It was a typical day for Cassie Tipps. The then-Dallas Stars Ice Girl met a girlfriend at Uptown sports bar Christies to watch her beloved hockey team in a 2014 playoff game. But a not-so-typical man walked in: Scott McGuinness happened to know a mutual friend of Cassie’s watch party group and joined the crowd. After chatting with Cassie, the PGA golf caddie scored her number.
Scott texted Cassie a few days later and asked her to lunch. She took the opportunity to see if the Australian transplant could hang on the ice, so she invited him to skate with her. “I thought, ‘This will show if he’s brave,’” she fondly remembers. But it wasn’t Scott who fell on the date. Cassie embarrassingly recalls that she was the only one who took a spill.
One thing is sure—they both fell for each other, and eight months later, the couple was engaged after enjoying a romantic beachside dinner in Aruba. “All of a sudden I hear music. John Legend’s ‘All of Me’ was playing,” Cassie says. “He pulls out the ring and starts to cry. We still don’t remember exactly what he said.” Everyone in the restaurant clapped, and the couple embraced in celebration.
After traveling back home to Dallas, it was time to start planning the wedding. Right away, Cassie and Scott decided they wanted a secluded locale that incorporated trees, land, and greenery. When they toured The Grove’s mile-long canopy drive, 44 acres of property, and intimate ceremony site complete with a green arch, they instantly knew that this was the spot where they would say “I do.”
After settling on the venue, Cassie started to consider the decor. “Every girl thinks about a wedding, but I can’t say I was one of those girls who obsessed and always looked at Pinterest boards,” she says. Enter Wendy Kay from Birds of a Feather Events. The event planner and designer went to work trying to find the perfect blend of romance and modern details to complement the couple’s love story.
Wendy’s starting point was Cassie’s love for the color pink, but she needed a contrasting hue to make the arrangements pop. She met with Maxine Owens of The Southern Table, and the pair chose a warm burgundy shade that added depth and interest to the flowers and decor.
Wendy also brought in elements of marble and copper to accent the rosy tones: marble cheese boards and copper tasting cups donned the cheese-and-cider tasting table; hexagonal marble tiles served as the escort cards; marble-footed vases displayed the arrangements; and copper-colored votives surrounded the cake.
But Wendy notes that the biggest inspiration of all was Scott and Cassie’s love for one another. “He is so tender with her,” she notes.
At the emotional ceremony on November 14, 2015, there wasn’t a dry eye as the crowd listened to the couple recite their hand-written vows. More tears flowed at the reception when Cassie’s father and Scott gave heartfelt speeches, which the bride recalls as a highlight of the day. “To ask these people to talk about you, well, that is a big job,” she says. “I loved that moment.” -Ryan Conner
Ceremony/Reception Site: The Grove, Aubrey, Texas
Photographer: Apryl Ann Photography
Bridal Gown Designer: Wtoo
Bridal Gown Retailer: Lasting Bridal Couture
Hair & Makeup: Sasha Hollingworth, Pretty Little Style
Groom’s Attire: Generation Tux
Bridesmaids’ Dresses Designer/Retailer: Show Me Your Mumu
Flower Girl Dresses: handmade by mother of the bride, Terri Tipps
Flowers: The Southern Table
Stationery: Minted
Calligraphy: Harts & Quills
Cakes & Desserts: Jar Cakery
Caterer: Remarkable Affairs Catering
Music: Noah Galaviz
Lighting: Lumière Lighting & Drapery
Videographer: When It Clicks
Wedding Rentals: La Tavola Fine Linen; Bella Acento; 5 Star Rentals
Wedding Planner/Designer: Birds of a Feather Events
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