Parker and Rebecca Peterson
Tell us about your love story!
How did you meet?
We met during our junior year of high school at a Halloween party! Even though we attended the same high school, we had never actually met. Thankfully, a mutual friend had the perfect idea—invite us both to his Halloween party and introduce us.
His plan worked! About two months later, we officially started dating, and we’ve been together ever since. What began with a little matchmaking at a high school Halloween party turned into a love story that has continued to grow through the years.
How did you know he was “The One”?
There is such a joy that surrounds Parker. He is incredibly kind, funny, caring, and hardworking—all qualities I knew I wanted in a husband. He has a way of putting the needs of others before his own and always makes sure the people he loves are cared for.
It wasn’t just one moment that made me realize Parker was the one. It was all the little things—his kindness, his laughter, the way he cares for me and for others, and a thousand other reasons that made my heart certain. With Parker, I simply knew I had found the person I wanted beside me for the rest of my life.
How long did you date?
We had been dating for just shy of six years when Parker proposed. By the time we said “I do,” we had been together for six years and five months, a beautiful journey that began as high school sweethearts and led us all the way to becoming husband and wife.
How did he propose?
Parker came up with a reason for us to take a trip back to College Station, where we had gone to college. Once we arrived, he told me we were meeting a family friend, who was a current student, at the gardens on campus.
When we got there, Parker’s Bible was waiting on a bench swing. That’s where he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was such a meaningful place and such a special moment—even though I have to admit, I knew what was coming the whole time!
Describe your wedding planning process.
What planning tools did you use?
I actually studied event planning in college and worked as an assistant wedding coordinator for Always Blissful after graduation, so I was fortunate to have some experience going into the wedding planning process. I was able to use much of what I had learned to help bring our own wedding together.
Staying organized was especially important to me. My mom gifted me a wedding planning binder that became a wonderful resource, and I also created Google Sheets to keep track of all the little details along the way. Between my professional experience, my planning tools, and a lot of organization, I felt well prepared to turn our wedding vision into reality.
Did you hire a planner or day-of coordinator?
We worked with a partial wedding planner who joined us about four months before the wedding and stayed by our side through the wedding day. Having her support during those final months was incredibly helpful as all the details began coming together. She helped us stay organized, finalize the finishing touches, and made sure everything flowed smoothly on our big day.
Did you DIY any aspect of your wedding?
The main thing I chose to DIY was our wedding signage. I designed the table numbers, welcome sign, seating chart, bar menu, and place cards myself using Canva, then had everything printed at Office Depot.
It was definitely one of the most time-consuming parts of the planning process, but it was also incredibly rewarding. Creating everything myself meant I could make each piece look exactly the way I envisioned and keep all of the details cohesive throughout our wedding day.
Did you have a specific theme?
Our wedding theme was colorful spring, if you can count that as a theme! We wanted the day to feel bright, joyful, and full of life, with beautiful spring colors woven throughout the celebration. It was the perfect reflection of the happy, welcoming atmosphere we wanted for our wedding day.
Where did you save the most?
One special way we saved money was by using a car that belonged to my late stepfather as our getaway car. Not only did it allow us to avoid the added expense of hiring another vendor, but it also brought so much meaning to the day. Having something that belonged to him be part of our wedding felt incredibly sentimental and made our departure even more special.
Where did you splurge?
Our biggest splurge was definitely the florals, but they were worth it! The flowers brought so much color, beauty, and personality to our wedding day, and they ended up being one of the details we received the most compliments on. Looking back, I’m so glad we chose to make florals such an important part of our celebration.
Why did you choose your venue?
I had my heart set on finding a wedding venue with a chapel, and we also knew we wanted to stay in the New Braunfels area so we could celebrate close to where most of our family and friends live.
Posey Meadows checked all the boxes for us. It is one of the few venues in the area with a fully enclosed, air-conditioned chapel, which was especially important for our wedding. Once we found it, the decision was easy—we knew it was the perfect place to say “I do.”
Did you incorporate any special traditions or sentimental details in your ceremony or reception?
Since we both attended Texas A&M, we knew the Aggie War Hymn had to be part of our celebration! It was such a fun way to incorporate something that has been an important part of our story.
We also wanted to honor my late stepfather during our ceremony in a quiet and meaningful way. We left an empty chair beside my mom in his memory. As each of my bridesmaids reached the end of the aisle, she placed a single white rose on his chair, and I did the same when it was my turn. By the time I reached the altar, his chair was filled with white roses—a beautiful reminder that although he couldn’t physically be there, he was very much a part of our day.
What was your most stressful decision?
I’m a big overthinker, so honestly, there were times when everything about wedding planning felt a little stressful! The seating chart was probably the biggest challenge. Trying to decide where everyone should sit while being mindful of family dynamics was difficult enough, and then we had guests changing their RSVP responses along the way, which made it even more complicated.
I was also surprisingly stressed about choosing my wedding dress. With so many decisions to make and wanting everything to feel just right, it was easy to overthink the process. In the end, though, seeing everything come together made all those stressful moments completely worth it.
What turned out to be your best decision surrounding the big day?
One of the best decisions I made was choosing a planner and coordinator I could truly trust. By the time our wedding day arrived, I wasn’t worried about a thing because I knew Amy had everything under control. I trusted her completely to handle the details and take care of anything that came up in the best way possible.
Having that kind of confidence in someone allowed me to be fully present, enjoy every moment, and simply soak in our wedding day.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
If I could do anything differently, I would make sure to communicate absolutely everything with my vendors—even the little details I assumed they already knew or would automatically handle. We didn’t have any major issues, but there were a few small things I might have done differently if I had communicated my expectations more clearly.
My advice to other brides would be: never be afraid to over-communicate. Share your vision, ask questions, and be specific about the details that matter to you. Your vendors want to bring your vision to life, and clear communication helps everyone make that happen.
Tell us About
Your dress:
My wedding dress was everything I had dreamed of—an ivory, strapless ballgown covered in beautiful corded overlace. It featured a romantic sweetheart neckline, a flattering basque waist, and delicate pearls tracing the boning for the perfect touch of elegance.
From the intricate lace to the tiny pearl details, every part of the gown felt so special. I absolutely adored it, and wearing it on our wedding day made me feel every bit like a bride.
Your flowers:
Our flowers were full of color, with beautiful shades of blue, pink, and purple woven throughout the day. One of the most breathtaking floral elements was the all-floral cross at our ceremony, which created such a beautiful backdrop as we exchanged our vows.
After the ceremony, portions of the cross were repurposed as centerpieces for our king’s tables, allowing us to enjoy those gorgeous flowers throughout the reception. We also had a stunning hydrangea fountain cascading from the bar, which was one of my absolute favorite details. The florals truly brought our colorful spring vision to life and added so much beauty to the entire celebration.
The food:
We received lots of compliments on our food! For appetizers we served cranberry brie bites, bacon wrapped jalapenos, and had a street taco bar. For dinner, we had the option of: smoked crusted beef tenderloin or raspberry chipotle glazed chicken; served with haricot vests with bacon and brown sugar; and macaroni and cheese. It was very yummy and we absolutely loved working with River City Catering.
The cake:
We had three different cakes, each with its own special flavor and personality! Our wedding cake was a beautiful, colorful vintage-style cake that perfectly complemented our spring wedding. The top tier was strawberry flavored, while the bottom tier was vanilla with a delicious strawberry filling.
Parker’s groom’s cake was a chocolate peanut butter single-barrel cake, topped with a gold fondant Aggie seal from The Chocolate Gallery of BCS—a perfect nod to our Texas A&M roots!
And because you can never have too much cake, we also had a chocolate sheet cake with strawberry filling. With three delicious choices, there was a little something for everyone!
Recap your big day for us
What made you laugh?
One moment from our reception that I’ll never forget was when “Dancing Queen” started playing and the groomsmen lifted Parker into the air! Everyone was laughing, dancing, and having the best time. It was completely spontaneous, full of joy, and one of those moments that perfectly captured just how much fun we had celebrating with the people we love.
What made you cry?
I’m actually not a big crier, so I didn’t expect to get very emotional! But as I walked down the aisle and saw Parker begin to cry, I couldn’t help but tear up. Seeing his reaction as we looked at each other in that moment was incredibly special and is something I’ll always remember.
What were the most memorable moments?
Our wedding day was filled with so many incredible moments, but one that will always stand out was walking into our reception and hearing us introduced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Peterson.
Looking out and seeing a room filled with so many of the people we love made my heart feel incredibly full. Knowing they were all there to celebrate this new chapter with us made the moment even more special. It’s a feeling I’ll never forget.
Did anything unexpected happen?
Fortunately, nothing too crazy or unexpected happened on our wedding day! The only little hiccup came right before our grand exit. Because it had been raining on and off throughout the day, the convertible top on our getaway car had stayed up, and when it was time for us to leave, no one could figure out how to put it back down!
Instead of sitting on the back of the car as we had planned, I climbed into the back seat while Parker rode in the front. It may not have been exactly what we envisioned, but we still got some really cute photos and ended up with a funny memory we’ll always have.
If that was the worst thing that happened on our wedding day, I’d say we were extremely fortunate!
Advice and Looking Ahead
What’s the best advice you can give a bride and groom planning their wedding?
My biggest piece of advice is to communicate everything to your vendors—even the things that seem obvious. Your vendors may have worked hundreds of weddings, but they can’t read your mind. If there is a detail that matters to you, no matter how small it may seem, talk about it. You’ll never regret making sure everyone understands exactly what you’re envisioning.
And this might be an unpopular opinion, but let your guests take pictures! Of course, I absolutely love the beautiful images our professional photographer captured, but I also treasure the candid photos taken by our family and friends. They may not be professional quality, but they show our wedding from the perspective of the people we love. Some captured little moments we might never have seen otherwise, and I’m so thankful to have those memories to look back on.
At the end of the day, communicate what matters to you, embrace the candid moments, and remember that some of your favorite memories may come from the little things you never planned.
What did you look forward to most as Mr. and Mrs.?
Honestly, I was most excited about simply being together all the time! Parker has truly been my best friend for so many years, and marrying him meant getting to do everyday life with my favorite person.
After growing up together, dating for nearly six years, and experiencing so many seasons of life side by side, I couldn’t wait to officially call him my husband and begin this next chapter together.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I truly was blessed to have the best vendors I could ask for. They were all so easy to communicate with and really made me feel like they cared about my wedding day. I 100% recommend every single vendor that was a part of my wedding!
Local Vendors:
Wedding Venue: Posey Meadows
Reception Venue: Posey Meadows
Planner: Always Blissful Weddings + Events
Photographer: Calynn Griffin Photography
Caterer: River City Catering
Florist: Unforgettable Floral
Cake/Dessert: Baby Bake Cake
Rentals: Premiere Events
Bridal Shop: Gautier
Makeup Artist: Think Brink Beauty
Hair Stylist: Think Brink Beauty
Bartending/Beverage Service: Posey Meadows
Videographer: EP Films
Music/Entertainment: Premier Entertainment
Wedding Coordinator: Always Blissful Weddings + Events
Save the Dates: To Have and to Hold
Wedding Music:
Processional: Goodness of God – Remi Collins
Bride’s Entrance: Doxology – Remi Collins
Recessional: There She Goes – The La’s
Grand Entrance: Got to Be Real – Cheryl Lynn
First Dance: The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
Cake Cutting: This Will Be – Natalie COle
Father/Daughter Dance: I Cross My Heart – George Strait
Mother/Son Dance: Humble and Kind – Tim McGraw
Last Dance: At Last – Etta James
Grand Exit: Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – Frankie Valli
