Christina Provost & Phillip Maxwell
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Christina Provost met Phillip Maxwell over pancakes and eggs. It was Easter Sunday, during a brunch hosted through Southern Methodist University campus ministry Reformed University Fellowship (RUF). They hit it off instantly. “Phillip and I complement each other,” Christina says. “He’s slow and I’m kind of fast. He’s a good listener and I’m a good talker. He is really sweet and I tend to be brutally honest. We even each other out really well.”
One thing in common: They’re both native Southerners. She’s from Kentucky; he’s a Georgia man. It’s fitting then, that the two wanted a good old-fashioned Southern wedding for their June 9, 2012 nuptials. They started with the chapel – ever-popular Perkins. But with ceremonies reserved nine months in advance, slots were limited. Problem solved: Christina opted for a 12 to 3 p.m. time frame, and booked the reception at Arlington Hall. To bridge the time lapse, she and her mother Lisa – and wedding planner Kristin Butler of Fabulous Fête — devised a cocktail hour.
But not just any little pre-reception shebang: The front lawn of Arlington Hall was transformed with shabby-chic furniture, chandeliers strung from trees, and the entertainment: Bocce ball, horseshoes, cornhole, washers and croquet. Guests kept cool with an ice and Shiner beer-filled rowboat, and “Phil-Teeny” drinks (she’s a tall 5-feet). “We knew we didn’t want it to be a black-tie, ritzy event,” Christina says. “Since neither of our families are from Dallas, we wanted it to be comfortable for everyone and reflect us.”
The wedding-party attire reflected the couple’s laid-back vibe, too. Groomsmen wore navy-blue poplin suits with a mix of bow-ties, the house party was in champagne and the bridesmaids light pink. Christina found her Anne Barge dress at the Neiman Marcus Bridal Salon, a strapless, all-lace gown — the dress’ Atlanta-based designer happened to be her mother-in-law’s wedding planner. She paired it with her mother-in-law’s veil, a family favorite.
Post-games, guests were treated to a seated dinner (the seating chart was displayed on mirrored French doors) with pecan-fried chicken. The groom’s Frosted Art-crafted cake was a nod to his native state and Allman Brothers obsession, a 3D replica of the band’s “Eat a Peach” cover — a red wagon towing a massive peach. And the nearly 200 guests each received a hot-pink box of Mustang Donuts.
But it wasn’t just the band Phillip selected, The All-Funk Radio Show, that made the night memorable to him. “The thing I remember most was a moment at about 9, when Christina looked at me and I knew she wanted to dance,” Phillip says. “It was when we realized we’d made it. It was time to have a good time.”
And as for all those lawn games? “We inherited the games, so now they’re in our garage,” Phillip says, laughing. “We now have two sets of cornhole boards and washers.”
SEE A SLIDESHOW HERE – WWW.PHILLIPANDCHRISTINA.COM
Dress: Anne Barge from Neiman Marcus Bridal Salon
Photographer: Carter Rose of f8 Studio
Wedding Planner: Kristin Butler of Fabulous Fete
Flowers: Junior of Garden Gate Floral
Makeup: My Fabulous Faces
Ceremony: Perkins Chapel
Reception: Arlington Hall at Robert E. Lee Park
Décor: Lisa Provost of Empty Nest
Calligraphy: Jada Scruggs
Lighting: Beyond Lighting
Groom’s Cake: Frosted Art Bakery
Bride’s Cake: Panini Bakery Cakes
Band: The All-Funk Radio Show
Story: Jessica Elliot
