
The Wedding Rings
Greg designed my engagement ring at a jeweler in Dallas, Texas. The proposal was a total surprise, and so was the ring. I couldn’t have dreamed of a more beautiful ring. I love the surprise and how he picked everything out himself. Our wedding bands we had custom designed together in Newport Beach. I love how both of my rings symbolize the location of our engagement and our wedding.
The Hair and Makeup
My vision for my wedding hair and make up was to look very natural and still like myself. I wanted to look glowy and bright and nothing too dark or heavy. Ashley [McNabb] absolutely nailed it and made me feel so beautiful all night long! For my hair, I wanted my hair up and out of my face to create a clean and sleek look. The smooth bun was the perfect style to match my classic and elegant vision.
The Stationery
I wanted to tie in our Texas roots and love of Fort Worth throughout the wedding. Our Texas theme really came to life when designing our invitation suite. I took inspiration from classic blue and white toile print. I dreamed of creating our own toile print with special details from our wedding. We started by customizing the envelope liner both with Fort Worth symbols and hints at our wedding theme: the iconic Stockyards sign and location for our rehearsal dinner; cowboy boots and hats the attire for our rehearsal dinner; ginger jar floral arrangements which guests would see at the reception; Robert Carr Chapel and the TCU Horned Frog mascot both odes to the ceremony taking place on the college campus where we both attended; and lastly our specialty cocktails, a ranch water and mai tai to capture both our Texas and California roots. The design turned out beautifully and was the perfect theme of our wedding day. It could be seen from the stage facade to table numbers and bar inserts. We also designed a custom wedding monogram that resembled a brand that would be used on cattle in Texas to further emphasize our Texas theme.
The Florals
When I look back at our wedding day, one of my absolute favorite elements would have to be the floral. I love bright colors and I knew that I wanted the floral on our wedding day to be full of pinks, oranges and yellows. These bright vibrant colors ended up popping beautifully next to our light blue and white color palette. Our labor day weekend wedding marked the transition from summer to fall. I wanted to make sure summer was still in full bloom for our still very warm, Texas wedding. When seeking out inspiration for our floral design, I chose our florist because of her use of the blue and white ginger jars and pottery for her arrangements. I love the blue and white ginger jars and have them all throughout our home! I fell in love with the uniqueness of the look they provided for our tables and throughout the whole reception. Another special part of our floral design was the wreaths hanging on the sconces of the chapel. When guests first ascended the grand steps to the chapel on the day of our wedding, they were greeted by large wreaths full of our brightly colored flowers. This first look for the guests ended up being one of my favorite parts of our wedding day, so much so I wanted to find a way to bring these wreaths into our reception. Our florist elegantly displayed these wreaths as part of our band facade. I had never seen this done before and absolutely was stunned at how magically it turned out!
The Morning Of
For the wedding day, we worked hard to select venues that were special to us and that would complement our elegant and timeless vision. Both my husband and I are proud Horned Frogs and graduated from Texas Christian University. We share many memories of attending football games together and our love for this special school runs deep. Our decision to hold our wedding ceremony at the church on TCU’s campus was an easy one. This decision was made even more special when we found out Sept. 2 would be the home opener for TCU’s football season after coming off a winning season playing in the National Championship Game. We knew the energy on campus would be electric! Our bridal party was composed of almost all our friends from TCU, so both the bridesmaids and the groomsmen enjoyed getting ready to the sounds of college football. I will never forget walking into the chapel on our wedding day and hearing our beloved school’s fight song ringing from the chapel’s bells.
The Ceremony
The location of the ceremony being at Robert Carr Chapel on TCU’s campus was really special to both of us and many friends in our wedding party. The building by itself is absolutely beautiful, and it was the perfect backdrop for our ceremony. I had our florist design two wreaths to flank the outside doors of the church. These brightly colored wreaths were one of my favorite elements of the wedding design, and I loved how they were the first thing guests saw when arriving for our wedding. Another special element of our ceremony was the music. We had a professor from TCU play the organ in the chapel and ring the chapel bells. This added a special touch for the processional and recessional and made it feel extra grand.
The Reception
Our reception was held at Colonial Country Club. Most well known for its golf course, the Colonial was transformed into the most picturesque wedding venue for our special day. Upon entering the clubhouse, guests saw the well-known red brick facade and large white stately columns. Guests were also greeted with a little bit of a Texas flair in the form of two beer burros adorned in flowers and carrying an iced-cold welcome refreshment for our guests. Guests were then escorted to the outdoor patio overlooking the golf course to enjoy cocktail hour while listening to live music. Our specialty cocktails were nods to our Texas and California roots, a mai tai and a ranch water. Guests’ drinks were adorned with custom drink stirrers featuring our wedding monogram or a cowboy boot koozie. When I first saw the ballroom at Colonial, I couldn’t believe my eyes! From the eye-catching bright floral arrangements, to the blue and white checkered dance floor, to the monogrammed bar facades, everything came together more beautifully than I could have ever imagined. No one prepares you for how special it is to look around and be surrounded by all of your close friends and family from both near and far. We made lifelong memories dancing in light-up cowboy hats and flower leis with our dearest people by our side. When it was time for the night to come to a close, Greg and I shared a private last dance before being escorted out with the horns from Jordan Kahn Orchestra. We worked our way through silver streamers into the back of a white Rolls-Royce with cans and a just married sign on the back. We waved to all of our closest friends and families with the biggest smiles stuck on our faces that lasted for days after!!!
The Planning
Our wedding was planned by Emily Boren with Treasured Heart Events. Emily was beyond incredible from start to finish! She worked tirelessly to bring my vision for the day to life. She is truly a seasoned professional who navigated our eight-month planning process together with the most warmth and sincerity. She became a part of our family and we couldn’t feel more grateful for all she did to make our wedding perfect in every way.
The Cake
Our wedding cake and groom’s cake were both designed by Sugar Bee Sweets. The wedding cake was a five-tiered cake with white beading on the edge of each tier. The cake was two flavors: traditional vanilla almond and strawberry champagne. The middle tier had our wedding monogram. Our florist added brightly colored fresh flowers on the cake. It was simple, classic and elegant. For the groom’s cake, Sugar Bee Sweets brought my husband’s hunting and fishing dreams to life. The cake was a Yeti cooler complete with a Yeti cooler, redfish and many of my husband’s favorite stickers. He chose a delectable hummingbird flavor for his cake and it was delicious.
The Food
When thinking about the finale for our wedding, of course we wanted a fun late-night snack to end the night. In Newport Beach, California, where my husband is from, they are well-known for their chocolate-dipped frozen bananas. Dad’s Doughnuts serves up tasty frozen bananas coated in chocolate and dipped in a variety of toppings. Our favorite is rainbow sprinkles, on a picturesque and charming island. My husband and I have many fond memories enjoying bananas and walking around Balboa Island. We even took our engagement photos there! We knew we had to bring this tasty treat to our wedding guests. We transformed one of the bars into a frozen banana stand to serve our favorite dessert to our favorite people!
The Entertainment
One of the most important elements of our guest experience for my husband and I was the dance floor. We both love to dance at weddings and were really hoping to have an unbeatable time with our loved ones on the dance floor. I knew I loved the timeless and classic look of a checkered dance floor but wanted it to reflect our lighter color palette. The light blue checkered dance floor looked stunning and was packed with guests all evening long. We will cherish the memories of Jordan Kahn Orchestra playing our favorite songs and dancing the night away with our loved ones.
The Favorite Moment
From day one in the planning process, my husband and I wanted to make sure all of our guests had a fun time at our wedding. We transported our wedding party from the chapel using a classic white trolley. Some of my favorite moments of our wedding day were riding to and from the chapel on the trolley with our best friends, some music and a couple bottles of Veuve. The fun of our reception started when guests stepped off the trolley and were greeted by two beer burros covered in flowers and welcoming our family and friends with a nice cold beer or topo chico. Our specialty cocktails were nods to our Texas and California roots, a mai tai and a ranch water. Guests’ drinks were adorned with custom drink stirrers featuring our wedding monogram or a cowboy boot koozie.
The Unexpected
We were continuously looking for ways to tie in our Texas theme to our elegant and timeless wedding. I wanted a unique way to display our seating chart and finally settled on an idea that brought in our Texas theme with a personal, classic touch. We used a custom-made cowboy boot ornament with our initials. My uncle works in woodworking and made one for each of our guests! We then attached our calligraphy place cards to each of the ornaments. This doubled as a souvenir for our guests to take home and remember the evening by. My uncle also made the sign to go across the top: “grab your boots and find your seat.” Our seating chart was complete with a hedge wall and our brightly colored flowers affixed to the top. The welcome sign was also something I wanted to make special. We had this created to not only welcome our guests, but to show off the beautiful and bright florals as guests arrived.
The Honeymoon
Our honeymoon was a total surprise to me, which I loved and would recommend to anyone! I knew we were traveling to Hawaii, but I didn’t know what island, where we were staying or any other plans. My husband kept this a secret until we got to our gate the morning after the wedding. It was such a sweet and special surprise. We traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii and stayed at the Mauna Kea resort. My husband’s mom actually spent part of her childhood in Hawaii, so it is a special place to my husband and his family that he was excited to show me for the first time. We spent the week relaxing at the beach, drinking too many mai tais, snorkeling, paddle boarding and fishing. It was an absolute dream of a trip!
The Advice
The best advice Greg’s sister gave both of us. She told us not to leave each other’s side the whole night of the wedding. She said when you look back at your special day you want to remember it together. I couldn’t agree more!
The Video
The Vendors
Featured Vendors
HAIR + MAKEUP Ashley McNabb Artistry
Other Vendors
PLANNING + DESIGN Treasured Heart Events
VENUE Robert Carr Chapel, Colonial Country Club
FLORAL Justine’s Flowers
PHOTOGRAPHY Megan Kay Photography
VIDEOGRAPHY Reverent Wedding Films
BAND Jordan Kahn Music Co.
RENTALS Grand Events
CAKE Sugar Bee Sweets Bakery
BEER BURROS Big City Farm
MUSICIAN Island Boogie Steel Drum Band
TRANSPORTATION IGPort Limos
MARQUEE LETTERS Alpha-lit Fort Worth
PHOTO BOOTH The Photo Bus DFW
DANCE FLOOR WRAP Inkredible Dance Floors
BAR FACADES Stage Works
STATIONERY Paper Planet
CALLIGRAPHY Mavenette
WELCOME SIGN Loft House Designs