A Glimpse Inside Lindsay Luker & George Jacobs’ Intimate La Palmilla Wedding
Love has a way of making itself known, and for Lindsay Luker and George Jacobs, it was an unmistakable certainty. Join us for an exclusive Q&A with Lindsay as we explore the details of their intimate and joyous union at the new La Palmilla Texas.
The couple. Lindsay Luker & George Jacobs
The venue. La Palmilla Texas
The Photographer. Cindy Medick Photography
The Love Story
George and I met on an unassuming Friday night at the Hotel Drover. I was out with a friend and he was celebrating his brother’s birthday, and the two happened to know each other, so we were introduced. George asked me to dinner the next night and we could both tell there was an instant connection. We spent the next few weeks in deep conversation and recognized there was something very special growing. Within six months, we had more conversations than most do in years, our children had met and were thriving, and we were deeply in love.
The Proposal
We had spoken very openly about our intention to get married. We were soul mates and were excited to begin our lives together. My father is a jeweler, so we asked him to come to Fort Worth to begin the process of designing my ring. After trying on many, many options and figuring out exactly what I liked, I left the actual design and details up to the two of them. Getting the ring became a comedy of errors – the design was reworked, there was a fire in the factory where the ring was being made so the process had to start over, the shipment from New York was delayed… All of these events complicated my ability to predict the proposal.
George and I had planned a quick trip to Scottsdale for my birthday. I wondered if it might happen on the trip, but after conversations with my father and sister, both of whom convinced me the ring wasn’t ready, I focused on celebrating my birthday and enjoying the time away. Unbeknownst to me, George had planned a beautiful proposal. He planned an intimate dinner at the restaurant at the top of our resort, but I was still unsuspecting. After a beautiful dinner, complete with my favorite wine from Napa and all of my favorite foods, the staff presented me a dessert and ring as George dropped to one knee and asked the question we had both been anxious to hear. Although I was in sincere shock, I excitedly said “Yes” and we began our official wedding journey.
The Wedding Venue
I had envisioned getting married in Marfa, but due to some travel complications for the elder members of our families, we decided to look at other options. After considering many other locations, I became slightly discouraged that perhaps my vision would need to be reconsidered. That was until I saw an instagram post for a new venue, La Palmilla, in Nemo, Texas, which is near Glen Rose. The venue was not even complete yet, but the renderings and pictures captivated me. George and I made an appointment to meet the owners and tour the property. Within moments of arriving, and meeting Mitchell and Kimmy Ellis, I knew I had found the venue. That seems to be the theme of our story – when you know, you know.
The property was as if someone had beautifully and masterfully mixed San Migel de Allende and Marfa together, and placed it in the backdrop of Glen Rose. In a single glance, you could see vibrant colors in the cactus and palms, terracotta floors, custom tiles and the stained glass throughout the property. Not only did the property offer a beautiful cantina for a reception, and housing for the guests, but it offered a stunning and quaint chapel. When we entered the chapel, I was entranced by the stained glass and felt transported back to my great-grandmother’s church. I immediately noticed the stained glass at the back of the chapel with the Greek symbols for Alpha and Omega, then Mitchell began to explain the design of the rest of the stained glass was based on a scripture from Revelation. George and I both knew this would be where we were married.
The Vibe
I wanted our wedding to feel intimate and intentional. George and I had such a special, deep love for each other and we wanted that to radiate throughout the experience of our wedding. The venue offered the feeling of being transported to a tranquil yet luxurious location, and all of these elements combined to truly curate a once-in-a lifetime experience. The colors, details and vendors were all chosen to compliment La Palmilla, my original vision, and our personalities. The colors were vibrant, the details were clean and simple, and there personalized touches in each event. It was important to me that every single one of our guests knew they were invited out of our love for them and that they knew how much we appreciated them wanting to celebrate with us.
The Photography
I knew I wanted the photography to be bright and full of light. After researching local photographers and talking to a few of the options, we felt very confident in our choice of Cindy Medick. Cindy was detail oriented, experienced, organized and extremely warm and personable. She immediately put us at ease by her extensive knowledge and willingness to help us with both photography and coordination. In an unexpected chance of events, she had actually seen our venue and the coincidence solidified our decision. We decided to use our engagement session as a combination of both engagement and family photos and we could not have been more pleased in the process or the product. And, as you can see, the wedding pictures were exquisite. They were a joy during the entire process and we can’t wait to use her in the future.
The Dress
I was rather unsure of what fit I would want in a dress, but had an idea that I would like it to be both elegant yet romantic, incorporating lace and buttons. I decided to make my first dress appointment in Tyler, where I am from, so that my mom and grandmother could attend. This was more so for the fact that I wanted to have the opportunity to make that memory with them, and not so much that I truly thought I would find the dress. Three days before the dress appointment, my grandfather passed away. To say the least, I was devastated. As I was canceling the appointment, my grandmother insisted we keep it as she knew that is what he would want me to do. With heavy and tender hearts, we arrived at the dress shop. Surrounded by my grandmother, mother, sister and soon-to-be stepdaughter, I can only describe the next two hours as pure joy. Not only did I find my dress that day, but I knew my grandfather’s spirit was with me the entire time.
The Accessories
The dress and cathedral length veil were stunning, and for that reason, I wanted to keep my accessories simple. I wore pearl-adorned floral earrings, a necklace that my father had gifted me, and a ring from my great-grandmother. Around my bouquet, I wrapped a handkerchief that was crocheted in blue by my great grandmother. Each item held sentimental value and reflected my desire to have each detail of my wedding encased in intention.
The Bridesmaids
George and I are both incredibly blessed to have a circle of deep friends, but we decided to keep the wedding party intimate. My sister was my maid of honor and George’s daughter was my bridesmaid. They wore eucalyptus green dresses that complimented the aesthetic of the venue yet felt appropriate for fall. The three of us were together during the days leading up to the wedding and the entire wedding day, and those are moments and memories that I will never forget.
The Groomsmen
George’s brother was his best man and our two sons served as groomsmen. They all wore navy suits with terracotta-colored ties to further emphasize the rich colors of the venue and flowers.
The Wedding Rings
The rings were another very special and meaningful item. As mentioned above, my engagement ring was designed and made by my father. This was something I had literally waited my whole life for. George and my dad designed an incredible ring consisting of a radiant cut center stone surrounded by half moon diamonds on each side. George then gifted me two beautiful bands for the wedding. He preferred to keep his more simple with a lightweight tungsten band.
The Hair and Makeup
I wanted my make up to be bridal yet simple. I chose Madeline Cope and she executed my vision perfectly, finding the perfect balance of accentuating my features while keeping the makeup natural. I also chose a very simple and romantic low updo for my hair, which allowed the focus to be on the dress and veil. I am blessed to have an incredibly talented friend, who has an even more beautiful heart, who brought my hair dreams to life.
The Stationery
In keeping with the clean, crisp whiteness of the venue exterior, we chose a very similar design for the invitation and detail stationary. The font was romantic but the elements of design were clean lines and sophistication.
The Florals
The florals were one of the most important details to me. I felt like this is one place where my vision could speak and accentuate the vibrant colors of the venue. In working with Victoria Piland of Bright Eyed Blooms, we were able to incorporate exotic flowers with bright reds and oranges, and various textures to create unique arrangements and bouquets. This, along with cactus and greenery, truly made my vision a reality.
The Morning Of
I spent the night before the wedding at the venue, along with several of my family members. The morning of our wedding there was a meteor shower. I mean, come on, do you need any other sign that this is blessed by the heavens? My sweet 7 year old son and I woke up, wrapped ourselves in a blanket and sat on the sidewalk of La Palmilla and watched as a shooting star passed overhead. That’s how I started my wedding day. The rest of the day was filled with peace and laughter. I was surrounded by my family, and friends stopped by my bridal suite throughout the day to share a quick hug and squeal of excitement. I was truly able to be present and committed each moment to memory. I look back at that day with such satisfaction and sweetness.
The Ceremony
The ceremony was truly my favorite part of the wedding, and quite honestly, it was what our guests commented on the most. My intention for the ceremony is that love would radiate out of every single moment. That each person present would feel the presence of God, and that they would see the depth of love between George and I, shared amongst our children, and feel the love that we had for each and every guest. The music chosen for the entrance set the tone for that very thing to happen. The way the light was dancing in the chapel at that time stirred something within the hearts of those attending. The doors opened dramatically, my father walked me halfway down the aisle and my 7 year old son joined us the remainder of the way. One of our dear friends officiated the wedding, which brought another meaningful element to the moment. George and I wrote our vows to one another, and it was as if everyone in attendance breathed in unison while we spoke to one another. After the vows, we then shared a moment lighting unity candles, with the pictures of my grandfather and George’s father overlooking, and The Blessing by Kari Jobe playing. Our children joined us, extinguishing the individual flames and lighting the candle of unity and we finished circled together in prayer. It was a moment where love was personified. We ended with shouts of joy and danced down the aisle. I could not have dreamed of a more perfect ceremony.
The Reception
After the wedding, our guests enjoyed a cocktail hour with beer burros, a cigar roller and passed appetizers, which kicked off the festive atmosphere we wanted. We then entered the reception and enjoyed a beautiful dinner by Awesome Catering DFW. We had the traditional dances and then cut the most delicious cake from Back Home Bakery. The drinks were always available and perfectly made by the talented bartender from Blind Tiger Bartending. We were lavished with the most meaningful toasts by our maid of honor, best man, father of the bride and son of the groom. Tears and laughter were plenty. The rest of the night was spent on the dance floor, adorned with glow sticks and light up accessories. Our DJ, TJ from Be Entertained Events, kept the party going an hour longer than expected because we were all having the time of our lives.
The Planning
The planning was much easier than expected. Perhaps that was because we were sure of what we wanted, and ultimately of the end goal, and were flexible in many of the details. All of our vendors were incredibly responsive and helpful, which allowed us to successfully plan and execute our wedding in under four months!
The Cake
I wanted the cake to be elegant and simple, adorned with fresh exotic flowers to match the bouquet. We had one layer with George’s favorite flavor of lemon, and one with my favorite flavor of raspberry. Back Home Bakery executed the taste and vision perfectly.
The Food
The food was composed of a menu to incorporate many different tastes. The appetizers were unique and complimented the festive nature of the cocktail hour, while the dinner was more sophisticated and filling. The staff at Awesome Catering DFW offered us the most hospitable experience and were incredibly willing to help customize options for our needs.
The Entertainment
TJ from Be Entertained Events helped us throw the party of our dreams. She had extensive knowledge of music, offered ample packages and was full of energy throughout the process. She was engaged with our crowd, anticipated our wants and kept the celebration going until we were ready to call it quits. I told her many times that music was my love language, and she did not disappoint.
The Favorite Moment
I am not sure that I can pick one moment as my favorite. The ceremony encapsulated the depth of our love. Seeing our children and their excitement and joy during the day was so precious. Having my 88-year-old grandmother witness the signing of our marriage license was pure magic. Hearing the messages of love our friends left us on the voicemail recording phone will stay with us forever. The venue, and more importantly, the people who own and operate it, truly made the day perfect. I would relive every moment as my favorite all over again.
The Unexpected
I think the most unexpected gift for me was how everyone felt about our ceremony. There was not a single person who didn’t comment, or shed a joyful tear, over how powerful the ceremony was. They were truly touched by our vows, our children and our exchange of love.
The Honeymoon
We spent a few days in a yurt in the hill country and it was exactly what we needed to unplug and recharge! We will be enjoying Turks and Caicos for our 1-year anniversary!
The Advice
As trite as it may sound, my best advice is to lean into the moment. Be present and breathe. Trust your planning and let others step in as needed so that you can truly enjoy each moment as it comes. And never lose sight of the fact that you are joining your soulmate at the end of that aisle, and that’s what it’s truly all about!
THE VENDORS
Featured Vendors
BEER BURROS SWEET ASS SERVERS
Other Local Wedding Vendors
CEREMONY + RECEPTION VENUE LA PALMILLA TEXAS
PHOTOGRAPHER CINDY MEDICK PHOTOGRAPHY
FLORAL BRIGHT EYED BLOOMS
CATERER AWESOME CATERING DFW
CAKE BACK HOME BAKERY
DJ BE ENTERTAINED EVENTS
BARTENDING BLIND TIGER BARTENDING CO.
CIGAR ROLLER WILLIAMS CIGARS
HAIR KRISTYN DUVALL
MAKEUP MUA MADELINE COPE