Erik and Emily Gonzalez
TELL US ABOUT YOUR LOVE STORY!
How did you meet?
Seven years ago, a mutual friend told me about one of her close guy friends. She swore he would be perfect for me! She described him as a guy who loved his family, good friends, and a cold beer. Naturally, I was intrigued. She tried to get him to meet us at our neighborhood bar, the Thirsty Turtle, but he was always busy at the gym or out playing rugby. Then, heartbreakingly, his father passed away and it just never felt like the right time.
Eventually, I came across his profile online and decided to like it. Then I waited for him to message me. Once he did, we clicked immediately over our shared love of Texas Country music and our dreams of traveling to Ireland. He made me laugh, and I could feel myself falling for him faster than I expected. When we finally went out for that long-awaited drink, I immediately saw what my friend had seen all along. Erik was genuine, kind, and so easy to be around. I loved how much he talked about his mom and sister, and how close he is with them. I loved how he could make friends with anyone and how he lit up every room. When Big Fancy shows up, the party officially starts.
Now, here we are six years later. We’ve weathered ups and downs, laughed through chaos, leaned on each other through everything life has thrown our way. Erik is calm, patient, and unfazed by life’s little hiccups. I, on the other hand, am an overcommitted, anxious planner who can’t sit still and tends to speak at max volume in every room. But together, we balance each other. We’ve built a beautiful life, surrounded by friends who feel like family. Erik’s love is steady, his support is unwavering, and I can’t wait to see where life takes us next.
How did you know he was “The One”?
I knew Erik was the one because of his gentleness and the way he loves his family. The devotion he shows to his mom and sister says everything about his heart. He lights up anytime he talks about them, and seeing the care and respect he gives them made me certain he would always take care of me as well. On top of that, Erik is pure joy. He’s the life of the party, the person who fills a room with laughter, and somehow always knows how to bring light even in the hard moments. His humor, positivity, and ability to make the darkest days feel a little brighter are things I never want to live without.
How did he propose?
The day Erik proposed, I was actually a little uncooperative. I had plans for a Galentine’s Day with friends and had no idea my life was about to change forever. What I didn’t know was that Erik had secretly planned a beautiful dinner at Boiler House at Pearl. After dinner, we took a walk through The Pearl to soak in the night. We passed a man playing the saxophone and Erik commented on how much he loved the song. The next thing I knew, he was down on one knee asking me, “What are you doing for the rest of your life?”
I was completely shocked. With joyful, tear-filled eyes, I said yes! It was one of the best moments of my life! The night only got sweeter when we walked into a bar where all of our friends and family were waiting to celebrate with us. It was a day overflowing with love, and I felt incredibly special and so excited for the future ahead.
Describe your wedding planning process
What planning tools did you use?
I relied heavily on Pinterest paired with a lot of my own imagination and vision. I love planning and throwing parties, and decor is one of my strengths. Creating a cohesive look and dreaming big came naturally. Pinterest helped me refine and organize my ideas, but bringing the vision to life was the part I enjoyed the most.
Who helped with the planning?
My mom and sisters helped immensely throughout the planning process. They deserve so much credit for patiently listening to every idea, no matter how big or a little crazy, and knowing exactly when to encourage me and when to gently bring me back to reality. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Did you hire a planner or day-of coordinator?
I had both and I am so grateful I did. Our venue included a day-of coordinator, and having Marie was truly a game changer. About a month before the wedding she helped organize all my ideas, created our full wedding weekend schedule, coordinated with vendors, and kept everything running smoothly. My cousin Mel also played such a huge role. She helped bring my vision boards to life, met with vendors, helped set up décor, and even helped plan my bachelorette party and couples shower. She truly stepped in like a sister throughout the process.
Did you DIY any aspect of your wedding?
Our florist created the bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, and two altar pieces. She also ordered bulk flowers and garland. The night before the wedding, my sisters, mom, niece Annie, and I made about 250 bud vases for the tables.
It was such a fun night filled with music, laughter, and excitement as we prepared everything for the big day.
Did you have a specific theme?
Since it was a December wedding, I wanted it to be a winter wonderland feel.
We used all white flowers with winter greenery everywhere. The venue provided beautiful décor pieces like vases, candles, lanterns, frames, and signage, which made it easy to bring the cozy wintery vision to life.
The result was a cozy, country, winter-inspired atmosphere that we absolutely loved.
Where did you save the most?
We weren’t big on a traditional wedding cake. Instead, we ordered three sheet cakes from Costco, which saved a lot of money.
Everyone raved about how delicious they were and thought they came from a high-end bakery!
Where did you splurge?
We splurged on our photographer, and it was one of the best decisions we made.
Brandy with Firefly Photography made us feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful throughout the entire day. She captured our personalities perfectly and created photos that truly reflect the joy of our wedding day.
Why did you choose your venue?
Our venue was the best bang for our buck.
It included décor, overnight accommodations, and even livestock — three longhorns and two horses — which added to the rustic charm.
The venue also perfectly matched Erik and my personalities: classy and beautiful with a rustic country touch.
Did you incorporate any special traditions or sentimental details in your ceremony or reception?
I had my grandmother’s rosary wrapped around my bouquet which was very special to me. I am the last of four sisters to get married in my family and we have all been very blessed to have that as a part of our special day.
I was supposed to wear my Nana’s pearls the day of my wedding. They were given to my mom from my dad’s mom to wear on her wedding day. I wore them in my bridal portraits but unfortunately while I was getting ready the clasp on them broke. Luckily, I had a back up. I have always admired a necklace that my dad gave to my mom that is an amethyst with a diamond. I had asked my mom if I could borrow it the week of the wedding and thought I would wear it to the rehearsal dinner or some other event that weekend. Luckily I did because it was what I immediately went to when I needed something to wear on the day of the wedding. It was very special to wear it.
Erik’s Tia Mari, who came in from Mexico City for the wedding, gifted us a beautiful hand painted heart shaped plate for our wedding. Brandy took it and photographed our rings and other details so beautifully with that plate. Now, we keep it on our nightstand and put our rings on it every night.
We did a beautiful tradition called “The Care Cloth” during our wedding ceremony at the church. This is a tradition where a beautiful white cloth is held over our heads as we kneel and receive our nuptial blessing from the priest. The cloth represents the bright white cloud over us indicating God’s protection over us and the union of our marriage. This tradition was made very special to us because my Aunt Mary made the cloth for us and had it beautifully embroidered with our names and our wedding date. She spent so much time on it and it was the most beautiful thing. I was in tears when I saw it for the first time. This cloth is also very special to us because it will be incorporated in our future children’s sacraments as they are born, baptized, make their first communion, and hopefully someday when they get married and use it in their own mass.
What was your most stressful decision?
The most stressful decision for us to make was who to choose as Erik’s best man. I luckily stayed out of it and let him make his own decision. Erik has two very close childhood friends that he is very close with for different reasons. I have never seen Erik so stressed out and overwhelmed to make a decision before. It was a near impossible decision to make. At the end of the day, he knew that it didn’t matter which one of them he chose because they are both like brothers to him and would remind o love and support him no matter what.
What turned out to be your best decision surrounding the big day?
Having a private dance at the end of the night. This was our favorite moment of the night. It was when we got to turn off all of the noise and truly just be there and feel connected and intimate with each other. We danced, talked, and laughed and it was so nice to just be there and enjoy the reception space and each other alone.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
We wish that we would have had more time to go and talk to everyone in between dinner and our speeches. There are so many people that we did not get to talk to the way we wished we could have.
Tell Us About...
Your dress:
My dress was so unique and I am absolutely in love with it. I got it from Lacy Bridal and I cannot rave about that shop enough! Lacy was incredible, walked with me and helped me realize what style I wanted for my big day. She had champagne and music playing and when I finally found my dress she had a big surprise for me to celebrate. If you are looking for somewhere to go, Lacy Bridal is definitely the best!
Your flowers:
Beautiful, classic, and made the space look exactly the way I wanted.
The Food:
Heavenly gourmet is the best catered food out there ! AND… it doesn’t break the bank!
Recap your big day for us
What made you laugh?
Our bridal party kept us laughing all day and night. I will never forget the memories made with my girls while getting ready at the house that morning. We reminisced on old stories, told jokes, and shared hilarious moments from our lives. I would not trade that time with them for anything.
What made you cry?
One of my BEST memories from the day was putting on my dress and getting my final touches on at the house. It was just my mom and I in the room and it was so special. I will never forget when Brandy had us look in the mirror at each other while hugging cheek to cheek. As soon as we locked eyes, we both immediately got teary eyed. My mom is my favorite person in the whole world. She has a mother’s intuition like no other. She knows when I am having a hard day even when I don’t tell her and always knows what to say to me. Looking at her in the mirror was emotional because I want to be just like her and in that moment, I felt like I was one step closer to becoming the wife and mother that I grew up admiring.
What were the most memorable moments?
Looking at Erik and saying our vows at the altar was unforgettable. Watching all of my nieces and nephews be part of our big day made it even more special — they served as flower girls, junior bridesmaids, ushers, and even escorted my mom down the aisle.
Another moment we’ll never forget was our final dance together at the end of the night.
And of course, our bridal party kept everyone entertained with a contest to see who could make the best entrance into the reception. It was hilarious! They came in on scooters, my brother and sister-in-law threw T-shirts into the crowd, someone attempted a Dirty Dancing lift, and there were plenty of incredible dance moves. It set the tone for an unforgettable celebration.
Did anything unexpected happen?
Erik’s aunt surprised him the morning of the wedding and flew in from Mexico City. He had no idea that they were coming and it was such a beautiful surprise for him to have them by his side.
Advice and Looking Ahead
What’s the best advice you can give a bride and groom planning their wedding?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. People are not going to know if anything goes wrong… only you will.
Do your rehearsal dinner on Thursday so you have Friday to chill and visit with out of town guests. We enjoyed not having a big event the night before the wedding because it allowed for us to get unpacked and have meaningful time with family and friends before everything started getting crazy.
What did you look forward to most as Mr. and Mrs.?
We are excited to further our commitment to each other. We are so excited to begin this next chapter and hopefully start creating a family of our own.
Local Vendors:
Wedding Venue: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church
Reception Venue: The Gruene Estate
Photographer: Firefly Photography – Brandy Gray
Caterer: Heavenly Gourmet
Florist: Reiley and Rose
Bridal Shop: Lacy Bridal
Makeup Artist: The Veil Artistry – Genevieve Contreras
Hair Stylist: The Veil Artistry – Lisa Johnson
Bartending/Beverage Service: The Southern Standard
Videographer: Alexandria Wicker
Wedding Coordinator: Three Strand Cord Weddings – Marie
Wedding Music:
Processional: Set Me as a Seal
Bride’s Entrance: Canon D
Recessional: Joy to the World
First Dance: My World – Mark David Manders
Father/Daughter Dance: The Underdog – Aaron Watson
Mother/Son Dance: Days Like This – Van Morrison
Last Dance: Stand by Me – Stephen Wilson Jr.
