An Art-Filled Wedding at La Colombe d’Or in Houston
A Houston Wedding at La Colombe d’Or’s Historic Mansion by Whitt Ross
Taylor and Michael wanted their wedding to feel connected to Houston, but not overly formal or contained to one ballroom. La Colombe d’Or gave them something much more interesting: a historic hotel, art-filled interiors, gardens, distinctive architecture, and enough personality that the property could become part of the celebration itself.
With the hotel fully bought out for the weekend, guests were able to settle in and experience the property as more than a reception venue. The wedding felt closer to a very good house party, one with beautiful food, live music, thoughtful design, and nearly 200 of their favorite people.
Gina Whittington and the team at Whitt Ross planned and designed the weekend, with the ceremony held at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and the reception at La Colombe d’Or in Montrose.
A Wedding That Felt Like Houston
Houston is part of Taylor and Michael’s relationship in a very real way.
Michael grew up in Houston, while Taylor is originally from Beaumont. They met at EZ’s Liquor Lounge after striking up a conversation while waiting for drinks. Their first date followed the next week.
Michael later proposed at Brenner’s on the Bayou. He chose the gazebo where his own parents had been married, adding a family connection to the moment.
They now spend much of their time in the Heights and share a love of the city’s restaurants, neighborhood routines, tennis, pickleball, and evenings at home cooking together. So choosing a wedding venue with a strong sense of place felt right.
La Colombe d’Or gave them exactly that.
The Architecture of La Colombe d’Or
One of my favorite things about photographing a wedding at La Colombe d’Or is how much variety exists within one property.
The historic mansion has detailed woodwork, art-covered walls, a dramatic staircase, intimate dining rooms, and a very residential feeling. Outside, the courtyard and sculpture garden offer something completely different. The newer architectural elements add cleaner lines and a more modern contrast.
Taylor and Michael leaned into those surroundings rather than trying to transform them.
Their color palette pulled directly from the hotel, with greens and blues appearing throughout the paper goods, attire, florals, and reception details. Soft garden-inspired patterns and geometric motifs helped connect the different spaces without making the design feel overly themed.
That worked especially well in photographs. Each area had its own visual character, while the entire gallery still felt cohesive.
Getting Ready at La Colombe d’Or
Taylor spent the early part of the day with her family and friends at the hotel.
She wore a Pronovias gown and paired it with her grandmother’s pearl earrings and ring, a personal detail that felt especially fitting inside the historic mansion.
The getting-ready portion of the day had a relaxed pace. There were quiet moments with family, plenty of laughter with friends, and enough time for portraits inside the mansion before Taylor met Michael for their first look.
They chose the courtyard at La Colombe d’Or for that moment.
It gave us a simple, private place for them to see each other before heading to the ceremony, while still keeping the hotel’s architecture present in the photographs.
A Church Ceremony at St. Luke’s Methodist
Faith was important to Taylor and Michael, so they chose St. Luke’s United Methodist Church for their ceremony.
The church was filled with nearly 200 guests, which gave the ceremony a sense of scale while still feeling personal.
One of the best moments happened just afterward.
Guests gathered outside the church and lined the steps with streamers for Taylor and Michael’s exit. They walked through the crowd, stopped in the middle of the celebration, and kissed while everyone cheered around them.
It was lively, slightly chaotic, and completely genuine.
Exactly the kind of moment I love to photograph.
Back to La Colombe d’Or for Cocktail Hour
After the ceremony, guests returned to La Colombe d’Or for cocktail hour.
The sculpture garden and courtyard allowed the evening to open up instead of keeping everyone in one room. Guests moved through the property, had drinks, talked, and explored the hotel before dinner.
That movement was part of what made the full buyout so effective.
The venue could function almost like a private home for the weekend. Guests did not need to feel shuffled between formal event spaces. They could simply enjoy the property.
Whitt Ross handled the planning and design, with Botanical No. 9 creating the floral work. Premiere Event Rentals provided the tent, dance floor, lighting, and stage, while BBJ La Tavola supplied linens and Provision Events provided rentals and lounge pieces.
The result felt polished without becoming too precious.
A Free-Flowing Reception Planned by Whitt Ross
The reception continued the same relaxed structure.
Some of the dining spaces felt almost residential, with green banquettes, artwork, chandeliers, and intimate tables. Other parts of the celebration opened into the courtyard and tented areas.
Instead of one large room doing all the work, the hotel gave guests several places to gather.
That was an important part of Taylor and Michael’s original vision. They wanted the wedding to feel like a free-flowing house party rather than a highly staged event.
And that also gave me a lot of freedom photographically.
There were composed portraits earlier in the day, but once the reception started, I could step back and concentrate on what was actually happening around me. Conversations, hugs, people moving between rooms, friends piling onto the dance floor, and small interactions that would have been easy to miss.
The Party
Matchmaker played throughout the evening, and the dance floor filled quickly.
Personalized tambourines became one of the unexpected hits of the night, eventually making their way into the crowd as the party picked up.
Taylor later changed into a second look by Alexis, and the celebration continued late into the evening.
The photographs shift with the party too. Early images are bright and architectural. Later frames become looser, darker, and more energetic. There are black-and-white candids, guests singing with the band, spontaneous kisses, and plenty of movement.
That range is important to me.
A wedding gallery should show how the day actually felt, not only how it looked when everything was perfectly arranged.
What the Mother of the Bride Said
“You and your team captured the best candid photos, especially of Taylor and Michael. Their smiles never ceased.”
Suzanne Wolfrom, Mother of the Bride
Photographing a La Colombe d’Or Wedding in Houston
La Colombe d’Or works especially well for couples who care about architecture, art, and giving their guests an experience that feels different from a traditional ballroom wedding.
There is a lot to photograph without having to manufacture locations.
The mansion gives you strong interiors and architectural portraits. The courtyard works beautifully for a first look and cocktail hour. The sculpture garden adds greenery and texture. And the reception spaces change character as the evening gets darker and the party begins.
For Taylor and Michael, having the property fully bought out made those spaces feel even more personal.
It was their hotel for the weekend.
And for a couple whose lives are so rooted in Houston, it was a fitting place to bring everyone together.
Vendor Team
Planner: Whitt Ross
Venue, Catering & Bar: La Colombe d’Or
Ceremony Venue: St. Luke’s Methodist
Photography: Jenny DeMarco Photography
Videography: Crescent Films
Florals: Botanical No. 9
Cake: Cakes by Gina
Ice Cream: Amy’s Ice Creams
Tent, Dance Floor, Lighting & Stage: Premiere Event Rentals
Linens: BBJ La Tavola
Rentals & Lounge: Provision Events
Band: Matchmaker
Invitations: Bella Figura and Whitt Ross
Hair & Makeup: Etoilly Artistry
Gown & Veil: Pronovias
Second Look: Alexis
Tuxedo: Brooks Brothers
Transportation: First Class
Exit Vehicle: Royal Coach Classic Limo
