What are your day jobs?
Emily- Graduate student at Trinity University studying Health Care Administration. Will be an administrative resident for Methodist Health System DFW starting January 2017. Kyle is an auto auctioneer.
Where did you both grow up?
Killeen, Texas
How did you meet?
The Buckley and Dykes families have been residents in Killeen, Texas and acquaintances for many decades. My great grandfather was Kyle’s grandpa’s algebra teacher and coach, Kyle’s mom student taught under my grandmother, and Kyle even worked for my dad’s veterinary clinic before we even knew each other. We met at Ellison High School through mutual friends. Kyle was one grade ahead of me and we became extremely close throughout my junior year (his senior year) when I was the only junior put in a senior economics class. We remained close friends when he went off to Texas A&M, but did not begin dating until I joined him in College Station the following fall.
Tell me about the proposal?
It was June 11 – the Saturday after my 23rd birthday. We had traveled back to our hometown to celebrate my birthday and to watch a few of my little brother’s baseball games. I wanted to stay for the entire baseball tournament, but Kyle had other plans. We went to Austin for dinner like we’ve done a thousand times- but this time it was different. We dined at Steiner Ranch Steakhouse where I ate WAY too much- my only regret of the night ;). We then went to Lake Travis where Kyle surprised me with a boat rental. We cruised around the lake and as the sun set, Kyle got down on one knee. For the first time in my life I cried happy tears!!! It was the most perfect moment that we shared with only each other. We felt the need to document the event, so we propped the iPhone up on the wobbly boat and used the self-timer to take a few pictures that we will cherish forever! It was absolutely perfect.
Name a few places that are special to you.
College Station is where our love story really began and evolved. We love going back any chance we can for games, to visit with friends, and to, of course, eat at our favorite spots.
Schoepf’s Barbeque in Belton, Texas has Thursday night concerts every summer. In 2011, Kyle put his arm around me for the first time at an Aaron Watson concert. I had no idea that he had feelings for me! It’s super embarrassing, but it made me feel really nervous and light headed and I had to sit down! We laugh about it often and love going back when we can.
When you can do anything you want to do, what do you do?
The best days are the ones where we have absolutely no plans. This rarely happens, but when it does, we love to explore a new part of town, try a new restaurant, and spend some time outside with our pup, Blair.
Kyle enjoys working on his family’s farm, golfing, and fishing when he gets the chance. I work for a dance and drill team company and enjoy choreographing for dance teams across the state. I also enjoy helping plan and conduct auctions for Kyle’s company- we make a great team!We also LOVE the beach! Destin, Florida is our favorite summer spot. In the winter we enjoy skiing and snowboarding in Colorado.
What is your favorite music and/or songs that mean the most to you as a couple?
We love all kinds of music! Literally everything from current hits, to alternative, 90s pop, old rock, (really) old country, rap, and all of the random music I hear at dance competitions that I make Kyle listen to. 🙂
Kyle is the one who actually taught me how to two-step and introduced me to Texas Country. We’ve always loved country music. We’ll be seeing Keith Urban and Brett Eldredge in concert in October.My first birthday present from Kyle was tickets to see Train in concert. A band that I’ve loved since first grade! I own every single CD!Songs that are “ours”:
Mean to Me by Brett Eldredge
Better Together by Jack Johnson
Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
Sweet Contradiction by Aaron WatsonWe also thoroughly enjoy Drake Pandora.We love to dance! We’re pumped about having Limelight at our reception and want it to be one upbeat, non-stop party!
What are your favorite foods/restaurants?
Sandwiches. Our favorite place in College Station is Blue Baker! They finally opened one in the Arboretum in Austin, so we visit frequently for a Powder Blue, soup, and unsweetened peach tea. Kyle’s grandmother also makes the BEST chicken salad and she makes it for us frequently.
Pizza. We love neapolitan pizza and Dough in San Antonio is one of our favorites. Gumby’s, Grimaldi’s, Papa John’s… it really doesn’t matter. We love pizza.I live right across from Lick Ice Cream, which is a problem. Kyle and I visit way too often and love when they add new seasonal flavors. They know Kyle by name.
Any pets? Tell me about them!
We have a little poodle mix named Blair and she is our pride and joy! As a puppy, she looked like a stuffed animal so we began calling her “Teddy Blair”. She even has her own hashtag, #teddyblairtuesday, frequently used by my college roommates. She’s spunky, spoiled, but super sweet. We can’t imagine life without her.
How did you choose your venue(s)?
We chose Downtown Austin because it is close to our hometown of Killeen, but also because we knew it would be a fun weekend getaway for our friends and family. I’ve always dreamed of getting married in a Methodist Church just like my parents and many of my family members. When we realized that First United Methodist Church Austin was located right next to the Texas State Capitol, the location of our first date, we knew it was meant to be! For our reception venue, we first looked at Brazos Hall because we knew it would be large enough to accommodate the 300+ guests we were anticipating. When we toured the venue, we instantly fell in love. Brazos Hall is absolutely beautiful and is the perfect balance of traditional, modern, and industrial. It’s location is also unbeatable!
Describe your decor and how you chose it?
Flowers were the most important part of our decor. Fortunately, we had Tyler Ryan from Westbank Flower Market as our florist. With Tyler’s help, we created a vision of hanging florals above the rows of banquet-style farm tables. We knew we wanted simple, neutral colors (pale pink, gray, ivory, and gold) represented throughout the entire event, but Tyler took our vision to another level. Our florals were paired with candles and festoon lighting, as well as blush drapes throughout the beams of Brazos Hall. It was more beautiful than a fairy tale!
Tell me about your attire – who designed your dress and where did you buy it?
I found my dress at Serendipity Bridal in Austin. It was designed by Pronovias.
What shoes did you choose and what jewelry did you wear?
In addition to my engagement ring, I wore a set of pearl drops my mom gave to me. I also wore her pearl bracelet. The most sentimental piece of jewelry I wore was a pearl ring that belonged to my late grandmother, Lolly. She wore her pearl ring every day and it was very important that I had a piece of her with me. For shoes, I chose to wear a simple pair of Antonio Melani ballet flats. I knew I wanted to spend as much time as possible on the dance floor, so I wanted to be comfortable!
Who designed the bridesmaids dresses?
We found the bridesmaid dresses at Bella Bridesmaid in Austin and they were designed by Lela Rose.
And your groom – tell me about his look – who was his suit designer? Any other significant accessories?
Kyle’s look was a classic black tuxedo designed by Joseph Abboud.
Why did you choose me, Jenny, to be your wedding photographer?
Jenny DeMarco was recommended to us by our florist, Tyler, from Westbank Flower Market. After looking through the images on her website, we were sold. We knew the majority of our day would be spent inside, so seeing her pictures from church weddings and other indoor venues helped us make our decision. Throughout our entire planning process, Jenny took the time to get to know us and the specific moments that we wanted to capture. Choosing Jenny was one of THE BEST decisions we made!
What was one of your favorite moments from your wedding day?
While our reception was an incredibly fun party, we both agree that our ceremony was our favorite part – specifically walking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time. There was also a moment in our ceremony where our officiant, Jud, asked us to turn around to look at all of our family and friends who attended. In this moment, we were completely overwhelmed by the hundreds of faces of those who have had such a positive impact on our lives. It was really special and a moment we will never forget!
What was your favorite image from your wedding day?
We each have a ton of favorites! Kyle’s favorite is one from the church. It’s the one where we’re taking our first steps as husband and wife. We have the biggest, cheesy smiles on our faces as we begin to walk down the aisle. My favorite is the last kiss of the evening… THE sparkler picture. To me, it perfectly summarizes the entire evening. We also both love the ones of just us on the Capitol grounds taken right after the ceremony.
Did any of your other vendors go above and beyond for you?
We had the BEST vendors who all exceeded our expectations in every single way, but three vendors truly went above and beyond – Katie Fingerhut (Pearl Events), Tyler Ryan (Westbank Flower Market), and Jenny DeMarco! Katie from Pearl Events was SO much more than a “Day-Of Coordinator”. We met with her several times in advance, emailed multiple times a week, and could text or call her anytime. A few weeks before the wedding, Katie walked us through her perfect master plan/minute-by-minute to ensure everything was ready to go and that everyone was on the same page. Because of Katie, we were all able to relax and enjoy the entire day, because we knew she had everything handled! Tyler went above and beyond in making sure our vision came to life. But because of his creativity and attention to detail, the decor, design, and aesthetic of our venues was more magical than we could have every imagined! And Jenny went above and beyond to make sure we had a solid plan in place for sweet pictures of me with my groom. We did not want to do a “first look” and were worried about having time for pictures because of the strict timeline. Jenny went to the church a few days before the ceremony to scope out spots, lighting, etc. for us to take pictures of just the two of us. Talk about above and beyond!
Do you have any tips to share with other couples?
1. If you can, higher a planner and listen to their recommendations of other vendors. I believe that having vendors who work together on a regular basis made a huge difference. Being able to enjoy the entire day with my family without having to worry about any of the plans was invaluable.
2. Have fun, relax, and enjoy the ride!
Special Thanks to the Amazing Vendors:
Wedding Planner and Event Designer: Katie Fungerhut and team at Pearl Events
Venue: First United Methodist Church and Brazos Hall with portraits at the Texas State Capitol
Photographer: Jenny DeMarco at Jenny DeMarco Photography
Videographer: ILC Films
Florist: Westbank Flower Market
Caterer: Royal Fig
Cake: Simon Lee
Rentals: Premiere Events
Band: Limelight
Hair + Make-up: Rae Cosmetics
Stationary: Inviting Pear