Derek + McKenna by The New Old Weddings - Together Journal

I derived so much inspiration from shows like Downton Abbey and Bridgerton for the overall vibe and look of the weekend.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Derek works in sales leadership at a software company, and McKenna curates and styles vintage clothing and home accents. We’re both curious and adventurous people, and we’re at our best together when we’ve just stepped off a plane, ready to explore somewhere we’ve never been. That said, we’re also huge movie buffs and wholeheartedly align on our love of a night in, opening a bottle of wine, ordering takeout from one of our favourite spots and getting cozy on the couch with our dog, Abi. As of late, we’ve also been engaged in a pretty contentious rivalry on the daily New York Times crossword puzzle.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

M: We met in the high jump line at a middle school track meet when we were 13. I had heard of Derek before; always described as a great athlete and the class clown. The first impression confirmed he was, in fact, very athletic and very funny – but also so friendly. He was the type of kid who was friends with everyone, just a genuine person. A quality I still love about him today.

D: We met in middle school, and my first impression genuinely was, “Wow”. Followed by “she is out of my league” Followed by “how in the world do I get this girl to notice me” When we were finally in high school together I remember just being enamored by her. She checked every box you could imagine. I think my favourite thing about our relationship is that everything that I love most about her was things that really shined through when I finally got to know the person behind the crush.

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

M: This one’s tricky – our story had quite a few twists and turns; at one point, we broke up and spent a few years apart. It’s actually really inconvenient to meet the love of your life as a child. You grow up together while also growing as individuals, which can be very difficult to navigate. In hindsight, I’m grateful for our time apart because when we reconnected, I knew with 100% certainty that he was and always had been the one. He’s been my best friend for over half my life.

D: For me I think that this happened very early on without me even knowing. You catch yourself thinking “McKenna would love this” or “I wish Mckenna was here for this” for almost every life experience where she wasn’t there. There just wasn’t a day that went by that she wasn’t on my mind. She has been my best friend and always there for me when I needed her most.

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…

Yes! It was at Derek’s surprise birthday party. We’re both originally from Wisconsin and had travelled to his aunt and uncle’s lake home in Door County, where the rest of his family had driven up to celebrate. It was the perfect day, followed by a night of great food and wine, story-telling and laughter. He had brought the ring with him from Austin and planned on proposing the next day. He decided he couldn’t wait. We still laugh about it – only Derek would take a surprise party for himself and uno-reverse card it with an engagement.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.

We wanted the three-day experience to be less about a “wedding” and more about a “celebration.” We didn’t overcomplicate things and focused on serving great food, keeping the wine cellar stocked, and playing great music – every night turned into a dance party. To have our closest friends and family travel all that way to join us for our special moment was profoundly touching, and we wanted to make the trip worth their while. We wanted them to feel dazzled but also relaxed and at home. Aside from the evening events, there was no itinerary or planned activities. This allowed guests to sleep in, rest, and explore the estate.

I’m an old soul and love a period piece, and I derived so much inspiration from shows like Downton Abbey and Bridgerton for the overall vibe and look of the weekend. We had this sprawling, grandiose chateau surrounded by grounds overgrown with flowers and trees, creating a setting that felt luxurious and glamorous yet rustic and inviting at the same time. We wanted to transport our guests to an era none of us had experienced. We avoided trendy wedding themes and opted for more subtle decorative elements to create a timeless, romantic look with a healthy dose of vintage glamour. My favourite part of our sweetheart table was two place settings from my grandmother’s antique silverware set she had gifted to me last year. She wasn’t able to join us in France, and it was special to have a piece of her there with us. Her love language has always been cooking, so it was fitting.

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?

The rental fee is for the exclusive use of the estate. For three whole days we all felt like we were the owners of this magical historic estate in the French countryside, complete with two giant, fluffy happy dogs and a friendly cat that roam the grounds – it was a once in a lifetime experience and completely worth it.

This, along with custom “H” stamped butter pats, is for dinner each night. Over the top? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. And we got to take the butter stamp home with us.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

We woke up early(ish) on wedding day morning with the intention of taking a quiet walk through the peaceful, sprawling 25 acres of trailed woodland with our morning coffee. It had rained all night, so everything was green, damp and chilly. We were about 6 minutes into our walk when we found a tiny black kitten caught in a tangle of old rope, clearly suffocating. We dropped our coffees, and as I tried to hold the kitten and loosen the rope from its neck, Derek miraculously found a groundskeeper nearby who was pruning the roses. We managed to cut the poor thing out of the rope. The kitten did not seem like it was going to survive, but we ran back to our room, covered in mud, the kitten in Derek’s arms, and spent the next two hours warming up the kitten with my hair dryer and giving it water with a q-tip. When we realized she would be ok, we bundled her up to keep her warm, left her with water and food, and left to get ready for our ceremony. We named her Vallery. Sadly, the nature of our post-wedding travel didn’t allow us to take her home with us (the only logical choice), but we were able to find her a loving home with one of the lovely women who helps run the estate.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

We could not be more different when it comes to our personal styles. Derek is new and modern, while I love vintage. Derek opted for a custom tuxedo from a boutique suit shop here in Austin. After four failed, uninspiring trips to bridal boutiques, I found what would become my wedding skirt crumpled in the corner of a thrift shop. I fell in love with the creamy fabric colour, the full, draped structure of the skirt, and the fact that it was 100% silk. I bought it and took it home to try on, and finally had the moment every bride talks about when they find “the one.” I then found a designer on Etsy who creates couture bridal corsets and who kindly express-mailed a custom piece to my home – completing my bridal look three weeks before our flight to Paris.