Classic Austin Wedding from Anahi Navarro Photography + AGAiMAGES NY

Simply put, this wedding is fabulous. With a little more detail, it’s classically beautiful, with a stunning bride and oh-so-handsome groom, sweet as can be moments (like said handsome groom holding an umbrella for his beloved), and the most spectacular sparkler send off I’ve seen. All wrapped up in a gallery filled with ah-mazing images from BOTH Anahi Navarro Photography + AGAiMAGES NY. Now THAT is a Tuesday treat.

Meeting Paul was as close to a modern day fairy tale as you can get. My former boss at JHL Company and Paul’s dad set us up in the fall of 2009.  His dad was the chairman of an organization that JHL consulted for and I delivered lunch to them at a work meeting one day.  We found out later that after I left, Paul’s dad asked Jennifer, “who was that?”  She said, “Lauren Smith, my new assistant. Why?”  He responded, “Because Paul needs to meet her.”

Just a few weeks later, my colleagues and I were finishing up a walk through meeting at the Four Seasons.  Jennifer and the former VP, Melanie, said, “We’re having drinks with one of the Serafy boys in a few minutes.  Lauren, you should stay.”  I was having dinner with a girlfriend later, but decided to push it back so I could.  Man, am I glad that I did!  I found out later that the entire “walk through meeting” was choreographed just so Paul and I could meet.  Paul had moved to Austin from Washington, D.C. a few months before.  While he knew Jennifer and Melanie well, he was clueless about the set up too. 

Paul found me on Facebook pretty soon after that, but otherwise, I didn’t hear from him.  After a few weeks, Paul asked me for my phone number through a Facebook message.  When he called, he invited me out for a drink.  My brother, Barrett, who is in the Navy, was in town for a short visit and so I left our first date after forty-five minutes so I could see him.  Paul took that as a bad sign, but he wasn’t dissuaded. The next morning I received a text at 7:42 a.m. saying, “I can’t wait to see you again. Are you available for dinner Sunday?”

A year and one month later, Paul proposed to me at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden in Austin, Texas on the afternoon of December 18, 2010.  Paul told me that he had a day planned for us to go to some places in Austin where we had not been.  Umlauf was our first stop.  After walking through the garden, I discovered that a plaque in front of one of the sculptures read, “Lauren, will you marry me? Love, Paul.”  As soon as I turned around to look at Paul, he was down on one knee with the ring in his hand.  I was completely caught off guard.  My first response to Paul was, “Is this real life?”  He said, “yes” and asked impatiently “well, will you?”  I said, “yes!” Always mindful of ways to make me happy, Paul arranged for Anahi and Edgar Navarro to document the whole thing.

Our wedding was spectacular for many reasons, but if I had to pinpoint one reason it would be the people involved. My groom, my sweet husband Paul, was not only my fairy tale prince, but was so hands on throughout the planning process. I was busier than ever with work, and Paul literally came in to save the day.  Because of his huge role in making our big day a success, sharing those moments with him meant that much more to me. Our moms supported us from day one and were the primary reason that every detail was perfect.

Our most vivid memories involve our guests, our food, and our band.  We loved having all of our very favorite family members and friends gathered in one room.  They came from near and as far as Brownsville, New York, Washington D.C., and even Germany, to celebrate with us and the day would have not been the same without them.  As major foodies, our mouths still water thinking about the perfectly cooked and seasoned filet mignon, wild mushroom risotto and roasted vegetables prepared by Chef Robert Burns at Austin Country Club!  To pay homage to our trip to Spain and our favorite brunch spot in Austin, La Sombra, we served Sangria as our “signature drink.”  Paul gets props for finding our amazing band, Matchmaker.  We both grew up on the Mo Town and Soul music they play and have come to love it even more as adults. We will never forget dancing with our guests who were decked out in boas, top hats and sunglasses and who were hanging on every note they played! 
Our wedding inspiration was fun and elegant beauty.  Above all, our biggest goal was to celebrate our love and the union of our two families.  Looking back, the thing I am the most proud of is the way we brought together our families, our friends from Austin and Brownsville, our faiths, and our cultures.
Becky Navarro with Pearl Events captured our vision and executed it down to the second. Because of Anahi, Edgar, and Aga’s photographic vision and creativity, Paul and I can look back on that perfect day and relive every emotion and every moment forever.  Joe Simon’s breathtaking film of our big day is also a treasure.  All of our vendors blew us away and our décor was top notch.  Our floral and lighting team turned Austin Country Club into the venue of every bride’s dreams. 
I’ve dreamed about my wedding day since I was a little girl.  Thanks to everyone involved – our parents, our families, our friends, and our vendors – our wedding exceeded all of my childhood dreams. Filled with beauty, joy, and love, it was truly the most magical day of our lives.

Photography: Anahi Navarro Photography and AGAiMAGES NY / Wedding Planner: Becky Navarro, Pearl Events Austin / Linens: Susana, All Party Rentals / Lighting: Intelligent Light Design / Flowers: Coby Neal, The Flower Studio + Keith Burnham, Westbank Flower Market / Cake: Judy, Simon Lee Bakery / Venue: Austin Country CLub / Videographer: Joe Simon Wedding Films / Ceremony Location: Saint John Neumann Catholic Church / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Groom’s Shoes: Lucchese / Dress Designer:  Pnina Tornai, Kleinfeld Bridal / Bridesmaid Dress Designer: Jasmine / Makeup: Adrienne Pitkin / Bride’s Wedding Day Hair: Tammie Garza / Photobooth: Edgar Navarro / Invitations: William Arthur, purchased from Northwest Hills Pharmacy / Printing: Nuptial Necessities / Officiants: Monsignor Gustavo Barrera and Pastor Randy Phillips / Ceremony Music: Lake Austin Strings / Cocktail Music: Andrew Grainer / Reception Music: Matchmaker Band / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Transportation: Carey Limo