Inside Top Chef Austin Simmons and Claudine Said’s Dreamy White House Wedding In The Woodlands
Blending a Beautiful New Family Together In a Beyond Memorable Setting
BY Laura Landsbaum //
A backyard wedding ceremony on New Year's Day for Austin and Claudine Simmons and their children was held New Year's Day. (Photo by Weddings by Trey)
Renowned chef Austin Simmons and Claudine Said’s wedding in The Woodlands did not just wow, it blended their five girls into a beautiful new family, capping an unexpected love story that took a while to simmer.
Simmons and Said first met in 2018 at Tris, Austin’s beloved former longtime trendsetting restaurant in The Woodlands, while Claudine Said was filming a video for her real estate business. Her video series was designed to showcase “all the amazing things to do in our community and the great local restaurants,” she notes.
Said went on to host client appreciation events at Tris, and she and Simmons became friends. The duo fell in love in late 2020 and it did not take long for this exacting chef to show his romantic side.
“When it came to the engagement, Austin made it so intimate and perfect,” Claudine Said tells PaperCity The Woodlands. “It was just the two of us, right before church. As I was walking down, he got down on one knee and as he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. And we both cried.
“It was so raw, so pure. Just a moment I’ll cherish forever. And it set the most beautiful tone for our future wedding.
A Setting With Presidential Power
The wedding was held at a replica of the White House at a private residence in Grogan’s Point in The Woodlands on New Year’s Day. The couple’s pastor Jason Sheppard officiated, and the pair wrote vows to each other. The wedding ceremony was a true family affair – Claudine Said’s twin brother Claude handed her off to Austin.
The Allen
“All of our children were a part of our wedding,” Claudine Said says. “Our four younger girls were the most perfect flower girls, and our oldest daughter was a beautiful bridesmaid standing by my side.
“The ceremony was breathtaking, and having all of our closest friends, family and our kids there made it so special.”
Wedding guests were toasted by the pair after the ceremony.
“One of our favorite parts of the wedding was doing our champagne tower at the end of the aisle,” Claudine Said says. “We popped bottles of champagne and did cheers to each other and all of our guests. It was beautiful.”
The bride’s dress came from Houston’s Grace Loves Lace, while Austin Simmons suit was from The Studio Mayfair in Houston. Parlour in the Woods owner Shawna Romeo took care of the hair styling, and Missy Munn of Made Up with Missy handled the makeup. Florals for the wedding came from Taylor Handfelt’s Piney Rose Floral.
Honeymoon plans were put aside when a family member needed to be hospitalized, but Claudine Said Simmons says that person is on the mend now and a future trip could be in the works. Some things — like some love stories — just need a little time to cook.
