Texas Weddings

If you love Texas weddings (and I know you do), you will want to eat this Mexican-inspired fête by Hoffman Haus up with a spoon. It’s delicious, right down to the avocado bar, tacos and sangria from CarteWheels Caterers, Inc.. If that isn’t the recipe for a perfect wedding, I just don’t know what is!  And when you sprinkle in loads of love from a couple that just couldn’t be more adorable, flowers from Sprout that are delicious in their own right and gorgeous images from Claire McCormack Photography – you get a gallery that is worth devouring.

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From Claire McCormack Photography… Evelyn and John, along with their families, threw a stunning rustic, chic, Texas Hill Country wedding. Guests arrived at the groom’s family’s private home and were greeted with fresh Mexican cocktails and enjoyed time with the wedding party and their families. Within half an hour, guests were escorted to a restored rustic barn and enjoyed a beautiful ceremony. Music by a three piece string set accompanied the relaxed family and wedding party as they took their places. The altar was a beautiful wooden table covered in white candles, fresh branches and flowers. Following the ceremony, the reception was held under the shaded patio of the home. The evening was a combination of effortless elegance, chic twists on the ordinary, and had such a wonderful Mexican-infused Texas charm that won everyone over. From the avocado bar and fresh sangria, to the Spanish guitar music and the sparklers that sent the bride and groom off into the night — it was a STUNNING party! Thank you to Cartewheels Catering for the amazing food, to Hoffman Haus for the stunning design ideas and production and all the families and friends that came together to celebrate these two love birds! This was an party to remember! Congratulations, Evelyn and John!

Wedding Photography: Claire McCormack Photography / Wedding Venue: The Groom’s Family Home in the Texas Hill Country / Event Design + Planning: Leslie Washburn of Hoffman Haus / Floral Design: Sprout / Catering: CarteWheels Caterers, Inc. / Wedding Invitations: Fredericksburg Paper Goods (830-990-5850) / Wedding Dress: Sue Wong / Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman

If the thought of scrapping the big party has ever crossed your mind, the following elopement at The Prairie in Round Top, Texas may cause you to pull the trigger. This sunny venue epitomizes Shabby Chic, maybe because it’s owned by the brand’s founder, Rachel Ashwell. What’s better than a stunning bride in a ruffle laden Vera Wang gown jumping on a bed before saying her I-do’s? Perhaps the groom joining her for a second post-nup sesh, and maybe the fact that the only witnesses other than the preacher and the photographer were of the furry four legged variety. Many say everything is bigger in Texas, but you’ll be thinking small is the new big after after you take a peek at the rest of these Amanda Marie Portraits photos here!

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From Amanda Marie Portraits… Anna Todd and Gary Dean were planning a wedding of their own for April 17, 2012, and while getting their finances in order to pay for the wedding, it was becoming more of a burden and stress rather than a joyous time like they knew it should be. So they decided to ditch their wedding plans and elope to have the wedding of their dreams. The planned the elopement in three days, and were married on the beautiful Prairie in Round Top, Texas on March 23, 2012. The Prairie is owned by Rachel Ashwell of the Shabby Chic line and it could not have been a more perfect environment for their day. The only people on their wedding day were me (the photographer), the preacher, and the two of them. There was more romance at their elopement than I usually see at most weddings. It was extremely beautiful, and at the end of the day, it came down to what a wedding is all about. True love.

When I arrived, Anna was getting ready by herself  in a sweet little white country cabin, putting on her makeup with music playing in the background. Gary was parked back further away from the venue, fishing at a local pond, because Anna had texted him telling him to kill time so she and I could take photos. It was really that laid-back, simple, and so incredibly beautiful. After their vows, we went back to the room on The Prairie where they were staying that night and shot photos of the two of them jumping on the bed. The evening seemed like it was straight out of a movie — the day was absolutely perfect!

Wedding Photography: Amanda Marie Portraits / Wedding Venue: The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell in Round Top, Texas / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Nina

I’m totally digging this adorable couple’s old fashioned sense of style. It’s simple, timeless, oh-so-pretty and filled with fun props like Coca-Cola in glass bottles, an old white pick up truck, and two vintage bicycles. The river rocks, wet feet and super sweet kisses totally melt my heart. Coati Photography nailed it with this one and we’re so glad we get to share it with you! Click here for more Hill Country goodness.

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From the Bride-to-Be… The inspiration for our engagement pictures initially was thought of by my sweet fiance! I love to listen to Johnny Cash on my grandmother’s record player, and some would say I’m old fashioned, so I was more than thrilled to hear that he wanted to wear a bow tie and fedora. My dad loves to restore classic cars, and it just so happened that he finished the inside of my brother’s ’49 Ford truck right before our pictures. There is a beautifully simple picture of my grandparents next to their 1940’s pickup truck that I wanted to re-create. Evelyn and Doyle were two simple Texas farmers who loved each other faithfully for 48 years. We wanted a vintage, classic feel to the pictures, which our photographer captured perfectly. We can’t wait to celebrate our big day in the heart of Austin with friends and family. “We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout!”

Photography: Coati Photography / Location: Texas Hill Country / Bride’s Dress + Hat: Forever 21 / Bride’s Shoes: Aldo / Bride’s Necklace: Target

When a Texas Hill Country venue this fabulous opens it’s doors, the first wedding to grace the property need be extra special. Chic and stylish to match the decor. This fabulous fête, as seen by Dustin Meyer, could not have been a more perfect match. The all-white floral design from Verbena Floral Design so perfectly compliments the French-inspired Camp Lucy. Save a little extra time this afternoon to visit the gallery, because this wedding is just THAT special!

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When Don and I first got engaged in May, we knew we did not want a long engagement, but I also knew that I was going to have to work around football season, so we ended up landing on December 17th. I am a teacher and this date was going to work out perfectly with my schedule. I had the summer to plan and winter break to spend our honeymoon.

We had already talked about venues and found the perfect venue in Camp Lucy; it had the Texas Hill Country-chic vibe that we were looking for. I had so many ideas floating in my head, and I scoured the internet, wedding magazines, and picked my best friend’s brain (she also happens to be an event planner). She gave me the best advice and put me in contact with Kristen White of Frills Consulting, an event planner in the Austin area who she had worked with in Houston. Since my mom and dad live in Houston and I live in Dallas, we decided that we needed help to pull this whole thing together in Austin. From the first meeting, I knew I loved her and I knew we had similar taste that would allow us to work together perfectly.

When I began the process, I had a slew of pictures that I had torn out of magazines. I knew I wanted all white flowers, and that I wanted chic elegance, while still embodying the beauty of the Texas Hill Country. With the help of Kristen, my best friend Christi, daily visits to Style Me Pretty and Etsy, we were able to pull the whole idea off!

Kristen directed us to our wonderful Austin area vendors. Don and I did interviews in Dallas for our stationery girls and we fell in love with the work of Daley Harris from Merry Maps, who then directed us to Frontier Paper Company. Daley, Allison, and Libby teamed up to do make an incredible suite from the save the date to the small details at the wedding, to the simple elegance of the wedding invitation itself. Each one of our vendors helped to create the perfect day for Don and me.

When December finally arrived and Don and I were ready to say “I do,” we did not have to worry about anything. All the hard work, thought, and attention to detail planned out in the months prior to the wedding really paid off. Kristen was amazing, and the day went off without a hitch. Don and I loved that every detail of the wedding was an idea or thought that came from us and was translated through Kristen, LuAnn, Dustin, or one of the many other people working on the wedding. When I first saw the brand new ballroom/barn space at Camp Lucy and how everything came together, I was blown away… we both were. The flowers went beyond my expectations and every detail played out just like I imagined. It was truly the happiest day of my life. I loved every minute of it, and I really love being a wife. It was the perfect start to our lifetime of happiness!

Photography: Dustin Meyer / Floral Design: LuAnn Dickson, Verbena Floral Design / Wedding Consulting: Kristen White, Frills Consulting / Venue: Camp Lucy / Wedding Cake: Classic Cakes by Lori / Maps: Daley Ann / Invitations: Frontier Paper Company / Marquee Rentals: Marquee Event Group / Catering + Desserts: Pink Avocado

The Secret Garden is really one of those classic childhood stories that has introduced so many of us to the world of romance. It was just a matter of time before some genius bride planned a perfect day around the book, and with help from Country Sugar, this bride has done it. The day is everything we could have imagined – romantic, pretty, nature-filled. The images from Al Gawlik Photography induce a giddy girlish glee in all of us here at SMP. We’re positive you’ll feel the same effect in the gallery!

Click here to see the whole wedding in the gallery!

As a girl I loved the children’s classic The Secret Garden. The theme of new life really spoke to both Chris and I, and we knew we wanted to experience this with our wedding.

We found the venue of our dreams in Camp Lucy. Tucked away in the Texas Hill Country over Onion Creek in Dripping Springs was this wonderful property. The French Colonial chapel was brought over piece by piece from Vietnam and given new life. When we were looking at pictures of the property we came across a quote from the owner Mr. Whit Hanks that sealed the deal; “Camp Lucy was created to celebrate life, family, and new beginnings, whether it’s a repurposed Amish barn originally built in the early 19th century or a French Colonial chapel from the other side of the world, giving new life and a new purpose to old buildings embodies that spirit.”

We incorporated the beautiful trees on the property into our save the dates, invitations, and programs. We found on Etsy, tree stump personalized magnets that had our initials carved into it. We put those into bags that had some of our favorite quotes from the book shredded into thin slivers of paper. For our invitations we used an image of a tree and the image of our initials carved into the tree trunk. We created programs that would help guide our guests through the ceremony.

We decided to put together our own service after meeting with Chris’ lifelong pastor. Chris grew up in a Lutheran church and I grew up in a Episcopal church. I’ve always loved the New Zealand Book of Common Prayer, and when we met with pastor he felt comfortable enough with us to let us construct the service how we wanted. As our guest arrived, they were greeted by an old mantel that Chris converted into a chalkboard. On the chalkboard were the names of our wedding party. Everyone was included even our precious golden retriever Brodie who served as our ringbearer. We were married in the French colonial chapel under a arch of grapevine with flowers suspend above us as we said our vows. It was magical.

Our reception was in the old Amish barn on the property. All of our centerpieces were objects we had found that you would see in a garden. Our amazing florist gave life to these curious finds creating beautiful floral displays in each of the pieces. We wanted each centerpiece to look as though you could have stumbled upon it in a garden. On one side of the barn we had a live magnolia tree surrounded by moss and flowers. The tree is now planted in our front yard as a constant reminder of that day. Nested among it was a basket with our favors for our guests. Our favors were little bird seed hearts you could hang in your garden. Alongside the magnolia tree was a vintage white iron garden set for our guests to sit and visit. Our guestbook sat on a table that we created from an old wooden door. We used small tree trunks to give the table more of a garden feel. Next to Chris’ Mom’s childhood copy of The Secret Garden was a puzzle hand carved in the shape of a tree that our guests wrote well wishes on On the opposite side of the gorgeous fireplace was a vintage green steamer trunk that held our gifts. An old iron greenhouse wrapped in ivy sat next to the trunk for our guests to place cards in. Another surprise for our guests was a dessert table filled with family recipes and treats from both of our families. We tried to create a whimsical atmosphere full of enchantment while we celebrated two families becoming one.

Photography: Al Gawlik Photography / Event Coordination: Country Sugar / Flowers: Casa Linda Floral / Event Design: The bride / Ceremony + Reception Location: Camp Lucy / Shoes: BHLDN / Catering: Primizie Austin / String Quartet: Divisi Strings / DJ: Altared Weddings / Cake: Classic Cakes by Lori / Rentals: Marquee Rents & Mancino Iron / Makeup: The Retreat, Lori Goode

Wow, I can’t believe that 2011 is almost over…In fact, this gorgeous fete by Sweet August Events is the last post of the year and boy, is it a good one! Captured perfectly by Photography by Vanessa, this traditional stunner is filled to the brim with pretty pretty flowers, sparkly heels, and one of the cutest flower girls you ever did see. We’re loving the mini Polaroid wall of love photo booth as well. What a great way to display all the fun your guests are having while celebrating your special day. Click here for more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We wanted our wedding to be a fun, romantic, hill country wedding with a touch of glam. The first detail to set the tone for our wedding was my dress, trimmed with pearls, crystals and lace. The bodice was unique and glamorous while the lace train was very romantic and classic; perfect for our traditional Methodist church ceremony. Local San Antonio stationery shop owned by Anne Gibson had her team create hand renderings of the lace on my dress to use on all of our custom designed wedding stationary. The continuing theme of lace and pearls was paired with candles and glassware to give the church and reception a sense of twinkle and warmth. I’m all about textures in lieu of a mix of colors, so the combination of smooth glass, frilled table clothes, vintage lace, and velvety flowers was just perfect. I chose low center pieces at the guest tables so that my guests could mingle across the tables without barriers. We embraced our outdoor hill country venue with pink uplighting in the trees, Mexican Papel Picado banner patterned (a San Antonio tradition) lighting on the Palmer Clubhouse tower and Grotto, and festival string lights across the reception patio. The lighting really softened the hill country terrain and gave a super romantic glow to the evening.

Our guests were greeted at the reception with Pomegranate Martinis (hers) and Prickly Pear Margaritas (his) – a fun spin-off of the favorite San Antonio beverage! Our wedding planner surprised us with a hand-made “Mr. & Mrs. Pettit” introductory banner, which our ushers carried (beer in hand) to welcome Chris and I to our reception. The entrance of our reception patio was set with eclectic side tables, lanterns, mason jars hanging from the ceiling, colorfully decorated “L-O-V-E” letters, and a framed faux chalkboard table assignment lists. In honor of the “King of Country” residing just minutes away from our venue, we named all of the reception tables after a few of our favorite George Strait songs – with one of Chris’ favorites “River of Love” as the head table. Chris and I attended 3 of George’s concerts in the 3 years that we dated, so his music has played a big part in our relationship! As two graduated Longhorns that met at The University of Texas, we couldn’t celebrate our big day without paying homage by singing the “Eyes of Texas” over a huge, delicious longhorn cake. I was so thankful Chris didn’t try a second round of cake in my face with that orange icing!

The favorite area for our guests was the red velvet couch photo booth, draped with a colorful pom-pom ball background and hand-crafted props like ribbon streamers, a pillow heart, mustaches on a stick, empty picture frames, and a chalkboard for best wishes. It was a fun way to capture pictures of all our guests, who came from Colorado, Oklahoma, and all across Texas. They were able to hang their mini-Polaroid pictures on our “Wall of Love” for other guests to admire and for us to enjoy after the wedding. We ended the evening through a tunnel of classic white sparklers, and escaping in a vintage 1954 R Type Bentley. It could not have been more dream-like!

Our wedding supported two charities that are important to us. The vintage Bentley was provided with a donation to Guy Clumpner’s charity of choice, the Bike MS Valero 150 benefiting more than 20,000 Texans living with Multiple Sclerosis. Instead of party favors, we chose to support our University with H2Orange water bottles for our guests, in which proceeds support scholarships at The University of Texas at Austin.

Wedding Photography: Photography by Vanessa / Wedding Cinematography: Weiss Eubanks Films / Floral Design: Fresh Urban Flowers / Event Design + Planning: Sweet August Events / Ceremony Location: University United Methodist Church / Reception Location: La Cantera Hill Country Resort Palmer Clubhouse / Invitations: Anne Gibson Stationery / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy Collection / Wedding Dress: Blue by Enzoani

We’ve got the perfect wedding to wrap up another gorgeous week here at SMP Texas! Just wait until you see the beyond beautiful images by Forever Photography Studio…they are stunning! Posey Floral and Event Design handled all the to-die-for florals that are popping up in each and every pretty corner of this fabulous fete. I seriously can’t get enough of this one and if you are dying over all the pretty details too, just click here and you’ll be whisked away into gallery gazing heaven!

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From Forever Photography Studio…Where do we even begin? This perfect wedding was held at Riven Rock Ranch in Comfort Texas. So unique, and the details all I can say is WOW! The amazing flowers were done by Posey Events, and they did not disappoint! Also, we cannot finish this post without a big thank you to Trisha with Viridian Design, who did an awesome job coordinating the event. We really hope you all enjoy looking through Brittany and Grant’s wedding.

Wedding Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Wedding Cake + Pies: Sophie’s Choice / Venue: Riven Rock Ranch / Floral Design: Posey Floral and Event Design / Coordination: Trisha Hamil of Viridian Design Studio / Wedding Dress: Pronovias via Brickhouse Bridal / Groom’s Attire: Georgio Armani

We’re keeping this pretty train rolling right through your lunch hour with this gorgeous Hill Country wedding. The pretty, pretty floral displays and overall design by BLUE LOTUS are making it impossible to take my eyes off of these beyond beautiful images by Sarah Kate, Photographer. Everything is simply gorgeous, from the bride’s dress to the 5 star location and lucky for us there is an entire gallery just waiting to inspire. Click here for more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From BLUE LOTUS…Amy and Chris were married in a rustic Hill Country wedding at the 5-star resort in Glen Rose Texas, Rough Creek Lodge.  Unique details included succulent wreathes on the church doors, cotton incorporated in the bouquets and boutonnieres, antlers, antique lace doilies.  Being Scottish in heritage, the groom, groomsman, and father of the groom all sported different traditional plaid kilts.  Both the bride and groom are accomplished violinists and treated their guests to a private performance to kick off the reception in the great hall at the lodge.

Wedding Photography: Sarah Kate, Photographer / Floral + Design: BLUE LOTUS / Venue: Rough Creek Lodge / Linens: BBJ Linens / Bridal Gown: Bridal Salon at Stanley Korshak

I love when brides let the beauty of their surroundings play a major part in the decor for their big day and this Texas Hill wedding is certainly no exception with its gorgeous trees and open fields. Her bouquet is to-die-for and I’m loving all the brilliant colors and different shapes of the blooms that were whipped up beautifully by the awesome people at Petal Pushers. Austin Imagery Photography was on hand to capture all the quaint, pretty details like the private chapel and of course, the couple’s adorable doggies. And we just can’t seem to get enough! Click here for even more!

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From Austin Imagery Photography…Rex Baker and Maria Vidart met at Rice University and after a long courtship the two were lucky to have two weddings – one in Texas at Rex’s family ranch and wedding venue in Dripping Springs, Texas and one in Columbia where Maria is from.  Cindi Baker, the mother-of-the groom played double duty as both hostess and venue owner!  She did have excellent vendors to assist her in one of the most important weddings ever at the venue; the caterer, Word of Mouth, served home style Texas food on vintage place settings and were also the cake designers and displayed a very simple and elegant butter cream cake with real Texas Pecan pies as the “groom’s cakes.” Cocktails made from local micro-distillery, Dripping Springs Vodka, served as the signature drink.  Heritage House is the quintessential Texas Hill Country venue; the ranch has a quaint and private chapel, a huge party area with a view of the Texas Hill Country and a row of rustic cabins for guests to stay in.

Family and friends from all over the US and Columbia came in for the wedding.  We absolutely loved all the personal and vintage touches to the wedding day – from mismatched heirloom china plates for the table setups to the vintage Underwood typewriter for guests to type personal sentiments to the bride and groom.  There was also a cigar bar for the groomsmen and other weddings guests and, our personal favorite, the couple’s dogs served as ring-bearers!  The bridal bouquet and table florals were designed by Petal Pushers who designed the flowers around a wildflower theme.  The whole wedding day had a lovely feeling of days-gone-by.

Wedding Photography: Austin Imagery Photography / Venue: Heritage House / Caterer + Wedding Cake: Word of Mouth Catering / Floral Design: Petal Pushers

I know they say everything is bigger in Texas, but I do believe everything is a bit more darling too. Maybe it’s the sweetheart bride in this soiree by Viridian Design Studio or maybe it’s the pretty color palette that just seems made for Hill Country – whatever it might be that ups the darling degree, Forever Photography captured all the cuteness and filled the full gallery of images so we could devour every bit of it!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Forever Photography…This wedding was so much fun to photograph!! We got the chance to work with Trisha again from Viridian Design Studio. They do the coordinating and the AMAZING flowers, we always love working with her! Their reception was held at Riven Rock Ranch in Comfort, TX. We love Hill country weddings, especially when they are all outdoors! Dominic’s happiness is so contagious. When you are around her you cannot help but smile and feel good inside, and I am sure that is something Vince loves about her. We really loved their color choices. Gold bridesmaids dresses with light pink flowers!! It looked so amazing! We love seeing different and unique color palettes. Dominic and Vince we wish you both the best, and hope you enjoy the pictures from your wedding day!

Venue: Riven Rock Ranch / Wedding Coordination, Linens + Floral Design: Trisha of Viridian Design Studio / Wedding Dress: Bridal Galleria / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Church: St. Peter Apostle Church / Wedding Photography: Forever Photography / Caterer: CarteWheels Catering Inc. / DJ: Holtz Entertainment / Wedding Cake: Sophie’s Choice

This bride doesn’t know it yet, but she’s my new best friend.  Yes, any bride who rocks a pair of fab.u.lous Jimmy Choos AND cowboy boots on her big day is most definitely my new hero.  And, if that weren’t enough, she enlisted the uber-amazing talents of Sprout and Elizabeth Harris to create some of the most incredible florals and event design I have ever seen.  Hello anemone, crystals and antlers!  All captured in stunning images by SMS Photography, these nuptials are a Hill Country dream come true.  I plan to swoon over these photos all day long.  So, you know where I’ll be…  In the gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Sprout… Natalie and Allen chose to get married near her parents’ home in Fredericksburg, Texas.  As it was February, Natalie wanted the decor to be warm and inviting for her guests who would be traveling in winter weather. The rehearsal dinner was held in the beautifully contemporary dining room of August E’s restaurant with table settings playing off of Allen’s love of hunting and Natalie’s fondness for pink. Deer antlers, lush white flowers and pink glass votives playfully encircled silver candelabras on tablecloths of gunmetal gray. Handmade place cards with pink stitching finished off the place settings.

The next evening carried on the theme of candlelight and metallic accents with a beautifully lighted tent and floral arrangements of white hydrangeas, orchids, roses and tulips incorporating mercury glass, handprinted gold leaf paper, silver trumpet vases, vintage crystals and hanging votives.

From the Bride…It was at Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, Louisiana that Allen and I first met, but our relationship was nothing more than attending the same school and occasionally running in a similar crowd. Three years later our paths crossed again at the University of Texas, where we became great friends and eventually years after that, fell in love. Allen proposed two years after we began dating on the field at Darrell K. Royal stadium during the University of Texas v. Wyoming game at our cheerleader alumni weekend…and I of course said yes!

Our wedding weekend was inspired by a combination of our Louisiana roots, our love for Texas, and the charm of the Texas Hill Country. The wedding was held in February in the midst of the great ice storm that had just blown through the country, but our big day was somehow beautiful and dry. A winter white wedding that incorporated white flowers, warm metallic tones and lots of candles was exactly what I was hoping for, and was executed beautifully by Elizabeth and Michelle. Our ceremony was held at my grandparents’ small church, Saint Barnabas Episcopal, where the aisle was lined with pillar candles and the altar was filled with a variety of white candles that created a completely romantic glow throughout the church. Allen and I met beforehand in the small chapel in front of the church, which to us symbolized that we were going through the process together and that as long as we had each other, everything else would fall into place.

The reception was held in the garden at the Nimitz Museum in a large tent and Elizabeth and Michelle had decorated it with the intimacy that we desired and the elegance that I always dreamed of. A variety of white flowers were spread around the room with creative centerpieces incorporating romantic branches, hanging votive candles, vintage crystals and large silver vases. The tables were dressed in a soft golden fabric and the ceiling was lit with a decorative lighting effect Elizabeth had chosen to achieve the atmosphere and feeling we were looking for, topped off with crystal lined chandeliers.  One of the most important aspects to us was the overall feel of a fun party.  We spent a great deal of time picking out the perfect band that would keep our guests dancing all night, and All Funk Radio Show was just that.  Surrounded by our family and closest friends was truly a wonderful beginning to our life as husband and wife. We loved every detail of our wedding and thank our parents and all the vendors involved for making it so perfect!

Wedding Photography: Stacy Sodolak of SMS Photography / Floral Design: Sprout / Event Design: Elizabeth Harris Event Design / Ceremony Location: St. Barnabas Church / Reception Location: Admiral Nimitz Museum / Catering: Sterling Affairs / Wedding Cake: Sophie’s Choice Bakery / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Tent: Marquis Tents / Event Rentals: Illusions Rentals and Design / Reception Music: All Funk Radio Show

Texas Hill Country is fast becoming one of my favorite places ever, even though I’ve never actually visited.  But, with weddings like this one, how can it not be everything I’ve dreamt it to be?  Captured by the ah-mazing CMI Photography, these gorgeous nuptials are rustic chic perfection.  Not a one single detail was overlooked… And I guarantee that you’ll be as smitten as me once you see what’s in store. A vintage typewriter, burlap-wrapped bouquets, lawn games and oak trees… Yes, I could literally spend all day explaining my love for this wedding.  It sounds like a good plan to me!  So, join me in the gallery for even more Hill Country goodness!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Weddings were not a new concept to me. I spent five years overseas in Prague, Czech Republic as a wedding planner and was fortunate enough to help the dreams come true of countless brides.  I was always the planner, never the bride, until one day after moving back to Austin, Texas I completely unexpectedly met my Mason on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Austin.  One year later he asked me to marry him, and on April 29, 2011 we celebrated our very own “un”royal wedding!  I must admit it was fun getting the countdown on TV everyday to our wedding, and very special the morning of to watch the royal wedding as we prepared for our own special day!

We knew right away we wanted a very sweet, romantic, and casual wedding – just like the two of us and our courtship and relationship.  We tokened our theme as a ‘casual, cute, country wedding’ and knew immediately we wanted to host it Becker Vineyards in the Texas Hill Country.  We love their wines, the atmosphere of the winery and had spent our first vacation there together in 2009.

We had a defined budget so many of the items that we could do ourselves, we did.  The biggest DIY project was the flowers. My maid of honor’s mother ordered all the flowers wholesale and somehow loaded them in her car and created the most gorgeous centerpieces and bouquets!  We were able to save loads of money here, but it was quite time consuming and not an easy task for her and all of my girlfriends who helped, but I sure did appreciate it.  My aunt even brought down a very special flower to my family – the lily of the valley – from my grandfather’s garden in Delaware who passed away in 2009 to incorporate into my bouquet. It was very sentimental and I believe a little gift from my Pop Pop to me!  We also wrapped the base of my bridal bouquet with lace from my mother’s wedding veil which was just another extra special touch.

My mom is an artist and her and my father together did all the signs – they turned out adorable.  I loved the idea of all the distance locations and it was a big hit with the guests.  My mom also shabby chic’ed all the chalkboards that I had bought from Hobby Lobby.  She simply painted and distressed them to give them that country feel, which was a small task that made a big difference I think.

For the centerpieces I knew I simply wanted ‘messy spring flowers’ in different bottles. I spent the months prior to the wedding picking up old vintage looking bottles and cases at discount stores and garage sales.  I also bought some hard back vintage style books at Goodwill for some extra depth to add to the centerpieces.   My maid of honor is as crafty as they get and created all the hanging signs with fabrics and hemp as well as hand wrote all the pie labels. (Which were a delicious touch to our country wedding!)

Wedding Photography: CMI Photography / Florals: DIY by Friend of the Bride / Ceremony + Reception Location: Becker Vineyards / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Wedding Dress: Moonlight via Blush Bridal / Bride’s Hair + Make-Up: Kelli Toal of Keeping Austin Gorgeous / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Groomsmen Attires: JoS A Bank / Photobooth: Booth66 / Catering: Cartewheels / DJ: Complete Music / Band: Trio Old Country Band (Jerry Hagin, Howard Raines, Ethan Azarian) / Pies: Fredericksburg Pie Company / Wood Initials: The Back Porch Shoppe

Oh be still my country loving heart! This wedding is going down in the books as one of the cutest vintage chic Vista West Ranch weddings ever! Christina Carroll Photography was there to capture all the details and DIY touches that make this wedding over the top adorable. I’m loving all the simple and rustic displays of flowers from Petal Pushers, the rustic pergola strung with lanterns, the Tex-Mix favors, I could literally go on and on, but I’ll turn it over to all of you now! Click here for even more!

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From the Bride…From the moment we got engaged, J.B. and I knew we wanted to have a Texas Hill Country Wedding. I’ve always loved the idea of a country style wedding where guests could feel relaxed and enjoy nature. Vista West Ranch in Dripping Springs provided a picturesque setting for our celebration. The underlying theme of our wedding was Vintage-Chic DIY. I wanted to create as much as I could (with the help of family and friends) to make our wedding special and unique to us. My mom made the flower girl buckets, and personalized each one with the girls’ names on the front. My grandmother and father are great artists and helped with designing the party favor ‘Tex-Mix’ jars and ‘thumbprint tree’ that guests signed as they entered the reception.

In keeping with the country feel, I crafted simple, wooden signs to direct our guests. In place of a program, I found an old windowpane and wrote the names of those in the bridal party on glass. The window was hung between two trees, and was visible as guests entered the ceremony. It was inexpensive and guests loved it! Stacey from Petal Pushers arranged a beautiful collection of flowers to give a natural “pop” to the decorations. The bouquets included succulents and Billy Bobs (my favorite!), and tied with raffia and lace in keeping with the theme. Our photographer, Christina Carroll did an amazing job of capturing our day. I love her attention to detail. I don’t know how she did it, but Christina managed to capture every emotion and treasured moment throughout our entire wedding day. It was the wedding of my dreams and I am so thankful for family and friends who helped create a memorable day.

Event Coordinator: Your Wedding, Your Way / Wedding Cake: Rolling in Thyme and Dough / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Venue: Vista West Ranch / Wedding Photography: Christina Carroll Photography

I have nothing but love for Q Weddings Photography. Suzi Q photographed the first wedding I ever gushed about on SMP and it has been a love affair with her pretty images ever since. Now enter the likes of this eclectic ranch soiree. Is that a category? It is now! This shindig was crafted by The Wedding Warriors with a fantabulous cake to boot courtesy of Simon Lee Bakery. Wrap all of it up in a festive Texas bow and what do you have? A delicious way to start your Friday. See more of the day here!

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From the Bride…We has an eclectically chic wedding. Definitely dressy, but with a ranch vibe because of the surroundings. Fun and festive were the key words. My parents are more old school deep South and Patrick’s parents are more progressive. Our friends are just fun. Our style as a couple is both formal because of our jobs and fun and festive because we love live music (as evidenced by having Bob play our wedding). We were super excited about the wedding and think the whole atmosphere was elegant and comfortable at the same time.

Wedding Photography: Q Weddings / Wedding Coordinator:  The Wedding Warriors / Catering: Suzanne Court Catering and Events / Floral Design: Fabian / Wedding Cake:  Simon Lee Bakery / Reception Music: Bob Schneider / Wedding Gown: Marisa Bridals / Venue: Three Points Ranch / Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate purchased at Bella Bridesmaids

Dust off those cowboy boots ladies and gents because we have a Hill Country wedding shot by the fab duo behind Aric + Casey Photography filled with oodles of rustic details and I’m guessing you’ll want to be dressed for the occasion. This Texas couple even included their adorable dog, Vinnie, in the mix. How cute is he? I’m guessing he might be one of the dapperest little pups to grace our pages. See it all here!

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We also have a lovely little film shot by Joe Simon Wedding Films to go along with this Texas beauty. Take a gander…

From Aric + Casey Photography… I’ve never seen a couple look at each other the way these two do. Adoration, love pride… it exudes from their eyes and their smiles when they look or talk about each other. Apart from one another each one is strong, independent, and successful and together they seem pretty much unstoppable.

Every detail of their wedding was beautifully thought out and perfectly executed. Instead of using ordinary sand from a craft store, Jenna and Travis collected sand from their parent’s homes where they grew up, and then the unifying sand was from the ground where they are building their first home together. They even included their sweet dog, Vinnie, in the ceremony as the official ring bearer. Jenna did a fabulous job of making sure that even the details had fabulous details! She and a friend (also a “Jenna”) designed the invitations to coordinate perfectly with her Hill Country rustic “look” of the wedding. For the centerpieces they custom branded the wood chips with Travis’s own brand from his ranch. Jenna’s team of vendors were incredible and great to work with as well! This wedding is the perfect combination of a few DIY details and the awesome work of very talented vendors!

Wedding Photography: Aric + Casey Photography / Cinematography: Joe Simon Wedding Films / Floral Design: Eden’s Echo / Wedding Cake: Sophie’s Choice Bakery / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: The Marquardt Ranch / Wedding Invitations: DIY, Jenna Decker & Jenna Hillman (the bride) / Groom & Groomsmen Attire: JoS. A. Bank / Flower Girl Pettiskirts: Ju Ju Beane Boutique / Wedding Dress: Pronovias (“Gaudi”) / Bride’s Boots: Old Gringo (“Lucky Stud”) / Brooch: Vintage, Great Great Grandmother of the Bride / Bridesmaid Dresses: Ryu, purchased at Wild Oats/ Cotton bolls: The Cotton Man and donated by farmers from West Texas

I have a confession. After four years and over 5,000 real weddings, I am officially a color convert. Don’t get me wrong…I’d still saturate my world in white if I didn’t have two very messy little kids. But when it comes to weddings, especially those that glisten in the gorgeous Texas sun, I kind of love me some color. Bright pops of gorgeous color. Especially when it’s photographed by the crazy talented duo The Nichols. And this wedding just happens to be the perfect, color-rific, drop dead gorgeous, Nichol’s masterpiece. Perfect for seeing us into a holiday weekend. Click here to see even more.

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Our story began with a blind date.  Although they typically never work out… Benton and I soon discovered that we were the exception.  A mutual friend set us up and in no time we were talking about spending the rest of our lives together. Everything seemed so natural and easy from day one, and then the fun began.  He proposed on beautiful summer day out at my family ranch and the planning started immediately.

Already familiar with the event industry in Austin, I had already narrowed it down to three venues before I ever had a ring on my finger. When Benton and I toured Camp Lucy, we immediately fell in love with the chapel, which dates back to the mid 1800’s and was recently shipped to Dripping Springs from Vietnam.   A well known Austin antique dealer, Whit Hanks, was traveling through Vietnam when he learned someone was auctioning off old French Colonial Catholic Chapels, so of course he bought two, had them taken apart, shipped back to Texas and put up on his family ranch.  We loved the old wooden carved ceiling in the chapel, the large wooden doors and tall dark beams.

The other chapel was turned into an open air pavilion overlooking the Texas Hill Country with a large patio and a gorgeous manicured lawn adjacent.  Due to its size we ended up needing to have the ceremony on the Chapel steps, which ended up being perfect.  We loved the venue and wanted a spring wedding that was classic, relaxed, colorful and just plain fun. What a heavenly day it was; we had the most beautiful weather anyone could dream of.

I walked down the aisle holding my bouquet with my grandmother’s broach attached.  I have had it for quite a few years and have always known that it would inspire my wedding colors; coral, aqua, and orange.  Our florist really pulled together my vision;  incorporating my colors while using vintage cheese boxes filled with kumquats, moss, succulents and tons of bright flowers down the center of the long banquet tables.  My loving mother agreed to find all of the vintage cheese boxes and aqua mason jars and had antique dealers scouring the state of Texas for more.  It was a little tricky making sure we had enough, but thanks to Rosehip Flora everything came together perfectly.  I loved everything about the day – the parasols, the umbrella shaded tables, the lawn games, the DIY menu chalkboards, the wonderful food, and the list goes on.  Every single one of our vendors was amazing.  I can’t thank them enough!

It was a magical night, full of laughing, dancing, eating, and most importantly celebrating my new marriage with my best friend. We wouldn’t change a thing….except maybe freeze the day so that time would stand still and we could relive it again today.

Wedding Photography: The Nichols / Wedding Venue: Camp Lucy / Floral Design: Rosehip Flora / Wedding Coordination: Lizze Belle Event Planning / Catering: Word of Mouth Catering / Cakes: Michelle’s Patisserie / Band: Duck Soup / Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers / Wedding Gown & Belt: Tara Keely + Enzoani / Bride’s Earrings: Kendra Scott / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew

This laid back bride hit the wedding planning jack pot with her sweet as can be sister (who submitted the wedding) and darling mom. They helped to bring her vision of a DIY family affair to full on gorgeous reality. Each detail was carefully planned and executed by family and friends, and the result was downright darling. I’ve said it once, I’ll definitely say it again – there is just something special about a Texas wedding, and thanks to Nicole Chatham Photography there is a full gallery of images proving that fact for you to gawk over.

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From the Sister of the Bride… Spicewood Vineyards has a wonderful mix of rustic charm.  The limestone exterior, wrap around porch, wood beam ceiling, and hand carved exterior barall create a welcoming feeling true to Texas.  Plus the Live Oak trees and background of grape vines isn’t too bad either!

We decided to play up the rustic feel of the venue by incorporating elements like old repurposed barn wood and burlap table overlays.  We also wanted a few polished elements (to soften the rustic), like potted boxwoods to line the aisle in the ceremony area and mercury glass votives.  The flowers were a perfect mixture of rustic and polished, as they incorporated feathers and vines, but also had heirloom and spray roses, hydrangea, peonies, and tulips.

As the decor began to come together, we decided to work in some vintage elements.  We scoured ebay, looking for anything from old Ball mason jars, used horseshoes, old wooden crates and boxes, old books, and old tobacco cans. These became unique alternatives to floral arrangements!

We wanted the event’s charm to come through in the details.  When guests first checked in at their hotels for the weekend, they were greeted with a welcome bag – a burlap wine bag hand painted with a blue bonnet containing a welcome letter from Jaye and Charles, an itinerary/timeline for the weekend, a wine trail for local wineries, and a corkscrew from Spicewood Vineyards. At the venue, we created a wish tree where people could leave their wishes for the newlyweds.  Tags had an imprint of a horseshoe, which had become a theme of the event.  We also had flatware packets that said things like “Chow Down,” “Dee-lish,” and “Good Grub” – perfect for BBQ!  There was a photo screen containing images of Jaye and Charles growing up – and of them together.  And even their monogram D was spotlighted on a main wall for all to see.  For late night live music, we put up twinkle lights across the ceiling of the patio, creating charming lighting any dance hall would be proud of.

Throughout everything, we wanted the couple’s fun spirit to come through, so we chose s’mores packets, pinwheels, custom M&Ms, and twined blue bonnet seed packets for their favors.  We had late night ice cream sandwiches wheeled around the event in a vintage Radio Flyer wagon.  For the ceremony, the couple selected non-traditional music – oldies, country, and classic favorites everyone could recognize. And guests were provided with transportation on a trolley to and from the venue!

Finally, staying local was extremely important to us.  We chose to have Cuvee french press coffee from a roaster located right there in Spicewood. We also had live music from a favorite Austin band – Christy Hays and Her Sunday Best.  The venue’s close proximity to Austin, Spicewood, and Marble Falls allowed us to use the perfect combination of vendors from all places, creating a true hill country wedding!

This was truly a DIY wedding from start to finish.  We had around six months to plan this wedding. My mom, Shella, and I would come up with fun ideas, run them by our laid back bride, and then work hard to make them a reality. Weddings often bring families together, but we were unique in that planning this wedding really brought the Bycura family together long before the wedding day itself.

Wedding Photography: Nicole Chatham Photography / Wedding Venue: Spicewood Vineyards / Rentals & Spotlight: Out Back Party Rentals / Catering: Opie’s BBQ / Cupcakes: Hill Country Cupcake / Coffee Service: Hallowed Grounds / Floral Design: Audrey of The Flower House / DJ: Keith Harris of A-Town DJ / Band: Christy Hays and Her Sunday Best / Trolley & Antique Limo Service: Antique Limousines of Austin / Event Coordination: Annie Berg and Megan Kenney / Makeup: Rae Cosmetics / Hair: Virginia Bell / Bride’s Attire: J.Crew + Alterations & Veils by Beatrice / Bridesmaid Attire: J.Crew + Emici Bridal / Groomsmen Attire: Al’s Formal Wear / Event Decor: Mike, Shella & Katie Bycura

Purple tulle…How can you not love a wedding when a bride wears purple tulle under her gorgeous gown?! I do not think it’s possible. The pretty purple hue is ever prevalent in this party captured by She-N-He Photography and Design, and the pretty just gets prettier with the seriously gorgeous flowers from Petal Pushers. It’s Hill Country chic at its finest and there is even more in the full gallery!

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From the Bride… When Jim and I first met, we knew that we would one day marry each other. Once we were engaged, we couldn’t wait to get the planning started! We knew we didn’t want a super long engagement, so we couldn’t waste any time, and we jumped right in. Shortly thereafter, we found ourselves overwhelmed with options, and thinking, “How is this ever going to happen in just 9 short months?” That’s when I came across a quote that I will never forget: “You only need 5 things to get married: A bride, a groom, a marriage license, an officiant and a witness. The rest is just fluff!” After seeing this, we decided to stay true to ourselves and try to stay focused on the real reason for our marriage. We wanted to be united together before God and our family and friends, and everything else was just fluff! Our first priority was to sign up for marriage preparation classes at our church, and ask our Pastor if he would lead our wedding. Once we were able to plan the most important part of our wedding day, we began adding the fluff!

Though we live in Houston, we wanted to have a wedding in the Hill Country and decided on The Duchman Family Winery for our venue. We wanted something very romantic and whimsical, rustic and natural, but sophisticated at the same time. I called it, “Hill Country Chic!”  The entire staff at the winery was especially helpful for helping us carefully carry out every detail, and we are so grateful to have worked with them.

My favorite color is purple, and I am blessed that Jim was completely on board! Our colors were black and white to be accented with wisteria, eggplant and sangria. We met with Stacey, the owner of Petal Pushers, and she was wonderful! She took a lot of time to sit down with me and take bits and pieces of the things I loved in so many arrangements, and put them all into one for me. My bridesmaids wore simple black dresses from White House Black Market that I purchased on sale for $31, and we brought all the color in through their flowers and it was better than I hoped for. The flowers couldn’t have been more perfect, and it really set the tone for the entire evening!

I collect apothecary type jars, and we set up a full candy station, with velum bags that we embossed by hand as an additional favor of the night. The jars sat on old wine crates leveled at different heights, and made the table look magical! I bought a simple bird cage and added ribbon, flowers and paper butterflies for our cards, and had a friend design and print our place settings and table numbers. My mom and a few friends helped me create, print, cut, and assemble our wedding programs and I loved them- though they were a lot of work!

Our sign in table was very special to us. We had pictures of our parents’, grandparents’, and great grandparents’ weddings set out for everyone to see. Though I requested for our parents to provide the pictures, it brought me to tears when I saw it for the first time set up all together next to our engagement photo. What a blessing to have such beautiful examples of true love surrounding us! To make everything even more special, my “something old” was my great grandmother’s engagement ring what I wore on my right hand.

Last, but certainly not least, we needed a photographer! If we were going to have all of this “fluff”, we needed someone who would capture every detail of our day. We had spoken with a few photographers, by phone, but no one really gave us the warm and fuzzy feelings inside! Just as I was beginning to think that I would have to get over it, I found Melanie. I was searching online, sent an information request in (secretly thinking I might hear back within a day or two), and not three minutes later, my phone rang! Within a few minutes of speaking with Melanie, I fell in love! She was exactly what we were looking for, cared about our vision, and took her time getting to know us! We booked her for our engagement photos, rehearsal dinner and wedding day! Every detail was captured beautifully, and I WILL be using her again in the future for our family photos as well! We have had people who were unable to make it to the wedding comment on our photography, and say how they feel like they were there because every detail was captured! At the end of the day, the pictures are what we have to relive our wedding day.

After our rehearsal dinner, Jim and I exchanged love letters to each other and promised one another that we wouldn’t read them until the next morning. When I read Jim’s letter to me, I cried and cried. I knew then, more than I had ever known, that I was marrying my soul mate. Any nerves that I had when I woke up were immediately gone once I read his letter, and so began our perfect day. Our wedding flew by, and we were on our honeymoon before we knew it! Our wedding day wouldn’t have been the same without our family and friends. We are so blessed to have so many great people in our lives to have traveled from near and far to celebrate with us on our very special day.

Wedding Photography: She-N-He Photography and Design / Wedding Venue: Duchman Family Winery / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / DJ: Altared Wedding Productions / Ceremony Music: Serenade String Quartet / Photo Booth: Max Photography / Wedding Cakes: Stardust Pastry / Catering: Trattoria Lisina / Candy Bar: Nuts in Bulk / Guest Transportation: R&R Transportation / Bridal Party Transportation: Hill Country Excursions / Getaway Car: Antique Limousines of Austin / Rehearsal Dinner: The Salt Lick / Wedding Rings: Shafftel Diamonds / Wedding Dress & Hair Piece: David’s Bridal / Flower Girl Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: White House | Black Market / Bride & Bridal Party Shoes: Nina / Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

When you’re lucky enough to have an amazing venue for your wedding, you don’t need to fuss over too many design elements to make your big day beautiful. Sometimes, a simple black and white check tablecloth, a bowl of fruit, and some colorful soda bottles are all you need to take your wedding to that next stage of fabulousness. Add on top of that the amazingly talented eye of Jen Huang Photography and beautiful blooms by Sprout, and you have yourself one playfully sweet wedding. See the full gallery here!

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From Jen Huang Photography: Elizabeth and Delio wanted their wedding celebration to be like family and friends gathering for a long, relaxed holiday weekend, when everyone gets to spend time together catching up with one another and creating new memories.

Haven River Inn in the Texas Hill Country was the perfect place for games, a picnic, swimming, porch rocking, and sunset watching.  Everyone brought their tennis shoes to participate in a round of basketball games which is a favorite of the bride and groom.

For the outside wedding ceremony, Elizabeth chose a formal wedding gown but added a green necklace and green shoes for a playful touch and Delio wore a green tie.

The wedding took place in a grove of pecan trees down the hill from the Inn. Everyone gathered on the porch to watch Elizabeth and Delio as they walked down first and, then, the guests went down the hill for the ceremony under the arching trees.

Dinner followed on the inside porch while food was served on the outside porch. The menu was designed to include Texas bar-be-que and Dominican sides. Tables were dressed in black and white checked cloths and set with antique green books, square white glass vases with green spider mums, a white hydrangea and green pods plus bowls of limes and green apples, homemade cakes on cake stands, bottles of Jarritos and mercury glass candle holders. Napkin rings were Elizabeth and Delio’s wedding invitations that they created themselves. They used photos of the inn’s setting and had them printed by Overnight Prints.

Elizabeth offered her advice to brides. “Plan ahead so that you can enjoy the wedding itself. It all goes by quickly and you want to be present in the moment. This wedding was a very relaxed one and everyone there pitched in to help which was great.”

Wedding Photography: Jen Huang Photography / Wedding Venue: The Haven River Inn / Catering: Hill Country Catering / Wedding Cakes: Sophie’s Choice Bakery / Floral Design: Sprout / Wedding Invitations: The Bride & Groom (DIY) + Overnight Prints (Printing) / Film Work: Richard Photo

Some people are just extremely lucky to have a perfect backyard wedding house in the family.  Well, this lovely couple definitely falls into that category. The bride’s parent’s home (turned stunning Texas Hill Country reception for the evening) could not be more perfect for this country chic celebration. On top of the venue, I am just loving the floral design by Sprout – the bridesmaid bouquets are just understated perfection. So go ahead and settle in with all the images from Urth Studio Photography in the full gallery of images – you know you want to!

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When Ginny Estes and Randy Cadawaller got engaged they knew they wanted to get married in the Texas Hill Country and began looking at venues. When all was said and done, there was no place they loved as much as Ginny’s father and stepmother’s home at Settlers Crossing in Fredericksburg. They turned to Elizabeth Harris to bring their vision to life. The decision was made to have the ceremony at the charming and historic St. Barnabas Episcopal Church with the reception being a tented affair on the lawn of the main house at Settlers Crossing. The focus was on combining elegance with rustic elements in keeping with the setting’s refined country charm.  Ginny’s step-mother, Melissa, an interior designer, began collecting antique baskets and large wooden pieces that would later be incorporated as serving platters on the food stations set on farm tables throughout the lawn, so that they would have a homespun “bountiful feast” look to them. San Antonio designer, Besty Mortimer of Bye George, worked with Ginny on custom Save the Dates and invitations. The stage was set for a beautiful Texas Hill Country event.

Each member of the family had something to contribute to the the food stations.  The bride’s father, David, had one request, “He wanted beef tenderloin and he wanted it rare!”  Ginny, a notorious finicky eater, had her own “Ginny’s Comfort Food” station that was a nod to her mother Jamie’s Mississippi roots and served chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, crab cakes and other down home southern fare.  Delicious Details catering rounded out the food with a made-to-order pasta bar and a variety of salads.

Kristin Radicke Light of Urth Studio Photography captured the evening while Austin’s Ilios Lighting turned a beautiful setting into a truly stunning one.  After guests parked in a large field near the entrance they walked across a limestone bridge washed with golden lights and were met with trays of champagne and the music of a brass band.  The huge tent backed up to a creek bed that was lined with festoon lights while each of the tree groves along the creek was uplit with warm amber tones.  The limestone and stucco walls of the house were also washed in a golden hue. David and Melissa commented: “The only thing we really had  trouble envisioning was the lighting. We just trusted Elizabeth on that one. It wasn’t dark when we left for the church so driving up to the house after the ceremony we were awestruck. It looked like a fairytale land. We kept saying we couldn’t believe this was our house!”

Inside the tent, strings of festoons and warm colors washed the entire interior.  Heavy gold table cloths with a paisley inlay were topped with chocolate brown taffeta and jute overlays.  Sprout adorned half of the tables with giant glass cylinders filled with manzanita branches and fall leaves chock full of fall colored hydrangeas. Tealights hung from the branches of the arrangements and added to the warm glow of the tent. The other half of the tables had large pillar candle clusters wrapped with grapevine and bittersweet and more hydrangeas.  “Michelle of Sprout did a fantastic job taking the idea that we wanted tall arrangements with a bit of a wow factor but not in a ‘country club’ way.  We kept saying that we wanted them to look “messy” rather than stylized and she delivered just that,” said Harris.  Large fire bowls surrounded by wooden rocking chairs situated next to the Cuban Cigar Bar provided another vignette for the guests to relax and enjoy.  Situated near the oversized barn wood bar, a coffee and hot chocolate  station was stocked with various liqueurs in antique crystal decanters.  This added touch proved to be very popular with guests looking to take the chill off the fall evening.

“One of my favorite moments was at the end of the evening, after everyone had departed. The bride’s dog, who had been roaming the reception wearing a lace collar made by Ginny’s grandmother, put her front two paws up on the cake table and snagged one of the remaining cupcakes.  She was part of the celebration and wanted to have her cake too”.

At the end of the evening the bride and groom drove off in a vintage pickup truck amid a show of sparklers and after the last bus pulled away, the entire family went and sat in the tent, feet propped up amid all the beautiful lights, candles and flowers.  “We just didn’t want it to end.  Truly, it was magical. It was everything we dreamed it would be and so much more”.

Wedding Photography: Kristin Radicke Light of Urth Studio Photography / Flowers: Sprout / Event Design: Elizabeth Harris Event Design / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Barnabas Episcopal Church / Wedding Reception Location: Settlers Crossing / Wedding Invitations: Betsy Mortimer of Bye George / Caterer: Delicious Details / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Tent & Event Rentals: Illusions Rentals & Decor / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bride’s Cowboy Boots: Custom