Sarah Zubiate and Monty Bennett had planned a magical dream wedding in the U.S. Virgin Islands. During the first week of February 2020, they flew to the USVI to make certain every detail was in place for a perfect March wedding — St. Patrick’s Day — for the beautiful couple as well as a slew of guests and friends.
Forty-five days later, those wedding plans came to a shuddering halt as the world shut down for the first world pandemic in more than a century.
Like many couples, Sarah and Monty quickly arranged a small, intimate wedding, still exchanging vows on St. Patrick’s Day of 2020. And they found their weekend home to be the perfect location for such a momentous celebration.
“We were going to take ‘Texas dirt’ to the USVI anyhow, to get married on Texas soil,” says Sarah. “Turns out we didn’t have to lift a shovel!”
They were at home, sweet home. The ceremony took place in her favorite location, under ‘Sarah’s Tree’ (it even has her name on it) on their East Texas family ranch property.
That also happens to be the home of ZUBI Farms, where the plucked-from-the-earth ingredients that make ZUBI’S salsas and dips the most delicious, fresh, and aromatic are hand-raised. This East Texas land had long captured the couple’s hearts and love. It was where their romance blossomed. It was natural, says Sarah, to say their vows in East Texas on a perfect spring evening as the world (and the couple) went into quarantine.
“But we knew,” says Sarah, “as soon as we safely could, we would throw a memorable party for our beloved family and friends and showcase our ZUBI’S foods.”
That day came more than a year later: it was a summer-time hometown soiree as perfect as any wedding could be.
“We were finally able to host our reception,” says Sarah. “We very much wanted to bring the ‘ZUBI Farms experience’ from our East Texas family property — from our weekend home — to the city where we spend our weeks. So we threw a memorable party at The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas.”
The Mansion was particularly accommodating. It was as if they transported the spirit and flavors of East Texas right to Turtle Creek in Dallas.
“They allowed me to bring our land’s love into the entire experience that evening,” says Sarah. “ZUBI’S was everywhere to be found, from our décor to our highlighted ZUBI’S Stetson hat wedding favors for our guests, and especially the sensational menu.”
When she was planning the wedding reception, after so many months, Sarah knew she wanted it to be, above all, fun for everyone.
“I wanted everyone to feel the Texas hospitality spirit that we aim to capture in our home and in our lives,” she says. “Anyone who knows us knows how much we love to sing, dance, and eat! Most of all, Monty and I love to entertain and bring people together, which is one of the many reasons we fit so well.”
To commemorate the evening, she dreamed up a most unique wedding favor: a ZUBI’S Stetson hat station so every guest could party in true Texas style!
“And party we did!” says Sarah. “Until the wee hours of the morning.”
After the Stetson hat station, where guests decorated their individually-sized gallon hats, mementos and the Spazmatics wound down the first party under a glorious, floral laced tent. After fireworks, Devon Gilfillian helped welcome the guests in the Promenade at the Mansion for the first after-party in true Texas music style.
“The sensational Kylee Kimosh, founder of Kylee & Co, was my lead Event Planner and Taylor Bradford from Sugar Creek Creative was my Event Designer,” says Sarah.
“They collectively made the evening beautiful and memorable. Kylee arranged the execution of my dreams from the hats to the food to the quick, seamless exit into the promenade at the Mansion. She thought of everything to make my heart swell,” says the bride.
And all were able to enjoy this second part of the evening while unwinding with beverages, taquitos and ZUBI’S dips.
“Don’t you love.” says Sarah, “how it always ends with food?!”
The newlyweds closed the evening in their upstairs room and rooftop at about 4:30 am, dancing to the sun rise.
“We were able to include those closest to us in a night that was perfectly, absolutely “us”, ” says Sarah. “And in many ways, it was better than I could have ever imagined it would be. We were near our home, in Texas, in the city where we met, where our love flourished.”
Sarah gives a huge thanks to the talented Cal&Aly for capturing every moment of her special evening, to Flawless by Caro who always manages to make her feel and look lovely, and to The Mansion at Turtle Creek for working so well with Kylee Kimosh, Taylor Bradford, and herself, the founder and creator of ZUBI’S foods. It was the wedding reception of her dreams!
