Texas Weddings

I am going to file this engagement session under “how I wished my life looked on a daily basis”. It’s absolute perfection from the tip of the bride-to-be’s gorgeous ballerina bun to the fabulous team of vendors that teamed up for the shoot  – including Verbena Floral Design, Jenn Sprinkle, Marquee Rents, and Buttoned Up Events. So I guess it goes without saying I love every image from Kelly Rucker sitting in this gallery. Check them all out here.

From Kelly Rucker…This nautical inspired engagement session celebrates the love of Roxanne and David. The couple are soon to be wed at the the beautiful Laguna Gloria in Austin, Texas. Their nautical themed engagement session was shot on the beautiful Lake Travis in Austin, Texas on a recent summer day morning- complete with a luxury boat, champagne and perfect weather. Roxanne currently lives in Dallas and David currently lives in Austin, but the two plan to unite and reside in Austin after the wedding day- so having their engagement session in the city they will soon call “home” was fitting. 

Photography: Kelly Rucker | Florals: Verbena Floral Design | Hair: Tiffany Williams | Clothes & Jewelry: Y&I | Invitations & Paper: Jenn Sprinkle | Make Up Artist: Nisa Nicole Makeup Artistry | Men's Clothers: J. Hilburn | Planning + Coordination: Buttoned Up Events | Rentals: Marquee Event Rentals

You know what makes for an amazing wedding?  One pair of adorable high school sweethearts, the city of Austin and a pretty, pretty love-fest featuring all of the above.  Because when it comes to stop-you-in-your-tracks nuptials, this lovely little gem from Everest Road Photography is the epitome of awesome, complete with some of the happiest faces you will ever lay your eyes upon.  Click here for more.

From start to finish, Tyler and Emilie’s wedding was comfortable, a blast and just… well …right!

They’ve been together for almost half their lives. After ten years of knowing each others quirks, families and life plans, this day was a long time coming. He sent her off after dating through high school for four years in Aggieland while he worked hard at that University in Austin. So watching my new friend – playful, laid-back Emilie – say yes to her handsome, kind-hearted Tyler felt like such an honor to me.

And it made a lot of sense that they celebrated with an everything Austin wedding day! I’m about as crazy about this couple as I am this city… so I approved of a day that began at The Hampton Inn overlooking our state capital. After the ladies were ready, they hopped on a perfectly vintage trolley and headed to Central Christian Church…a gorgeous backdrop for their vows. Finally, they danced the night away at that building right off campus, that every Longhorn recognizes – The Mansion. And this crew can get down. Their reception was one heck of a dance party!

From the Bride… We grew up, met, and fell in love in Austin, Texas so we really wanted all our friends and family to experience our favorite city. We got ready for the wedding at the Hampton Inn & Suites hotel overlooking the capital, it was a beautiful view. Our ceremony was right down the street at Central Christian Church, the sanctuary is ornate and lovely, and it fit our 250 guests perfectly. Some of our wedding party sang during the ceremony which was really a special treat.

We rode with our wedding party on a trolley to and from venues so we could spend some extra time with them. Tyler and the groomsmen made a pit-stop at the UT campus to take some pictures in front of the UT tower, his alma mater. After we said “I do,” we headed to the reception at the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs Mansion, an elegant indoor venue to beat the Texas summer heat. We had cocktail hour in the historic front rooms and dinner and dancing in the grand ballroom. Our caterer provided scrumptious food and our florist decorated with a variety of corals and pinks, perfect for summer in the south. We did a lot of DIY projects including the invitations, signage, and table numbers.

Tyler is a Longhorn and I am an Aggie so we had a house divided groom’s cake and sang our hearts out to the Aggie War Hymn and the Eyes of Texas. We both love dancing, thus keeping the party going was really important to us. Our DJ did a wonderful job and the dance floor was packed all night. We both are Blue Bell Ice Cream fanatics so we had an ice cream bar to go with the cakes, it was a huge hit. We sent everyone off with a warm box of Tiff’s Treats, the best cookies in town. It was truly the best day of our lives and we feel so blessed to have spent it with everyone we love.

Photography: Everest Road Photography | Floral Design: Little Yellow Flower Design | Wedding Dress: Signature Bridal | Cakes: Kayla Knight Cakes | Ceremony Venue: Central Christian Church | Reception Venue: The Tfwc Mansion | Make-Up: Vannatay | DJ: TX Pro DJ | Caterer/Coordinator: Kurant Events | Favor: Tiff's Treats | Getting Ready Venue: Hampton Inn Amelia Island | Trolley: Carey of Austin

DIY Brides these days are my heroes. The pretty they can whip up just blows my wedding-loving mind, and this lovely Bride is a fine example. Her perfectly crafted day filled the gorgeous pictures from The Bird and The Bear with so much love, I simply can’t get over it. Sprinkle in some gorgeous florals from Petals, Ink., and lovelies, we’ve got one gorgeous gallery on our hands. See it all here.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/70081724 600 338]

From Petals Ink… It’s impossible not to adore all of the handmade details of this wedding. Colors and textures collide to create a delight for the senses in a picturesque, Texas Hill Country Venue. Fringe garland, ruffled icing, succulents in tiny clay pots, wooden and lit signage throughout! But beyond all the lovely details, there is this gorgeous couple so obviously, wildly in love with each other. Nothing ever tops that!

From the Bride… My husband and I knew we had to get married in Austin, Texas; it’s a short drive down the road from our alma mater, Baylor, where we met our freshman year. The only problem was, I had moved home to Pennsylvania after I graduated while he finished an extra semester, and he was about to move back to California to start his new job after he graduated! So, in a nutshell, it was complicated from the start. But we were heart set that was the place, so we made it work! I planned the entire wedding while living on the east coast, which was definitely a challenge. I had to give up on a lot of my initial dreams and ideas because it just wasn’t possible with the distance. But in the end, it all turned out perfectly and many of those “crushed” dreams were forgotten. We wanted to get married as soon as we could, and I had to have an outdoor wedding, so that complicated things as well with the summer heat in Texas. We finally chose June 16, a little over 6 months from the day we got engaged. My goals when planning the wedding were: be frugal, make it personal, and make it casual. It was never in the budget for me to hire a full-on wedding planner, but I did take some advice from a few friends and hired a day-of coordinator who was absolutely amazing (I would say that was worth every penny to not have stress for anyone the day of the wedding).

I wanted the day to feel like a backyard party; casual and really fun. I hand made almost everything. I wanted my hands to be in all the details so that they would be super personalized to fit us as a couple. I worked around the color scheme of green and yellow (for Baylor, where we met at our freshman orientation), and worked it into yellow and mint and then with some blues and turquoises thrown in. I played a lot with different design elements, so I didn’t have one specific theme. It was kind of colorful-meets-rustic-meets-DIY. All the wooden signs I made out of old shipping pallets, my mom hand sewed the streamers draped in the barn, and we both scoured vintage and thrift shops for months for antique items to place around for an added rustic look.

I would say I am very laid-back and a nontraditional bride. My main focuses were the personalization of all the details, the photography and the food and desserts! The dress was probably last on my list. I had a really hard time spending so much on a dress that I would only wear once (it looked great though)! My mother actually handmade the one-shoulder lace jacket I wore for the ceremony. She sewed on the buttons from her (and my nana’s) wedding dress for a personal touch. It turned out perfectly, and it was fun to transition to another look after the ceremony! The day of the wedding, it was a perfect sunny day with a bit of a breeze to cut the summer heat. Half of our guests were from California (and struggled a bit in the heat) and the other half were from Texas. We got married in front of an old mantle I found at a thrift store that I had my dad prop upright and add a frame on top. The hole of the frame and the open part of the mantle had a perfect view of the Texas Hill country; it was absolutely beautiful. I struggled a little bit during the ceremony because the sun was shining right in my eyes, but it actually helped me not cry as much as I probably would have! Spencer, on the other hand, was a mess. It was so sweet! One thing I will never forget was being at the reception and seeing so many faces, all of which I knew and had a personal story with. It was the coolest experience ever to have so many people who meant so much to us in the same place, celebrating us. Our photographers, Caryn and Brian from the Bird and the Bear did an absolutely phenomenal job capturing the day. I have never been more proud of something in my life, seeing all my ideas come to life after such hard work!

Photography: The Bird And The Bear | Florals: Petals, ink. | Wedding Dress: Bijou Bridal | Cake: Classic Cakes by Lori | Invitations: Kramer Drive Designs | Shoes: Anthropologie | Catering: The Peached Tortilla | Catering: Whole Foods Market Preston | Band: Royal Dukes Band | Groomsmen Attire: Urban Outfitters | Get Away Car: Austin Classic Limo | Rentals: Bee Lavish Vintage Rentals

Crafty couples like this are sooo impressive.  As are their uber-talented family and friends.  Because together this group of lovelies helped to create a day that is not only drop-dead gorgeous, but chock-full of personality, as well.  And you know how we feel about that.  See every gorgeous moment (and there are a lot of them) captured by Tessa J. Photography right here in the full gallery.

From Tessa J. Photography… The bride, Megan is a very creative young lady. She had a huge vision for her day and I must say she nailed it! A lot of what you see is done by family and friends help. Making her day as magical as she had in her head (and Pinterest boards). The vision came together so wonderfully. She even did the florals and her bouquet herself! Megan is from Los Angeles and Matt is from Texas. She is now a southern belle and loves her some sweet tea. 

Photographer: Tessa J. | Cinematographer: Hunter Lawrence | Floral Design: The Bride | Flowers: Fifty Flowers | Wedding Dress: Kirstie Kelly | Catering: The Salt Lick BBQ | Make-Up: The Beauty Jar | Wedding Venue: Mercury Hall | Brides Robe: Just Cottons | Cake Topper: MorganTheCreator | Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals

If I had to pick a favorite element of this wedding, it would be a three way tie between the polka dot dress (hello!), the can’t even talk about how perfect they are blooms from Petals, ink., and the super sweet, absolutely beautiful couple. Okay, maybe the couple would win, but really, I’m kind of obsessed with that dress. And those flowers. Thank you, thank you, thank you Now Fly Away for sharing your images of this stunning day with us!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/70126460 600 338]

From Petals, ink. … Whimsical Spring wedding full of colorful details, vibrant flavors and DIY touches. Valerie was truly her own event designer, meshing natural elements like driftwood and potted succulents with modern, whimsical details like glitter dipped feathers and ribbon chandeliers. Their menu was a feast for the senses incorporating local flavors in a unique Austin-Mexican fusion, and the hand crafted cocktails were the perfect accompaniment to the lawn games Martin constructed for their event. Beneath the layers and layers of thoughtful design details, family and friends were at the heart of this wedding. The wedding was planned around the return of Valerie’s brother who was stationed overseas with the US Army.

From the Bride… I think I designed a hundred different styles of wedding (thanks, SMP) before the details started to feel like “us.” I tried to not over think everything, which was tough to do with two years to plan – my brother was stationed overseas in the US Army and it was important to us that he was in attendance.

The feel of the event was a top priority since 90% of our guests would be coming to Austin from out of town. After seeing literally every single venue in Austin and surrounding areas, we fell in love with Hacienda del Lago and the 1940’s farmhouse and sweeping lake views. It was the perfect blend of rustic and glamorous Austin – and there are peacocks!

I took bits and pieces of things I loved from blogs and magazines and designed the paper goods, table numbers, potted succulents, and ribbon chandeliers. I spent hours and hours painting and wrapping thread for our table numbers, cutting and tying ribbon for the chandeliers and chairs, and my favorite part, dipping white feathers in paint and glitter to add to the whimsy of the design. A friend of ours made gorgeous driftwood candleholders, and Martin even made a corn hole toss game we set up under the gorgeous live oaks on the lawn.

We delighted in creating our menu in order to highlight one of our favorite things – eating in Austin! Margaritas, cantaloupe aqua fresca, chips and salsa bar, chicken chile rellenos, brisket tacos, calabacitas, and to-go bacon breakfast tacos are still being raved about by our guests to this day. And the yummy little cupcakes and our gluten-free cutting cake were a huge hit!

The most important thing was what we achieved – a magical celebration with the people that we love, to start the next chapter of our life together. The incredibly talented and dedicated vendors, and now friends, that we were so fortunate to work with made our dream come true and for that we will always be grateful beyond words.

Photography: Now Fly Away | Cinematography: Memories Films | Flowers: Petals, ink. | Wedding Dress: Carmen Marc Valvo | Bridesmaids Dresses: Nordstrom | Catering: Crave Catering | Makeup + Hair: Propaganda Hair group | Lighting: Greenbelt DJ | DJ: Greenbelt DJ | Wedding Venue: Hacienda del Lago | Wedding Venue: Hacienda del Lago

I’ve probably already told you just how much I adore Caroline + Ben Photography, but it’s definitely worth repeating, because I sooo do and they are just that amazing.  I mean, these two talented photogs manage to send us some of the sweetest weddings you will lay your eyes upon, weddings like this darling day held at the always wonderful Camp Lucy.  I’m talking beautiful blooms from Bouquets of Austin, the planning expertise of Pearl Events and one moment after another of pure, unadulterated pretty.  See it all in the full gallery.

 

From the Bride… Ty and I met through friends at a Mumford and Son’s concert at Stubbs. I think we both were aware our mutual friends had prepped one another for meeting each other, but once we actually met, the night just flowed so organically. We were separated from our friends due to the crowd during the show and didn’t leave each other’s side even into post show drinks. We sort of just kept the conversation going through texts, emails, phone calls and visits. It’s just never been easier with someone

We really wanted a night of romance, good food, and wonderful company because that’s what our relationship is pretty much based on. We love cooking together almost every night of the week and having people over to share it with. Ty has been a very romantic partner from the beginning so I wanted it to be a night where everyone would fall in love with each other again or for the first time!

Quality food is paramount to our lives due to Ty’s founding of Windy Hill farms, so we were very particular about sourcing from local farms and ranches for our feast. 2Dine4 was able to pull from our family business as well as friends’ businesses and local farms to make an absolutely wonderful multi course meal. We really tried to use local/friend connections where we could to make the celebration more personal. Bouquets of Austin and Pearl Events used romantic and ‘re-purposed’ decorations to create a soft and gorgeous setting for our vows and banquet tables. BOA knew I loved herbs and was using them as favors so they incorporated a lot of herbs in my bouquet and all around. They particularly used Rosemary which has historical uses in marriage ceremonies and whose scent is traditionally associated with love.

We had our good friend Jarod marry us because we felt he has such a special way with words and has always been supportive of us. We also wrote our own vows which we surprised each other with that day. It was important to us to feel like we expressed our love to each other in our own words. Our friend Sara ready from The Prophet ‘On Marriage’ because we both felt early on it was a great description of a good relationship. Also, we picked our own musical selections played by a Musical Discovery of Austin. I walked down the aisle to Frankie Vallie’s ‘Can’t take my eyes off of you’ and we walked out to The Monkees ‘I’m a believer’ because the lyrics were dead on. The wedding party walked in to Neil Young’s ‘Harvest Moon’ because we’re both in love with Neil Young.

I think my favorite ‘moment’ was standing there with Ty in front of our friends and family knowing that I just loved him so much and that this was our official beginning together. It was just sheer bliss and happiness. Also, the fact that I had no idea that my brother wrote a song for my dance with my dad! That was a pretty incredible moment and extremely touching all around. Ty’s favorite was my dad’s speech and the fact that he made every single person cry in the building! People keep telling us how they started tearing up during this speech.

I have two favorite photos from the wedding – I love the one of us ringing the bell because Ty was swept up by the weight of the swinging bell! I think it really captures our excitement. The other is the photo of my dad after he saw me for the first time and he’s hugging me. It’s a pretty tender moment between a daughter and her dad! Ty’s favorite is our epic dip at the end of the night! He was impressed with Ben’s shot and our dipping abilities!

My biggest piece of advice to brides is not to get wrapped up in ALL of the details. Focus on maybe three big things that really mean a lot to you both and feel express you as a couple. We chose food, music, and drinks because they’re a huge part of our lives with how we met, our family business, and Ty’s a brewer. You can fill in some of the small details in custom keepsakes like your cake topper or ring box and create inexpensive favors that represent you. In the end it’s a party to celebrate your love and thank everyone there for being a part of your lives together thus far, so just enjoy it!

Photography: Caroline+Ben Photography | Wedding Planner: Pearl Events Austin | Floral Design: Bouquets of Austin | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Cake: Cake and Spoon | Invitations: The Inviting Pear | Shoes: Stuart Weitzmen | Catering: 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering | Hair: Charlotte Belle | Lighting: Intelligent Lighting Design | DJ: TX Pro DJ | Groom's Attire: Banana Republic | Transportation: Uptown Valet | Wedding Venue: Camp Lucy | Hair Pins: BHLDN | Photo Booth: Bash Photo Booth | Rentals: Whim Hospitality | Rentals: Marquee Event Rentals | Strings: Musical Discovery Chamber Players

With the pressure of saying I do already off this couples’ respectable shoulders, they were able to create an event that was casual yet elegant and was, without a doubt, all them. With the perfect amount of Texas flair complete with BBQ and boots, and the Pecan Grove venue that just seems perfect for just such an event – it’s safe to say this gallery from Day 7 Photography is one gorgeous way to start your day. See it all here.

From the Bride… We were so excited to celebrate with all of Neils’ family and friends. Since we were already married, it was a bit more chill getting ready. It was no stress, just exciting. We had checked out the venue before but it was even more beautiful than I remembered when we showed up that day. The inspiration behind the day was that we love Texas and barbeque as well as the cool vintage, natural style that the Salt Lick has. As far as special touches go, I don’t even know where to begin. Neils’ mom made us an awesome quilt that everyone signed instead of us having a guest book. Shakey Graves showed up! That was pretty awesome. Neils’ mom also made homemade peach butter to send home with everyone. The cakes were made by Neils’ aunt, who has a bakery in San Antonio. (She did a pretty amazing job right?) it was special to us that Day 7 Photography did the photos for both our engagements and our reception and have had so much fun gawking over the beautiful pictures. Also, I didn’t wear the cowboy boots for the actual wedding but wanted to wear them for this reception since it’s Texas and all! Neils’ mom did most of the decor/coordinating things so she knows better than I do about how all of the awesome ideas came about. The flag banner that said “Kelly and Neils forever and ever” was made by my mom and grandma. All the food was from the Salt Lick.

Photography: Day 7 Photography | Flowers: Michaels | Reception Venue: Pecan Grove | Catering: The Salt Lick BBQ | Suit: Men's Wearhouse | Boots: Cavendar's Boot City | Music: Shakey Graves

When I was planning my wedding, there was a big part of me that wanted a wedding just like this one captured by The Studio B Photography. A beautifully intimate affair followed by a delicious meal where conversation (and champagne) flowed. Which is precisely how this lovely day unfolded, and you can see every moment right here in the full gallery of images.

From Rebecca of The Studio B… Liz knew that she wanted to marry Doug, but she wasn’t entirely sure that she wanted to have a wedding. At first she thought it would be nice if they went to the courthouse to get married and then go out to dinner at their favorite restaurant afterwards. However, as plans often do, things changed and Liz found herself planning a wedding.

She and Doug chose to have an intimate ceremony in Mayfield Park, which is home to several beautiful (and vocal!) peacocks. Following the exchanging of vows, everyone went over to Barley Swine, one of Austin’s most popular restaurants. The couple had rented out the entire restaurant and a spectacular eleven course meal was served! Guests mingled as the different courses were served and a wonderful time was had by all.

Photographer: The Studio B Photography | Ceremony Venue: Mayfield Park | Reception Venue: Barley Swine | Bride's Shoes: B.A.I.T. | Hair and Makeup: Elanni Sherick | Bride's Dress: Mini Boden

Give me a good heaping dose of pretty inspiration, and I’ll give you one happy little blogger. It will only take one peek at all the pretty sent over to us by Day 7 Photography and Heavenly Day Events to know that I’m smiling from ear to ear over here. Add some gorgeous desserts from Polkadots Cupcake Factory, and this shoot is downright delicious in every sense of the word. See it all here.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/72716205 601 338]

From Amber at Heavenly Day Events… When I first made a visit to Giardino Bertucci, I was blown away by even just the drive. Nestled in beautiful farmland on the edge of the Texas Hill Country, Tina and Tony Bertuccis have a slice of Heaven. I immediately wanted to schedule a styled shoot that we could use to dress up their website and truly showcase the venue’s beauty. I envisioned soft, romantic, and effortlessly southern. I was thrilled when Stella, from Sixpence Floral, and Rhoda, from Loot Vintage, offered to assist. We perused the Loot inventory and chose pieces that complimented the natural elements of the country and connected an antique theme to the 100+ year old farm house on site. Stella used her talents to bring soft color and detail to the decor which were mainly blushes and hints of gold. Polka Dots caught our vision flawlessly and provided mini donuts and cake pops dusted in gold glitter and sprinkles. Not only adorable, but incredibly sophisticated. To top off the details, I knew I needed styled stationery and who better to call than Colette Creative. With an on trend set of eyes, she put our romantic vision to paper with little effort. When seeking a photographer, I thought of Sean at Day 7 Photography. He is a delight to work with and he captures lighting so well. I knew this venue would present harsh light at the wrong time of day so we planned accordingly and I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome! I’m so glad the Don, from ILC Films, was there to document the day! A huge thank you to our entertaining models, Emily and Joe! What fun we had.

Photography: Day 7 Photography | Planner: Heavenly Day Events | Stationery: Colette Creative | Venue: Giardino Bertucci | Desserts: Polkadots | Floral: Sixpence Floral Design | Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals | Video: ILC Films

You know it’s going to be a good day when Forever Photography Studio is on the agenda. I love everything about their images… they’re so bright and gorgeous, happy and heartwarming, and the weddings they are brought on the capture. Oh my. Just look. Seriously, just look.

From the beautiful bride… We met at a bar in Chicago the night of my 24th birthday where I impressed David with my choice of liquor (whiskey ginger ale) and ability to take down 3 chorizo tacos as a late night snack. I was taken with Davids dance moves and his love of music.If only we would have known that four years later we would be getting married in a place where tacos, whiskey, and music were such a huge part of the city culture.

At the end of my birthday celebration, David gathered up the courage to ask me on a real date, and a few days later we found ourselves eating dumplings and getting to know each other. By the end of dinner, we were so consumed in conversation that we didn’t realize the restaurant had closed and the waiters were giving us dirty looks! He ended the night by handing me a handmade mixed CD with all his favorite songs. The rest is history.

After a few years of dating and exploring every new restaurant and concert venue in Chicago, we decided totake the plunge and move to New York City. Our weekends quickly filled with picnics and bike rides and finding all the hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and it was only a few months before New York City became our true love. It was only natural that David proposed during a bike ride along our favorite spot in Central Park, directly under the weeping willows. He even put champagne in our water bottles so that wecould have a refreshing celebratory drink!

Both of us love to travel, listen to music, and eat good food all qualities that Austin embodies. I wanted an intimate outdoor ceremony surrounded by our favorite people, followed by a huge dance party. And, just like I always dreamed of getting proposed to under a weeping willow, I knew I wanted to get married under a large, enchanting tree. The second I stepped foot on the Winfield Inns property, located right outside Austin, I knew this was the place. We were smitten from the moment we walked up to the classic Hill Country home, which was set back amongst fields of flowers and surrounded by sprawling trees whose branches practically kissed the grass. To top it off, the staff was a delight, and it just felt right. As we walked around the site, I could picture getting ready on the vintage home’s terrace, saying I do under a captivating old tree, and dancing the night away in a magical outdoor space.

We live in the West Village in New York and everyday I walked by the flower shop next door,completely captivated by the beautiful fuchsia orchids in the window display. That window display became the inspiration for our colors, flowers, and centerpieces, and shaped the overall style of our wedding. I loved the soft romantic colors of the orchids’ light pinks, purples, and whites and our florist had the idea to suspend them from tree branches creating a whimsical space underneath where we would recite our vows. The bridesmaids bright purple bouquets accented the suspended orchids perfectly against a background of soft gray chiffon dresses.

Photography: Forever Photography Studio | Videographer: Lizama Videography | Floral Designer: Stems Floral Design + Event Styling | Cake: Coco Paloma Desserts | Rings: Greenwich Jewelers | Groomsmen Ties: The Tie Bar | Venue: The Winfield Inn | Bridesmaids Dress Designer: Donna Morgan | Candela earrings: BHLDN | Day of Coordination: The Winfield Inn | Groom Suit: Suitsupply | Hair Broach: Family Friend's | Invitation Designer: Bella Figura | Wedding Gown Boutique: Lotus Bridal | Wedding Gown Designer: Blue by Enzoani

You know what I love about this engagement session?  Besides, well… everything?  That these two cuties just look like they belong together; that they are sooo obviously meant-to-be.  From their sweet smiles to their heartwarming glances to the way they casually, yet lovingly hold hands, it’s a beautiful sneak peek into a day literally overflowing with pre-wedding bliss and sunshine-filled beauty captured by Day 7 Photography.  See it all in the full gallery.

From Day 7 Photography… April and Alex’s engagement session was simple and beautiful. This session was all outdoors and I focused on them being romantic with each other in a natural, candid, and fresh way. The park we were at had a relaxed southern vibe that really matched their personalities, and there was also a small body of water that helped add another element to their session. I hope you enjoy this engagement session!

Photography: Day 7 Photography

You know what’s amazing?  Two (stunning) architects saying “I do” against the beautiful backdrop that is the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center in a day planned to perfection by Joyful Details and boasting more than its fair share of pretty.  I’m talking a day that features gorgeous (+ modern) florals from Articulture, a crazy beautiful Alexia Gavela gown and a whole lot of yummy goodness from Tiny Pies and Austin Catering.  See it all captured by Stella Alesi right here in the full gallery.

Tracie and Justin were married at the incredibly beautiful Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center this past May. The Center is always beautiful but especially in the Springtime when all the wildflowers are blooming. The bride and groom are both architects so they were very detailed when it came to the design of their wedding. I loved all the natural centerpieces that Tracie helped design with Articulture. They were a perfect match for the natural outdoor setting of the venue. Following a gorgeous ceremony guests were treated to an amazing dinner from Austin Catering. Then Robert Ellis helped them get their dancing shoes on and they danced the night away under the stars. It really was a perfect evening!

Photography: stella alesi/photography | Planner: Joyful Details | Floral Design: Articulture | Wedding Dress: Alexia Gavela | Cakes: The Cake Plate | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Alfred Angelo | Catering: Austin Catering | Hair: Salon Intuitions | Lighting: Ilios | Limo: Austin Classic Limo | Venue: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center | Ceremony Musicians: Will Taylor & Strings Attached | Linens+ Rentals: James Allen Salon | Pies: Tiny Pies | Reception Music: Robert Ellis

This is a real wedding.  I just wanted to get that out there from the get-go before you start thinking that this is, in fact, a gloriously executed photo shoot from a dream team of Texas vendors (I’m looking at you, Verbena Floral Design).  Because even though this gem of a day may seem just a tad bit unreal (it is perfect, after all), it’s 100%, without a doubt an authentic set of nuptials captured amazingly by Matthew Johnson Studios.  Dive into all of the pretty right here.

From Matthew Johnson… Claire & Ryan’s April wedding in the Texas Hill Country was the perfect, and very hard to achieve, mix of classic elegance and a serious party. Planned and coordinated by Kristen White of Frills Consulting, the wedding took place outside of Austin at Camp Lucy. The outdoor lawn ceremony was the perfect setting for Claire to make the long walk down the aisle with her father in her gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress.

The beauty of Camp Lucy’s property looking out over the Hill Country was the draw for the couple to have their destination wedding over five hours away from their home in Midland, Texas. After the classically beautiful ceremony, the reception turned into an amazing party complete with sunglasses and decor that sported the couple’s likeness and an 80’s cover band.

Photography: Matthew Johnson Studios | Floral Design: Verbena Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Oscar De La Renta | Cake: Classic Cakes by Lori | Shoes: Kate Spade | Jewelry: Sam L. Majors Jewelers | Catering: Verde's Mexican Parilla | Wedding Venue: Camp Lucy | Invitations and Programs: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Monogram Design: Pearly Gates Design | Music: The Spazmatics | Planning + Coordination: Frills Consulting

Yesterday I was having a day Murphy could probably base his entire law on – everything that could possibly go wrong, did. But then this pretty designed by Bird Dog Wedding and captured by Ashley Garmon landed in my lap, and immediately, all was right with the world again. Because, really, how could you not just throw all your cares away when looking at a wedding like this? It’s so gorgeous, so full of life and love, so jammed-packed with stylish details – it’s a wedding that will make you forget Murphy and his silly law ever existed, and it’s all sitting pretty right here.

From the Bride… My wedding was special because there were actually two. I’m Vietnamese American and my fiance is…a ginger. Unsurprisingly, my mother had been dreaming of a traditional Vietnamese wedding for me since I was little girl. To accommodate my family, we had two distinct ceremonies: one Vietnamese-style in Houston and one Western/American in Austin.

Since the American wedding was the one for us, I’ll focus on it and what made it so Phantastic. Nearly all the details and designs were hand-crafted by me, or my bridesmaids and close friends. First, I hand-lettered our invitations, and with the help of a graphic designer friend was able to vectorize the writing and fashion our logo. I designed the programs and watercolor-lettered the place cards, dessert table backdrop, and guest book.

We plan on framing this art-piece-as-guest-book poster in our new apartment. While I can admit I’d rarely thumb through an actual book, I love that I’ll be able to read well wishes every day.

An advantage (the only advantage?) of having two weddings is that I actually used the first experience to prepare for the second and learned valuable lessons, both logistical and otherwise, to improve the Austin wedding. Chris’ wedding ring was designed by a good friend of mine, Katy Skelton, who is a furniture designer based in Brooklyn. We worked with two designer friends Samuel Thibault and Corey Marquart on our www.chrisphantastic.com website.

It was very important for me to be able to brand our wedding and document images of the process leading up to and including the big day on social media like Instagram and Twitter (#phantasticwedding). And as a creative person by nature, I wanted everything to match and to be handmade – and with limited financial assistance from our families, this was often a necessity. As you can see, I love colors, especially bright ones. To go with all the personal, DIY touches, we had a friend of ours officiate the wedding (our definitely-Jewish but also-internet-ordained friend Emily did an amazing job!)

We also did a few silly and a few cultural things. I secretly planned for a lion dance for our grand entrance. The Texas Dragon Dance team promised us two dragons with a hope that they MIGHT be able to swing a third. As providence would have it, the third lion was arranged and was bright orange – the color of the hair of the groom.

We had krazy name straws for the bridal party – a huge hit. Chris and his friends are devoted fans of Lone Star beer and it was great seeing people gracefully sipping the cheap Texas brew out of personalized straws. Production was limited to only 5 letters, so abbreviating some of the names required some creativity. If funds had allowed, we’d have given each guest a straw. People are still talking about them 2 months later.

The truth is I had so many ideas that due to time and resource limitations, a lot of them weren’t able to come to fruition. But I love that so many people have come back to me after the wedding excitedly offering their favorite moments and it’s amazing how many different memorable aspects there were.

Photography: Ashley Garmon Photographers | Cinematography: Adam Grumbo | Floral Design: Mibellarosa Designs | Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia | Cake: Blue Note Bakery | Invitations: Kathy Phantastic | Invitations: Carol Hung | Shoes: Kate Spade | Catering: Word Of Mouth Catering | Hair + Makeup: Studio Tilee | Men's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Officiant: Emily Goodstein | Venue: Blanton Museum of Art | Ao dai (Vietnamese Gown): Fabric from High Fashion | Bridal Boutique: Blush Bridal Lounge | Bride's Rings: Anna Sheffield Bridal | Desserts: Crema Bakery | Event Design Assistance + Planning: Bird Dog Wedding | Groom's Ring: Katy Skelton | Ice Cream: Amy's Ice Cream | Letterpress Printing: Inviting Letterpress | Photobooth: Annie Ray | Veil: Tessa Kim

Austin is one of those crazy cool cities that you don’t even have to visit to know just how extremely awesome it is.  The kind of city that houses some of the world’s most stunning couples and hosts some of the world’s most amazing weddings, too.  Weddings like this sweet Antebellum Oaks affair from the ever-wonderful Forever Photography Studio; an affair so pretty that sweet purple hues, lush florals from Visual Lyrics Floral Artistry and a whole lot of romance burst from every last love-filled image (seriously).  See them all in the full gallery.

From Forever Photography… April and Charlie were high school sweethearts. It was love at first sight for the couple. After both graduating from the University of Texas, Charlie popped the question at the couple’s favorite Austin spot, Mount Bonnell. How romantic!

After looking at countless wedding venues, they finally found the right one. They knew right when they saw it. The venue was called Antebellum Oaks. It would be an outdoor ceremony with beautiful, vibrant flowers, oak trees, and mason jar lanterns. The venue also had a perfect open pavilion for the reception to follow. The color scheme was victorian lilac and ivory, to give the wedding a vintage, chic feel. The thing that the couple remembers most about their wedding day was the weather. It was absolutely perfect, and made the day even more special for the couple. 

Photography: Forever Photography Studio | Cinematography: RVM Films | Floral Designer: Visual Lyrics Floral Artistry | Wedding Gown: Alfred Angelo | Jewelry: Regale Jewelry | Bridesmaid Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Wedding Venue: Antebellum Oaks Venue | Desserts: Dessert Divas | Invitation Design: Nuptial Necessities

Glamour, Texas style. That sums this beauty of a wedding at Mercury Hall quite nicely. It’s burlap and sparkles, cowboy boots and gorgeous gowns. It’s all around lovely, and filled with so much love, you can feel is seeping through every gorgeous image snapped up by Half Orange Photography. It’s one fabulous way to start the work week, and it’s all sitting pretty right here.

From the Bride… James and I loved every minute of our wedding. The phrase I coined throughout the wedding planning process was Texas Glam, touches of burlap, cowboy boots, and the great outdoors, with even more splashes of art deco, sequins, and the unexpected detail. We had the paper heart garland curtain made by a Belgian paper artist on Etsy (lamiacasa), and were my absolute favorite touch. We wanted clean, elegant, simple, and personable. Over and over, James and I said, this wedding is not about decor, it’s about our marriage! And that’s exactly what we had. Our special day was memorable, joyful, laughter filled, bright, and beautiful. The most time consuming project I took on was the hand-painted art deco pallet. I found the pallet, spray painted it soft white, then cut out my own stencils based on an art deco font I found online. Then I stenciled the artwork with sponge brushes and black paint!

Another special thing I did, I went to Home Depot when I first got engaged, picked out 5 paint color swatches as the official wedding color palette and used that not only as reference for the months of planning, but also made 7 paint swatch fans to send to my bridesmaids! It worked PERFECTLY. I wrote a note that said, “Pick a dress!” So when my bridesmaids went out to search for their dress, they took their little color palette and showed up at the wedding with the perfect blend of colors. (They did call me before purchasing just to make sure there weren’t too many girls wearing the same colors

Advice #1: Do not commit Pinterest overkill. Yes, I drew inspiration from my pins, but thought it was most important that our wedding looked like US, not my thousands of wedding boards.
Advice #2: Let others help you. It will be essential to your sanity that you let go, and let others carry out your vision. I made tubs of all my decor and special touches with labels, handed them to my coordinator, and said see you at the reception!
Advice #3: Focus on all that you do have, not what you do not. It is very easy to dwell on all the projects you failed to complete, or the people that RSVP’ed and didn’t show. Instead, choose to focus on all the people that DID come to celebrate with you and how handsome your groom looks! [dotted]

Wedding Venue: Mercury Hall | Jewelry: Kendra Scott | Makeup: Christy Edlin Makeup | Bridesmaid’s Jewelry: Designed by Bride, Created by Tribe! (a friend who empowers women in northern Uganda) | Photography: Half Orange Photography | Invitations: Minted | Dress Designer: Blush by Jim Hjelm | Florist: Central Market | Cake: Central Market | DJ: Greenbelt DJ, Joel | Caterer: Vanilla Orchid Catering | Hair: Deanne Maraffa | Program: DIY by Bride

This wedding takes me to my happy place.  A place where sweet rustic details, an adorable duo and a Texas-style dance party reign supreme.  Because this is the kind of wedding where you kick off your high heels, soak in all of the beauty styled to perfection by Jennifer Laura Design and have the time of your life celebrating true love with a group of friends and family that really know how to have a good time.  See it all captured by Bertuzzi Photography right here in the full gallery.

From Jennifer Laura Design… This was a gorgeous wedding I planned and designed, the wedding reception was held at the groom’s uncle’s farm and they got married at a nearby church. They wanted a wildflower look with some rustic details thrown in- as a planner I know rustic has been done and DONE, so I tried to throw in a few twists and turns with the details.

[dotted]

Photography: Bertuzzi Photography | Planning, Coordination + Design: Jennifer Laura Design | Ceremony Venue: Sacred Heart Catholic Church | Reception Venue: Hackberry Hill Farms | Floral Design: Tamara Menges Designs

One part country, one part modern and all parts fabulous, this Wild Onion Ranch wedding from Kristi Wright is the perfect example of why I will never tire of Texas weddings. Never, ever. With the perfect amount of charm and a sprinkle of style, it’s everything and anything I love about soirees in the Lone Star state, and you can see it all right here.

From Kristi Wright…Eric and Sarah were married in Austin, Texas, at The Wild Onion Ranch. Their wedding was styled with champagne colored details with tons of glitter and sparkle. These two lovebirds couldn’t take their eyes off each other all day. It was a fun modern, elegant wedding!

[dotted]

Venue: Wild Onion Ranch | Photography: Kristi Wright  | Cake: Michelle’s Patisserie | Cake Topper: Bride’s “something borrowed” | Catering: 2dine4 | Dress: by Elise from Blue Bridal | Bridesmaid dresses: Wtoo  | Shoes: Ivanka Trump | DJ:Ryan Guthrie of Altared Weddings | Invitations: Paper Place  | Florist: Wild Poppy  | Hair + Makeup: Mindy Orsak  | Planner: Modern Moments | Cinematography: Ken Macias

I love a bride who isn’t afraid to get her hands a little dirty. The bride who’ll roll up and her sleeves and DIY the heck out of every last detail with a smile on her face. And while some may think the DIY wedding has already had its “moment,” this sweet-as-can-be Texas soiree proves that so, sooo wrong. Brett Heidebrecht worked this usual magic behind the camera, and believe it or not, there’s more to be swooned right over here.

From Brett Heidebrecht… Mike & Gentry had a pretty small wedding in Athens, TX which took place on Plum Pond Bed & Breakfast. A cute little house with some beautiful land. Gentry was the epitome of a DIY bride. Anything she could do herself she did.

We had perfect light and perfect weather. Loving family and friends made for a delightful evening celebration.

Gentry and the family made most of the decor by pairing different elements together. The lined the tables with wood and succulents displayed in various ways. They strung lights over the dance floor and it made for a beautiful canopy and provided a perfect amount of light.

[dotted]

Wedding Photography: Brett Heidebrecht | Wedding Venue: Plum Pond Bed and Breakfast | Film: Richard Photo Lab | Flowers: Malakanoff Nursery | Catering: Danny’s BBQ | Wedding Cake: Carolyn McIntyre | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy

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!

[dotted]

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