“Heart and Soul” is a sweet but simple song that finds itself playing in my head for days and weeks on end. I believe that this beautifully written song mirrors this stunning wedding by AJH Photography, because they are both charismatic, unique and have heart and soul. I love nothing more than roots that run deep and after reading the story of these two love birds below, it seems written in the stars that they wed at Hotel Saint Cecilia. Something tells me this wedding, like the song, will be replayed in your head for quite some time now too!
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From AJH Photography… Although the groom is a direct descendent of Chief Red Cloud, the bride is a seventh, maybe eighth, generation Texan who grew up listening to her great-grandmother’s Texas folklore. Her favorite stories were those about the Texas garden parties hosted by her great-grandmother and her sisters at their east Texas home during the 1920s when friends from all over the state would travel by train to attend. Serving as the theme for an intimate wedding of immediate family and close friends, this couple chose the Hotel Saint Cecilia, a small, quintessentially-Austin boutique hotel as their setting for an outdoor wedding. Not only is the hotel reminiscent of the bride’s ancestral home, her masters thesis in Art History was also written on Saint Cecilia.
Under a majestic oak, the bride and groom exchanged vows an hour before sunset on the front lawn and then hosted a reception in the yard of Suite 4. While the weather had been over 100 degrees the day prior, a cold front blew in on the morning of the wedding and temperatures cooled to a fall day. The bride’s dress made from Alecon lace by Monique Lhuillier, and she wore with gold, sequined Jimmy Choo d’Orsay pumps. Descending the steps of the hotel to “Hey Jude,” the South Austin Gypsy Jazz trio played selections for the remainder of the evening. Melanie Tipton of Last Petal arranged all tablescapes. Antique plates and lace tablecloths were provided by Loot Vintage Rentals while Groove Lighting provided Edison lighting for the outdoor venue. Stephen Shallcross with 2Dine4 developed a menu of passed hors d’oeuvres prior to the ceremony, followed by dinner reflecting the couple’s love for New Orleans style food, complete with Gulf shrimp and oysters as well as praline/bacon deviled eggs. A station devoted to vegetarian fare was prepared, as well as a station focused on lamb and beef tenderloin, completed the dinner. Instead of a wedding cake, the couple selected a variety of tapas-style deserts including banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, fried peach pies, hazelnut tortes with peanut butter meringue, pralines and pecan tortes. The groom’s cake was considered to be the Blue Bell ice cream sandwiches.
Although their friends did not travel by train to this venue, all described it as a magical night before heading to the Galaxy Room of the Continental Club where the groom’s brother’s band, T Bird and the Breaks, offered a few tunes before evening’s end.
Wedding Photography: AJH Photography / Wedding Venue: Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, Texas / Floral Design: Melanie Tipton of Last Petal / Catering: Stephen Shallcross of 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering / Music: South Austin Gypsy Jazz Trio / Vintage Plates + Lace Tablecloths: Loot Vintage Rentals / Lighting: Groove Lighting / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Shoes: Jimmy Choo