I love a lot of things. A lot. But one thing that sets my heart on wedding-loving overdrive is a sweet southern soiree that mixes and mingles with fabulous style. So let’s just say, Akil Bennett Photography just shifted my gears to full on obsession mode with her gorgeous images of this Texas Hill Country pretty party. A BHLDN-wearing Bride and a dapper groom donning suspenders? That’s enough to make anyone smitten. I’m adding it to my very long list of things I love, and you can see all the reasons why in the full gallery of images!
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From the Bride… When we got engaged and started planning the wedding, we tried to plan it as a destination wedding, looking into the Caribbean, Napa Valley, and Colorado, but nothing felt right. With Christopher’s proposal having been in Austin and both of us growing up and still living in Houston, a Texas hill country wedding seemed the perfect fit. So it became a destination wedding closer to home. Stonehouse Villa in Driftwood, Texas, was our first stop when we went to view our options and where we ultimately ended up booking. It was exactly what we wanted. It has the hill country charm with some modern updates and decor due to the owner being an interior designer. We wanted an outdoor spring wedding under the stars, and Stonehouse Villa had beautiful grounds and an amazing deck perfect for outdoor festivities.
We didn’t have a specific theme in mind, but since we choose the Texas hill country as our destination, we went with that. I used Pinterest for inspiration and made an idea board. My mom, sister and I made all the decor ourselves to add that rustic feel, including burlap runners, mixed flowers in mason jars, and used vintage books and tree branches for the centerpieces. Instead of a guest book that we knew we would never look at again, we did something different. I bought a leather journal with blank pages and a bunch of fun stamps. We put it next to the photo booth so people could leave us a copy of their photos and write us a message. It was most important to us that our friends and family had a good time, so we planned the wedding more as a “party” than a formal affair. We picked an awesome DJ and even had a surprise band performance made up of a few of our friends. They were a hit! We barely left the dance floor. We had so much fun, and it was so amazing to be surrounded by all our family and friends!
My most important advice is to go with a photographer you love, and not to compromise quality over price. I had so much fun, and have amazing photos to remember the night, thanks to my photographer, Akil Bennett. :)
Wedding Photography: Akil Bennett Photography / Wedding Venue: Stonehouse Villa in Driftwood, Texas / Floral + Event Design: The Bride’s Mother / Event Planning: Shawn Rushing of EnVogue Events / Wedding Invitations: Invitation Solutions / DJ: LG Entertainment / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Shoes: Dyeables + Etsy