LEIGH KOZLOW & MILES KARRO
LEIGH KOZLOW & MILES KARRO
June 23, 2018 Dallas, Texas
Though Leigh Kozlow had transferred from Southern Methodist University to Ole Miss, she still managed to be introduced to SMU student Miles Karro during their junior year while visiting friends back home. “The rest is history!” she smiles. After four years of dating and moving to Nashville, Miles surprised Leigh with a proposal while visiting her family in Texas. “Miles sent me a text to open a pink envelope in my mailbox,” remembers Leigh. “My mother, sister, and I started on a scavenger hunt highlighting all of our favorite and memorable places in Dallas!” At each location Miles had left a special message about what it meant to them, and after two hours, Leigh ended up in her backyard where her family, Miles and his parents, a guitarist, and their future wedding photographer John Cain Sargent were waiting. “He dropped down on his knee and asked me to spend my life with him,” she says. “It was one of the happiest days of my life!”
When planning the location of their nuptials, the pair chose a luxury resort in Dallas. “It was like having a destination wedding in my hometown,” shares Leigh of the exquisite property, which hosted the welcome party, bridal luncheon, ceremony, reception, and after-party. The couple worked with the mother of the bride as well as Diamond Affairs Weddings & Special Events to organize the details of their celebration. “I really loved the Diamond Affairs team and feel like they prepared us for everything and helped us make all of the tough decisions,” affirms the bride. Desiring a traditional ceremony, the ballroom featured a classic color palette of ivory with gilt accents. The perimeter of the space was enveloped with flowing vanilla drapery, and over 300 loved ones found their seats on gold chiavari chairs. A monogrammed aisle runner by The Original Runner Company was lined with floating candles and led to a romantic arch comprised of snowy hydrangeas, creamy peonies, alabaster majolica spray roses, O’Hare garden roses, and cascades of white phalaenopsis orchids.
Leigh was elegant in a strapless gown carrying a bouquet of hydrangeas, peonies, lisianthus, ranunculuses, and garden roses in soft pink tones as she made her way to her groom for the vow exchange. Both agree that one of their most memorable moments of the day was including their grandparents in the service. “It was so special to us that we are close with our grandparents who are still living,” confirms the bride. “We felt that they needed to be a part of the ceremony.” Miles’ paternal Jewish grandparents shared the first reading from the Old Testament, his maternal Christian grandparents recited the second reading from the New Testament, and Leigh’s grandparents gave the closing prayer. “There was not a dry eye in the house,” Miles adds. The couple also lit a unity candle and recessed to Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” performed by a string quartet.
Since the reception décor was designed around the bride’s favorite color, she made sure to compromise and incorporate some of her future husband’s interests as well. “Miles has always been a Nashville Predators fan, so I tried to add in some hockey-oriented things,” Leigh explains of her idea to use hockey pucks as escort cards. “Diamond Affairs did an absolutely incredible job turning her wild idea into reality,” Miles shares. Once inside the ballroom, guests were captivated by the extravagant décor showcasing thousands of pink flowers designed by Bella Flora of Dallas. Square tables were topped with a trio of glass vases displaying peonies, garden roses, and tulips at various heights on mirrored stands surrounded by candlelight; rectangular tables featured one of two designs: either gilt stands with overflowing blush, pink, and vanilla blooms with alternating smaller compilations placed between them or collections of clear glass vessels with candlesticks to provide a romantic ambience. A 40-foot-long head table displayed tall gold risers with grand arrangements of blush, pink, and ivory hydrangeas, peonies, garden roses, and ranunculuses, as well as smaller styles that ran the length of the tablescape.
“The whole weekend was so magical!”
Following the sit-down dinner service, friends and family enjoyed slices of the couple’s stunning eight-foot-high wedding cake highlighting their monogram. In keeping with Southern tradition, a groom’s cake representing the Nashville Predators – and the hat Miles has worn to many games – was savored, along with selections from a candy bar to honor the bride’s sweet tooth. A live band performed on a raised stage with a mirrored façade as revelers took to the dance floor, which featured a grand floral wreath comprised of ivory and pink blossoms with cascading crystal strands and orchid garlands overhead. “The dance floor was packed from dinner to the end of the reception,” notes Miles. “Every person, regardless of age, had a wonderful time.”
As the clock struck midnight, the newlyweds and their guests traversed to the original ceremony ballroom for an after-party complete with vibrant lighting, club-style seating, and a well-known Dallas DJ who kept the celebration going until the early hours of the morning. “The whole weekend was so magical!” Leigh muses.