Two News Anchors Invited Loved Ones to Join Them in Texas for a Modern, Elegant Wedding With an All-White Color Palette

A simple social media follow sparked a love story for the ages when Eden Checkol and Xavier Walton became virtual friends in 2020. The fact that Eden lived in Milwaukee and Xavier called Houston home was of no concern to the two; the two quickly found common ground, bonding over their shared profession as morning news anchors. In September of 2020, Xavier flew to Milwaukee for their first date, and it went so well that he made the exact same trip the following weekend, eager to spend more time with Eden.

Two years later, on October 10, 2022, Xavier proposed at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, Florida, a date he intentionally chose because it was Eden's parents’ wedding anniversary; unbeknownst to the bride-to-be, Xavier had already asked Eden's mother for permission to pop the question. He had also visited Eden's late father's grave to request her dad's blessing, too. "When you lose a parent, you think about all of the future milestones they’re going to miss out on, including your engagement and wedding day," Eden explains. "I remember on the day Xavier proposed he told me, 'I want you to feel your dad’s presence on this day.' My dad and I were very close—and shared a special bond. It meant so much that Xavier went above and beyond to include him in every aspect of the proposal."

On May 19, 2024, Eden and Xavier exchanged vows at The Hillside Estate in Cross Roads, Texas, a state that was important to the couple throughout their relationship. The duo knew exactly what they wanted from the jump, so Eden felt confident organizing the big day without the help of a professional planner. "My vision was modern elegance with timeless décor," she notes. "I wanted all white flowers and a mirrored aisle. I wanted it to be traditional and fun, yet sentimental. We both wanted to create an unforgettable experience for our guests and to end the night with fireworks!"

Check out photos from the couple’s talented team of photographers, Stanlo Photography, Hannah Way Photography, Grace Vo Photography, and Aleks Victoria Photography, here.

Though Eden and Xavier hosted their large wedding in Texas, they were actually married in an intimate civil ceremony in South Florida, which was followed by a photoshoot outside of the Miami-Dade County Courthouse.

The couple included their beloved Goldendoodle, Arie, who wouldn’t be able to attend their larger wedding. “He absolutely enjoyed our photoshoot and photographer Aleks Victoria Photography did an amazing job!” Eden says. “Definitely a great option for couples who can’t take their fur babies to their destination wedding!”

Eden wore a white suit with pearl detailing from Nadine Merabi while Xavier wore a black tuxedo from The House of Suits.

Eden styled her look with Jimmy Choo pumps with pearl embellishments, a pearl-covered handbag, Jennifer Behr drop earrings, and pearl hair accessories. She also held a bouquet of white roses.

A few weeks later, Eden debuted two custom wedding gowns for the couple's celebration in Texas. For the ceremony, the bride worked with Australian designer Steven Khalil to create an ivory lace mermaid gown with a keyhole neckline and intricate beading throughout. “I love the thick white band that cinches the waist and serves as a beautiful contrast to the lace,” Eden says. “I also really loved that the dress had a detachable choker, elaborate lace appliqué on the chest, and a structured skirt.”

The entire process of creating the wedding dress was done remotely. About nine months before the wedding, Eden submitted her measurements to the team in Australia and had all of her fittings over Zoom. The risk was worth it in the end. "I know it sounds crazy to submit your measurements and not see your dress until it is completely done, but I knew I was in good hands. I’ve never felt more beautiful in a gown," she notes.

Honoring her father's memory on the big day was essential to the bride, so she had a heart-shaped piece of fabric cut from one of his handkerchiefs sewn onto the inside of her dress. Her all-white rose bouquet was also adorned with a pearl charm and a photo of her dad. 

Xavier wore a custom ivory tuxedo jacket by The House of Suits paired with black pants and a black bow tie. The inside of his jacket was customized with a photo of his late father. “It was a special way of honoring Xavier's dad, Joe, who passed away in January 2023,” Eden says.

In order to ensure they had a little alone time on the wedding day, Eden and Xavier decided to share a first look ahead of the ceremony. “Seeing each other, face to face, and having a moment to really take in the day and reflect on how much our relationship and love for each other had grown was truly special and emotional,” Eden says. “Xavier was already crying before he turned around to see me.”

They also used this time to exchange personalized vows.

The couple set up a memory table with photos and candles in honor of their late fathers. Instead of a guest book, they had a custom bible made and encouraged their guests to highlight their favorite verse and write a note. “An artist painted our stunning venue on the front and back covers of the bible,” Eden says. “The front cover had 'The Waltons' written in cursive. The back cover had Matthew 19:6 written on it.”

The couple’s ceremony took place in the venue’s chapel, where Eden executed her vision of a modern ceremony with all white flowers and a mirrored aisle. The couple enlisted Pick a Daisy to provide an eight-foot square floral arch for the chapel, which was made of white roses, hydrangeas, and larkspur.

The mirrored aisle was framed with more floral runners and guests were seated in clear chiavari chairs.

Eden asked her mom to walk her down the aisle. “It was such an emotional proposal, and she was honored,” the bride remembers. The two women entered to the sound of “Touching Heaven” by JohnnySwim.

The bride's childhood friend, who is a pastor, officiated the wedding. He gave a 20-minute sermon on the covenant of marriage and a live vocalist sang “The Blessing,” which ended up being a highlight of the day for the couple and their guests. Eden and Xavier exchanged traditional vows before recessing back down the aisle to Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be."

Guests were served his and her signature drinks from a custom cocktail wall, which also doubled as the evening's seating chart. Eden chose “The Charlotte,” a cocktail of vodka, lavender syrup, smashed blackberries, and mint. Xavier chose “The Whiskey Peach,” a sip consisting of rye whiskey, smashed peach, lemon, ginger, mint, and cardamom. Attendees rang the bell for the drink they wanted to receive and a gloved hand reached out with their cocktail of choice.

Eden and Xavier are both journalists, so they thought it would be fun to create custom newspapers with highlights about their wedding. They served as perfect props for their post-nuptial photos.

Eden used the time between the ceremony and reception to change into her second look of the day. She worked with Miami-based designer Yanna Machi to create her dream party look: a high neck, sleeveless column gown with a cut out in the chest. “I wanted it to sparkle and have pearls,” she adds. Eden accompanied Yanna to the fabric store and chose a sheer fabric with white beading, rhinestones, and pearl details, along with a sparkly silver fabric to go underneath it. “Pictures don’t do the combination justice!” the bride says. 

The all-white color scheme Eden had selected for the ceremony was carried through to the reception space, where a white dance floor was surrounded by tables topped with ivory linens and all-white centerpieces of roses and hydrangeas.

Eden and Xavier sat at a sweetheart table decorated with white floral arrangements both on and in front of the table. Clear chiavari chairs, glass vases, and glass chargers added an element of cohesion to the design.

The couple served a three-tiered white wedding cake decorated with 3D flower designs made of white gum paste. They chose a cinnamon cake with vanilla buttercream.

As another nod to their shared profession as news anchors, Eden and Xavier created a custom photo booth made to look like a magazine cover. They also hired a live painter, Laura Herndon, to create a snapshot of the ceremony throughout the night—guests could sneak away from the dance floor to watch her progress. Xavier thought she was simply going paint a portrait of the couple, but Eden surprised him by asking her to also add their moms and dads in the background cheering them on. “Xavier’s dad Joe loved fedoras—and she perfectly showcased my dad’s big smile,” Eden says. “At the end of the night, our moms saw the painting and were moved to tears.”

As a late-night snack, the couple served What-A-Burger, but they changed the franchise's signature logo to “What-A-Wedding” with their wedding date instead. And, as they had both dreamed of, Eden and Xavier closed out the night with a fireworks show.

Two weeks after their traditional wedding, Eden and Xavier hosted an Ethiopian celebration in Minnesota. “A melse is a traditional Ethiopian reception hosted by the bride’s family that is typically held the day after the wedding,” Eden says. “We decided to have ours two weeks after the wedding to accommodate travel.”

The couple wore traditional Ethiopian clothes, including a “kaba,” or black velvet cape with gold embroidery. “I had always dreamt of wearing a kaba,” Eden explains. “These capes are historically worn by emperors and empresses and we absolutely felt like royalty putting them on.” The authentic capes were hand stitched in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. The couple served traditional Ethiopian food and danced the night away to cultural music.

Eden and Xavier remind couples planning a wedding that they’re a team! “We relied on each other’s strengths when planning this wedding,” Eden says. “If things get overwhelming, try to remind yourselves that at the end of the day the only thing that truly matters is you’re getting to marry the love of your life!”