When Maroulia Pontikas arrived by horse-drawn carriage at her outdoor spring wedding to meet her groom, Rodney Warfford, her fairytale wedding dream came true. “We couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Maroulia says of the gorgeous setting at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa. “It was the most perfect spring day you could ever imagine.”

Maroulia and Rodney, both attorneys, enlisted the help of Lindsey Smith of For Your Memories to choose the setting for their dream wedding. “We wanted to do the ceremony and reception in the same place,” Maroulia says. “The Houstonian was less traditional and more our style.” Following a rehearsal dinner at Masraff’s, they got their wedding wish.

Maroulia followed her bridesmaids, in periwinkle Grecian-style dresses from David’s Bridal, down the petal-scattered aisle to the Houstonian’s meadow gazebo, which Blooming Gallery had transformed into a blossoming garden of pink and white. Exchanging rings from Zadok Jewelers with her groom, the bride looked picture-perfect, with hair and makeup by Hilda Kershman.

Before their guests entered the hotel’s Forest Ballroom for the reception, the newlyweds were able to get a sneak preview. “It was so beautiful and peaceful,” Maroulia remembers. “We were able to take in all of the details that we never would have seen when all of the guests filled the room. It was the perfect way for us to take a breath and enjoy the fact that we were married, and to have a minute of quiet time.”

Inside the ballroom, The Linen House created an elegant palette of gold linens and cream napkins tied with organza, accented by amber and peach lighting from Brightstar Productions, which also provided pin spots for the cakes and an illuminated monogram on the dance floor.

Maroulia kicked off the reception by dancing with her father, who was born in Greece, to a traditional tune. The dinner included lamb chops and cheese-filled pastries in a nod to the family’s heritage, and some of Maroulia’s relatives flew in from Greece for the occasion.

Susie’s Cakes & Confections created a three-tier wedding cake with alternating layers of almond and Italian cream cake. For the chocolate groom’s cake, the couple asked Edible Designs by Jessie to recreate the scene of their first meeting, a table at Pappasitos’s Restaurant. Ashley K Photography captured all the special moments and personal touches.

Maroulia says she’ll never forget her wedding-day walk down the aisle to meet her husband. “By the look on his face, I couldn’t help but feel loved.” Rodney was overjoyed as well. “You never know how you are going to react. It was with the biggest smile my face could make.”