Alice Johnson and Nick Adair MaRry In The Hill Country
By Eleanora Morrison
Photography by Jennifer Lindberg
Alice Johnson of San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country and Nick Adair of Houston found love in an unexpected place. What began as a professional relationship when Alice applied for a position with Nick’s family restaurant business, Adair Concepts, sparked into a romance only after the newlyweds had worked together for quite some time. After nearly three years of courtship, Alice and Nick tied the knot during a picturesque daytime ceremony under the Texas sun, surrounded by their nearest and dearest family and friends.
With a shared respect of family and tradition, it was only fitting that Alice and Nick planned an authentically elegant and intimate gathering at the bride’s family-owned Chinquapin Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas. Alice’s parents, Cecilia and George Hager and the late Kley Johnson, and Nick’s parents, Betsy and Gary Adair, welcomed 75 of their family members to celebrate the matrimony of their children.
Alice wore a bespoke wedding gown by San Antonio designer Veronica Prida. A collaborative effort between the bride and designer created the consummate daytime-formal look. Prida used a Swiss dot fabric that incorporated the delicate and feminine embroidery the bride had designed digitally, thus bringing Alice’s vision to life. The coloration theme of the wedding and reception was inspired by a page out of Lynn von Kersting’s coffee table book, La Strada della Dolce Vita (which means more color, more flowers).
Maggie Gillespie of Maggie Gillespie Designs deftly planned and coordinated the chic celebration, evoking the most genuine and authentic union of both families. The bride’s attendants were her first cousins, Lila Chumbley Malone, Sarita Pitt Francis, and Allegra Pitt Hawkins. The groomsmen attending Nick were his brother, Scott Adair and his brother-in-law, Paul Barnhart. The bride’s cousin, Stella McMurrey and uncle, Fred McBride sang during the ceremony, and flower girls Sita Francis, Wallis Hager and Noland Hager, and ring bearers Nelson Francis and Wynn Barnhart nearly stole the show.
After the exchange of vows, guests took their seats under a classic white tent enveloped in greenery and flowers for a brunch reception on the lawn overlooking the water. Sophie Lochte of Sophie’s Bakery in Fredericksburg made the wedding cake with vanilla and confetti on the inside and flowers cascading down the side. After brunch shared by the families toasting, dancing and just enjoying the afternoon, everyone changed into their swimsuits and spent the rest of the day swimming at the ranch. Then, that evening guests loaded a bus and enjoyed dinner at Francisco’s in Kerrville, hosted by the groom’s family, complete with mariachis and more festive celebration. After dinner the attendees ended the evening at the local speakeasy bar, Azul, across the street from the restaurant. It was a memorable day that began at Chinquapin Ranch, which is also available for special event rentals.
The newlyweds and their immediate families all traveled together to Capri, Italy for a group vacation the day after the wedding. The couple then traveled on to South Africa for the remainder of their honeymoon exploring Cape Town, Franschhoek, Kruger National Park and Mozambique. The couple resides in Houston, where Alice is in freelance marketing and Nick is co-owner of Adair Concepts.