This wedding has two beautiful sides. On one end is the laid back, bohemian cool feel of Austin and the other is straight up classic. Think Rivini and garden roses mixed with kraft paper and an oreo cookie tower. All mixed together, it’s pure genius crafted and floraled by The Nouveau Romantics with many a pretty image shot by Caroline Joy Photography. Have a look here for even more of this Scottish wedding, Texas Style.
From the Bride…Barry proposed on a mountain top in Scotland and the breathtaking scenery was effortless in its beauty and romance. Both from Scotland originally, we have been planning our emigration to USA for a few years and we move this August. A proposal in the heart of our motherland was the pinnacle of our dating life together and a fitting farewell to the country. When it came to planning our wedding we wanted to celebrate the start of married life in our soon-to-be new home. We adore Austin’s bohemian, relaxed vibe and wanted to take the opportunity to showcase the city to family and friends. There can’t be many couples lucky enough to have almost ALL of their guests travel up to 4000miles to celebrate with them but every single one of ours made an exceptional effort to be with us. We were honoured by their love and support. Having an intimate group of 45 allowed us to focus the budget on quality and focus our attention on our guests. The ‘destination’ aspect meant we had a week of extended celebrations and activities with guests bonding friendships and sharing the odd poolside BBQ.
Barry and I were confident about how we wanted the wedding to look and feel from an early stage. We wanted to stray away from convention and aspired for it to be authentic, local and organic. We aimed to make our guests feel welcome, appreciated, and most of all have fun! Every single detail was purposefully chosen with great care and attention. When we first visited Barr Mansion we knew it was the place for us. The only certified organic venue in the USA it boasts idyllic grounds, a picture perfect Victorian mansion and beautifully restored barn-turn-ballroom. They served the most delicious organic & locally sourced Texan feast and baked our exquisite cake. We were inspired by the organic, natural beauty of our venue and let the setting speak for itself. We chose a palette of soft delicate colours and decor with an Earthy feel. We decided to drape fabric to section off the ballroom and hired farm tables to create an intimate banquet atmosphere. Soft drapery hung from the ballroom stage to create a stunning backdrop for our amazing dessert table. We spent months collecting hundreds of clear votives and vases to fill the room with the flickering glow of candles. We were excited to have the team from Nouveau Romantics turn all of our inspiration into reality on the day. Liz shared our aesthetic completely, was approachable, friendly and not at all demanding of artist control.
Our wedding day, which was exactly 6 years from our first date, turned out to be the coldest May 2nd in Austin since 1936 but we tried to embrace it with grace. The wind blew my veil straight out my head during the ceremony but my handsome husband wrapped his arms around me to keep me warm and everyone was brought closer together with a little laughter and light. Our ceremony though short and sweet was intimate and personal. We had a special family friend lead us with traditional Scottish bagpipes, my beloved sister gave a heart felt reading & my sweet bridesmaid serenaded us with a beautiful song. We passed our rings around for a warming-ceremony to truly include everyone in our union. The dinner was delicious, dessert table goodies devoured quickly and midnight pizza bar was a welcome fuel for non stop dancing. Special memories for me include a blissful morning of pampering with my unbelievable sisters and mum, the few special moments standing with my dad before he walked me down the aisle and kissing my mum on the cheek before standing with my groom. Hearing my little sister squeal “my big sister is married!!” right after our vows really reminded me of the incredible step Barry and I had just taken together. One of our most treasured moments as a couple was our first look. An intimate moment to collect ourselves and enjoy each other before the ceremony- it was soothing and romantic. Caroline Joy captured some breathtaking photos and this allowed us to enjoy the rest of the evening with our guests.
We are so grateful to our incredible family for their never ending support. We are humbled by their dedication and devotion to our happiness and celebration of our love. We are so happy that we had the courage to take the risk on a destination event. We had the wedding of our dreams that truly reflected ‘us’. All of the hard work was worthwhile as the entire evening was completely enchanting. Looking back on our beautiful photos we feel so grateful for a celebration filled with love, friendship and family. Our very own Scottish wedding in Texas!
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Photography: Caroline Joy Photography | Venue: Barr Mansion | Catering + Wedding Cake: Barr Mansion | Event Design + Florals: The Nouveau Romantics | Invitation Suite + Day-of Calligraphy items: Feast Fine Art & Calligraphy | Table Rental: Premier Party Central | Linens: La Tavola | Dessert Table Desserts: Whole Foods Market Catering Austin | Vintage Car: Antique Limousines of Austin | DJ: Look No Further Entertainment | Dress: Rivini via Ivory Bridal Atelier | Veil: Sara Gabriel via Ivory Bridal Atelier | Gifted Shoes (from Groom): Miu Miu | Groom + Groomsmen + Father of the Bride: Slanj Kilts Scotland | Bridesmaid + Mother of Bride Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar | Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale