When actress Heidi Mueller first met professional football player DeMarco Murray, she felt an instant spark. “I knew when I met DeMarco that I was going to fall in love with him,” she says with a smile. “And I did right away.” The pair, who currently resides in Pennsylvania since the groom is an NFL running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, chose Dallas, Texas, as the location of their nuptials. “We have always thought of Dallas as our home base,” shares the bride.

When choosing a date for their celebration, Heidi and DeMarco knew a summer wedding would be perfect for the tented outdoor event they envisioned, and also fall in line with the football off-season. They selected June 20th as the date for scheduling purposes, “but most importantly that particular day because it was our daughter’s second birthday,” adds the bride. With only four months to plan their fête, the couple enlisted the help of planner Jordan Payne to turn their dream of a wedding brimming with “feminine elegance with touches of natural beauty” to life.

Guests were invited to the festivities by way of a golden invitation suite featuring laser-cut details. On the evening of the ceremony, loved ones found their seats in a large tent to the sounds of an acoustic guitar and vocals performed by family friend, Jake Holman. Along the aisle, ends of chairs were adorned with gilded leaf garlands. Heidi and DeMarco elected not to include any bridesmaids or groomsmen in their wedding party, save for one very special person. The couple’s only attendant was their daughter, Savanna, who served as a flower girl dressed in an elegant tulle gown and a crown made of white orchids and bullion-dipped leaves; she carried a gilt wand topped with a pomander of ivory roses and cascading orchids.

To an acoustic rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” Heidi walked down the aisle on the arm of her father wearing a beautiful gown showcasing lace appliqués on the bodice, sleeves, side panels, and back. She styled her long dark hair in flowing, loose curls and wore a shimmery golden headband and classic veil. Her bouquet was comprised of vanilla peonies and ranunculus blossoms with touches of gold leaves and couture chains. When DeMarco spotted his bride-to-be, he thought, Wow, she's beautiful... I can't wait to marry her. Heidi smiled broadly as she reached the end of the walkway to meet her groom – who was dapperly attired in a sophisticated white dress shirt with ebony buttons, a black bow tie, and an alabaster tuxedo jacket. The couple exchanged heartfelt vows beneath a custom tiered floral chandelier made of gilded leaves, fringe, and upside-down creamy calla lilies.

During cocktail hour, guests mingled around tables draped with sequined chevron linens or lounge areas furnished with domed porter chairs and cream high-back, button-tufted settees. Specialty drinks appropriately dubbed “Heidi’s Bae Breezy” featuring Malibu rum, pineapple and cranberry juices, and a gold sugar rim, and “The D-Mo” with Crown Reserve, a splash of ginger ale, and two limes were served from a bar with an antique mirror façade. Loved ones found their seating assignments on die-cut escort cards attached to golden fringe, bullion-hued pearls, or gilt chains suspended from a large, custom treelike arrangement with gilt branches and leaves.

Upon entering the reception tent for the first time, the couple was blown away by the transformation. “It looked exactly how I had envisioned it, but even better! It was beautiful – like right out of a magazine!” shares the bride. High and low centerpieces were composed of lush natural greens, and alabaster tulips, hydrangeas, ranunculus blossoms, and roses. Round tables were covered with lace-patterned linens and topped with tall gilt risers decorated with crème brûlée hydrangeas, roses, and tulips, and verdure with bullion-hued leaves, or low arrangements of similar florals accented with greenery and gold-dipped foliage. Tables were designated with laser-cut table numbers written in modern calligraphy script.

Throughout the dinner service, Heidi, DeMarco, and Savanna sat as a family at a sweetheart table draped with a blush sequin linen and topped with a large floral design of white tulips, ivory roses, and gold-dipped pomegranates. Rustic wood-backed chairs decorated with garlands of gilt foliage designated the seats of the bride and groom. The newlyweds shared their first dance with their daughter to “All of Me” by John Legend; later, guests joined them on the dance floor, which featured personalized metallic details mirroring their wedding invitation suite and the couple’s monogram. Above the custom creation, grand golden lanterns illuminated by pillar candles were embellished with arrangements of greenery, bullion-tipped leaves, and vanilla blooms. “I wanted a live band during the reception, so I got to pick the songs – some old school mixed with classics and newer songs,” explains Heidi. Attendees enjoyed more revelry later in the evening at an after-party in an azure lounge complete with a DJ, casino games, a cigar roller, and wood-fired pizza. Adds Heidi, “DeMarco picked all of the songs played at the after-party. Everyone was dancing all night!”

A glamorous wedding cake showcasing four round ivory tiers with golden brushstrokes at the top of each layer was decorated with fresh ranunculus blossoms, greenery, and shimmering leaves to complement the gilt décor. In honor of their daughter’s second birthday, Heidi and DeMarco surprised Savanna with her own special cake: a two-tier Frozen-inspired blue confection adorned with white snowflakes and topped with Elsa and Anna figurines. Guests also enjoyed organic gourmet cotton candy as a wedding favor. “I loved every minute of our wedding day and wouldn’t change a thing!” shares Heidi of the joyous celebration. “I was a lot calmer than I thought I would be… I just wanted to enjoy every minute with [DeMarco] and all of our family and close friends.”