Sambuca Catering | Houston Wedding Blog

Coral, Gold & Ivory Wedding at The Crystal Ballroom at The Rice

“I suppose time is a better friend of mine than I thought. Right when I was focused on doing me, fate sent me a friend, partner, confidant and love all in one—Rebekah,” says Rasauli. Rebekah—personal trainer and nutritionist of Be a 10 Fitness—stole Rasauli’s heart within moments of them meeting, and he was determined to make her his wife.

Rebekah tells us how it all went down. “We went to Brennan’s Houston to celebrate our anniversary that was coming up. Our table was located in a private room, which was covered in rose petals. The chef came to the table and said that he prepared a special menu for us. In the middle of dinner, Rasauli asked to be excused from the table. At this point I was trying not to get too excited! I just knew he was going to come back with a ring—but instead he came back with an anniversary card. I was so disappointed, and I told him that I was expecting him to propose. He grabbed my hand and told me that I have to be patient. Right then, the waiter came by with a large covered ‘dessert’ dish. Once he removed the lid, I found a diamond ring! Before I knew it, he was down on one knee and my dad came from behind me to give me a hug.”

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The lovebirds tied the knot at the Crystal Ballroom at The Rice with a 150 of their closest family and friends in attendance. “We wanted an elegant wedding with a classic New Orleans twist. We incorporated special dances and umbrellas, and had our guests involved, which created such a fun environment. My favorite moments include our first dance, the ‘second line’ dance, and when my matron of honor sung a special song for me,” says Rebekah.

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Want tips on how to get your bod wedding-day ready from Rebekah? Get all the scoop and workout advice here!

We’re Down With Downtown: 2 DTHTX Wedding Venues We Love (OK…3)!

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Photo: Ama Photography & Cinema | Venue: The Crystal Ballroom at The Rice

Sure, the bars are hopping. And yeah, there’s a hot, new eatery opening its doors just about every 19 seconds. But one of our favorite things about downtown Houston’s business-to-pleasure evolution is the growing popularity of our thriving urban center as a super-chic location for wedding celebrations.

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Photo: Courtesy of The Ballroom at Bayou Place

One of the coolest kids on the Downtown block is The Ballroom at Bayou Place. Located right in the heart of Downtown’s lively Theater District, The Ballroom has 15,000 square feet (!!) of flexible party space, which can be configured for everything from an intimate engagement-party gathering to an all-out-epic wedding bash for 500 or more of your nearest and dearest. If sleek balconies, sweeping skyline views, swank chandeliers and velvet drapery sound like your idea of the ideal wedding setting, you’ll definitely want to check out this Downtown dazzler, where manager Craig Howard (formerly of Ritz Carlton hotels and Cirque du Soleil—you may have heard of ’em) and his team of pros will help you with everything you need to plan a very pretty city wedding.

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Photo: Courtesy of The Ballroom at Bayou Place

Jumping from a modern ballroom to classic one, let’s take a little stroll across Downtown, and treat you to a glimpse at The Crystal Ballroom at The Rice, located, just like the name says, in the historic Rice Hotel. Built in 1913, The Crystal Ballroom is 5,600 square feet of…gorgeous. Picture 35-foot-high ceilings, hand-painted murals, arched windows, and, of course, the lavish chandeliers you’d expect from a place with “crystal” in its name. Plus, the venue is catered by Sambuca, a name synonymous with renowned American fare—making The Crystal Ballroom a great spot not just for opulent Downtown weddings, but impress-your-guests pre-wedding parties and rehearsal dinners.

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Photo: Ama Photography & Cinema | Venue: The Crystal Ballroom at The Rice

Oh—and don’t forget Lawless Spirits, also located in The Rice. This artisanal-cocktail hotspot, with its industrial-glam ambiance and equally chic terrace offers additional pre- and post-wedding celebration space, along with a taste of Texas history.

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Photo: Courtesy of Lawless Spirits

Find these two Downtown gems, and tons more Houston-area wedding venues, right here, and schedule your tours early, loves…the best spots in town book up fast!

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Photo: Ama Photography & Cinema | Venue: The Crystal Ballroom at The Rice

Blush, Black & Gold Wedding at Crystal Ballroom at The Rice by Ama Photography & Cinema

Houston couple Marina and Frank were partying like it was 1999 (literally) when they first met at a nightclub their senior year of high school. Marina tells us, “Frank was dancing with my friend (who happened to be one of my bridesmaids) to get closer to me. He eventually made his way to me, and we exchanged numbers at the end of the night.” They kept in touch and went on a couple dates, but parted ways when Marina started college and Frank left town for boot camp—but that didn’t stop them from keeping in touch. After she graduated college and Frank came back from the military, they were inseparable.

Marina and Frank planned a trip to visit their friends in New York City…but little did she know this trip had something special in store for her. “Frank mentioned that he had never done any of the typical touristy things in the city, so I planned an entire day out of it. We went through Ellis Island Museum and walked around to take an imprint of Frank’s grandfather’s name—whose name is on The Wall of Honor—but Mark insisted that we should take a look at the skyline first. As we were walking over, his started breathing heavily and got down on one knee,” recounts Marina. She was so surprised that she couldn’t even remember most of what he said, but she does remember him saying, “My grandfather started his new life on Ellis Island, and I want us to start our new life together here.” Aww…pass the tissues, please!

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Exactly one year later the pair tied the knot at the Crystal Ballroom at The Rice with their nearest and dearest to witness. “We wanted to go with something elegant, classic and timeless with pops of bold elements,” says Marina.

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One of their favorite moments? When LG Entertainment played the last song, and all of the guests joined the bride and groom on the dance floor!

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Congrats and best wishes to the newlyweds!

Wedding-Reception-Exit Photos: Ama Photography & Cinema | Rehearsal Dinner Location: Lawless Kitchen & Spirits | Reception Venue: Crystal Ballroom at The Rice | Catering: Sambuca Catering | Music, Lighting & Entertainment: LG Entertainment

Blush, Navy & Gold Wedding at Crystal Ballroom at The Rice by MD Turner Photography

Jason met his sports-loving gal, Lauren, right out of college in 2009 when they both were working for the San Antonio Spurs. “We are both from Houston, and grew up as HUGE Rockets fans, so neither of us thought we’d ever work for the Spurs,” says Lauren. “Luckily we did and it brought us to each other,” adds Lauren. The pair hit it off immediately, and you can guess what happens next. Jason got down on one knee during their trip to Paris on the Pont des Arts bridge (aww). It wasn’t long before they started planning their romantic wedding at the Crystal Ballroom at The Rice. “We couldn’t ask for a better day,” recounts Lauren. “This is something that we say to each other often, so we thought it would be fun to include this saying in our wedding theme and details. It was used on the wedding program, napkins and koozies!” Sounds so sweet, right? Just wait ‘til you see the lovely pics from MD Turner Photography. “They were so easy to work with and really connected with Jason and I, my family and wedding party. MD Turner Photography was so much fun and made the day even more enjoyable,” adds Lauren. We couldn’t be happier for Lauren and Jason. Congrats!

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Photos: MD Turner Photography | Venue: Crystal Ballroom at The Rice | Catering: Sambuca Catering | Music, Entertainment, Lighting & Photobooth: DJU Entertainment

Black, White & Blue Wedding at Crystal Ballroom at The Rice by Ever & Anon Photography

Michael planned the sweetest proposal for his high school sweetheart Sarah. “After dinner, Michael told me to put a blindfold on. He took me to several places around Kingwood where we had special memories: our first kiss, where he first told me he loved me, and our old high school meet-up spot. At each stop, Michael gave me a rose and proceeded to tell me a reason why he loved me at every spot. The final stop was at the golf course where Michael and I had our first date. When I took off the blindfold, he was down on one knee with rose petals scattered around him and a bottle of champagne. After I said “yes”, Michael had gathered both of our families to celebrate,” says bride Sarah. A sweet proposal story like this deserves an even sweeter wedding. Just take a look at the fabulous pictures by Ever & Anon Photography. We can guarantee you’ll be swooning. Best wishes and congrats to the newlyweds!

Black, White & Blue Wedding at Crystal Ballroom at The Rice by Ever & Anon Photography