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From Soireebliss! Events… Cynthia Castillo & Matthew Jeter married on March 9, 2013 at the Orchards at Caney Creek. They wanted to host a semi-destination wedding in the Texas country where a majority of their guests could stay the weekend. The venue has multiple cottages on property. The colors chosen were dove gray and shades or coral. Theme: very chic garden vintage with lots of personal touches. The couple spent the day relaxing with friends. The groom made his famous gumbo for the guests staying on property. The couple married on the side lawn in front of the “wedding tree”. The bride’s father especially crafted a set or iron gates to designate the opening to the ceremony. The wedding program was displayed on a free-standing chalkboard at the ceremony entrance. In honor of the Groom’s Irish heritage, they chose to do a hand fasting ceremony in place of a unity candle.

The bride gave each of her bridesmaids a personally monogrammed PJ shirt – hand embroidered by her Mother. The bride’s bouquet was wrapped in lace from her mother’s dress. She wore a blue sapphire necklace as a piece of her wedding day ensemble. The piece was a wedding gift from the Groom. The bride loved the coral color and felt it best that her bridesmaids choose a shade that fit their skin tone best – which created a nice array of coral shade. As part of the bridesmaids gifts, the bride gave them Kendra Scott earrings to match their dress. As a wedding gift from her Grandmother, she carried a hand stitched handkerchief as her something old. The Groom and groomsmen let their fun personalities shine through in the style of dress socks. Each chose a pair that reflected their personality. The Groom’s was by far the most eclectic design – reflecting his fun vibrant personality.

The reception took place in the main house on property that had an oversized wrap around porch that overlooked the property’s lake. The couple served a scrumptious buffet meal and danced the night away under the cafe lights on the deck to the swinging tunes of the Collector’s Item Band. The band is one of the Groom’s favorite and has been to many of their performances in the past. Displayed on the bride’s cake table was wedding pictures from each of their parents’ wedding days. The unique quality that was discovered is that each set of parents had chosen the same cake design and same veil for their wedding day. Each centerpiece for the guest tables varied in design with similar vintage elements simply arranged differently – lanterns, bud vases, stalked vintage books (books provided from the Bride’s father’s personal collection) and unique vases filled with tulips. The Bride’s father collects vintage vehicles. He had purchased a vintage truck the same year the Bride was born. He knew on her wedding day that this would be her getaway vehicle. Through the course of her life, he slowly restored the vehicle. The Bride and Groom departed the evening to a sparkler send-off. It was truly a remarkable wedding filled with true personal details from start to finish. The table runners for the reception were hand sewn by the Mother of the Bride. The couple truly enjoyed unique wines and opted to have a wine bottle guest book. Each bottle was designated with a future anniversary year – the guests would write notes on the bottles for the couple to read on the designated anniversary year. A close friend of the couple played their first dance on an acoustic guitar accompanied by the band. The song, “Always and Forever” by Cory Morrow, was played by Ben Phillips (friend).

Colorful Rustic Wedding

No one does rustic chic quite like the state of Texas. From the cowboy boot donning brides to the lace-covered gowns to the lovely burlap infused in every last stunning detail, you ladies and gents have it down in spades. And this gorgeous Pecan Springs Ranch affair? Well, it’s all of the aforementioned with a touch of romance that will make your head spin. See it all captured by Mint Photography right here.

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Outdoor Weddings Rustic Weddings

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From the Bride… Our chic Texas wedding took place on July 13, 2013 in the heat of a summer day under the shady pecan trees at the gorgeous Pecan Springs Ranch in Austin, TX. We added alot of DIY flare to our wedding to make it unique to us, and involved a lot of talented friends and family in the making of our special day. My husband and I are both from Austin but currently live in Arizona, so we also wanted a down home, backyard party, bright and summery, full-on Texas feel to our wedding.

I had always envisioned an outdoor wedding but with a chapel feel for the ceremony, so my dad helped me to create a wall out of old barnwood that came from a 1900’s shed from behind my great grandparents’ house. We removed the old white doors as well so that I would be able to have “chapel doors” to walk through for the ceremony. My dad also created an arch out of cedar trees from our ranch and surprised me by putting a cross on the top of the arch to finish off the old chapel look.

Another project we worked on was a popcorn stand during our cocktail hour for our guests to munch on prior to the buffet opening. My husband’s family owns a kettle corn business and made three different flavors of popcorn the day before the wedding for our guests. It was a huge hit! We also had my husband’s favorite donut shop, Round Rock Donuts, make a bunch of glazed and chocolate donuts for our wedding instead of doing a groom’s cake. Our guests loved them and they were gone before we even cut the cake!

My sweet friend Kortni recently started a flower business and I had her do all of my floral design and bouquets. She did an amazing job and I was so impressed by her work, especially on the arch! I also collected bottles, wood boxes, and jars for months to decorate our tables with and the look turned out better than I had hoped for.

Another incredibly talented friend, Kate Stafford, did all of our paper design including invitations, programs, and thank you cards on the place settings. She did a beautiful job and I was so pleased with the way they all turned out!

Our wedding planner, Paige, is so detailed and creative. She made all of the chalkboards and displays at the wedding and blew me away with her gorgeous style. I could not have made it through the day without her and was so impressed with her work.

Mint Photography shot the photos of our wedding and Kelly’s work is stunning. She captured the feel of our day so perfectly and makes the lighting look amazing! She’s fabulous and I’m so thankful for the way our photos turned out.

Lastly, I had a seamstress (and also amazing designer) from my hometown make the flower girl dresses. We found fabric from a store in town and then she got creative with making the dress. I thought they turned out adorable! The bridesmaids all chose their own dress in different shades of gray and found them from stores like BHLDN, J.Crew and Etsy. I chose gray because I wanted their gorgeous flowers to stand out against the color of the dress. The groomsmen wore white shirts with khaki pants and then created their own style of Vans shoes in gray.

We love how all of the details turned out!

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Modern Indian Laguna Gloria Wedding

Leave it to a pair of architects to plan the most visually appealing wedding I think I’ve ever laid eyes on. The juxtaposition of the 1920s venue and the modern decor, all captured brilliantly by Q Weddings, has quickened my pulse to a level I reserve only for the prettiest of all the pretty fetes!

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Boho Waterfront Elopement Inspiration

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From Q Weddings… Nisha and Pablo chose Laguna Gloria as it is architecturally unique in Austin. Formerly a private residence and now an art museum, Laguna Gloria is a Spanish Italianate villa built in the 1920s. The grounds are filled with gardens, oak trees and sculptures. It’s beautiful in March, making for an elegant garden party, with guests dining al fresco.

The overall effect of the decor was clean, simple, sophisticated:
– Since Nisha and Pablo are both architects, they wanted to balance the classic 1920s building with a modern aesthetic.
– The table centerpieces and cocktail hour florals were succulents in vases made of gray concrete, dipped in paint in the color of Yves Klein blue.
– The table linens were cinder gray linen.
– The table numbers were the colorful NYC subway symbols for the various subway lines that are special to Nisha and Pablo.
– The invitations were letterpressed in a charcoal gray, with a playful typography style.

Items of significance:
– Since it was Easter Sunday, eggs were hidden around the grounds and the many children in attendance had a blast scooping up the eggs and finding the treats inside.
– Guests of all cultural backgrounds honored Nisha’s Indian heritage by wearing saris and having their hands henna’d the day before at the mehndi.
– A Spanish guitarist and stand-up bass played before the ceremony and during cocktail hour. The ceremony floral arrangements were more succulents, but this time in tall, traditional vases, surrounded by blooming bougainvillas. During the processional, all of the children were honored by being asked to walk down the aisle before the bride and her father.
– Nisha and Pablo’s grand exit was in a yellow cab, as a nod to New York City where they live.

Over the years, we’ve noticed elopements taking a not-so-subtle shift. Gone are the days when eloping meant sacrificing style as more and more couples opt for thoughtful, lovingly designed “I dos” for two. It’s a trend we’re 110% behind, and thanks to Jennifer Laura Design , Bella Bloom and Awake Photography there’s so much inspiration to be had right over here.

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Vintage Theater Engagement Session

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From Jennifer Laura Design… This was a free spirited elopement styled shoot. The photographer (Paige with Awake Photography) collaborated on the details like the oyster, gold sequin, and feather backdrop, the fern bouquet, and the fishtail braid down the model’s shoulder. We found a gorgeous backdrop for this elopement in some of the marshes leading to Galveston, Texas.

Photographer: Awake Photography | Florist: Bella Bloom | Dress: Free People | Designer: Jennifer Laura Design | Second Photographer: Joni Bilderback

I’m a true believer that adding a dose of vintage charm to your work day can make it that much better. So this darling engagement shoot from Allison Jeffers Wedding Photography is most definitely brightening our Friday. Think a sweet duo, an old theater and one retro (+ light filled) moment after another. See it all right here in the full gallery.

From Allison Jeffers Wedding Photography… Ravyn and Thach are as unique as their names. They wanted a vintage, Old Hollywood-themed engagement session in the small town of Mason, which houses the oldest movie theater in Texas. The owners of the Odeon were kind enough to even let them use the marquee and letters. Ravyn has these great luggage pieces and a DIY spirit!

Photography: Allison Jeffers Photography | Theater: Odeon Theater, Mason, Tx

Traditional Ballroom Wedding

Show me a traditional wedding and I’ll show you a happy blogger any day of the week. But throw in one stunning detail after another planned by Jen Rios Design, a fab downtown setting and a bride and groom who really, really know how throw an amazing party (it’s all about the hugs, after all) and I am sooo much more than happy. See it all captured by Day 7 Photography right here.

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Romantic Bridal Session at Emporium Pies

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From the Bride… From mid-week I was surrounded by my dear bridesmaids and college friends. So leading up to the big day I was feeling very much in my comfort zone surrounded by some of my favorite people. As it passed by so quickly, I can say the day was filled with many instances of what I like to call “good” hugs, embraces that were meant to greet and also convey a deep sense of gratitude. Jeremy and I reflected on the day and all we could say was how thankful we were for all of the friends and family members that came to celebrate with us. I remember laughing A LOT, the great dance moves my bridal party busted out to seeing my father-in-law put on a pair of shades to rock out in gangnam style, I could hardly control the laughs and wide smiles. In sum, it was a day that Jeremy and I will never forget, we celebrated his 26th and became man and wife; surrounded by extremely loving and supportive friends and family (that also love to dance)!

As I began my planning, a friend reminded me that guests rarely remember the tiny details, but can remember how they felt at the wedding. So from there, my desire was to create a warm/welcoming atmosphere for my guests to enjoy the night. I wanted to add personal touches of things that are very much Jeremy and me, personal touches so guests would learn a little more about us and also feel the love of time spent on thinking out the details.

A very talented friend created custom invitations with little cartoon characters of the two of us. I carried those characters along with other pieces throughout different parts of the night; from the welcome bags, to ceremony programs and the groom’s cake. My sister created custom ice cream escort cards and table numbers (both Jeremy and I loooove ice cream)! Each table was a different color palette representing a yummy ice cream flavor. She did an amazing job! One of my favorite touches was the photo display table which featured pictures from our parents’ weddings and photos from our childhood up to now. One of my favorite adds was four pictures from my parents wedding with friends that were present at my wedding celebration as well! Our thank you table was made up of some of our favorite treats. One last minute DIY project was the moss church wreaths… a Martha Stewart inspiration. In all honesty, my wedding brainstorming began on Pinterest, but I ended up having to cut myself off as the list of to-dos and boards became a bit ridiculous. I restarted with the filter of how can I tell our story with things that are representative of us. The final product of the wedding was a great effort by my family and the assistance of my spectacular planner, Jen!

Jen Rios Designs really did a great job of bringing my details to life, adding in soft touches like spray painted gold books for the table number and gold votive holders; details that tied together the table looks. Her creative brain was a dear asset!

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Greatest tradition ever? Bridal sessions. Hands down, one of the coolest ways to celebrate your impending wedding. And when that bridal session happens to include yummy pies from Emporium Pies (because pie is awesome), an entire world of lovely blooms from Bows And Arrows and gorgeous images from Letter A Photography, well… that’s a day that can’t be beat. See it all here.

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Super 8 Wedding Film at Cibolo Creek Ranch

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From Letter A Photography… Ashley is a gorgeous bride that absolutely loves to bake and loves sweets! When she left the location entirely up to me I was trying really hard to make sure it screamed “Ashley.” So, what better place than the cutest pie shop around? Emporium Pies in the Dallas Bishop Arts District.

Photography: Letter A Photography | Florist: Bows and Arrows | Calligraphy & Stationery: Rosemary Gutierrez | Handmade Custom Gown: Ana's Professional Gown Alterations | Pie Shop: Emporium Pies

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A Super 8 Wedding film from Nostalgia Film combines two of my favorite things – beautiful weddings and superb cinematography. And this one? Oh my goodness. This one is the best, all thanks to the stunning wedding at the center. You’ll want to block out a few minutes on your schedule for this one.

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How to Assemble a Bouquet

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From Nostalgia Film… This Marfa wedding at Cibolo Creek Ranch has had me so excited to share with you I just couldn’t wait! There was so much gorgeous Super 8 film from their wedding, it was hard to pick the very best highlights to share. From a sweet first look to a tender ceremony and beautiful bride and groom photo sessions–some on top of a nearby mountain at sunset–this day was made all the more gorgeous by the stunning backdrop of Cibolo Creek Ranch set in the Chinati Mountains near Marfa, Texas. We felt lucky to be able to travel to such a magical place to share in their day – plus we got to work with one of our favorite DJs, DJ Presley and spend some time in one of our favorite towns. The flowers by Bows and Arrows Deluxe were amazing, and we enjoyed working alongside fellow husband + wife team Sarah Q Photography.

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Flowers just so happen to be a favorite of my favorite things, and a good floral DIY is much appreciated where this black-thumbed blogger is concerned, so when Tamara Menges offered up five tips to making the most beautiful bouquet, I was all over it. And then I saw the images from Christa Elyce Photography. You guys, gorgeous Tamara taught her cutie pie husband how to pull a bouquet together, and it’s adorable AND helpful!

How to Assemble a Bouquet

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How to Assemble a Bouquet

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Photography: Christa Elyce Photography | Floral Design: Tamara Menges Designs

Backyard Wedding at a Historic Family Home

Some of my most favorite weddings are backyard affairs. They have a certain coziness and charm that can’t be beat. And this Texas wedding is nuzzled into the backyard of the family’s historic Dallas home, making it even cooler. The bow ties, the cafe lights, the simplicity… it all comes together for a wedding that truly embodies love and family. See all the beauty captured by Mary Fields Photography right here.

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Backyard Outdoor Weddings

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Vintage Whimsical

The familiarity of home, the hard work of friends and family, the personal touches of decor from your own collection, the feeling of relaxed togetherness and the flare of vintage DIY all made it a day of sweet celebration for Stephen and I as we promised forever. It was exactly what we wanted and a day for the record books. When we got engaged, we determined that the most important things were cost-effectiveness, simplicity, togetherness and celebrating with people that we love. Those were the driving forces as we planned our at home/backyard DIY wedding.

As a couple, we really value the idea of togetherness and so we worked to make that the overarching theme of the wedding. So much of our relationship was spent on the front porch of this home, where Sara lived. It’s a beautiful home located in a historic district of Dallas, TX and has so much character to it. We would often times spend late nights on its porch just laughing with with people we love so when we were trying to decide where to have the ceremony, it was only fitting that our marriage begin there…at home. Simplicity was also a driving goal as we planned the wedding, keeping focus on the celebration itself. One of our first and most memorable dates was drinking lemonade on the front porch on a summer day. With that in mind, Stephen’s vision was for everyone to have a drink in hand as they watched the ceremony, creating an atmosphere of relaxed celebration.

Personal touches included chalk-board labeled mason jars, wildflower-inspired table decor, antlers repurposed as table centerpieces, market lights strung across the backyard, a picture frame/Polaroid photo booth and local food truck catering. The food truck was one of our favorite touches because of its uniqueness and its convenience. They pulled up right in front of the house so that guests could simply walk up and order. The food was delicious and we think it really added to the relaxed ‘family-style’ feel we were going for. Our favorite part of the day, though, was the fact that so many of our loving friends and family did the decorating and coordination themselves. It was truly a ‘family’ affair, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way. Overall, the day came together perfectly and better than we could have imagined. We were able to celebrate with the people we love, in a place that we love and in a way that celebrated our love in accordance with who we are as a couple.

Colorful Wedding at Escondido Golf Club

We don’t normally start our features with desserts, but when we’re talking about a cake THIS gorgeous, exceptions must be made. It’s a work of art all it’s own, and just the beginning of this Texas affair from Emily Moise, Bows and Arrows, 31 Films, and Hyde Park Photography. They joined together to pull off a wedding dream-come-true and there’s much more in the gallery plus film waiting down below!

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Romantic Barr Mansion Wedding

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From Emily Moise… Meredith and Christopher were married in an afternoon ceremony atop a grand staircase in the shiny sun light in front of 300 friends and family. They had been dating for many many years so the friends and families were all very close to the couple.

Meredith describes her look as the Kate Spade/Wildflower wedding with an obsession for everything personalized with a monogram or something meaningful to their families or themselves as a couple.

They gave out custom decks of cards with the watercolor pattern from their invitation since they always play hearts and spades with their families. They had two linen cloths from her grandmother’s wedding on the guest book table with old family photos displayed on top and the other was placed on the cake table. The guest book itself was 2 planks of wood that a family friend would later make into a bench for their future home’s backyard. Facts about the couple we displayed on cocktail napkins, custom cornhole yard game, horseshoes, monogrammed wine barrels used at the special wine bar, and many many more.

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The romantic Texas wedding and Forever Photography Studio go hand in hand, but when you add in Barr Mansion and a wedding this beautiful, it’s a whole new level of pretty. The kind of pretty that makes you suddenly realize you’ve spent hours in the gallery – even though it’s only felt like minutes.

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Modern Wedding at TRACE at The W Hotel

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From the beautiful bride… Mauricio and I met at a mutual friends birthday party at a lounge bar in Houston in 2007. As cheesy as it sounds I still think it was fate because neither of us really wanted to go out that night but did because we each had a friend who insisted we go. He said one thing to crack me up and I think we saw each other every day from that moment on.

The Barr Mansion was the first venue I visited and I instantly knew this was it. I was living in austin at the time going to culinary school while Mauricio was in Houston.Ii knew he would love it as well but I still visited a few more venues just to be sure but nothing compared to the rustic coziness of Barr Mansion.

For the overall look and style of the wedding, I wanted to stay away from the over the top elegant look and have a more relaxed wedding decor with warm colors. I just kind of worked around my favorite colors, olive green, lavender, coral, and gold.

The most important thing for us was that everyone have a fun time at the reception and thats why we made it a priority to have tons of fun props and shots for the reception.

Because my dad passed two years before our wedding I made sure to have a little section dedicated to him.

At the intersection of modern and traditional, you’ll find this pretty, pretty wedding, and I’ve just discovered my new favorite wedding category. It’s got all the classically beautiful elements, but the modern touch brings an edgy feel to the day that I just can’t get enough of. The Mullers have graciously put together a stunning gallery for those of you who just can’t get enough either!

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Cozy and Romantic Fredericksburg, TX Brunch Wedding

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Modern

From the stunning bride… From the onset we knew we wanted more of a modern, metropolitan feel for our wedding — which we knew would prove difficult in a very country, rustic-friendly city like Austin. But when we found TRACE Restaurant at the W Hotel we knew we had found the perfect venue for our wedding day vision.

The week of the wedding, a fluke cold front hit, putting a damper on my combination indoor/outdoor reception. But looking back I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

When I walked into the main dining room, I was taken back at how beautiful everything came together. Scott Darby from TRACE at the W Hotel and Amber from Heavenly Day Events, were quite a power duo. They took our vision and created more than I could’ve even imagined. The white on white dessert table was not only beautiful, but also fun for guests. The music and lights display, provided by Robert from DJ Innovative Entertainment, created such a fun party atmosphere for guests from all generations. The highlight of the night was definitely our surprise Colombian dancers! CaliRumba put on a jaw-dropping performance and then got our guests in on the fun by teaching them to salsa! To top everything off, this wonderful celebration was captured so beautifully by Lauren and Daniel of The Mullers Photography.

Our wedding was an intimate, elegant, fun and magical day and it’s all thanks to the wonderful team behind it!

Brunch weddings are pure genius to me. There is just something so cozy and intimate about them, and this pretty below captured by Amber Vickery Photography is the perfect example. With gorgeous florals from Sprout, lovely design by Anabelle Mode and sweet personal touches around every corner, this gallery is all around fabulous. See even more here.

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Oak Valley Vineyard Vow Renewal

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From Amber Vickery Photography…Lauren and Tray’s cozy brunch wedding at the Hoffman Haus nestled away in Fredericksburg, TX was so lovely and warm mixed with a touch of old Hollywood Glam. Lauren is a published poet and I think her wedding definitely reflected that. They invited their closest 47 family and friends to spend the weekend with them at the bed and breakfast. They celebrated with a romantic outdoor ceremony where guests read heartfelt poems followed by a sweet and intimate reception full of so many lovely toasts and a happy tears. Lauren’s dress and her bouquet by Sprout absolutely blew me away! Also, this girl seriously looks like Marilyn – she is so breathtaking.

When tragedy hits a family, sometimes the core can be shaken. But after the shockwaves settle, that core has the opportunity to get stronger, ten-fold. And that’s exactly what happened since Amy DeYoung and her husband said “I do” 11 years prior, prompting them to host the ultimate vow renewal celebration. Anne Marie Photography captured the day in gorgeous fashion, and all waiting right over here.

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Rustic, Elegant Texas Ranch Wedding

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Weddings in Wineries

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Casual

From the Bride… When it came time to decide what we wanted the overall feel of the day to be and to choose our vendors, it was really fun. As a photographer in the wedding industry, I feel privileged to see all kinds of talent at the events that I cover and work with truly wonderful people. I had a vision for how I wanted this day to come together, but I only sought out the best in their field to make it happen. That is where it all came alive and we could not have been more thrilled with how it turned out! It will go down as one of the best days of my life!

Our story: We were young when we married in 2002. Both of us knew within the first week of meeting that we had found “the one”. While we eagerly stepped forward into our lives together, the true weight of marriage evaded us. We were excited about what was to come. Eleven years together brought multiple moves across the country, 2 baby boys, starting a business, job changes, travels and a goldmine of laughter.

It wasn’t until 2012 and the loss of Paul’s sister that we realized exactly how fragile and fleeting life truly is. Ellen was a bright light that shined in our lives and her loss effected each of us deeply. The loss rippled over into other areas of our lives and eventually threatened our marriage. We were suddenly in a place where we had to fight within our marriage to survive and keep our family as one. Through all of this, God showed us what true agape love, grace and forgiveness can and will do. Our marriage is stronger than it has ever been and it is because we chose to sail through the storm with one another.

When you have walked through fire together and can honestly say that you would do it all over again to get to where you now are… you know you’re with the right person. This is why we chose to have a ceremony to recommit our lives to one another; celebrate a fresh start; a new beginning. We’ve been through the fire and we’ve seen the beauty that comes after the ashes settle. It’s so much better than before and without a doubt worth celebrating!

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What happens when country club chic and rustic ranch wedding meet? Apparently amazing things. Because that’s just what took place at this Rio Roca Ranch wedding captured beautifully by Sarah Kate. Top it all off with florals from Jackson Durham so pretty they’ll make you cry, and ladies and gents, we have a winner. See every pretty moment right here.

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Gather In Downtown McKinney Wedding

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From the Bride…When we graduated from TCU in 2008, I headed South to law school at Baylor in Waco and Stewart stayed in Fort Worth to get a masters in Ranch Management. Then, he moved to Dallas. So, for three years, we made the 1.5 hour drive up and down I-35 going to visit each other. Imagine poor Stew’s surprise when my third and final year in law school brought the opportunity to work for a judge in Austin for a year….Austin is another 90 miles South of Dallas. When I told Stew the news, he responded, “wait, you got your directions mixed up, you’re supposed to be moving North.” But, true to form, he supported my decision to go to Austin for a year, and we then started making the 3 hour drive up and down I-35. At the end of my clerkship, and dating in the same place for three years, and four years apart, he proposed in Fort Worth, where it all began. I actually thought we were going to his little brother’s graduation dinner. Turns out, we were all dressed up because he proposed in a beautiful spot while his brother hid in the bushes and took pictures. After, we went to dinner where, “surprise!” both of our families were waiting to celebrate at our favorite restaurant. I finally moved to Dallas and we got married ten months later. Now we both work in Dallas but race to the ranch every chance we get.

Inspiration for the wedding:
Stewart and I dated for seven years before we got married. In those seven years, his family bought land where we loved to ride horses and four wheelers. One day when we were riding, we stopped at the top of a bluff to overlook the Brazos River. It was one of those spots where you stand and just know there is a God and He is perfect. In that moment, as Stewart and I stood there, I knew I was with the man I would marry. Fast forward about four years to when he proposed. By then, the land had turned into a working ranch, the Rio Roca Ranch, and there was now an unbelievably gorgeous glass chapel on the property – not far down from “our spot.” It seemed like fate that a chapel was built in the spot where I first knew we would be married. But, I’m from a small town in Louisiana- Natchitoches (pronounced nak-a-dish and home of Steel Magnolias) and really struggled with whether we should get married there. Unlike many girls, I never had a “dream” wedding in mind – didn’t have the colors chosen, the cake designed, and had never slipped in to try on a wedding dress, so I was starting from scratch. I tried to picture getting married in my beautiful home town, but none of the details would fall into place. Ultimately, every time I closed my eyes and envisioned marrying Stewart, I saw the Brazos River behind us and that amazing bluff. Once I saw that, I could suddenly and easily envision all of the other details – my dress, colors, etc. So, there was my answer.

Themes:
We both love all things western, so I knew our wedding needed to reflect that. BUT, I am also very traditional and have always loved the classic, country club wedding. I didn’t want our wedding to be mason jars and boots – I wanted elegance, in the midst of the country. So I guess my theme sort of became “a country club wedding in the country.” We did jeans, boots, sundresses, and Texas country for the rehearsal dinner, but kept the wedding very classic and formal…it just happened to be on a ranch. Is “ranch elegance” a theme?

Details:
The best details weren’t the flowers or the place settings, but the things that reflected our interests and heritage. Our guest amenity box had homemade Italian cookies from Nona, my Italian grandmother, a keepsake from the Rio Roca Ranch, salt water taffy from New Orleans, Zapp’s chips from Louisiana, and a CD with all of our favorite music from the seven years we’ve been together. During the wedding, we went for traditional, with a few twists. Stewart wore a grey suit, his boots and a buckle I designed for him years ago; he and his groomsmen walked out to an acoustic guitar playing “Sharp Dressed Man.” In other words, he was comfortable, and it showed. I just couldn’t imagine Stewart at the ranch in shiny black shoes and walking up the aisle to classical music. I, of course, went traditional and chose Canon in D. But my girls walked down to The Beatles…who could be better? Finally, just to keep things interesting, two opera singers sang “The Prayer”, quite possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced as their amazing sound passed over the bluff outside. We had the wedding on the lawn overlooking the glass chapel because it was all part of my “vision”.

The wedding reception really reflected my Sicilian heritage: we passed lemoncello after dinner that my Nona made and served them in the same glasses our Italian cousins would serve it to us in Sicily. I loved hearing all the guests follow Nona’s lead saying, “Salute!” My Italian cousins also brought bonbonnieres over from Italy that were handed out as favors. These are lace flowers filled with five Jordan almonds to represent happiness, wealth, longevity, fertility, and health. We danced to the traditional Italian wedding song, at which point Nona stole the microphone from the lead singer of The Project and kept singing after the music stopped. Then, to reflect TCU, our grooms cake was a custom cowboy boot with a horned frog and our last name on it. We also pulled all of our friends together for the TCU fight song. Finally, Stewart drove us away in a 1947 International green pick up. It was beautiful and pristine, yet a great ode to our love of all things classic. Of course, Stewart forgot to tell me until we were driving away that the truck had no lights. Luckily he has every road memorized because it was pitch black!

I know I should be all for the big, beautiful wedding cakes, but can I be honest for a minute? This sweet and simple cake from Sugar Bee Sweets is quite possibly my favorite ever. It’s just so perfect for this somewhat rustic, somewhat organic, all the way pretty wedding from June Bug Company. The guests had a hint from Art By Ellie that is was going to be beautiful, but really, who could have expected this?!

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Vintage Plane Engagement Session

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Industrial

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Rustic

From the Bride… Brett and I got married in downtown McKinney on November 10th 2013 with 60 of our closest friends and family. Our wedding had a very unique theme… “whimsical woodland.” Everything was inspired by nature with a vintage flair! We had moss, twigs, branches, burlap, birds, and little deer incorporated in our wedding. The ceremony was set in a chapel restored from the 1850-1920s. The bridesmaids each picked out their own dress, shoes and jewelry to make them look and feel unique!

At the reception, each guest receive a small jar of jam in one of 4 different flavors (Blackberry Vanilla Bourbon, Maple Apple Butter, Raspberry Orange, or Cinnamon Pear Butter) with “Spread the Love” on the label. Instead of a photobooth, we had a Polariod camera and the guests took pictures with silly props an placed them in our guest book.

The day of the wedding my mom gave me her gold wedding band to wear for my “something old.” My something borrowed was a vintage clip-on earring that I borrowed from a friend and put it on my bouquet. My “something blue” was a fabric flower on my handmade garter.

Some of my DIY projects were…I made the mason jars that were on some of the guests tables and the dessert bar with burlap and various collected pieces of jewelry and fabric flowers. I also made the streamer on the vintage suit case that said “cards.” I found vintage hand written doctor’s prescriptions on Etsy and used them as our table numbers and I put them in unique frames that fit the look of the wedding.

Every single detail was planned by my mom and I and executed perfectly by all of my vendors! We had so much fun and everything went off without a hitch! I wish I could do it all over again everyday.

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Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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Engagement sessions are sort of my favorite thing ever. Especially when they include two adorable love bugs and a killer vintage airplane. Luxe Photography snapped the whole shebang, and you can peruse all the pretty right over here.

From Luxe Photography… It started with a couple of planes, a vintage suitcase and floppy hat and led to a remote rock cliff at the lake with a breathtaking sunset.

Photography: Luxe Photography

Simple Shabby Chic Bridal Session

Bridal sessions are the best, don’t you think? A day to get all dolled up on your beautiful gown (and let’s face it, the more you get to put that beauty on, the happier you are) and play in front of the camera. As Southern Charm Photography has absolutely proven with these images, the bridal session is really the best.

From the photographer… Meet Bethany. A bride as natural and as beautiful as they come. When Bethany called me and told me she wanted bridals that were very simple and natural with a little shabby chic thrown in, I knew exactly what we needed to do! Bethany and her fiancé had to endure a long distance relationship, which is why we felt the need to include the globes with our shabby chic set up! On top of that Bethany and her family created her bouquet as well as her lovely sash for her dress! It was such a joy to photograph her in all of her happiness!

Photography: Southern Charm Photography | Wedding Dress: David's Bridal

DIY Coral + Turquoise Wedding

A good DIY is really the way to this girls heart. But a whole beautiful DIY wedding like this one from Jenny McCann steals my heart, runs away with it, and never gives it back. Handmade, hand grown, and hand painted, the wedding was a true labor of love, and with a floral design from Sprout, you really can’t go wrong.

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