Lesley Suarez & Dusty Hill
Stunning in a Monique Lhuillier lace dress inspired by timeless icons, Lesley Suarez tenderly held her late grandmother’s rosary in her hands during their Catholic wedding at St. Patrick Cathedral. After joyfully being pronounced husband and wife, the reception at Colonial Country Club followed, where the ballroom was adorned with classic white florals and floating candles, a lively band and a signature bar named after their beloved dog, Ribeye. Their first dance as newlyweds to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight” and a joint parent dance to The Temptations’ “My Girl” added personal touches to their unforgettable celebration. Join us for an exclusive Q&A with the bride as we dive into the details of their special day.
the couple. Lesley Suarez & Dusty Hill
the venue. St. Patrick Cathedral | Colonial Country Club
the planner/designer.
the photos. Sara Donaldson
The Love Story
Dusty and I met through a mutual friend. One day, he asked me out to dinner via text. I said yes and it ended up being an amazing evening! We talked for hours and made plans to see each other again. From that day forward, we were inseparable. We met each other’s families, friends, and attended many events together including football games, birthdays and holidays. I immediately fell in love with him, his family and his dog Ribeye!
The Proposal
Dusty planned a trip to show me his favorite destination: Prague — a place whose culture, food, people and history I had heard so much about. I was thrilled and excited to travel with him. The day after we arrived, he asked me to be ready by 4 p.m. I assumed we were going for a tour. He walked me from the hotel to the center of the square and stopped right in front of a beautiful church. He pulled out his cell phone to take a selfie, which was code for the photographer he had secretly hired, and then got on one knee and asked me to marry him! I was so surprised and shocked that time froze. People were cheering and the noises were overwhelming. I then loudly responded “yes!” and hugged him. Happy tears rolled out of my eyes. I felt blessed and happy to find the love of my life! The person I wanted to create a family with and grow old with. My soulmate and best friend for life! He had planned every detail of the proposal and even hired a photographer to capture the precise moment!
The Wedding Venue
Colonial Country Club is a place where Dusty and his family spent many summers. It also served as the venue where his two beautiful sisters Holly and Hayley held their respective weddings. So naturally, it was a special place for the family. Dusty was fond of the staircase and wanted our first wedding picture to capture me walking down those stairs. Plus, the ballroom was gorgeous, elegant and classy. Perfect for our wedding!
The Vibe
The ambience was classic, elegant, and traditional. I wanted our guests to feel happy and relaxed. And more importantly, to enjoy themselves. The reception consisted of a seated dinner, live music, drinks and dancing!
The Photography
I was searching for a photographer that loved her job, cared about the bride and family and was flexible. Someone who could put me at ease so I could enjoy the event. Sara was the perfect person for this! She amazed me with all the beautiful moments she captured. The wedding day went by so fast, yet she managed to capture all the beautiful memories for me. She was organized, creative, and went above and beyond. Sara is extremely talented and with an amazing eye. I was so lucky to have her. She made my wedding day all the more perfect.
The Dress
I was looking for a dress that was classical, traditional and inspired by Kate Middleton, Jackie Kennedy and Grace Kelly. After comparing different designers, I found a beautiful all-lace Monique Lhuillier dress called “Kate” — coincidently inspired by the dress worn by Kate Middleton at her wedding. It was a stunning Chantilly all-lace A-line dress with an off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline. It checked all the boxes and made me feel like a princess!
The Accessories
I was thrilled to use my grandma’s rosary for our Catholic mass. She passed away unexpectedly five months before the wedding. I was heartbroken she wasn’t going to be there with me and see me in my dress. So I borrowed her rosary and held it in my hand. I felt a great sense of peace knowing she was there guiding me and blessing our marriage. The cathedral veil was made by Italian designer Monvieve. It was constructed entirely by hand and imported from Italy. It paired up perfectly with the Chantilly dress! The hair comb and earrings were custom-made from Paris by Debra Moreland. I also added a blue Narwhale pin to my bouquet. They are the unicorns of the sea and have been associated with good luck!
The Bridesmaids
I had one maid of honor and two flower girls. The flower girl dresses were made of white satin and organza. I wanted to make the girls feel special by incorporating a lace flower made from spare fabric from my dress. They loved having a piece of my dress! Each of the girls wore a small crown with fresh flowers and held a small all-rose bouquet. My maid of honor was my beautiful sister, Jennifer Early, who wore a beautiful satin floor length mauve dress. It was simple and elegant!
The Groomsmen
We only had one best man and he wore a black Vera Wang tuxedo. The groom also wore a black Vera Wang tuxedo with a white flower boutonniere and matched it with custom TCU purple socks with our dog’s face on them! The socks were the first gift I had given Dusty when we started dating. It was such a surprise; he kept them and wore them years later to our wedding! We love our dog and wanted to include him as much as possible.
The Wedding Rings
I adore my wedding ring! The diamonds used in my ring were a gift from Dusty’s grandparents, Mimi and Papa. This ring holds incredible sentimental value for me because it is a family stone. I feel blessed and honored to wear it. I know Dusty’s grandparents are blessing our marriage from heaven.
The Hair and Makeup
Since I wanted makeup that was timeless, I went with rosy lips, soft pencil mascara and natural accents. For my hair, I opted for a simple chignon bun.
The Stationery
The stationery was also simple, classic, and formal. It consisted of a white background with a gold foil-pressed lining as an outline.
The Florals
The florals color palette consisted of white flowers with a tad of blush and a little greenery. They consisted of white-cream Playa Blanca roses, white hydrangeas, white ranunculus, Tibet roses, white majolica roses, variegated ivy, ruscus, salal tips and southern smilax. I selected white flowers because they symbolize purity, love and new beginnings.
The Morning Of
I remember waking up with a smile on my face and thanking God for allowing us to fulfill the holy sacrament of matrimony. I was emotional knowing I was going to marry the love of my life and God was going to bless our marriage. I was thankful for my family and friends and was eager to celebrate this day with Dusty!
The Ceremony
We felt honored to be married by our dear friend Father John Robert Skeldon. He made the ceremony personal and shared how our differences make us perfect for one another. He also honored my deceased grandmother during the ceremony, giving us the opportunity to recognize how much she meant to us.
The Reception
The reception was romantic and fun. The ballroom was decorated with fresh white flowers and floating candles. We had a live band, and they played a variety of music throughout the night and ensured the ballroom dance floor was packed with people. There was so much energy and excitement. Our first dance as newlyweds was to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight” followed by a joint parent dance to The Temptations’ “My Girl” — a family favorite. As for personal touches, we included a painting of our dog on the bar menu and referred to it as “Ribeye’s Bar.”
The Planning
I would not have been able to plan a wedding in less than seven months without my beautiful mom, Veronica Suarez, and wonderful mother-in-law, Ronda Hill! They both helped me throughout the process and went above and beyond. I appreciate their patience and generosity. I also want to thank the vendors! When you have professionals, you don’t have to worry. You can trust everything will turn out great!
The Cake
The cake was four-tier, with a white pearl border, smooth sides and fresh flowers. The flavor was a delicious almond cream cheese.
The Food
The food was prepared by Colonial Country Club’s chef and started with three hors d’oeuvres: mozzarella, tomato & basil bruschetta; Boursin mushroom caps; and bacon-wrapped shrimp. This was followed by a signature wedge salad. The main entrée offered a duet plate consisting of blackened filet mignon and king salmon Oscar paired with roasted garlic herb marble potatoes and roasted asparagus with chili lemon butter.
The Entertainment
Intensity Band
The Favorite Moment
The ceremony — when the priest said “I now pronounce you husband and wife!” The amount of joy I felt is impossible to put into words.
The Unexpected
The weather was overcast with cloudy rain showers throughout the day. I was nervous for our pictures, dress, makeup and vendors. Luckily, the weather cleared up during our pictures and started to drizzle only after we were already inside the church. It also rained again during the reception, but we were all fortunately indoors. Despite the rain, we never felt a drop! The timing was perfect. We believe it was a sign of good luck from mother nature!
The Honeymoon
Budapest, Hungary
The Advice
Choose to love each other and learn to forgive.
The Vendors
Wedding Vendors
CEREMONY VENUE St. Patrick Cathedral
RECEPTION VENUE Colonial Country Club
PHOTOGRAPHY Sara Donaldson
PRIEST Father John Robert Skeldon
VIDEOGRAPHY Turquoise Video Productions
FLORAL Camellia Farm Flora
CAKE Creme de la Creme Cake Co.
BAND Intensity Bands
HAIR + MAKEUP Maitee Miles
BRIDAL GOWN DESIGNER Monique Lhuillier
VEIL DESIGNER Monvieve
BRIDAL SALON Warren Barron Bridal
ENGAGEMENT RING Kubes Jewelers