Jake Gaines Archives - Society Texas

MASTERPIECE IN THE MAKING

by societytexas | Feb 28, 2024 | Weddings 2024, Spring/Summer 24

The Marriage of Alec Strauss And Sid Greehey, Jr.

By Jake Gaines Photography by Matthew Alvarado, Beloved Photography

There was no other favorite choice for their wedding reception than the legendary McNay Museum of Art, as Cary Alexandra Straus (Alec), daughter of Cary and Tony Straus, and Sidney James Greehey, Jr., son of Cheryl and Sidney James Greehey, Sr., all of San Antonio, were joined in holy matrimony.

Originally pals in middle school, thanks to carpooling, they were reacquainted later as adults by a mutual friend. They both love spending time outdoors, which was the perfect setting for Sid to ask Alec to marry him, much to her surprise. They were hiking in Comanche Lookout Park in northern San Antonio and when they made it to the top and were enjoying the beautiful sunset, he popped the question. Afterward, they joined their parents and a few close friends in sharing a celebratory toast.

The rehearsal dinner at the San Antonio Country Club kicked off the festivities for the big weekend. Their nuptial ceremony at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, as well as the reception at the McNay, incorporating various shades of blue as the theme, was planned by Carrie Catalani. The picture-perfect bride wore a veil and dress by Rivini from Julian Gold, along with blue Manolo Blahnik shoes and custom jewelry made by her brother. Alec’s bridesmaids were her three sisters-in-law: Elizabeth Marceau, Caroline McSween, and Emma Straus, along with 13 close friends who were a part of her house party. Sid’s groomsmen were his father, Sid Greehey, Sr., and his two brothers-in-law: Collin Straus and Perry Straus.

For the reception, the 500 guests enjoyed a buffet dinner catered by Rosemary’s Catering/RK Group, where the lighting accentuated the venue’s vast grounds, along with the exquisite floral décor by Statue of Design, and cozy seating areas that enhanced the natural beauty of the setting “The beautiful full moon shining down on the courtyard made it an exceptionally special evening,” shared the bride, Alec Greehey. “We also loved our private dinner alone inside the museum while everyone else was in the courtyard. We were very touched by all of the guests who attended and all of the love and support we felt.”

Veuve Clicquot, the couple’s special drink for the occasion, was served to the attendees who enjoyed dancing to The Party Jammers from Memphis. To add special flair, the horn players from the band brought the newly married couple through the cocktail reception in the “Second Line” dance parade style, so that everyone followed along with them into the museum. As the evening progressed, Sid’s father’s 1968 convertible Corvette Stingray 427 supplied the very special getaway car for the newly married couple. Later, the after party on the rooftop of the St. Anthony Hotel helped continue the fun.

Alec graduated from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL., and is an Andrologist and Junior Embryologist at the Fertility Center of San Antonio. Sid graduated from Texas A&M University and St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio and is a criminal defense attorney at Dunham and Jones in San Antonio. The couple honeymooned in Cambodia and Thailand and in their spare time, they hike, swim, scuba dive, hunt, and play pickleball together.

FRIENDSHIP TO FOREVER

by societytexas | Feb 28, 2024 | Weddings 2024, Spring/Summer 24

Brittany Beldon Weds Blake Rosenthal

By Jake Gaines Photography by Caroline Lima

From playmates to soulmates, these childhood friends who have known each other since found a lifetime of love with each other that started at Sunday School at Temple Beth El. Brittany Raye Beldon, daughter of Susan and Brad Beldon, married Blake Rosenthal, son of Jill and Robert Rosenthal, both of San Antonio. In fact, they are fourth-generation family friends, and the wedded couple’s romantic relationship began when they both lived and worked in Dallas after college.

My Girl by The Temptations played overhead as the groom invited his future bride to his grandmother’s house as a ruse. After dating for three and a half years and surrounded by family and close friends who had flown in from Dallas, Blake asked for Brittany’s hand in marriage. After a resounding yes, everyone enjoyed delicious Mexican food, margaritas, and mariachi music throughout the afternoon to commemorate the special occasion. The couple shared the secret of their love by saying, “Brittany has always admired Blake’s charm, and he has always been attracted to Brittany’s confidence. We share many of the same values and always keep each other laughing.”

The longtime Texan duo decided all their wedding festivities would be in their native hometown of San Antonio. They wanted somewhere unusual for the nuptials, so where better than the city’s legendary venue, the San Antonio Zoo? The color theme was bright, springy shades of purple, pink, and orange. The wedding and reception, planned by Becky Levin Navarro of Pearl Events in Austin, also incorporated beautifully lush, nature-like verdant plants, created by David Garcia with Statue of Design, as an ode to the venue full of animals. Not only was it the largest wedding the San Antonio Zoo had hosted, but it was also the first large-scale event on the new lawn, where the 600 guests enjoyed mingling and chatting under the stars. It is such a sentimental venue for Brittany and Blake since they both grew up visiting there often with their parents and grandparents.

The bride chose a strapless wedding gown and veil from Julian Gold Bridal, designed by Mark Ingram, which was adorned with leaf and butterfly applique as a tribute to the wedding venue. Brittany’s second outfit for the reception was her mother’s 35-year-old wedding dress. Brittany had two Maids of Honor: Dylan Beldon and Mackenzie Beldon. She was attended by fifteen Bridesmaids: Molly Aaron, Gabriela Bresnahan, Emily Carpenter, Paige Farrimond, Hailey Hoppenstein, Emily Kahn, Emma Lynds, Elizabeth Massari, Hannah Matula, Anna-Blaire Ozdil, Samantha Preblich, Emily Rosenbloom, Aubrey Rosenthal, McKenzie Vaught, and Jordan Wilson. Blake’s Best Man was Justin Rosenthal and twenty-four Groomsmen: Cole Bailey, Ryan Baumgartner, Marshall Beldon, Brian Bell, Christian Biedenharn, Kalen Brockwell, Walker Coffman, Clayton Comeaux, Drew Dawson, Jeffrey Dubrof, David Duncan, Walker Dyess, Tyler Freed, Charles Giammalva, Charles Hoffman, Dillon Hurley, William Keller, Rusty Kiolbassa, Blake Klumpp, Jacob Maloy, Daniel McCarty, Bryan Stankey, Robert Thomas, and Thomas Tyng. Completing the attendants were four Ring Bearers: Dylan Kaplan, Emmett Kustoff, Theodore Preblich, and Oliver Sandoloski.
Brittany’s parents surprised both Brittany and Blake with butterfly stilt walkers during cocktail hour and butterfly light-up dancers during the reception. Brittany and Blake surprised their guests with various animals to engage with during cocktail hour and later. Both couple’s parents surprised the newly married duo with a unique exit by way of the San Antonio Zoo train, which Brittany and Blake grew up riding during their visits to the venue as children.

The couple both attended The University of Texas at Austin and now enjoy careers in real estate. The bride is the Development Manager at Hixon Properties, while the groom is the Capital Markets Associate at Merit Commercial Real Estate. “We hope to play a part in bringing many of our friends back to San Antonio,” shared the couple. They chose Saint Kitts as their honeymoon destination.

AN EVERGREEN LOVE

by societytexas | Dec 28, 2022 | Weddings 2023, 2023 January February

The Nuptials Of Milla Brusenhan And Carter DeWalch

By Jake Gaines Photography by Caroline Lima

It was the most perfect day when Milla Brusenhan, of San Antonio, the daughter of Alicia and Harry J. Brusenhan, and Carter DeWalch of Houston, the son of Julia and Mark DeWalch, were married at the Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio. After a courtship of three years, the groom proposed to his intended bride at Mattie’s Green Pastures in Austin. The duo has celebrated many landmark occasions in their relationship at this venue. “When we first met, I loved Carter’s kind and gentle personality as well as his love for travel and adventure,” shared Milla DeWalch. “I loved Milla’s infectious, happy personality and adventurous spirit when I first got to know her,” said Carter DeWalch. “She is an incredibly loyal, loving, and the most supportive and kind wife.”

The nine-month engagement led to their stunning wedding day at Christ Episcopal Church, where the church sacraments were exchanged, followed by a reception at Club Giraud and Southwest School of Art. The intimate wedding ceremony and reception was elegantly sublime with springtime colors of organic, free-form flowers, chosen to capture the essence of the newlyweds. The bride wore a gown designed by Oscar de la Renta accented with the Parker Veil, a family heirloom on her mother’s side of the family, that has been passed down for generations. Milla’s grandmother’s earrings crowned the ensemble.

The wedding event planning dream team was the collaborative expertise of Katherine Lopez of Sweet August Events, who realized the bride’s ideas and brought them to life, along with Danny Cuellar of Trinity Flowers and Jessica Huisman of Freesia Designs, who defined and refined the exquisite floral design. A delicious dinner was served by Club Giraud and also highlighted Milla’s favorite drink, a spicy Ranch Water and Carter’s Old Fashioned. The band, Love and Happiness, from Austin, surprised the couple with a fun and fantastic blues-inspired “Front Line” performance as the newly married couple arrived at the reception. Milla and Carter then surprised everyone with a disco ball, hidden by a ceiling of flowers, that was lowered down above the dance floor, mid-way through the celebration.

The rehearsal dinner at The Argyle, hosted by the groom’s parents, Julia and Mark DeWalch, began the wedding weekend on the highest and happiest note, reconnecting and tying together both families and dear friends. This ever-special and beautiful evening was capped off with a super fun Post Toast given by precious friends from Houston.

The bride is a Texas Christian University graduate and completed her Masters of Occupational Therapy at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. She is working as an occupational therapist at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation. The groom graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and is a development manager at Hillwood Communities. The couple enjoyed a whirlwind honeymoon in Italy, where they visited Lake Como, Florence, Montepulciano, and Rome. They now make Austin their residence, where they love spending time together at home, enjoying the outdoors with their dogs, fly fishing, cooking, and trying new restaurants.

ROAD TO ROMANCE

by societytexas | Dec 28, 2022 | Weddings 2023, 2023 January February

The Nuptials Of Kate Fuller & Rick Leeper, Jr.

By Jake Gaines Photography by Natalie Probst

When Kate Fuller and Rick Leeper,Jr, met at a party through mutual college friends, they were immediately drawn to each other. The bride, the daughter of Margery and Charles Fuller of Winnetka, Illinois, and the groom, the son of Sherry and Rick Leeper, Sr. of San Antonio, were recently married in Chicago. “Having all of the people we love the most in one room to celebrate our long relationship and everlasting love actually happened after two years of planning and re-planning with the pandemic,” shared the bride, Kate Fuller, about their engagement that occurred after a four-year courtship. “Knowing that it is nearly impossible to surprise Kate, I popped the question at our apartment on a Wednesday night,” recalled Rick Leeper. “She walked into a beautiful assortment of candles and hydrangeas thinking it was in celebration of a new job.”

When planning resumed after the engagement and pandemic, the Langham Hotel was chosen as the venue for the duo’s rehearsal dinner. The wedding ceremony and reception were held at the Chicago History Museum. The bride wore a gown designed by Martina Liana as she walked down the aisle among the 150 invited guests. Her long-sleeved dress was similar to the dress worn by her mother at her own wedding. The bride’s mother-in-law chose the earrings to be worn with it. At the reception, which followed a seated dinner, the couple sipped champagne out of a silver chalice silver chalice, engraved with the names of Kate’s family members and their spouses, to which the newly married duo’s names had been added prior to the wedding ceremony.

The classic black and white floor tile of the historic venue influenced the wedding’s black and white theme, which was accentuated with rich green velvet details. The wedding planner was Erica Vanco with Estera Events, while the floral décor was created by Life In Bloom. The reception’s guests loved dancing the night away to the band, The Chicago Catz, and also enjoyed Devils River Whiskey, Rick’s family’s whiskey brand. Special touches included cocktail napkins imprinted with the image of the couple’s beloved goldendoodle, Tommy. The late-night snacks were classic Chicago hot dogs and churros representing the groom’s hometown of San Antonio. An after party held at The Lodge Tavern, one of the oldest bars in Chicago, where the couple achieved a received the rare honor of being allowed to sign a brick on the wall of the Prohibition-era speakeasy.

The bride graduated from Southern Methodist University where she earned a degree in advertising. She is currently the vice president of marketing for the Dallas Market Center. The groom also graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in economics and recently started his own investment business, Tetragon, LLC. The couple honeymooned in Antigua, and reside in Dallas. The Leepers especially enjoy skiing, traveling to new places, playing cards, hosting friends in their backyard, and exploring with Tommy.

IT’S HAPPENING NOW

by societytexas | Oct 30, 2022 | R.S.V.P. SAN ANTONIO, 2022 November December, Parties

Artpace San Antonio Hosts Annual Artful Gala

By Jake Gaines Photography by Francisco Cortes, courtesy of Artpace San Antonio

THE SETTING: This year’s Artpace event, The Happening, was held at the Red Berry Estate. It began with a special cocktail reception in the mansion’s ballroom that featured a champagne bar sponsored by Neiman Marcus. Guests then proceeded to the lakeside ballroom for a stunning three course meal, highlighting real time, upscale cooking.

THE STYLE: After dinner, Riley Robinson, Director of Artpace San Antonio, introduced artist Teresita Fernández, one of the evening’s honorees. Fernández spoke of her artistic practice and the essential role Artpace’s International Artist-in-Residence program played in her career, and the 267 artists since. The program closed with the board chair, Patricia Ruiz-Healy, celebrating honoree Rick Liberto’s long standing leadership role at Artpace. The audience welcomed Liberto to the stage with a lengthy standing ovation.

The party then moved to a lakeside lounge, which featured Artpace 2017 Resident Artist, Robert Hodge, and DJing by OG IB (Ingrid Burley). Afterwards, the evening continued into the night at Red Berry’s famed casino. The RK Group provided the cuisine and Statue of Design created the floral décor. Blue House Design orchestrated the event’s production.

THE PURPOSE: Caroline Harte Staudt and Sarah Harte co-chaired the event. Artpace San Antonio is a nonprofit residency program, which supports Texas, national, and international artists in the creation of new art. As a catalyst for artistic expression, they engage local communities with global art practices and experiences. A successful annual gala is essential to sustain its free and dynamic programs. All proceeds benefit the organization’s residencies and public and educational programming.