Some people are just extremely lucky to have a perfect backyard wedding house in the family. Well, this lovely couple definitely falls into that category. The bride’s parent’s home (turned stunning Texas Hill Country reception for the evening) could not be more perfect for this country chic celebration. On top of the venue, I am just loving the floral design by Sprout – the bridesmaid bouquets are just understated perfection. So go ahead and settle in with all the images from Urth Studio Photography in the full gallery of images – you know you want to!
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When Ginny Estes and Randy Cadawaller got engaged they knew they wanted to get married in the Texas Hill Country and began looking at venues. When all was said and done, there was no place they loved as much as Ginny’s father and stepmother’s home at Settlers Crossing in Fredericksburg. They turned to Elizabeth Harris to bring their vision to life. The decision was made to have the ceremony at the charming and historic St. Barnabas Episcopal Church with the reception being a tented affair on the lawn of the main house at Settlers Crossing. The focus was on combining elegance with rustic elements in keeping with the setting’s refined country charm. Ginny’s step-mother, Melissa, an interior designer, began collecting antique baskets and large wooden pieces that would later be incorporated as serving platters on the food stations set on farm tables throughout the lawn, so that they would have a homespun “bountiful feast” look to them. San Antonio designer, Besty Mortimer of Bye George, worked with Ginny on custom Save the Dates and invitations. The stage was set for a beautiful Texas Hill Country event.
Each member of the family had something to contribute to the the food stations. The bride’s father, David, had one request, “He wanted beef tenderloin and he wanted it rare!” Ginny, a notorious finicky eater, had her own “Ginny’s Comfort Food” station that was a nod to her mother Jamie’s Mississippi roots and served chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, crab cakes and other down home southern fare. Delicious Details catering rounded out the food with a made-to-order pasta bar and a variety of salads.
Kristin Radicke Light of Urth Studio Photography captured the evening while Austin’s Ilios Lighting turned a beautiful setting into a truly stunning one. After guests parked in a large field near the entrance they walked across a limestone bridge washed with golden lights and were met with trays of champagne and the music of a brass band. The huge tent backed up to a creek bed that was lined with festoon lights while each of the tree groves along the creek was uplit with warm amber tones. The limestone and stucco walls of the house were also washed in a golden hue. David and Melissa commented: “The only thing we really had trouble envisioning was the lighting. We just trusted Elizabeth on that one. It wasn’t dark when we left for the church so driving up to the house after the ceremony we were awestruck. It looked like a fairytale land. We kept saying we couldn’t believe this was our house!”
Inside the tent, strings of festoons and warm colors washed the entire interior. Heavy gold table cloths with a paisley inlay were topped with chocolate brown taffeta and jute overlays. Sprout adorned half of the tables with giant glass cylinders filled with manzanita branches and fall leaves chock full of fall colored hydrangeas. Tealights hung from the branches of the arrangements and added to the warm glow of the tent. The other half of the tables had large pillar candle clusters wrapped with grapevine and bittersweet and more hydrangeas. “Michelle of Sprout did a fantastic job taking the idea that we wanted tall arrangements with a bit of a wow factor but not in a ‘country club’ way. We kept saying that we wanted them to look “messy” rather than stylized and she delivered just that,” said Harris. Large fire bowls surrounded by wooden rocking chairs situated next to the Cuban Cigar Bar provided another vignette for the guests to relax and enjoy. Situated near the oversized barn wood bar, a coffee and hot chocolate station was stocked with various liqueurs in antique crystal decanters. This added touch proved to be very popular with guests looking to take the chill off the fall evening.
“One of my favorite moments was at the end of the evening, after everyone had departed. The bride’s dog, who had been roaming the reception wearing a lace collar made by Ginny’s grandmother, put her front two paws up on the cake table and snagged one of the remaining cupcakes. She was part of the celebration and wanted to have her cake too”.
At the end of the evening the bride and groom drove off in a vintage pickup truck amid a show of sparklers and after the last bus pulled away, the entire family went and sat in the tent, feet propped up amid all the beautiful lights, candles and flowers. “We just didn’t want it to end. Truly, it was magical. It was everything we dreamed it would be and so much more”.
Wedding Photography: Kristin Radicke Light of Urth Studio Photography / Flowers: Sprout / Event Design: Elizabeth Harris Event Design / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Barnabas Episcopal Church / Wedding Reception Location: Settlers Crossing / Wedding Invitations: Betsy Mortimer of Bye George / Caterer: Delicious Details / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Tent & Event Rentals: Illusions Rentals & Decor / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bride’s Cowboy Boots: Custom