On April 6, 2026, Dixon Gallery & Gardens in Memphis, TN, celebrated its 50th anniversary by gifting five lucky couples a mini wedding on its stunning grounds. The timing could not have been more serendipitous; it was Easter Monday, the tulip festival was in full swing, and not to be outdone by the tulips, the azaleas came out for their annual display. Blessed with clear skies, butterflies, and private access to the gardens for each couple and their 20 guests, it created the perfect backdrop for an intimate wedding.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens is a beloved artistic center, originally the home of philanthropists and art collectors Margaret Oates Dixon (1900–1974) and Hugo Norton Dixon (1892–1974). In 1976, their residence, gardens, and collection of French Impressionist paintings were generously donated to the city for its cultural enrichment. As a gesture of gratitude, and in celebration of Margaret and Hugo’s wedding anniversary on April 6, 1926, the Dixon staff had the wonderful idea to gift five lucky couples a free garden wedding on April 6, 2026.
As the Dixon’s Venue Coordinator, Hannah Reasons has seen many lavish weddings take place after hours, once the gallery closes, and though each has been spectacular in its own right, there was a sense of renewed energy and excitement among the staff in hosting five daytime weddings in the gardens. The contest was advertised on social media, and winners were chosen by lottery, creating a surprise for Hannah when she discovered who they were and their connections to the Dixon: Bethany and Justin frequented the Dixon for date nights, Amy and Jason married at the Dixon in 2015 and returned to renew their vows, and even Dixon’s Public Programs Coordinators, Lacy Mitcham, became the winning bride – “This was one of the first places I visited when I moved to Memphis, it was the first place Connor and I held hands.” she reflected. It all somehow felt meant to be.
Each couple was given an hour for their wedding to take place in complete privacy, with no guest overlap, elevating the mini wedding into a luxurious, private access to 17 acres of verdant gardens with winding linking paths accentuated by sculptures and water fountains. The sweetness of the day came in those quiet moments of anticipation for the ceremony, when only the birds could be heard singing and the spring sun seemed just a little warmer.
Appropriately, Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” accompanied Jason O’Neill and his 8-year-old son Cameron as they made their way along the South Lawn to the Bowlin Lawn ceremony arch, adorned with cascading greenery and clusters of delicate white roses. Amy, holding a bouquet of calla lilies in one hand and their daughter’s hand in the other, made her way gently toward the ceremony as an instrumental rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” might have sparked a few wet eyes.
The Dixon Gallery & Gardens holds a very special place in Amy Wu and Jason O’Neill’s love story, as this is where they were married on October 18, 2015, in a more lavish affair with 140 guests. A Memphis native, Amy met Jason while living in New York City in 2011. Ten years and two beautiful children later was a worthy cause for celebration, and Amy entered the contest.
“It was so lovely for The Dixon to source and provide so many vendors for us, so we loved the ease and low-stress mentality this time around! And it was so special for us to recreate some photos and poses around the gardens” Amy shared.
When their children, Cameron, 8, and Madison, 5, were told that Mom and Dad were getting married again, their excitement was instant with Madison designating herself as the flower girl and Cameron as the ring bearer asked his mom “What should I say to Dad when I give him the ring? “Do you promise to protect her and love her forever?”.
Margaret Oats Dixon carried a bouquet of calla lilies on her wedding day, April 6, 1926. The Dixon staff incorporated this part of history into the weddings by providing calla lilies for each bride, along with an officiant, music, cupcakes, and Dixon’s 50th anniversary champagne flutes.
The couples, however, added personal touches to make the mini wedding truly their own. Bethany Brashier and Justin Scoggins were married by Justin’s brother, Lacy Mitcham created her own bouquet and Amy incorporated sentimental items from their first wedding to celebrate those that could not be with them “At the renewal ceremony, I wore my original wedding shoes, the original earrings my sister in law had gifted me that I wore in 2015 as since she wasn’t able to make it this time, and hair clips from my oldest sister’s wedding, since she wasn’t able to make it either. We brought the champagne flutes we were gifted at the original wedding, and the original guest book”.
Through the gift of mini weddings, Dixon Gallery & Gardens celebrated Margaret and Hugo Dixon, whose dedication to art, nature, and generosity remains at the heart of their legacy. On a clear spring day marked by blooming azaleas and wandering butterflies, five couples were given the gift of new beginnings. Their shared experience is a reminder that love and generosity can be expressed in small gestures, in quiet settings, and in the simple act of honoring others.
by Gigi Bors-Koefoed
Gifted:
Photographers: Shelby and Rick John, S&R John Photography
Venue: Dixon Gallery & Gardens
Officiant: Emily Young
Catering: Savor catering by Chef Phillip Dewayne
Florist: Garden District
Provided by the Dixon Gallery & Gardens:
Rentals: Party Connection
Cakes: Frost
