The Wedding of Audrey Joyce Smith & Nathaniel Cody Sanchez

February 3, 2024

Photography by Shanon Skloss

Valley natives and high school sweethearts, Audrey and Nathaniel aka "Cody" became engaged in January of 2023 on the bride's beloved family ranch and spent the year planning a formal and traditional wedding. Although the couple were valley natives, the bride's family had uprooted to the Texas hill country and settled in Boerne which served as the host for the wedding. As many guests traveled for the wedding, Ye Kendell Inn and the Bevy Hotel in Boerne served as the preferred lodging as well as the place where the bride and groom got ready for their wedding day.

The bridesmaids wore two different styles of formal black dresses and the groomsmen were in traditional black and white tuxedos. The groom, Cody, wore a traditional tuxedo with a custom-made pair of caiman leather boots with their wedding date as part of the leather. He had a custom Brackish duck feather bow tie to complete his look. The bride wore a beautiful Sareh Nouri wedding gown from Stanley Korshak in Dallas along with a custom-made cathedral length veil made from parts of her late grandmother’s wedding dress. For adornment, Audrey wore a diamond tennis bracelet and matching earrings totaling about 25 carats from San Antonio Jewelry.

The ceremony was held at the picturesque St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church surrounded by the beautiful hill country scenery. The couple’s catholic sacrament included traditional Hispanic elements during the ceremony. The wedding reception was a formal black-tie affair and while traditional in design, the elements that made up the reception were very much electric and fun. Originally intending to be an intimate wedding, the valley natives ended up with a guest list of four hundred twenty-five of their closest family and friends at Kendall Point Wedding Venue. The aesthetic for the wedding was all white with hints of black tones and lots of greenery. A large variety floral in shades of white filled the reception space. As guests arrived for cocktail hour, they were serenaded by the beautiful sound of Hispanic music played by trio Tres en Punto to honor the heritage of the bride and groom. There was a twelve-piece live band from Dallas, In10city Dallas, who played for the entirety of the reception. The couple fondly remembers the incredible fun vibe with a large range of guests from their high school to college friends and everyone dancing.

The reception offered so many great details for guests to enjoy with plenty of action happening in every direction you could turn. There was a coffee cart, photo-booth, cigar roller, signature cocktails, a live painter, and beautiful food stations on display for the guests to enjoy throughout the night. All elements were visually appealing and provided for lots of entertainment and fun. Their wedding cake, a seven-tier custom from Cynthia’s Cakes in Edinburg, received so many compliments on its flavors from the guests. The groom’s cake was a replica of his custom wedding boots. The couple’s first dance was to “The Painter” by Cody Johnson. One of Audrey’s favorite memories is dancing with her husband for the first time and throughout the night because they both love to dance

Audrey and Cody both attended Texas Tech for university so their signature drinks were a nod to the West Texas culture with drinks such as the iconic Cucumber Chilton. An added nostalgic element to the wedding was the bride reuniting with many beloved people who were a part of her long career as a volleyball player and coach. To wrap up the wonderfully fun wedding celebration, guests were offered tacos and cake “to-go” at the end of the night and an amazing firework show upon the exit of the bride and groom. The couple honeymooned in Tahiti French Polynesia.