Some palettes whisper. Chocolate Dreams chose one deep, lustrous brown and let every texture in the room answer to it. Hosted by Alyncia Dennis and the Styled Shoot Collective at Houston’s Chateau Nouvelle, this editorial gathered more than two dozen wedding creatives around a single idea: romance built from cocoa, ivory, and gold. Coterie Member Kai Davis of Kai Davis Photography photographed the day with an eye for both the design and the hands that shaped it, composing each frame to hold the craftsmanship as closely as the beauty.
At a glance
Venue: Chateau Nouvelle, Houston, Texas
Palette: Chocolate, ivory, bronze, and gold
Textures: Velvet drapery, satin linens, crystal, gilded wood
Florals: Ivory hydrangea, bronze roses, chocolate calla lilies, amaranthus
Inside the Chateau Nouvelle styled shoot
Lead designer Arianna Giselle Events set the ceremony against chocolate velvet drapery beneath cascading crystal chandeliers. A column of ivory hydrangeas and bronze roses climbed the backdrop, with amaranthus trailing like ribbon from the arrangements. Chocolate satin pooled along the aisle between rows of rounded ivory chairs, turning the floor itself into part of the design.
The bride wore a strapless ballgown from Wanderlust Bridal Boutique, its plunging V bodice giving way to a full, floral-textured skirt and a sweeping train. Blush Artistry TX finished her look with sculpted, bronzed makeup and a sleek pixie, while floral drop earrings added a quiet glint. Her groom answered in a classic black tuxedo with a shawl collar and bow tie from Allen Johnson Formalwear, and her bouquet of copper-toned roses and trailing amaranthus carried the palette into every portrait.
A chocolate palette in satin, velvet, and gold
At the reception, serpentine tables from Avalon Event Rentals were dressed in chocolate satin and lined with gilded chairs crowned in sculpted, wavelike crests. Floating candles rose in glass cylinders above low clusters of white hydrangea and chocolate calla lilies, and a champagne tower stood against the velvet. Calligrapher Le Le Lines lettered vows by hand on long ivory banners suspended from the drapery, and Brittney Drinkard painted the chateau in watercolor as the day unfolded.
The stationery from The Penny Paperie, a chocolate invitation set in ivory type with a companion events card for a welcome dinner and newlywed brunch, was photographed on olive velvet with blush silk ribbon and bronze mesh heels. It was the one moment green entered the frame, and it made the brown feel richer for it.
For couples drawn to a darker palette, Chocolate Dreams offers a clear lesson: commit to one color and vary everything else. Velvet, satin, and crystal each catch the same brown differently, giving the room depth and warmth with a single hue.
Creative team
Photographer: Kai Davis Photography @kaidavisphotography | Coterie Profile here
Host: @styledshootcollective, @senaephotography, @alynciadennis | Senae Photography
Venue + Specialty Cocktails: @chateaunouvelle | Chateau Nouvelle
Lead Design + Styling + Planning: @ariannagiselleevents | Arianna Giselle Events
Production + Rentals: @decor2remember | Decor 2 Remember
Lead Coordinator + Planning: @ambrosiaandnectarevents | Ambrosia and Nectar Events
Day-of Coordination: @thetiffanyeffectco, @kndezarndesigns, @emaculate.conceptions, @toastworthy.events
Welcome Signs, Dance Floors, Seating Charts: @teddykennedyevents | Teddy Kennedy Events
Hair and Makeup: @blushartistrytx
Event DJ, Bar, and Martini Moment Stage: @elevatedavproduction | Elevated AV Production
Gowns: @wanderlustbridalboutique_ | Wanderlust Bridal Boutique
Menswear: @allenjohnsonformalwear
Stationery: @thepennypaperie | The Penny Paperie
Serpentine Tables: @avaloneventrentals | Avalon Event Rentals
Catering + Servers: @lisahedrick_catering | Hedrick’s Catering
Calligraphy: @le_le_lines | Le Le Lines
Photo Booth: @pop.society.rentals
Charcuterie + Desserts: @grazeables | Grazeables
Live Painting: @the.live.painter | Brittney Drinkard Art
Drapery Styling Assistant: @reimagine_htx
Cake: @graceuponcakes
Cookies: @lalysbakeryhtx | Laly’s Bakery
Chocolate Fountain: @kndezarndesigns
Models: @17between_, @theogfamilyhtx
