The high school sweethearts wove baseball and burgers into an elegant, black-tie affair.
Maggie Black and Bobby Witt Jr. met in physics class, but what they most remember learning about was chemistry—specifically, their own.
Having committed to the University of Oklahoma as an eighth grader, baseball superstar Bobby came into Colleyville Heritage High School with a reputation that preceded him. He quickly took a shine to Maggie, the softball team’s shortstop, who was one year his senior. They got to know each other the following year in a not-so-serendipitous turn of events. “I asked one of her friends what classes she was going to take, and I made sure that I would be in one of them,” says Bobby, who took to leaving smoothies and sweet notes on Maggie’s car for her to find after practice. One day, remembers Maggie, “I caught him before he left to go pick up my smoothie, and he asked if I wanted to go with him instead. It just went from there.”
The high school sweethearts followed their mutual love of the game in different directions, dating long-distance until Bobby made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2022. After getting engaged, the couple drafted Leslie Ochs of Alice and Apricot Weddings to plan a celebration that blended Maggie’s preference for a monochromatic color palette with plenty of nods to the sport that brought them together. Says Maggie, “It was the best day of my life.”
Wittaburger: If you build it…
Planner Leslie Ochs is known for her larger-than-life concepts (see #25 on this list). But her idea to recreate a Whataburger—dubbed Wittaburger for the occasion—inside Maggie and Bobby’s reception space may be one of her most memorable. Helping grease the wheels was the fact that Bobby is a national brand ambassador for the Texas-based chain, whose leadership happily gave their blessing and worked with Leslie and Bobby’s marketing agency, Hustle Sports Group, to bring it to life. “They loved the idea,” says Leslie. Then came the tiny task of figuring out how to build it. Because the install would take place mid-reception in the flipped ceremony space, construction couldn’t involve noisy hammers or power drills. Making the need for stealthiness even more important was the fact that the whole thing was a surprise for the bride and groom. In the end, it took more than 100 people to piece it together. Post-reveal, guests noshed on a full menu of fast-food favorites, including the #7 Wittaburger Jr. No detail was spared, from a personalized neon sign to custom table tents and bag stickers—all created in tandem with Whataburger corporate. “Our guests were just as surprised as us,” says Maggie. “It was so, so cool.”
Altar-ed Plans: at the Thompson
The couple had envisioned getting married in a church, but to make things easier on their guests, they opted to keep all their wedding festivities under the Thompson’s roof. Planner Leslie Ochs of Alice and Apricot Weddings gave them the next best thing. “We built stained-glass windows across the back end of the altar so that it resembled a church,” she says.
Black and Witt
In how she dresses and decorates, Maggie prefers a “uniformed” look. She requested a black-and-white scheme, which—along with touches of green—Leslie incorporated into paper goods, table linens, and a custom dance floor.
A Night to Remember
“We wanted great music, a huge dance floor, good food, and great drinks,” Maggie says of their priorities. At one point, athe newlyweds hopped on stage and belted out “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” along with their band.
Batter Up
Leslie incorporated subtle nods to baseball—from seating assignments presented in the form of custom trading cards (created by Irving-based Panini America) to black bats used en masse as a decorative element. “Maggie didn’t want it to be the theme,” Leslie remembers. “So my goal was to bring in those elements without it being loud.”
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