Sydney Watters Wore a Dress of Her Mother’s Design for Her Flower-Filled Wedding in Mexico City
Sydney Watters had a feeling on her first date with Nick Rohleder that he was “the One.” Back when they first crossed paths at a mutual friend’s engagement party in March 2021, they hit it off but were living in different cities at the time.
A few weeks later, Nick asked Sydney—whose mother is the founder and designer behind the bridal brand Watters—if she wanted to grab cocktails at one of her favorite spots, Lounge 31 in Highland Park Village, while he was visiting Dallas for work. They were coincidentally seated next to one of Sydney’s closest friends—and eventual bridesmaid—who eavesdropped and then gave her stamp of approval.
“It was my friend’s enthusiasm that really gave me the confidence to ask him out on a second date,” Sydney admits. “His response was to invite me to an upcoming wedding.” The two have been together ever since, first doing long distance and visiting back and forth while he was finishing school at UPenn in Philadelphia but never going longer than two weeks without seeing each other. Nick finally moved to Dallas in 2022, and the couple combined their belongings and furniture—and, most importantly, their three dogs—to settle down in a quaint neighborhood in the city.
In February 2023, Nick accompanied Sydney to a fabric show in Paris. They stayed at one of her favorite places, Hotel Costes, and Nick used the opportunity to plan the proposal of her dreams. “He even had a photographer that I have worked on numerous photoshoots with fly in to shoot the occasion,” Sydney remembers. “Nick disguised the proposal by suggesting we go to a new spot to grab cocktails one evening.” Once there, Nick asked Sydney to marry him at a quiet spot overlooking the Eiffel Tower. After sharing a private moment over cocktails, they joined their family for dinner at Costes and then met up with friends who had traveled to Paris to celebrate the occasion.
After the proposal, Sydney took the opportunity to find the perfect lace for her wedding dress at the Première Vision fabric show, a convention in New York City that showcases the top lace makers in the world and that she typically attends for work. She eventually settled on a design by Solstisse Lyon, a producer that has made fabrics for iconic wedding dresses worn by Grace Kelly, Kate Middleton, Lily Collins, and more—and, from there, the overall aesthetic was set and the wheels were in motion.
“It wasn’t even close—as soon as I saw the lace, the Watters team and I immediately got started on designing my look,” Sydney says. “I always joke that I’ve tried on more wedding gowns than anyone else in the world as I try on most samples during the design process, and I was sure to include all of the elements I had always dreamed of. Now that it was my turn to be the bride, I knew exactly what she wanted.”
The dream elements included a classic high neckline, custom beading hand done by expert artists in India, dozens of lace-covered buttons, a dramatic power shoulder, knuckle grazing sleeves for a touch of casualness, and a custom Spanish net veil to match made by long time friend and veil designer, Toni Federici. “I’ve always loved the drama of net over tulle,” Sydney shares.
For accessories, the team at Of Rare Origin created pieces for the bride’s earrings, bridesmaids’ earrings, the mother of the bride’s statement ring, the officiant’s earrings, the groom’s boutonniere and cufflinks, and the father of the bride’s boutonniere. The pieces were all from the Aviary collection, which tied into the fact that the bride’s family has always referred to themselves as the “three little birds.” Sydney incorporated green in lieu of something blue with bright Amina Muaddi heels, and then an Olympia Le-Tan spicy margarita book clutch as the finishing touch.
Sydney and Nick got married on January 20, 2024, in Mexico City at General Prim, a mansion in the heart of the city’s Colonia Juárez district. Having worked with wedding industry professionals throughout her entire career, Sydney was in a unique position when it came to selecting which vendors to entrust with her vision. Longtime friends and travel experts Renee and Pamela Strauss of Wedaways are the ones who suggested Mexico City—and, after their first trip to visit the venue, they fell in love.
The couple chose Julian Leaver Events, a Dallas-based team, to produce the wedding weekend, which kicked off with a rehearsal dinner and welcome party hosted at Casino Español. Cabo-based Pina Cate led the florals and design throughout the weekend, alongside decor expert Vicente Paniagua Coeto. In the lead-up to the wedding, Sydney and Nick visited Mexico City multiple times to help with the planning, but, upon arriving at the venue for the wedding weekend, Sydney couldn’t believe the transformation it had undergone. “The flowers and rentals brought it to life,” she says. “It was a surreal feeling.”
