“I was smitten the first time I ever saw him!” shares Kiley Trent of the moment she laid eyes on Mac Kelly the summer before their sophomore year of high school. “We never actually said anything to one another, but both noticed each other enough to pursue finding out more.” After graduating from the same university, the high-school sweethearts lived in separate cities for a brief period. “After the first year, I had enough of being apart,” affirms Mac. “I wanted to live together with our pup, get engaged, and plan our wedding.” So, he asked Kiley’s father, jewelry designer Matthew Trent, for his blessing – and unlike most grooms, also asked him to design the engagement ring. On Kiley’s birthday, Mac took her on an early-morning picnic by the lake near her childhood home. As they sat down to take in the view, he asked his beloved to stand up while he stayed down on one knee. Remembers Kiley, “It was such an exciting moment!”

Even though Kiley had always envisioned getting married outdoors instead of inside a hotel, her mind changed entirely once she became engaged, choosing an iconic Dallas property brimming with historical details. “I based our wedding location off the feeling I had when I was visiting the areas where the ceremony would take place. I thought about how I would feel when I walked in the room with my dad, the formality of the venue, and being able to take my kids to the place we got married one day,” she explains.

With the venue set, the bride worked with her wedding team, as well as her family, to bring her vision to life. “My family was my rock throughout the planning process,” declares Kiley. Since her mother owns a flower shop, she was essential in helping with the décor of the day. Additionally, her father not only designed her engagement ring, but also the couple’s wedding bands, cuff links for the groomsmen, earrings for the bridal party, and the wedding gifts the couple exchanged. He also made quartz boutonnieres for everyone in the wedding party. “They are truly so unique and one of my favorite details,” shares the bride.

As guests took their seats for the ceremony, which featured an overarching theme of natural crystal and rock elements to honor the bride’s family jewelry business, they discovered embroidered handkerchiefs crafted by Kiley placed with their programs. The indoor space was decorated with airy, all-white décor showcasing a unique floor-to-ceiling ribbon installation. Golden chandeliers overhead were adorned with lush greenery, gold-dipped leaves, ivory blooms, and suspended rocks. The groom and his groomsmen, attired in alabaster suit jackets with ebony bow ties, along with bridesmaids dressed in ivory gowns, waited patiently for Kiley’s arrival as sounds from a gospel choir – led by the brother of the bride’s beloved childhood nanny – filled the air.

Kiley emerged in a form-fitting gown featuring a voluminous skirt and a dramatic crystal bolero; she donned the veil worn by both her mother and grandmother and carried a lush bouquet of vanilla peonies and anemones – one of her favorite flowers – wrapped with the same ribbon used for her mother’s bridal bouquet. “Kiley looked so beautiful and I could barely contain my excitement to see her,” remembers the groom. “I literally just said ‘Wow!’ when I saw her walk down the aisle.” And everyone else heard his excitement as well, thanks to the microphone attached to his lapel. “He just seemed to not be able to contain his emotion when seeing me in my wedding dress,” smiles the bride. “I will never forget that moment!”

During the nuptials, the bride’s uncle, who served as the officiant, invited guests to pray for Kiley and Mac with the “wish rocks” attached to their programs. “It was such a special way to involve all of our closest family and friends in our ceremony,” divulges the bride. “We still have the rocks in our home and they will always remind us of our wedding.” The bride admits she was so happy to be getting married, she did not cry all day; however, Mac reveals the occasion made him especially in tune with his feelings. “I was a lot more emotional than I thought I would be,” he says. “I think it was a combination of how much I love Kiley, but also how important our wedding day was to her and our families.”

Guests were met with lavish vanilla décor featuring touches of gold as they found their seats for dinner. To give the reception an avant-garde feel, “we incorporated driftwood and crystals for a touch of unexpected texture,” notes Kiley. Centerpieces, which featured thousands of roses and cascading tulips, included high and low designs as well as a lush floral runner at the head table. “I cannot put into words how excited I was when I saw the flower arrangements… beyond my wildest dreams!” exclaims the bride. In keeping with the theme of the day, rocks, crystals, and agate slices were incorporated heavily throughout the ballroom. “Everything that could be a rock, was a rock,” adds the bride of the signage, table markers, and arrangements.

Like most grooms, Mac was primarily interested in the food and music throughout the planning process. “From a guy’s perspective, my dream wedding included everyone dancing the whole time,” he explains. “[Our band] killed it!” Kiley agrees completely and enjoyed dancing the night away with their nearest and dearest. “We had the night of our lives and were so lucky to have all of our closest family and friends there to celebrate with us,” she adds. “The day was all I ever wanted and more!”