Texas Weddings

It’s the full effect. Everything from the flowers and styling by Sweet Sunday Events, the incredible Essense of Australia dress and the pretty Pen & Ink stationary all fuse together to make this Austin wedding a true beauty. There are so many more touching images by Caroline Joy Photography in the full gallery here.

And be sure to check out the wedding video from the always-amazing Lizama Videography:

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Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Caroline Joy Photography… There’s something so sweetly simple about a ranch wedding in the Texas Hill Country. The charming and cozy 1860’s Ranch House at Teravista set the comfortable, inviting tone for this wedding. My very favorite thing about this wedding is how the traditional Texas decor is softened by the pastel color palette, the delicate china and the understated florals. As a lifelong Texan, I love seeing a true-to-its-roots Texas wedding that feels classy and feminine.

Wedding Photography: Caroline Joy Photography / Wedding Venue: The Ranch House at Teravista in Austin, Texas / Floral Design, Styling + Vintage Rentals: Sweet Sunday Events / Wedding Cinematography: Lizama Videography / Wedding Stationery: Pen & Ink / Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia “D1319” Cloud 9 Bridal / Hair + Makeup: Green Alley Salon / Nails: Peace Love Nails

In our eyes, you can never go wrong with a vintage garden inspired wedding. One stuffed to the gills with the prettiest mismatched china and loads of blooms in every shade of pink under the sun. Peony Events crafted just such an affair and it’s the kind of gem we could stare at all live long day. The images by Bonnie Berry Photography, the row of impossibly good looking cakes, the sweetest little flower girls slurping down their pink lemonade faster than you can bat an eyelash; it all makes for an inspiring Southern shindig. One that you can get cozy with right here in the full gallery.

From Peony Events… Mia and Jeff, two successful young attorneys from Washington DC (she’s originally from Texas and he’s from Kansas), chose to return to San Antonio for their intimate nuptials. Their compatibility and love for each other were obvious from our first communication with them, and it  was a great pleasure to help them create this very special wedding.

For the decor, Mia’s inspiration was “Vintage Southern Garden.” We wanted everything to feel romantic, feminine and lush. Our goal was to create the look of an effortless, yet opulent and personal soiree. We began by selecting the venue: The Koehler House. The house is a beautiful stone mansion near downtown San Antonio, resplendent with gorgeous original details, including huge chandeliers, intricately-carved mantels and staircases, and conveniently, paint hues in the wedding colors! The rolling lawn of the grounds provided the perfect setting for the outdoor ceremony. We swagged several yards of linen from the branches of a huge oak tree to make the wedding arch and adorned the aisle with flower-filled mason jars hanging from shepherds’ hooks. The bride’s dress was made by Melissa Sweet, and the groom wore a custom navy suit. The bridesmaids wore ethereal Amsale gowns in blush chiffon, and the groomsmen sported crisp, white shirts, gray slacks, suspenders and matching Converse sneakers. We designed a unique bouquet for each bridesmaid and wrapped it with lace. The men wore boutonnieres of peach spray roses, wrapped in burlap ribbon.

During the cocktail hour, guests strolled the lovely veranda as the South Texas Jazz Ensemble provided music, while enjoying Southern-inspired hors d’oeuvres such as shrimp and grits shooters by Spice of Life Catering. To create the romantic, vintage ambiance for the reception inside, we covered farm tables with white linen hemstitch runners and custom white linen tablecloths, then set places with breathtaking vintage china and silver from Sisters Vintage Party in Fredericksburg. We used their beautiful milk glass, crystal, and silver vases as inspiration for the centerpieces and created unique floral arrangements of varying sizes and shapes using peonies, garden roses, spray roses and ranunculus in shades of cream, blush, peach and coral. Hundreds of candles lit the tables, mantels and windowsills. As Mia and Jeff are foodies, they wanted something beyond your average catering fare. They served gourmet comfort foods such as fried green tomatoes, and mac n’ cheese with green chiles and lobster. Mia surprised Jeff with his favorite brisket from Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas. For dessert, the couple chose cookies, brownies and miniature cherry pies, as well as three gorgeous wedding cakes by Cathy Young in shades of blush and white. Sweet details like refreshing pink lemonade served from a vintage silver platter and personalized accents in Tiffany blue, including chalkboard signs, handmade table numbers and even the cake table, made this wedding feel extra-special. A sparkler send-off and vintage Bentley departure ended this gorgeous evening on a high note.

Photography: Bonnie Berry Photography / Wedding Venue: The Koehler House in San Antonio, Texas / Event Planning + Floral Design: Peony Events / Vintage Rentals: Sisters Vintage Party / Catering: Spice of Life / Brisket: Kreuz Market / Wedding Cakes: Cakes by Cathy Young / Music: South Texas Jazz / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet “Mila” / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale

 Once upon a time, Zoo met Wedding, and BAM!  What an amazingly unique and fun recipe for a night no one will ever forget! The couple exchanged vows to the sounds of Fort Worth Zoo and in front of a gorgeous weeping willow. Wild animals mingled with guests during cocktail hour (no joke!), and animal-inspired details were scattered throughout the reception. Thank you, Stephanie Hunter Photography, for capturing the magic right here in the full gallery of photos.

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From Stephanie Hunter Photography… Louise and Brad’s vision was “zoo chic” — they wanted something vibrant, offbeat and fun, so they decided on a colorful fuchsia, cobalt blue and glitter theme. Bows & Arrows created awesome glitter vases filled with pops of pink and blue flowers. The sequin detail on the bouquets pulled together the glitter theme. The couple sent out paper confetti in their wedding colors with the gorgeous custom calligraphy invitations from Angi at Angelique Ink. For the ceremony, a simple, glittery “Forever & Ever” banner marked the altar on a deck that overlooked the zoo. Slowly-burning tiki torches and the sounds of wild animals accompanied the couple as they said their vows in front of a massive weeping willow that fluttered in the wind. Dinner was held in an art gallery at the zoo and for seating arrangements, little envelopes in the wedding colors had the names of their guests, but they included legendary couples such as “William & Kate,” “Fred & Wilma” and “Romeo & Juliet.” During cocktail hour, guests signed a DIY scrapbook made by Louise and offered wishes and advice. The kicker was the presence of the animals for the “Wild Wonders Show” where an owl, a boa and a penguin all made an appearance! While the family was taking pictures, guests sipped on cocktails and mingled with the animals! But the most important presence were the couple’s friends and family, who traveled from far and wide to love, support and celebrate Louise and Brad’s big, fun, joyous day.

Wedding Photography: Stephanie Hunter Photography / Ceremony: Fort Worth Zoo in Fort Worth, Texas / Reception: Portraits of the Wild Art Gallery at Fort Worth Zoo in Fort Worth, Texas / Wedding Coordination: Jamie of Fort Worth Zoo / Floral Design: Alicia Rico of Bows & Arrows / Officiant: Rev. Denise Luper / Catering: Culinaire International / Wedding Cake: Heidi Alison of Sugar Bee Sweets / Wedding Invitations: Angi of Angelique Ink / DJ: Shawn of A Very Special Day / Wedding Dress: Alfred Angelo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Men’s Suits: Men’s Wearhouse

Hello yellow! Try, just try, not to get a little giddy after spending some quality time with this little number by Brooke Schultz Photography. It’s impossible for it not to brighten your day at least a bit, and when you spot the oh-so in love duo at the center of all the pretty, you’ll be just as head over heels in love with this sweet fête as I am. It’s vibrant and filled with beautiful blooms, and there is more sitting pretty right here!

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From the Bride… William and I met last summer while being counselors for a youth church camp in San Antonio. Perfect premise for a Disney Channel movie, right? We found ourselves trying really hard impress each other all week. It didn’t take long after for things to get started. We did the long-distance thing for a few months and, boy, did it rip my heart out when he drove away every Sunday night.  Finally, he was off track for school and moved down to Utah to join me. We got engaged, and I started planning my little heart out!

I’ve known since I was a little girl that I had to find a boy who would marry me in an LDS Temple. It is a place of worship and happiness for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and a place I’ve always loved. We decided to get married in the temple in Houston. The ceremony is short, sacred and intimate, so the reception is really where all my decisions had to be made! I am a true Texas girl at heart who was lucky enough to find a Texas boy, so I knew that a little bit of rustic had to be thrown in, but I didn’t want any theme or color to be too obvious or over the top. I was looking for simple, clean and fun. I wanted our family and guests to have a good time, eat good food and feel comfortable. Fancy-schmancy is just not our thing.

We chose a beautiful wood and stone venue that’s set in the woods of my hometown. Crystal Springs was my dream come true! Everything I had envisioned and worked hard on turned out beautifully, and I couldn’t have been happier. We had a great time eating barbecue, chatting with our guests and dancing the night away! The best part? No more heart-ripping goodbyes. I get to be with this boy forever.

Wedding Photography: Brooke Schultz Photography / Ceremony: LDS Temple in Houston, Texas / Reception: Crystal Springs in Magnolia, Texas / Floral Design: Kate Thayne of Flowers Forever / Catering + Wedding Cake: Bobbie Sevy of Southern Elegance / Jam Favors: DIY by the Bride & Groom / Wedding Dress: The Perfect Dress / Bride’s Shoes: Dessy + Lace Added by beccaandlouise / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Shabby Apple / Groom’s Suit: Jos. A. Bank / Men’s Ties: The Tie Bar

As a girl who has only been to Texas once or twice, I like to imagine the quintessential Texas wedding feeling a little like this. Super duper chic, gorgeous details and a bride wearing a beautiful smile – with a little equestrian charm thrown into the mix. Captured by Helmutwalker Photography, this is the Texas soiree of my mind. And in the gallery, we can all imagine attending a chic Arlington wedding so charming!

Click here to see the full image gallery!

From Helmutwalker Photography … We gathered a talented team of wedding professionals to create this late summer equestrian inspired photo shoot in a charming 1912 barn and farmhouse, Howell Family Farms in Arlington, Texas. The refinished barn gave us the perfect setting for our theme, which combined the rustic with the elegant. To achieve this timeless and traditional feel we used a color palette of cool, classic blue and white throughout the tablescapes, florals and paper goods.

Chandler Weddings created a lush, mostly white centerpiece using roses, carnations and mini green hydrangeas with a variety of white flowers in small blue and white vases. Other shades of blue were used in the Spode china, table linens, blue hydrangeas and even the bride’s bridal sash. A touch of yellow carried out the organic feel with lemons used as place card holders and in a dessert table arrangement. Boxwood was used in the mini wreaths hanging from sweet, patterned ribbon to announce “Mr. and Mrs.” A larger boxwood wreath hung from the stable door to mark the dessert table filled with blue and white pieces and a hand-made cake stand.

Caroline Hull of Caroline Creates cleverly incorporated the equestrian theme in the paper details of the table number, menu cards and wreath signs.

A gorgeous bouquet of delphinium, freesia, lizianthus, hydrangea and other florals was created by Kate Foley of Kate Foley designs. The bouquet echoed other touches of romance and timelessness in the barn and complimented the bride’s gown.

Nature’s quintessential color combination of blue and white in many tints and hues brought together all design elements to whisper charm and elegance.

Whether walking through the stables, along the paths around the barn or sitting in the red rocking chairs lining the farmhouse porch, this peaceful setting holds memories of many happy celebrations filled with Southern hospitality and welcomes many more to come!

Photography: Helmutwalker Photography / Centerpieces and Wreaths: Chandler Weddings / Bouquet: Kate Foley Designs / Event Planning & Design: Chandler Weddings / Venue: Howell Family Farms / Invitations: Paper by Caroline Creates / Dress: Bliss Bridal Salon / Cake and Meringes: Creme de la Creme Cake Company / Hair and Makeup: Lip Service, Jennifer Trotter / Rentals: Taylor’s Rental Equipment Co. / Bundt Cakes: Nothing Bundt Cakes / Mini Pies: Central Market

It’s a good thing I’ve already had my wedding, because if I hadn’t, I might have stolen each and every detail from this one courtesy of The Life You Love Photography. I’m not lying. Every inch of this beauty at The Guenther House is filled with personal touches and perfectly graceful elements thanks to the planning by Country Sugar and the couple’s amazing DIY projects that simply make my heart sing. These two lovelies are so head-over-heels for each other, their happiness and true joy just jump right off of the screen. Take a looksy through our gallery and you’ll see what I mean.

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From The Life You Love Photography… I believe that every single wedding artist involved with this wedding would echo my words over and over — Lucia and James were such a breath of fresh air. Both sweet, soft-spoken, brimming with sincerity and possessing hearts as deep as the Atlantic. Aesthetic and details were a high priority for both, but not for the “show” or “production.” Each detail was chosen for one of two reasons: because it represented them as a couple or to enhance their guests’ experience. Their venue search took them throughout San Antonio, all over the Texas Hill County, up and around Austin and everywhere in between. They eventually chose The Guenther House and never looked back. Filled with San Antonio charm and a Victorian vibe, these two indie-lovers found their true match. Against the backdrop of this quaint venue, their deliberate decor, food and ambiance choices stood visible and strong. The majority of everything you see is DIY … with love.

Photography: The Life You Love Photography / Wedding Venue: The Guenther House in San Antonio, Texas / Event Design + Planning: Country Sugar / Floral Design: Eden’s Echo / Wedding Invitations: DIY by the Bride & Groom / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman / Getting Ready Location: Hotel Havana

What garden party is complete without streamers, yellow flowers and gorgeous sunshine? The Aldredge House is a stunning and stately manor with a gorgeous lawn, and the design and execution of this wedding seem effortless. The bride’s beautifully peaceful and content demeanor just goes to show how right marrying the love of her life must feel – congrats to this wonderful couple, and many thanks to Crosswhite Photography for sharing the full gallery of photos right here!

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From Crosswhite Photography… Kaysi and Robbie had a beautiful garden wedding at the Aldredge House in the historic Swiss Avenue District of Dallas. Their gray and yellow color theme was effortless played out through the linens, flowers and custom paper products. The bride even used milk glass vases that had belonged to her grandmother to add a personal touch.

Wedding Photography: Crosswhite Photography / Wedding Venue: Aldredge House in Dallas, Texas / Floral Design: Cocktails & Caviar / Wedding Coordination: Aldredge House, Meagan Chumlea of Food Glorious Food + Brynn Parrott / Catering: Food Glorious Food / Wedding Cake: Frosted Art / Music: Michael Cone / Transportation: Dallas Classic Chevys / Wedding Dress: Mikaella Bridal via Bridal Collections by Stella / Hair + Makeup: Cat Smith of Knockout Beauty

We’ve been chomping at the bit over the long weekend go get this week started on SMP, particularly because this pretty little number by Ryan Ray was first on the lineup of lovely. Thankfully the time has come to share the pretty, so we don’t have to wait a moment longer to soak up all the sweetness of this Texas fête. One little scroll through all the gorgeous images and you’ll see why we had ants in our pants to get it on your screen – and believe it or not, there is so much more to swoon over right here!

From the Bride… The most important aspect of our wedding was being wed before God with all of our friends and family there in support. As long as that was our focus, we knew the wedding itself would be beautiful. We had many more guests than we originally anticipated, so we tried to keep the ceremony and reception intimate with as many personal details as possible. These included all of the groom’s favorite deserts at his cake table, honey from the county his parents grew up in for favors, a picture of the bride’s grandfather sewn to her bouquet, a family Bible as the ring pillow and a stone altar that was transported to the family ranch for generations to come to enjoy. Our ceremony was held outdoors in the Texas Hill Country and we could not have been more lucky with the weather in May! The creek was running, the clouds rolled over right before the bridal processional, and the breeze was perfect. While most people look forward to the reception, we will never forget our wedding ceremony!

Wedding Photography: Ryan Ray Photography / Wedding Venue: Don Strange Ranch in Boerne, Texas / Floral + Event Design: Razzle Dazzle Event Decorating / Wedding Coordination: Melody Agee of One Fine Day / Wedding Cake: Cakes by Cathy Young / Wedding Dress: Rivini / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair: Bess Zowarka / Makeup: The Makeup Maven and Company / Groom’s Attire: Wilke Rodriguez

 There is something truly magical about arboretums. They always make the best backdrop for weddings, and this lovely Dallas Arboretum wedding is no different! The homemade wooden table numbers and bistro lighting make the reception look perfectly intimate and perfectly lovely. Many thanks to Ben Q. Photography for capturing all the wonderful moments, especially the couple’s first look — It is the sweetest! Check out the full gallery of photos right here.

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From the Bride… I was definitely going for a rustic/vintage look in a beautiful garden. We incorporated love birds in the wedding decor as well. My dad always called me a love bird and Freddie used that nickname for me while we were dating. The table numbers were DIY. We also made our own wedding programs and seating chart on a vintage window pane.

From Ben Q. Photography… Jennifer and Freddie got married in an outdoor garden at the Dallas Arboretum. The ceremony was sweet, and the couple walked out to the music of a harpist. After the ceremony, they used the Camp House at the arboretum for their indoor/outdoor reception. Tables with purple linens were all along the lawn under strings of cafe lights. Each table had a wooden table number with colorful floral centerpieces. The dance floor was tented and draped with purple and fuchsia uplights. Cakes were cut indoors in the library area of the Camp House. Jennifer and Freddie were such a sweet and stylish couple. We loved that they combined a bit of vintage and rustic in their tablescapes and decor with some glam in the draped tent and rich purple hues.

Wedding Photography: Ben Q. Photography / Wedding Venue: Dallas Arboretum in Dallas, Texas / Floral Design + Decor: DiFiori / Wedding Cakes: Delicious Cakes / DJ + Lighting: Miguel Gonzalez of Astounding Sounds / Wedding Dress: Watters via Emma’s Bridal Boutique / Bride’s Shoes: RSVP / Jewelry: Helzberg Diamonds

Happy Friday, lovelies! We’re closing out another fabulous week with this super pretty e-session from Jessica Garmon. The gorgeous light that’s cast upon this adorable couple is nothing less of spectacular and we are eating up every single inch. Oh, and we’re not shy about the fact that we can’t wait to see their upcoming wedding in Austin! Click here for more.

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From Jessica Garmon… Khristy and Ty met through her brother, who was also Ty’s best friend. It only took a couple of get-togethers before they were attached at the hip. She’s a nurse and he’s a TV producer, so their lives are pretty crazy, but they always find time for each other. She’s thoughtful and just thinks Ty is the most hilarious guy she’s ever met. And of course he loves to make her laugh. When they asked me to capture their engagement pictures, I knew that I wanted to use their favorite city, Dallas, as the backdrop. We shot this session at sunset with just film. I styled the session with their help, and we had a total blast. Their upcoming wedding in Austin should be as equally stunning as these photographs.

Photography + Styling: Jessica Garmon / Location: Dallas, Texas

Give me a wedding filled with bright, beautiful colors, and I’ll give you a happy blogger – for days. The happy palette of this sweet Texan soiree are enough to multiply any smile tenfold – and don’t even get me started on the ridiculously adorable bride. Because in front of Forever Photography Studio‘s lens (and I have a feeling without it too) she shines. The gallery is jam packed with gorgeous images to last for a lifetime of swooning, so what are you waiting for? Get over there now!

The gallery will have to wait just a few moments my loves, because before you hop over there we have a fantastic little film from Waterloo Films!

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Click here to see the rest of this gorgeous affair!

Eric and I had been waiting for our wedding day for a long time. After meeting in high school and dating for six years (four of those in different states attending different universities), when he proposed after asking my mom for her blessing, I was beyond ecstatic. I immediately began rifling through my secret “wedding inspiration” folders on my computer (inspirations collected long before the days of Pinterest) and realized that our hope and vision for our wedding were pretty simple – we wanted it to be a fun, celebratory time for our guests and each other, and a time honoring those in our lives who had helped us get to this beautiful point in our lives.

We wanted our wedding to take place somewhere that felt like home. Enter Crystal Springs, a beautiful, rustic venue in Magnolia, Texas, about an hour northwest of Houston. With its ceremony site nestled in piney woods and its reception hall made of beautiful wood and limestone, Crystal Springs served as the perfect backdrop for the vintage and hand-done feel we were going for.

Inspired by pretty, old things, my mom and I scoured many antique stores all across the country and planned a wedding full of meaningful and homemade touches. My mom (have you noticed yet how important she is to me?) sewed the 250 teal-striped napkins at each place setting and baked banana breads, wrapped in burlap and twine, for each guest to take home as their party favors. Our florals, which guests were also encouraged to take home at the end of the night, filled mismatched jars and vases we’d collected over the last year.

Our wedding was a labor of love and a true celebration the beginning of our life as husband and wife. My momma walked me down the aisle (a moment I will cherish always) and Eric and I honored my father, who died six years ago, by lighting a memory candle during the ceremony. We incorporated our families in many other ways, by displaying the wedding photos of important couples in our lives and using my father’s beloved 1969 Camaro as our getaway car.

My husband and my favorite part of the day, beside the ceremony and making our vows to each other in front of everyone we love, was seeing our guests having so much fun. It was important to us that as we celebrated our marriage, our guests knew how honored we felt to have them there. Our wedding day was perfect and we feel so extraordinarily blessed and EXCITED have begun our lives together in such great company!

Photographer: Forever Photography Studio / Videographer: Waterloo Films / Floral Designer: Flora Bella Designs / Day-of coordinator: Monarch Wedding & Event Planning / Invitation Designer: Bluebonnet Press / Bride’s cake: Dream Cakes / Groom’s cake: Great American Cookie Company / Wedding Gown Designer: Priscilla of Boston / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Siri, Inc. / Engagement ring: Bride’s great grandmother’s / Pearl and diamond ring: Bride’s grandmother’s / Band: Drywater Band / Catering: Del Pueblo/ Venue: Crystal Springs / Hair & Makeup: Charmed by Tonya

There’s just something about a stunning Hill Country wedding that never, EVER fails to tug at the heart strings – and this gorgeous Kingsland soiree is certainly no exception.  Set against a mesmerizing lakeside backdrop and boasting sweet DIY details and bright yellow hues, it’s the kind of day that takes your breath away with every last glorious moment… and you know how much we love those.  Mint Photography snapped up all of the lovely and the gallery is overflowing with so much pretty, you won’t know what to do with yourselves.  Join me there for more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Mint Photography… There are SO many wonderful things I can say about this wedding! First off, the venue was GORGEOUS and the details were ah-mazing and all designed by Lauren’s mom! This quaint hotel over looked lake LBJ, so Blake and his groomsmen enjoyed a day boating on the lake, while the girls spent the afternoon sipping on cocktails and having a ton of good laughs. How perfect does that sound? The food was exquisite thanks to caterer Chef Taylor Hall, who created a masterpiece of a meal for the guests in attendance. Gorgeous lighting arrangements draped across the canopy of enormous ancient oak trees, and the sounds of acoustic guitar strums provided the backdrop for the chorus of conversation and laughs. A great time was had a by all in a romantic summer evening setting. It was truly a magical evening that made this photog’s job a joy!

Wedding Photography: Mint Photography / Wedding Venue: The Antlers Hotel in Kingsland, Texas / Floral Design: Botanica / Catering: Chef Taylor Hall / Wedding Cake: Cakes by Cathy Young / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Wedding Dress: Watters / Bride’s Sash: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka

This wedding is oh so dreamy! Maybe it’s the white and light pink tones, the bride’s gorgeous dress, or the precious details like the delicate embellishments around the cake stands, but there’s something about this wedding that makes me feel like I’m floating! And the venue is a perfect backdrop for all of the loveliness. Many thanks to Phenom Photographers for capturing the beauty right here in the full gallery of photos!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Brandon and I met through a blind date. Brandon’s friend, Clay, and Clay’s then-girlfriend (now-wife), Renna, went to St. Thomas Catholic Church one Sunday and saw me there — the one time they happened to go to that church and the one time I happened to go without my parents. After church, they came up to me, and Renna asked if I was single. I said I was and then she continued to tell me about Brandon. We decided on a blind double date. Brandon was in Sonoma Valley at the time on vacation. He received a call from Clay letting him know he had a date when he got back. On Tuesday evening August 3rd, 2010, I met the man of my dreams. Also to my great surprise, he was the man my mom and I were checking out at church the whole summer. He was just too chicken to ask me himself. We all went out to a bar and grill for dinner and then went to a Hooks baseball game afterwards. It was perfect!

Brandon and I went out to eat at Joe’s Crab Shack on the water on Sunday night July 31, 2011, then we went down to Corpus Christi bay front to sit on a bench and enjoy the evening. He told me to listen to this song he heard that he thought I might like … which was John Berry’s “Will You Marry Me.” I was listening to it and in my head thought it was a great song, but I had nooooo idea his next step, or rather kneel, was coming. He knelt down in front of me and asked me to marry him! And obviously I said YES! Thank you Jesus for bringing our lives together.

Wedding Photography: Phenom Photographers / Ceremony: St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Robstown, Texas / Reception: The Ranch at San Patricio in Mathis, Texas / Wedding Planning: Amber Anderson / Floral Design: Debbie Smalik / Wedding Cake: Amanda Cole / Music: Borderline Band / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang

Is there anything this couple can’t do? They held their wedding in their own backyard, designed the invitations, made cupcake stands and the sweetheart table, created their own guest favors, and the list goes on! A groomsman even brewed a custom wedding ale for their special day. Every little detail is so unique, and what a fitting theme for their wedding: “Yay Love”. Yay love is right, and three cheers for this amazing DIY couple! See all of the amazingness right here in the full gallery of photos, thanks to Park Bench Photography.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Dawson and I got married on May 26, 2012, in Austin, Texas. We met in 2006 as we were both in a wedding together. He was my assigned groomsmen, and as we left the church in the recessional we danced the tango all the way out. Several years went by and we lost touch, then in 2010, we reconnected and started dating. We got married on our two-year anniversary — the day after my birthday.

Our inspiration for the decorations, event and really our engagement was “Yay Love.” The night of our engagement, we had a small chalkboard framed where people could write us notes to use in our photo booth. Some of our friends wrote “yay love,” and it just stuck with us as we started to plan our wedding. The color scheme was a little harder to come up with but we chose muted shades of red, yellow and blue. Dawson designed the invitations and programs. We knew we wanted to have the reception in our backyard because shortly after our engagement we were given the house as a gift from his grandparents. We wanted to share our excitement with our loved ones and immediately start entertaining people. The summer before our wedding Dawson built the detached garage/barn/workshop, and it was the perfect setting for our dance floor and desserts. We had a 30’x40’ tent set up in the backyard, which housed most of the seating for dinner. Some additional seating was behind the tent in the crushed granite part of the backyard. Each table was dressed with a white tablecloth, colored fabric runner and burlap. Small wood chunks were cut by Dawson to hold our “yay” flags, flowers in mason jars, small succulents in tiny mason jars for favors and regular mason jars for drinks (Our friend and groomsman Danny made us a special brew called Williams Wedding Ale).  The flags were very multipurpose and we used them in our programs, table centerpieces and as our send-off decorations. For the dessert table, Dawson made the cupcake stands from pieces of wood he had in the garage. We made the banners out of our engagement pictures and wedding photos from family members on both sides. The guest book was another Pinterest idea we came across. We both have a love for airstream trailers and hope to have one in the backyard one day as a guest house. Dawson, being very talented and handy, also made the table we used for our sweetheart table, which was dressed with my grandmother’s handmade tablecloth. He also made the terrace-type fence behind our table for me the first Valentine’s Day we were together in 2010.

Our officiant is a good friend of ours and the youth pastor at our church. Our ceremony included a reading of Philippians 1:9-11, communion, a time of prayer, vows and a short message of the gospel.  Our chapel had a small balcony seating section and as we turned to face the audience as a married couple it was really fun to look up and see all of our friends cheering for us. After the ceremony, we had a short receiving line before taking pictures and heading to the backyard. We didn’t want pictures to last too long, but we also wanted to allow our guests plenty of time to get settled into the backyard. We didn’t do a lot of formalities at our reception — we stuck to the basics of being introduced as married and first dance. We really wanted a relaxed environment for everyone to cut loose and enjoy themselves. Several guests changed into street clothes before the dancing began. Our DJ was an iPod, which gave us the freedom to be surprised by what song came on next and enjoy the spontaneous dance-offs that occurred.

Wedding Photography: Park Bench Photography / Ceremony: Shelton Chapel at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas / Reception: The Home of the Bride and Groom in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: Blue Box Events / Floral Design: Jack + Sandy Brown / Appetizer: DIY by the Bride & Groom / Meal Catering: P. Terry’s / Desserts: Rachel Spies / Wedding Invitations: Dawson Williams (The Groom) / Tent & Rentals: Miscellaneous Rentals + Star of Texas Tents and Events / Yay Flags + Fabric Runners: DIY / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Seychelles via DSW / Hair + Makeup: Laura Koch Wyrtzen

We’re all about Mondays here at SMP and no, we’re not totally crazy. Well, maybe a little wedding obsessed, but how can you blame us? Serving up all the pretty five days a week never ever gets old, especially when you’ve got pretty little farm weddings like this one captured perfectly by Sherry Hammonds Photography. It’s DIY done oh-so-right and you can see it all right here in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… My husband and I met and currently live in Fredericksburg, Texas. Shortly after we started dating, he took me to visit his family farm and I knew that if we ever got married that it would HAVE to be there. Fast-forward two years, and we were engaged and looking at the daunting task of creating our dream wedding from scratch in the middle of a field! I am originally from Connecticut, so I knew I wanted something casual and rustic  to reflect my Texan side, but with the quaint New England elegance I grew up with. We decided on a backyard barbeque wedding with as many DIY projects as possible to make it rustic but also soft and romantic. After a year of planning and many many hours of working hard on all of my crafts, I crossed my fingers and hoped it would all come together!

The day of the wedding couldn’t have gone better, even if there were strong winds and looming rain clouds. I had put together a great team of vendors and had so many helping hands from friends and family — I can’t thank them enough. Especially Sherry Hammonds for perfectly capturing memories that will last a lifetime; our good friends who worked tirelessly to make some of the best BBQ I’ve had to date; Christina Lewis from Wedding Warriors who let me sit back and enjoy our day, introduced me to the amazing women at Wow Factor Floral, and who understood my vision and made it come to life (even if the wind wasn’t on our side that day!). And most importantly, thank to our parents, who volunteered their time, energy and funds to make our day possible!

The ceremony was sweet, touching and funny and very much “us.” There was so much love on the farm that day that our hearts were overflowing! The bouquets looked wonderful, the homemade arbor looked amazing, the centerpieces were beautiful beyond my wildest expectations, the food was delicious, and the drinks were plentiful! We had our dream wedding, and I couldn’t have asked for more!

Wedding Photography: Sherry Hammonds Photography / Wedding Venue: The Groom’s Family Farm in Schulenburg, Texas / Wedding Day Coordination: Wedding Warriors / Floral Design: Wow Factor Floral / Appetizers + Desserts: Whole Foods / Wedding Cake: Kountry Bakery / DJ: Essential Elements / Linens: Whim Event Rentals (Formerly DS Events) / Rentals: Marquee Rents / Guest Tree: Spotted Nest / Ink: TJLovePrints / Wedding Dress: Watters “Austin” via Serendipity Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Nina “Elke LS” / Hair + Makeup: Margo Mead (mmcbride4@austin.rr.com) / Groom’s Suit: Men’s Wearhouse

I love all things vintage, all things beach and all things love – so when they all come together in such a pretty way thanks to the gorgeous images by Amanda Green Photography, I’m done. Finito. I can’t even pretend to keep my cool when something this cute comes across my screen. So I don’t even try, I just embrace the giddiness in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From the Bride-to-Be… Alen and I both love swimming and laying out by the water, so, we thought a beach engagement photo session would be truly fitting! Last year I had been inspired by other vintage beach engagement sessions from other couples and decided to whip one up for me and my honey. I just needed some vintage items to set the scene! Alen had bought me a beach cruiser for Christmas last year, and I knew this was the perfect time to use it. He knew I had wanted a red bike (badly) and was disappointed that the bike he bought online ended up being hot pink when it showed up in the mail! The bike is so simple in structure, though, I was able to just spray paint it a nice candy apple red. So, with bikes and other various vintage props in hand, we took ourselves to Galveston to meet up with my friend and amazing natural light photographer, Mrs. Amanda Green. Before meeting her at the beach we stopped by a local grocery shop to pick up some flowers and vintage-looking sodas. We biked down to Murdoch’s Bathhouse just as the sun was setting and met up with her, both a little nervous to be taking pictures. Alen was such a trooper — this was his first time riding a bike ever, and he basically looked like a pro. Amanda was just as excited as we were to take the pictures, and she had a ton of great ideas! There was no reason to be nervous anymore because she was so personable and easy to work with. It was like we were just hanging out. The one thing I was still worried about (because it was Memorial Day weekend) was that there would be a million other people in the photos — but she was so amazing at maneuvering us that there was not a single photo-bomb. After the photo session, we enjoyed the rest of our time in Galveston before making our way back home. It was a wonderful weekend!

Photography: Amanda Green Photography / Engagement Session Location: Galveston, Texas / Flowers: DIY / Dress: CurryBeth / Swim Trunks + Swim Suit: J.Crew / Hair + Makeup: DIY

 The theme of this adorable Texan wedding was – wait for it – garden gnomes! Need I say more or are you already heading to the full gallery of images? Well, if you are still reading, this wedding is a sight to behold! White rustic doors with gorgeous floral wreaths grace the backdrop of the ceremony site, and the coral, tan and turquoise tones of the tablescapes, signage and surrounding decor are perfect for the casual and lovely venue, Main Street Crossing. We’re tipping our little garden gnome hats to Luke and Cat Photography for their amazing work. Click here for the full gallery of images.

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From Luke and Cat Photography… Katie and Drew’s wedding was the most distinctive wedding we’ve seen yet! The bride and groom are a quirky and sociable couple with a style all their own, so when they started planning their wedding, they chose a rather unconventional theme: Garden Gnomes! The day was truly personal to the couple, starting with the bridal party getting ready at “the” local hair salon (think Truvy’s from Steel Magnolias), to the bride being married by the minister she chose at 5 years old, when she said, “When I get married, you’re doing it!” The couple has a fun story dating back to their high school days: the groom was the first boy to ask the bride out on a date. They even attended the high school prom together, then they reconnected several years later to find out they were each other’s perfect match.

The couple set the tone for their day with their incredible, fold-open, interactive (and yes, with a garden gnome) invitation suite, designed at Invitation Solutions by a cousin of the bride. The bride and her mother designed the entire event from start to finish, developing ideas they found in Southern-inspired wedding magazines and Pinterest boards. Utilizing a color palette of coral, tan, and turquoise, a dream wedding came to life with a remarkable set of unique details: garden gnomes, chalkboard signs with southern expressions, DIY fabric pendants, antique doors for a ceremony backdrop, galvanized garden décor, crocheted boutonnières, a milk and cookie station and a customized garden gnome mural … to name a few. At the ceremony site, a rusty roof barn was even painted coral for the day! The bride wore a vintage-style, cream, taffeta ballgown from BHLDN, and the bridesmaids got to choose a dress of their choice in the tan color scheme. The “bridesman” of the group chose his own dapper look of rolled-up jeans and saddle shoes. Each bridesmaid had a different bouquet to further showcase her individuality.

As the Texas sun began to sink in the sky, the bride’s brother sat at the edge of the picket fenced ceremony area and strummed his guitar while the friends and family arrived. At dusk, the guests were seated on antique wooden benches, and the couple stood on an old-fashioned Persian rug and exchanged their vows. Following cocktail hour, the reception took place just a short walk away in the historic downtown venue, Main Street Crossing, which is owned by the bride’s family. Burlap tablecloths, ceramic birds and birdcages, hand-drawn garden gnome signs and small sets of garden flowers set the stage for a beautiful celebration. The bride’s brother was the emcee and DJ – and he kept the party going. An eclectic mix of antique frames served as the backdrop for the cake table, which was uniquely lit by turquoise-tinted specialty lighting, provided by the venue. The couple spent the day surrounded by their friends and family celebrating their love for one another with a one-of-a-kind wedding day.

Wedding Photography: Luke + Cat Neumayr of Luke and Cat Photography / Wedding Venue: Main Street Crossing in Tomball, Texas (Owned by the Bride’s Family) / Floral Design: Donna Senter of The Senterpiece / Event Design: Katie Davis Hollis (The Bride) / Wedding Cake: Tim Garcia of Timtations / Wedding Invitations: Invitation Solutions / DJ: Matt Davis (The Bride’s Brother) / Reception Mural: The Groom’s Sister / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Hair: Anna Rumfolo of Fashion Forest Beauty Salon (281-351-1200)

I love this couple’s story. And rather than try and tell it myself, I’ll tell you it’s a description you must read. Because even with all of the sweet-as-they-come details placed perfectly by Lavender Joy Weddings in this charming affair, they just get sweeter when you hear about all the love behind them. Held at the couple’s new home, in their new yard, to celebrate their new life – it’s a wedding that takes personal to an entirely new level, and a level I am totally smitten with. Shaun Menary Photography was behind the lens to capture it all, so we have the pleasure of a full gallery that is sweet and then some.

From the Bride… Kyle had been looking for his next home because the end his lease was coming up. We both knew that wherever he ended up in was where I would end up with him eventually. We started looking at apartments, and then he told me about this super-ugly, tiny house near the lake. He led with, “I think you will hate this house…” He showed me a picture of it, and he was right — it was super-ugly! But I knew the talent that he had to restore and rebuild. Within a week, we had put an offer on this tiny brown house sitting on almost an acre of land. The next week we went ring shopping. A few weeks after that it was my birthday, and he had me meet him at the house that evening. As I drove up I saw all kinds of lights hanging in the trees in our huge backyard. He met me at the gate and led me into the backyard. When I opened my eyes he was down on one knee in front of our favorite tree in the yard. He had carved “Will you marry me” in the tree! He had also brought over the porch swing from my parent’s front porch, where he first told me he loved me. I could barely believe what I was seeing. I immediately said yes!

The overall feeling Kyle and I wanted for our wedding was welcoming and personal. We wanted people to feel at home in the house we had been working on for months that we were excited to move into together after the honeymoon. We wanted to honor our family and the heritage we have come from. We made effort to pay special attention to ways we could honor and highlight our grandparents and parents. A couple of my favorite ways we did this was to use the pews from my grandmother’s church, as well as Kyle’s grandfather’s Bible. I had remnants of fabric from both grandmother’s and my mother’s wedding dresses on my bouquet. We had our dads’ favorite drinks, and Kyle’s grandmother made all of the groom’s desserts: banana pudding, pecan pie and strawberry cake. We utilized as many flowers as we could that could be replanted in our yard after the wedding. The ring bearer’s pillow was used in my parents wedding 35 years ago. The handkerchiefs belonged to my grandmother, and the “Six Chicks” — college friends — each carry them in their weddings. I ended up choosing a paint swatch to guide the bridesmaids in finding their own dress because I couldn’t decide on one specific color — I liked a range of them! (I even ended up painting our linen closet one of the colors of the paint colors in the swatch I gave the girls.)

Wedding Photography: Shaun Menary Photography / Wedding Venue: The Home of the Bride & Groom in Hickory Creek, Texas / Event Planning: Lavender Joy Weddings / Flowers: DIY by the Mother of the Bride with Flowers from FiftyFlowers / Wedding Invitations: DIY by the Bride / Rentals: TLC Event Rentals / Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander / Bride’s Shoes: TOMS / Groom’s Tuxedo: Al’s Formal Wear / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew, Target, David’s Bridal + REI / Bridesmaid Robes: Handmade with Amy Butler Fabric

Soft florals, vintage touches and a laid back lake atmosphere …what more could a girl ask for other than a beautiful wedding by Ebony Peoples Events & Design. Major props to the DIY floral arrangements because oh baby, I have never seen baby’s breath look so chic! There are endless elements of style and awe-inspiring photo’s by Tucker Images in the full gallery here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Ebony Peoples Events & Design… I had the honor of assisting Emily and Zach in planning their BIG day. They wanted their wedding day to incorporate a fun, laid-back atmosphere with lots of vintage eye candy and decor. Vows were exchanged during a romantic outdoor ceremony at Winfrey Point, which is located on White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed yummy hors d’oeuvres while playing fun yard games, including horseshoes and yard golf . After cocktail hour, guests were invited into the beautifully-adorned reception area that was full of vintage decor, mason jars, teapots, burlap and soft florals such as baby’s breath and succulents! After partaking in a delicious meal, guest nibbled on sweet cake bites, cookies and pie from the vintage dessert display. After a night of fun, laughter and dancing, Emily and Zach were escorted out to a sparkler sendoff to begin their honeymoon adventures. 

Wedding Photography: Tucker Images / Wedding Venue: Winfrey Point on White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas / Event Planning: Ebony Peoples Events & Design / Floral Design: DIY by the Bride, Friends + Family / Catering: Reagan Snowden (A Wolfgang Puck Chef) / Wedding Cakes: Panini Bakery / Wedding Invitations: Hunt & Peck / Vintage Rentals: Rent My Dust / Reception Rentals: Celebration Event Rental / Wedding Dress: James Clifford / Bride’s Shoes: Guess / Hair: Pure Vida Salon

For a girl that grew up in Texas…this wedding is as sweet as it gets. It’s the lace and the boots and the total prettiness set against that gorgeous Texas sun that warms my heart and has officially made me lose track of what I’m doing entirely. Photographed by Sarah Kate, with design by Holly Tripp & Bella Flora, this is a celebration that will make you linger for hours on end. Click here to see even more.

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From the Bride… When Stewart and I got engaged, I immediately knew I wanted a venue that brought together both of our personalities. While we both true Texans, the towns we are from are strikingly different. Stewart was a small town kid, and I had spent my entire life in the “big city,” as he would say. While our life experiences had led us down completely different roads, fate couldn’t help but bring us together on a dusty dance floor one cold winter night in Fort Worth, Texas. Since we were from such different backgrounds, it was really important that all of our guests felt like family at our wedding. I searched high and low for the perfect venue that exuded casual elegance and was far enough away from those bright city lights. When I took Stewart to out to the ranch, his exact words were “book it,” and trust me — I did just that! Once we had the venue secured, I went to town with planning. I was totally a DIY bride who saw many of things on Pinterest that I had to re-create! I had lots of fun crafty weekend projects, which I feel like really put my own personal touches on our day. I had a very clear vision, which I called country chic, that I based our day around. Our venue really set the mood for the backyard, comfy feel we were going for, and all of our vendors hopped on board. From the fabulous snazzed-up BBQ to the sophisticated yet rustic flowers, the design was perfect. My favorite personal touch was our dessert table. Neither Stewart nor I really love cake, so we decided that a hodgepodge of our favorite desserts would be more fun! My mom and had so much fun searching for all of the decorative pieces that brought our day together. She was truly my rock during the entire process, and I really cherished the time we got to spend together chipping away at all the details.

I know everyone forewarns you that the day passes so quickly — and they are right! However, it brings tears to my eyes thinking about all of the love we had in one place that evening. After we received our photos back, we spent nearly all day just looking at them and reminiscing. Stewart said to me that evening, “I really appreciate all the hard work that you put into planning our wedding — it was absolutely beautiful and you made our special day great.” That was probably one of the sweetest most meaningful comments he has made. It was the most magical day and one we will for sure never forget.

Wedding Photography: Sarah Kate, Photographer / Wedding Venue: White Oaks Ranch in Pilot Point, Texas / Event Design: Holly Tripp Event Design / Floral Design + Linens: Bella Flora of Dallas / Wedding Cinematography: Soulbox Productions / Catering: Eddie Deen / Wedding Cake: Delicious Cakes / Lighting: Absolute Lighting / Transportation: Romantic Remembrances / Wedding Dress: Blue by Enzoani via Circle Park Bridal / Bride’s Necklace: Kate Spade / Hair + Makeup: Elan Makeup Studio / Men’s Tuxedos: Stardust Celebrations