Braden, Tyson Wedding

Kristi, an elementary teacher, and Tyson, a small business owner, first met seven years earlier through mutual friends at a restaurant in College Station, Texas, home of Texas A&M University. Kristi graduated from Texas A&M and the groom graduated from the University of Texas. Somehow, despite the huge collegiate rivalry,   Kristi and Tyson hung out all night, joking about both schools, and from that moment both of them knew they had found something very special.

On July 13, 2008, exactly 11 months prior to their wedding, Kristi and Tyson were vacationing in Key West, Florida.   After seven years, Kristi says she had some feeling that he might propose to her on that particular trip. Tyson pampered her on the 2nd day.  Needless to say, three days went by and no proposal.  Kristi was starting to doubt her thoughts of the coming proposal, then  the day before they were to leave Key West, and right before we walked out the door for dinner… he did it.  Kristi was very surprised, and relieved. She says, “He made me the happiest women ever”.  

Kristi and Tyson chose a destination wedding on the gulf coast because they really wanted a wedding where their family and friends would also enjoy a great vacation, and because the couple had already fallen in love with Destin, Florida from previous trips to the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast. The couple knew of Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort and its reputation as a great place for vacations and weddings so quickly chose this as their perfect place for their perfect big day.

The beachside ceremony was held on Sandestin’s private beach and performed by couple’s own minister, Pastor Glen Schoeneberg from St. Johns United Church of Christ in Burton, Texas.  Kristi said it was no problem getting him to perform the ceremony away from the church once he found out it was to be on the beach in Destin. The ceremony was attended by about 90 close friends and family members, and even had a very laughable moment when the pastor accidentally dropped one of the rings in the sand…don’t worry they found it.

The bride wore a Audrey Hart strapless gown from Weddings by Debbie in Houston, Texas, coupled with a single diamond drop necklace the belonged to the groom’s belated mother, along with a wedding ring that had belonged to her own grandmother. Kristi’s makeup was done by the very talented Jessica Stitt of Make Me Blush in Destin.

The groom wore a khaki colored linen suit by Calvin Klein with a white shirt and light blue tie. The couple chose a simple yet elegant and intimate ceremony that did not include any wedding party

The floral and décor were handled by Celestine’s Special Occasions of Santa Rosa Beach, and included a bamboo arch with natural colored linens, along with lanterns that outlined the beach boardwalk. Celestine’s also decorated for the reception held at Finz Restaurant in Sandestin. The reception décor included white lanterns as the centerpieces with blue hydrangeas on each side of the lanterns.  Each table was covered with light blue linens provided by Brenham Party Rentals and the chairs were covered with white linens that tied at the back.  They also provided the bride’s bouquet of calla lilies. 

The reception was catered by Finz and featured multiple stations of: chicken fingers, jalapeno poppers, bacon wrapped shrimp, vegetable rolls and fried shrimp, along with a beef and chicken fajita stand as well as a ham carving station. 

The brides 3 tiered, eyelet designed cake was made by Chef Yascha Becker from Sandestin Golf & Beach Club.  The groom forwent a traditional cake and had mini cheesecakes with the Texas Longhorn logo designed on each piece. 

A great time was had by all at the reception with plenty of dancing, drinking, and laughing, including a sentimental moment In memory of the grooms mother, Jane Felder. The groom and his sister danced to “Wind Beneath My Wings” performed by Andree Dupepe.  It was a very touching moment for everyone in the room. Everyone also seemed to enjoy seeing Tyson’s sister and a friend as they performed a dance on the bar to the tune of YMCA. The reception entertainment was handled by saxophonist Randy Sherwood and  A DJ to Go’s, Ron Ralph.

The entire wedding and reception…even the bar dancing, were captured in stills by the very talented Angela Dowling, and her assistant Sheena Ratliff, of Bella Vita Photography in Destin. Angela also had the pleasure of shooting the couple’s engagement photos earlier in the year at Rosemary Beach. Kristi says they fell in love with Angela’s work and easy outgoing personality that seemed to bring out the best in them.

After a wonderful day and night the bride and groom departed in a cloud of bubbles riding in a pink Cadillac Escalade golf cart provided by Ecco Motors. Kristi and Tyson stayed the night on the Sandestin property then headed out the next morning to Seaside, stopping at The Red Bar at Grayton Beach where Kristi said they ate, relaxed, and had the best Bloody Mary ever. The couple spent the next two days in Seaside at a wonderful condo provided by Cottage Rental Agency.  Kristi said, “The only thing on the agenda during our stay in Seaside was RELAXATION and that’s exactly what we did”. 

Kristi and Tyson now live in Brenham, Texas where they are enjoying life as the Felder’s. •