Sarah and Jonathan currently call Austin, Texas home and knew it’d be the perfect spot to gather their guests from across the country for an unforgettable celebration. Wanting something different from the typical rustic Texan wedding, they opted for a modern take on Southwestern style with Wild Sky Events planning by their side. The big day included a tented reception thanks to Sperry Tents + Whim Events, but we’re only scratching the surface. Scroll on for every pretty moment captured by our girl, Sophie Epton plus a must-see film from The McKellars below.
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From the bride… The first time we met four years ago, we were crammed in the backseat of an SUV on the way to a summer camp director’s meeting. I remember being annoyed I had to sit in the middle, and Jonathan remembers thinking the girl sitting in the middle was pretty cute. A few hours and flirtations later, we parted ways. Jonathan typed up several emails to me and never sent them – he figured he would try his luck when we were working in Boston together that summer. We hit it off after being in Boston together for about ten minutes and have been together ever since. After that summer, we spent the next year together in New York City, sharing tiny apartments, countless dumpling dates and a serious case of wanderlust. After a trip to Austin and an acceptance to graduate school at UT, we packed their lives into several boxes, crammed them into Sarah’s trusty CRV and made the move cross country.
After surviving a three-week trip around the world together, getting Curtis Eggroll Green (our Goldendoodle) and living together for over a year, Jonathan decided it was time to pop the question. After telling both of our families over Thanksgiving and letting my sister try on the ring before I knew anything was going on, we hopped on a flight to Portugal and Spain to celebrate the holidays in December 2015. On top of a castle in the seaside town of Sintra, Jonathan proposed and I said yes (and proceeded to happy cry for an entire day).
When it came time to get down to planning, we were overwhelmed – our families live scattered all over the country and we were some of the first of our friends to get married, so we were flying blind. We finally decided where better to gather all of our loved ones than the city where we call home now? Once we decided to get married in Austin, the next steps were hiring a wedding planner and photographer. Kate from Wild Sky Events was truly incredible – she has such a unique vision and always had a plan B, C and Z ready if plan A couldn’t work. The moment I met Sophie Epton and saw her work, I knew no one else could capture our day. She and her husband Jordan are the most genuinely kind and wonderful people, and working with them was a complete blast, which was echoed by our huge families that Sophie and Jordan expertly wrangled at the wedding.
We searched for months for a venue that would work with my wish list – I didn’t want a hotel wedding and didn’t want anything too rustic, which is a tall order in Texas. Luckily, as soon as we saw The Greenhouse at Driftwood I knew it was just right. The towering cacti, the bluebonnets blooming and the grand glass greenhouses were the perfect blend of modern and southwestern charm I was looking for.
All of our vendors did a stunning job – Gypsy Florals brought me to tears when I first saw by the bouquet and the chuppah was absolutely breathtaking. The nailed my whimsical and modern aesthetic perfectly. Contigo catering made hands down the best custom cocktails, and the food was spot on – so many of our guests have asked us for the recipes to the “The Curtis,” our signature vodka cocktail! The videography by The McKellars is such a special keepsake that I will cherish forever. I could not have been more in love with our custom acrylic seating chart by The Inviting Pear, and the Sperry tent by Whim with the twinkling lights was the stuff of my wedding dreams.
There were so many incredible moments I wish I could relive – my sister zipping me up in my dress and helping me put on our late mom’s jewelry, Jonathan and I reading our original vows to each other in front of everyone we love, my dad’s side-splitting speech, dancing like crazy to 90s throwbacks…the list is endless. We couldn’t be more grateful to our parents for giving us the best weekend of our lives and to our family and friends for their love and support, on our wedding day and every other day.
Photography: Sophie Epton Photography | Videography: The McKellars | Wedding Cinema | Event Planning + Design: Wild Sky Events | Floral Design: Gypsy Floral | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Wedding Shoes: Stuart Weitzmen | Engagement Ring: Dean Frederick | Wedding Bands: Blue Nile | Catering: Contigo Austin | Makeup + Hair: Lola Beauty | Lighting: Ilios | DJ: Altared Wedding Productions | Groom's Attire: Bonobos | Tent: Sperry Tents | Cake + Desserts: 2tarts Bakery | Ceremony Musicians: Terra Vista Strings | Copper Bar Menus + Acrylic Seating Chart: The Inviting Pear | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab | Furniture Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals | Invite Suite Design: Gerri Stearne | Marble Hexagon Place Cards : The Boarding School Collective | Photo Booth: Oh Happy Day Booth | Silk Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic | Tent Setup: Whim Events | Velvet Ring Box: The Mrs Box