On New Year’s Day 2016 in New York City, a friend introduced Edgar Allen Gordon Bright IV to Kathryn Frances Norton. Shortly after, he learned that he had won two tickets to a matinee performance of The Book of Mormon, and he decided to ask her to join him for the show. They met at Shake Shack before the performance, and after it was over Gordy walked Kathryn home from Time Square to Chelsea. The two have been together ever since.
Almost exactly four years later, on December 17, 2020, the couple was living in Dallas and had planned a holiday date night. Their first stop was the Arboretum, and when they got to the giant Christmas tree, Kathryn felt Gordy get uncharacteristically nervous. The next thing she knew, he was down on one knee proposing! After she said yes, they went to the Mansion on Turtle Creek for dinner, where both of their families were waiting to celebrate.
The families gathered again 10 months later in Tyler, Texas, Kathryn’s hometown, for a weekend of wedding festivities. The Grove Kitchen + Gardens, with its beautiful event space and adjacent courtyard, was the ideal place for a rehearsal dinner that offered delicious meals for vegetarians and omnivores alike, followed by welcome party for the wedding guests.
The next day, October 23, 2021, the couple was married in a place Kathryn has loved since childhood. Gordy got his first look of Kathryn in her wedding dress as she walked down the aisle at the Willow Brook Country Club Golf Course, to a piano instrumental of “Moon River.” The piano also featured prominently during the post-ceremony cocktail hour, when it was adorned with a stunning arrangement of cascading florals.
Floral arrangements of roses, ranunculus, café au lait dahlias and anemones in soft pinks, whites and corals also wrapped around the columns and lined the ballroom stage of the Willow Brook Country Club, where the reception took place. These classic wedding colors perfectly complemented the timeless feel of the song that played for the newlyweds’ first dance, “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green.
Not only did Willow Brook Country Club offer a beautiful location for a reception, it also created a delicious menu! Guests raved about the mushroom risotto and chicken piccata, Kathryn’s childhood favorite, and the late-night sliders and fries were a huge hit!
After an unforgettable evening surrounded by family and friends, Gordy and Kathryn took a five-day trip to Aspen. They had both grown up going to Colorado, and so seemed like the perfect place for them to start making memories as husband and wife. They relaxed, took in the gorgeous views, ate some delicious food and did lots of hiking. They then returned to Dallas, where Gordy works in mortgage banking and Kathryn works in health and wellness.
Reception Décor: La Tee Da Flowers and All American Party Rentals
Coordinator: Missy Rogers Peck (rehearsal); Esther Yeager (wedding)
Celebrant: Father Kirkland “Skully” Knight
Ceremony Music: Gary Freeman
Wedding Gown: Romona Keveza, Warren Barron Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Katie May, Bella Bridesmaids
Groom’s Attire: Knot Standard, custom
Groomsmen’s Attire: Mister Tuxedo
Rings: Adler’s
Florist: La Tee Da Flowers
Invitation: Shine Wedding Invitations
Favor: Tom Brown Cookies
Caterer: Willow Brook Country Club
Wedding Cake: Designs by D’Anne
Groom’s Cake: Gambino’s Bakery
Photographer: Sarah Kate Photography
Hair & Makeup: Maitee Miles
Music: Manhattan (a Jordan Kahn Orchestra band)