Texas Weddings

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

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

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

This is just the coziest little engagement session I’ve ever seen!  I love the camping motif with a little bit of international, bohemian flair.  The colors are absolutely fantastic and, of course, the images by Sarah McKenzie Photography are ridiculously beautiful.  The moments she captured between these two cuties are so sweet.  See them all in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From Sarah McKenzie Photography… Erika is a photographer, so when it became her time to plan her engagement session, she wanted something she had never seen before. The idea running through her and her stylist’s head was camping with a colorful winter twist. Erika found fabulous Indian scarves and pillows, a vintage lantern, and to add another level of comfort, they made delicious treats they found on Pinterest! But what made this entire session come together was the love Erika and Rey have for each other, and that truly shows through the frames I captured.

Photography: Sarah McKenzie Photography / Location: A Forest in Houston, Texas / Style: Nicole Rosales + The Bride-to-Be

Oh this pretty little fête couldn’t get more charming if it tried. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, another darling image from Half Orange Photography proves there is SO much charm to be seen in this southern, vintage soiree. With a pretty as can be pastel color palette, a groom in uniform and a bride that is the definition of charming herself – you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be spending some serious QT in the full gallery today!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Having a long engagement due to Brian being in Iraq, I had a lot of time to plan. We originally were set for an outdoor, rustic-type wedding on June 30th. I found all my vendors quickly, including my amazing photographers Stancy and Katie. My mother and father didn’t have a wedding photographer to capture their day, so this was one of the most important factors to us. Then the Army decided to add a little excitement to our lives. We had to move the date up by four months and needed a new indoor location. There was no other place I would rather have held it than Astin Mansion. Of course the style changed, and I am thankful it did. The vintage southern feel of the mansion fit us perfectly. Luckily all of our vendors were able to accommodate our crazy life and had no problem switching dates.

Our main concern about our wedding was that we wanted it to be fun for everyone, a party our friends would remember forever. We aren’t picky and are not hugely concerned with how everything should be run, which is why I am so grateful to the Astin Mansion staff, who planned and organized everything from the time I walked down the aisle to the moment we said goodbye. Without Kelly in particular, it would have been chaos! I’ll be honest, I was a complete mess when I woke up day of our wedding and it was raining! Our ceremony was set for outside with the reception being inside. Kelly had a plan and reassured me it was nothing to stress about. Thirty minutes before the ceremony, the clouds parted and the sun came out. The Astin Mansion staff cleared all the water off and everything was a dream come true. My favorite moment from the wedding was the “first look” session we did before the ceremony. It was so calming to see my groom looking so handsome, and I was able to get the tears out before I walked down the aisle. I remember how sad I was because it was raining and Brian told me, “Remember, at the end of the day we are married, and that’s all that matters.” I would highly suggest doing the first look — it makes for amazing pictures and is a moment you will remember forever. However, don’t let your friends watch. All of our friends stood around watching and it made it slightly uncomfortable for us to be as intimate as we wanted in front of everyone watching and listening.

Our reception had a vintage southern feel. We used my grandmother’s milk glass, mason jars, books, trinkets and photos of the families for decor. We wanted to have items around that reminded us of those who were not able to be with us, and they made it feel as if they were right there with us. Both Brian and I graduated from Texas A&M and have a strong love of our alma mater, so we incorporated small pieces of A&M everywhere. One of my favorite items from the reception was the groom’s cake shaped like the Dixie Chicken, a local bar we loved going to. I made the cake topper for the bride’s cake along with the programs for the ceremony. We wanted to make sure our wedding was a party, and boy, did we have one! Our DJ was fantastic and kept the guest on their feet all night. I must say everything really came together thanks to Megan, my florist. My bouquet was the most extraordinary arrangement I have ever seen. All the flowers used for the reception fit so perfectly, but blended so well and every table was different. Brian really had no clue what everything would look like; he pretty much told me to do whatever would make me happy. But when he saw everything, he was taken back and so thankful to the Astin Mansion staff for making our day so wonderful. All the stress and last minute changes were beyond worth the beauty that happened that day. My suggestion to all brides out there is to just relax. Your day will be just as perfect as you imagined, and remember at the end of the day you are marrying your best friend — that is what the whole day is about!

Wedding Photography: Half Orange Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: The Astin Mansion in Bryan, Texas / Wedding Planning + Styling: Kelly Lawrence of The Astin Mansion / Floral Design: Megan Rudloff of The Astin Mansion / Wedding Cakes: Cake Junkie / Wedding Invitations + Program Design: Love vs. Design (Owned by the Bride) / Violinist: BCS String Quartet / Guitarist: A Family Friend / DJ: Jeramiah Pittmon of Attic Productions / Wedding Dress: San Patrick / Shoes: Elle / Necklace: Anna & Ava / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew

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

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

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

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

Each and every element of this Austin wedding is totally melting my heart with its sweetness. There’s something so refreshing about the relaxed aisle style and its overturned galvanized buckets topped with hydrangeas. Oh and the adorable bouquets! I seriously can’t get enough of the simple sweetness that is this wedding. Nadine Photography snapped up all the goodness and there’s so much more to see here in the gallery!

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Don’t miss this adorable film by Brian Dooley!

From Nadine Photography… This Austin spring wedding was so much fun! In the middle of the father and daughter dance, a brass band suddenly showed up, and a New Orleans-style second line parade happened. The guests were surprised for a moment, and then they quickly joined into the the parade. Katie and Adam had a lovely vintage themed wedding at The Allan House with wonderful little DIY touches. It was a beautiful, yellow-themed wedding.

Wedding Photography: Nadine Photography / Wedding Venue: Allan House in Austin, Texas / Wedding Planning: Nycia Emerson of Inspired Events and Designs / Floral Design: Love Buds + Nycia of Inspired Events and Designs with flowers from Whole Foods / Wedding Cinematography: Brian Dooley / Catering + Wedding Cake: Dell Catering / Ceremony Music: Wood Meets Wire / Band: Austin Knights Brass Band / DJ: Look No Further Entertainment / Wedding Dress: Blush Bridal Lounge

I love a lot of things. A lot. But one thing that sets my heart on wedding-loving overdrive is a sweet southern soiree that mixes and mingles with fabulous style. So let’s just say, Akil Bennett Photography just shifted my gears to full on obsession mode with her gorgeous images of this Texas Hill Country pretty party. A BHLDN-wearing Bride and a dapper groom donning suspenders? That’s enough to make anyone smitten. I’m adding it to my very long list of things I love, and you can see all the reasons why in the full gallery of images!

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From the Bride… When we got engaged and started planning the wedding, we tried to plan it as a destination wedding, looking into the Caribbean, Napa Valley, and Colorado, but nothing felt right. With Christopher’s proposal having been in Austin and both of us growing up and still living in Houston, a Texas hill country wedding seemed the perfect fit. So it became a destination wedding closer to home. Stonehouse Villa in Driftwood, Texas, was our first stop when we went to view our options and where we ultimately ended up booking. It was exactly what we wanted. It has the hill country charm with some modern updates and decor due to the owner being an interior designer. We wanted an outdoor spring wedding under the stars, and Stonehouse Villa had beautiful grounds and an amazing deck perfect for outdoor festivities.

We didn’t have a specific theme in mind, but since we choose the Texas hill country as our destination, we went with that. I used Pinterest for inspiration and made an idea board. My mom, sister and I made all the decor ourselves to add that rustic feel, including burlap runners, mixed flowers in mason jars, and used vintage books and tree branches for the centerpieces. Instead of a guest book that we knew we would never look at again, we did something different. I bought a leather journal with blank pages and a bunch of fun stamps. We put it next to the photo booth so people could leave us a copy of their photos and write us a message. It was most important to us that our friends and family had a good time, so we planned the wedding more as a “party” than a formal affair. We picked an awesome DJ and even had a surprise band performance made up of a few of our friends. They were a hit! We barely left the dance floor. We had so much fun, and it was so amazing to be surrounded by all our family and friends! 

My most important advice is to go with a photographer you love, and not to compromise quality over price. I had so much fun, and have amazing photos to remember the night, thanks to my photographer, Akil Bennett. :)

Wedding Photography: Akil Bennett Photography / Wedding Venue: Stonehouse Villa in Driftwood, Texas / Floral + Event Design: The Bride’s Mother / Event Planning: Shawn Rushing of EnVogue Events / Wedding Invitations: Invitation Solutions / DJ: LG Entertainment / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Shoes: Dyeables + Etsy

These college sweethearts knew exactly how they envisioned their big day and it included lots of personal touches and family involvement. From the cute as can be chapel to the toss of the bride’s gorgeous bouquet, this wedding is clear perfection. And how amazing are those coral colored bridesmaid dresses? Belle of the Ball whipped up all the pretty while J. Cogliandro Photography captured it for life and there’s so much more right here in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… The most important things to Daniel and me when we set out to plan our wedding were that the ceremony was about the Lord and that the reception was a big celebration. Briscoe Manor is a good distance from where each of our parents live, but we fell in love with it anyway. We loved the rustic yet beautiful look and that the chapel and the reception hall are both onsite. Also, I had always dreamed of getting married in a chapel that was completely full. So, the venue was absolutely perfect for our wedding.

I really wanted there to be personal touches throughout the wedding so that it was a true representation of us. We felt like having close friends and family involved in the ceremony would be a good place to start. My mom’s brother is a pastor, so it was extra special to have him marry us. Also, close friends did almost all of the ceremony music. Both Daniel and I wanted to honor our grandparents who have passed away, so on my bouquet I had my grandmother’s brooch and Daniel’s grandfather’s wedding ring tied to it. We also had to have a “BU” ice sculpture at the reception — after all it is where we met! Plus, Daniel worked for the Baylor football team and I was a cheerleader, so the loyalty runs deep. My wonderful wedding planner suggested in passing the idea of having my bridesmaids hold umbrellas in some pictures, rather than bouquets. It’s something a little different … and kept off some of the heat from taking pictures outside in July! I also did a lot of little DIY projects such as making signs, bags, and wreaths. It was really fun to see those touches the day of the wedding and knowing that I had made them!

Each detail of the wedding was so important to me. And yes, I did make myself (and everyone else around me) crazy. But, when I think about our wedding and look back at pictures, it was truly perfect for us. It was the wedding of both of our dreams, but we also felt so much love and support from all the family and friends that were there to show support and celebrate with us. We feel like we accomplished both of our goals: honoring the Lord and having a lot of fun!

Wedding Photography: J. Cogliandro Photography / Wedding Venue: Briscoe Manor in Richmond, Texas / Floral Design: Wedding Flowers by Lisa / Wedding Planner: Natalie Narula Laskowski of Belle of the Ball / Wedding Cinematography: A&A Video / Catering: Behind the Bash / Wedding Cakes: Susie’s Cakes / String Trio: Fine Arts Strings / Band: Doppelganger / Paper Goods: Invitation Solutions / Ice Sculpture: Ice Designs / Signs, Bags + Wreaths: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm via Weddings by Debbie / Hair + Makeup: Your Beautiful Face

I never tire of a good dose of Vista West Ranch. That happy place in the Texas Hill Country where the coolest of the cool go to get married. It’s the ultimate mash-up of rustic and re-purposed vintage with a layer of yellow-hued details by Yellow Umbrella Events that make even this rainy day affair bright and happy. And happy matches beautifully with the florals of Petal Pushers and the images by Lisa Woods Photography. It’s a trifecta of wedding greatness, I tell you and you can see so much more in that little sweet spot we call the gallery.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… When it came time to plan our wedding I knew two things. First, it had to be in the beautiful Texas hill country, and second, it had to have a lot of personal touches to make it truly our own. Vista West Ranch was the first place we visited, and we never looked anywhere else! It added just the right amount of vintage charm and Texas chic we were looking for. After the venue was picked, I was able to start being creative — my favorite part. I could have never done it without the help of my incredibly talented and creative best friend Amber from Heart Made Events (and maybe a little help from Pinterest, too). Since I love pinwheels, we decided to incorporate them into everything. I first started working on the table centerpieces. I attached each pinwheel to a dowel rod and stuck them into old vintage milk jugs that I had wrapped in the gray yarn used on the groom’s boutonniere. For the smaller jars on the tables, I stuffed them with white packing paper and mini pinwheels. Amber designed the adorable flags that identified each table name, and we attached them to grey and white striped paper straws and put them in with the mini pinwheels. It all looked amazing when it came together with Petal Pushers’ collection of vintage jars and bottles.

After the centerpieces were done we moved on to the escort cards. We had to make 175 small pinwheels to ensure we had enough to place on the cards for each guest. Putting the cards in the shutters really made them stand out that much more and once placed at each guests seat it looked great with centerpieces! Since we did flags for the table names we decided that we should make programs into flags as well. We spent the next several hours cutting each one into a triangle, then hole punching, then attaching to dowel rods, then tying ribbon around. They were actually quite fun and a great way to bring paper crafts into something functional for the wedding. My wonderful mother slaved away in the kitchen months before the wedding because she wanted to make our wedding cake special. I saw one similar to it from another wedding and knew it was exactly what I wanted! We stuffed pinwheels in the cake so that it would go along with the rest of the décor. Since Joey and I both grew up in Round Rock, Texas, we decided to incorporate the world famous Round Rock Donuts into his groom’s table. Surrounding the donut tower, we had cake stands holding cookies that we had custom made to match our invitations, along with the hot chocolate bar that had several different “fixins” for people to choose from. There were burlap banners that were placed throughout different areas of the venue (including the groom’s table) and the paper straws with our logo on them. They definitely added some cute personal touches.

Since we had so many pinwheels leftover, we created the paper accordion circles and placed pinwheels on each one. We tied them together, and it made a beautiful display over the top banister. Originally we had bought tissue poms to hang in the outside cocktail area, but since the rain changed our plans a bit, they were also placed near the banister so we could still get some use out of them. They ended up looking absolutely perfect there. Looking back, the best part of all this wasn’t necessarily the personal touches that made it our own but the time we got to spend with everyone who helped us make it our own. Even with the rain, it was perfect for us and we wouldn’t have changed a thing!

Wedding Photography: Lisa Woods Photography / Wedding Venue: Vista West Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas / Event Planning: Cheryl + Shea Bailey of Yellow Umbrella Events / Floral Design Petal Pushers / Wedding Invitations: Details Austin / Catering: Pok-e-Jo’s / Groom’s Table Donuts: Round Rock Donuts / Cookies: Royal Cookies and Design / Wedding Dress: Saison Blanche Couture via Blush Bridal Lounge / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Men’s Attire: Express

Fabulous, fabulous, soft, and glamourous. Something gorgeous this way comes. Straight from Forever Photography Studio‘s lens and into our glamour loving hearts, this Texas inspiration shoot is centered around the soft, delicate, intricate, and wonderful fashion from Serendipity Bridal. In order to fully compliment the dreamy style, the talented team set up a bit of shabby chic, a bit of old Hollywood glamour, and a bit of magic that has literally stopped us in our tracks. Your morning just got a little more magical thanks to the full image gallery!

Ready a sneak peek behind the scenes of this shoot from Lizama Videography?

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/38622249 601 338]

Click here to see the gallery!

From Serendipity Bridal … We are beyond thrilled to debut the exclusive Serendipity Bridal Belt collection in collaberation with the amazing styling team of Project Bridal Style. The romanctic vibe of this hand crafted collection was perfectly captured with the gorgeous floral and vintique staging. The unique placement of a shabby chic vanity in the middle of an overgrown field turned out to be everything that I that I wanted, but had never imagined. We collectively created three “old Hollywood” stages out of mid air, and the uber talented beauty team transformed our gorgeous models into sultry starlets.

The first setting was all about subtle drama. The alencon lace Jim Hjelm gown with the floor length WTOO bridesmaid’s dress easily jelled together. With a simple change from the subtle shimmery belts to the deeper toned pieces, the style transformed instantly. As we followed the path of the sunset, I was amazing to see what the floral design team created. An antiqued vanity setting dripping with delightful touches, fit for a princess. With a quick slip into more subtle Kendra Scott jewelry pieces, brilliant hair and make up touch ups, and two organza designs from Watters and Lazaro bridal, the shoot took an even more magnificent turn. Taking the skinny belt from the first setting and placing it in the model’s hair is an example of the upcoming trend in headpieces. Simple, understated elegance can be such a show stopping look when utilized the proper way. Naturally, with the surroundings, these girls needed feathers. Such a perfect addition to gowns with lovely movement like these. The short point d’esprit dress by Jim Hjelm would make for a lovely rehearsal dinner look, as well as a get away gown. The beaded belt steps up the formality, and the transfer of the feather flower highlights her flirty and fun side. Lastly, the newest piece added to the line makes its debut…the lovely and larger than life silk flower. Swoon. The color, the movement..I could go on and on. I captured the transformation of styles by simply moving the dreamy piece from the back to the front. When styling, keep the line of the dress clean in the front for the ceremony; let your flowers and your smile steal the show. Add extra interest to the train, as this is where the audience will be looking. For the reception, switch it up to the front, viola, second look! .Get the most out of your gown and accessories as possible. Your photographer will love you for it. We kept these thoughts in mind when creating the collection.

These textured accessories play off of the elaborate designer gowns brilliantly and add a unexpected touch of personality to each look. Individually staged settings and fabulous wardrobe changes portray the versitility of this line brilliantly. All of these carefully designed belts came to life and married so wonderfully with beauty of the day. With each shot, the team ” ohhed and ahhed” in confident delight, knowing that we were creating something special. The influence of vintage elegance is almost tangible throughout this sun kissed shoot, and speaking of kisses….the adorable flower girl had more than enough to go around. The icing on the cake is the behind the scenes footage video. The subtle brilliance of the piece could not be any more perfect. It so accurately incorporates the warm romance of the day. My heart melts continuously with love for all of the fabulous and highly talented team members that made this shoot a dream come true.

Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Stylist: Lacy Pool of Serendipity Bridal, Project Bridal Style / Bridal Gowns: Serendipity Bridal / Makeup: Maris Malone Calderon / Hair: Jen Hoover / Jewelry: Kendra Scott / Flowers: Visual Lyrics / Furniture: Vintique Rentals / Videography: Lizama Videography / Venue: Vista West Ranch

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

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

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

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

I’m having a hard time narrowing down what I love most about this sweet Austin soiree, because, well… the entire affair is downright smashing.  The gorgeous color palette (purple and green = yes, please!), the stunning courtyard ceremony, the uber-adorable bride and groom… I could get lost in this lovely for hours.  Thankfully, the oh-so-talented Ivy Weddings captured every last dazzling moment planned by 36th Street Events and the gallery is literally overflowing with pretty.  Start your weekend in style and see it all here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Andrew and I vaguely knew each other through mutual friends who were my neighbors. He would flirt with me through Facebook, but it took him forever to ask me out. Then one day he was in my neighborhood, and my pug, Lola, ran out of the house. She would not stop barking at Andrew and his friends, and I couldn’t get her to come back inside. Luckily, Andrew helped me rein her in. He claims that she attacked him and threatened him with his life if he didn’t ask me out. Not sure about that, but I did get a long message on Facebook that night asking me out. The rest is history!

Our wedding was the most amazing day of our lives. And I’m not just saying that. The weather in Austin in December is unpredictable, and sure enough, that week it had been raining and cold. Our ceremony was scheduled to be in the courtyard of The Mansion at Judge’s Hill, but that plan wasn’t looking good. As the day got closer the rain subsided, but it was still really cloudy and cold, and it was slated to stay that way. But the morning of the big day, it was surprisingly sunny and slightly warmer. I like to think my mom and dad had something to do with that. Speaking of my mom and dad … both are deceased, and I wanted a way to incorporate their spirit and memory in my wedding without being somber. My dad was an avid Beatles fan, so we had touches of that in several ways: lyrics intertwined in my cousin’s reading, a string quartet playing “All You Need Is Love,” which is also the song the band played for our first dance. The the band also played “Here Comes the Sun” for the “father-daughter” dance that I danced to with both of my brothers. I also had two picture charms on my bouquet at the base and a table full of family wedding pictures honoring all of our family, including those who are no longer with us and those who couldn’t travel to be there. My brothers were very involved in the wedding too. My younger brother James actually married us, and my older brother Matt walked me down the aisle. Then at the reception, James gave the blessing while Matt gave a very heartfelt welcome toast. There wasn’t a dry eye there — it was so touching, spiritual and personal.

Then the party started! The reception had touches of Austin — table names of our favorite places in the city and a dessert table from several Austin food trailers: donuts from Gourdough’s, cupcakes from Hey Cupcake!, and cake balls from Holy Cacao. The band really set the tone. It was such a great party and everything went so smoothly!

Wedding Photography: Ivy Weddings / Wedding Venue + Catering: Mansion at Judges’ Hill in Austin, Texas / Wedding Coordination: Allyson Cantu Fiebig of 36th Street Events / Floral Design: Belva Green / Officiant: James Hunnicut (Brother of the Bride) / Wedding Cinematography: El Castillo Media / Wedding Stationery: Posh Posh Designs / Band: Matchmaker Band / Photo Booth: Say Cheese Photo Booths / Wedding Cake: Simon Lee Bakery / Dessert Table Design: The Bride / Cupcakes: Hey Cupcake! / Cake Balls: Holy Cacao / Donuts: Gourdough’s / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero via Signature Bridal Salon / Bride’s Belt: Essense of Australia / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bride’s Jewelry: Mariell via Signature Bridal Salon / Bride’s Hair: Shannon Carr of West End Salon / Makeup + Bridesmaids’ Hair: Jennifer Cartwright of Arabella Salon (512-472-4455) / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Wtoo / Menswear: Jim’s Formal Wear at Signature Bridal Salon / Men’s Shoes: Converse

As I sat down to put together this post, I glanced though all the images by Mustard Seed Photography and was instantly enamored with the ease of this affair. It’s naturally gorgeous without a ton of detail or fluff. But as I really dove in and started putting together the feature, I started to notice the most adorable of details tucked away. Yeah cute signage and baby picture strung aisle, I’m talking to you. Tiny Boxwood’s played host to this elegant celebration that’s all at once casual and super duper beautiful. See it all right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Our initial thoughts on the theme were to find a venue and then everything else would fall into place. Tiny’s was our first venue to visit, and once I saw the cafe and the Thompson & Hanson Nursery, I was completely sold. There was just something when you walked in there that felt like us. It felt natural, elegant, and it had a bit of a vintage feel. So our color palette was lots of grays, creams, pinks (and then greens because it was in such abundance in the garden). My favorite vintage-y colors. That color combination was carried throughout the flowers that we had. We had white hydrangeas on each of the tables, and our centerpieces were made of various white and pink flowers. I told our florist, when thinking about putting together our flowers, I want it to look like I went into an English garden and picked out my own flowers. Only professionally put together. 

We knew that because the property was so beautiful in natural decoration, the few decorations that we were going to do were going to have to be special. Our goal was to have a purpose to all our decor. Both Jason and I hold family very dear and so many of our decorations revolved around the idea of family — introducing our families to each other and highlighting weddings that we had attended as children or heard about growing up. This was the goal of the Hydrangea trees. We went through family photo books, old cedar chests full of pictures and found as many old family wedding photos as we could. The idea was to highlight the love that has run throughout our families’ past. We also wanted to have our guests interact with each other instead of sitting bored and waiting for dinner to start. So we made two of our favorite past times — word searches and crossword puzzles — all about us to help boost the conversation among our guests.

We are not super traditional people, so we wanted everything to be about who we are and not about what a typical wedding looks like. Instead of having flowers line the aisle, we had pictures of Jason and me growing up throughout our childhood. We spray painted vintage picture frames we found at Goodwill and made a remembrance table that would have made our grandparents proud. We were able to have a pink wedding cake, and we served pizza as a main entree! We wrote our vows together as a guide to what we want our lives to be. And we even sent our guests home with a sample of Tiny’s delicious chocolate chip cookies! When you aren’t concerned with what a wedding is “supposed to look like,” it allows you to open your mind up to different ways to do things.

Wedding Photography: Mustard Seed Photography / Wedding Venue: Tiny Boxwood’s in Houston, Texas / Wedding Coordination: Tiffany Howard of Tiny Boxwood’s / Floral Design: Think Studio / Officiant: Rev. E. Wayne Law of Exclusive Weddings Limited / Catering + Wedding Cake: Tiny Boxwood’s / DJ: Cory King (coreyaking@gmail.com) / Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal / Hair + Makeup: Flawless Studios

I am going to really give myself away as a the biggest blogging nerd ever in this post. You’ve been warned. Because lovelies, we are looking at the engagement session of the voice behind Pretty Shiny Sparkly and her soon-to-be hubby (ummm how gorgeous are they?!) captured by Photographers Skeen (who just happens to be the other handsome half to Kendi Everyday). Ahhh! So many fabulous people in one post my fingers just want to go on an adjective-induced typing frenzy, but instead I’ll just send you to the full gallery of fabulous and try, trrrry to keep my nerdiness to a minimum, but it’s going to be hard because this shoot is ah-mazing!

Click here for the FULL shoot!

From the Bride-to-Be… I met my fiancé Houston on the first day of medical school, when he introduced himself as my tutor (in anatomy, no less). It felt like gravity. Sparks flew, and six weeks later (after his role as my tutor ended), we went on our very first date. Fast forward nearly four years, and I am a style blogger at Pretty Shiny Sparkly about to graduate from medical school, and Houston is a resident in orthopedic surgery. We chose these two spots for our engagement session because we love contrast. The water feature area was where Houston proposed, under the guise of shooting an outfit post for my blog — so we went with soft, romantic and relaxed. Then we decided to play dress up at the River Oaks Country Club, where I went with a leopard top and bright red high-low skirt, and Houston donned a coat and slacks (with boots, of course).

Our engagement session was shot by the lovely husband and wife team, Photographers Skeen. Blog readers may know Bryan Skeen’s better half as none other than Kendi Skeen of Kendi Everyday. We are so excited to have them capture our upcoming wedding, which will be another pairing of contrasts: rustic and glamour.

Photography: Photographers Skeen / Location: Wortham Park + River Oaks Country Club, Both in Houston, Texas / Planning: Occasio Productions / White Lace Dress, Leopard Top + Red Skirt: Forever 21 / Pink Blazer: Zara / Bride’s Boots: Lucchese / Makeup: Amber Livingston (832-797-7737) / Groom’s Boots: Tony Lama

This is not just a celebration of a great love between two high school sweethearts but a celebration of their love for their home state – Texas!  They incorporated some of their favorite Texas trademarks – Tex-Mex food, cowboy boots, sweet tea and Shiner beer plus an amazing spread of vintage, rustic and DIY details.  And all this beauty and splendor was crafted in the most budget-friendly ways with lots of help from friends and family!  Bella Pop Photography‘s images perfectly capture all the adorable details!  See them all in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… We met in fifth grade and got married on our six year dating anniversary. So after all this time, we wanted something fairly casual and just plain fun. Since we currently live in Los Angeles, we wanted to go back to our roots and get married in Texas, where we both grew up. We decided to have the wedding at Meghan’s childhood home. We wanted to have a celebration not just of our love, but also a celebration of where we come from. We were sure to have some of our favorite Texas items: Tex-Mex food, cowboy boots, sweet tea and Shiner beer! Plus we incorporated our universities as well. Bobby, a Texas A&M alumni, represented his school through his groom’s cake and I, a Texas Christian University alumni, wore cowboy boots with my school’s logo.

Being a fan of all things vintage and rustic, I knew these had to be a key elements in our wedding. I incorporated them with mismatched plates with dollies underneath, jars and vases on worn wood, my lace gown and the Ford Thunderbird we left in. I loved the playful vibe we created with the mix of flowers, pennants in colorful fabrics, straws with fun messages, cotton candy and program fans. We never wanted to take ourselves too seriously on our wedding day, but instead focus on being surrounded by our friends and family in a fun atmosphere. We even had a table covered in kraft paper complete with crayons and colored pencils for all of our little guests. And of course we had a surprise first dance that included all of our wedding party. Our DJ was great to create a modified “Evolution of Dance” soundtrack for all of us to bust a move to. After the dance, everyone was excited to get onto the dance floor and dance the night away!

Because of our limited budget ($7,500), it was important to do as much DIY as possible. My family and friends were so helpful in making the wedding a reality! My mom searched every garage sale and thrift store for months looking for plates, jars and vases. Both my mom and I created the fabric pennants, and I created the ring pillow from a vintage handkerchief from Etsy. I also created a guestbook from photos of our dating years through Shutterfly. My mom and I purchased mixed floral bouquets from Costco for our floral centerpieces for the reception. My artist brother and sister created all the save-the-dates and invitations. I designed the program fans but the whole family came together to cut and glue them together. My dad created the chuppah arch from trees on our land and vintage lace I found on Etsy. My friend, Sloane, created all the fun straws that proved to be such a fun touch. My college friend and amazing musician, Andrew, performed at our ceremony and DJed the reception. And a family friend, Linda, created both our beautiful wedding cake and the groom’s cake. We are so lucky that we have such creative and helpful friends and family!

Wedding Photography: Bella Pop Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bride’s Family Home in Celeste, Texas / Floral Design: Adkisson Florist / Wedding Day Coordination: Rachel Thomson, A Family Friend / Wedding Invitations: Natalie Lambert & Philip Lambert, The Bride’s Brother & Sister / Wedding Invitation Printing: Uprinting / Food: TaMolly’s Mexican Restaurant / Cakes: Linda Moore, A Family Friend / Guest Book: Shutterfly / DJ: Andrew Sullivan / Rentals: Hunt County Party Rentals / Wedding Dress: Winnie Couture / Bride’s Cowboy Boots: Langston’s / Bride’s Veil: Simply Blue Bridal / Bride’s Rings: Scott Kay via David Gardnera Jewelers / Makeup: Felicia Schultz (Felicia.Schultz@gmail.com) / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal / Groom’s + Groomsmen’s Suits: Jos. A. Bank / Groom’s Ring: James Avery

Weddings are all about self expression and this cute couple knew exactly what to say when it came to their wedding day. Lots of bright pops of yellow, burlap and succulents for a cozy down-home feel, loads of texture with wood and lace, amazing pics from Caroline + Ben Photography and gorgeous florals from Bouquets of Austin.  And of course, no Austin wedding would be complete without late night food trucks to round out the night! Check out the rest of the party here in the gallery.

Be sure to check out this adorable highlight film by Lizama Videography:

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Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Our concept was simply to reflect our life as a couple. We wanted everyone who came to the wedding to experience what our life together in Austin is like: full of friends, family, patios, hipster bars, live music and food trailers! So much of our wedding was DIY, from the save the dates all the way to desserts. DIY projects included: hand-stitched wedding date in blue thread on the hem of the bride’s dress, save the dates, invitations, programs, favors, centerpieces, all décor, the ceremony script and our vows. And our altar was an immovable ping-pong table covered in burlap! The dance floor got packed the minute Matchmaker Band started playing and didn’t empty until their last song was over. There was so much energy and laughter — even our grandmas couldn’t stop moving! There was also an amazing impromptu double-dutch dance off. We had Roppolo’s Pizzeria Truck for a dinner option and late night post-dancing, post-drinking snack. Owner Mark Roppolo personally served up slices, which was especially meaningful because Brooks asked me to be his girlfriend in front of the Roppolo’s truck on W. 6th St. during a night of barhopping.

My dad passed away a few years ago, so my brother walked me down the aisle to an instrumental version of “Somewhere Out There,” which was my dad’s favorite song to play on the piano. We also left one of the front row aisle chairs empty, and I placed a flower from my bouquet on it when I got down the aisle. It was a really great way to make him a part of the day without making it sad! We had our parents and siblings stand as a group to give their blessing of our marriage at the beginning of the ceremony. It was so awesome. Three of our closest friends, from Brooks’s days in UT’s a cappella group, performed an acoustic version of “One Voice” by The Wailin’ Jennys as the musical interlude. They put a ton of time into choosing, cutting and practicing the song, which meant the world to us. We had our wedding on a Thursday because it was Brooks’s parents’ 35th wedding anniversary and his grandparents’ 64th anniversary. It was also a big money saver!

As far as advice, involve your family and friends in the planning and creating — it was an incredible feeling to look around our wedding and know that every last piece of it had someone we loved behind it. Also, don’t be afraid to do things differently. Lustre Pearl is a bar (much to our grandmothers’ woe at the beginning of the planning process!) and had never had a wedding there when we asked them to let us rent the place out. It turned out to be the best decision we made – the venue set the tone for everything. The best wedding is one that is an absolute reflection of you as a couple!

Wedding Photography: Caroline + Ben Photography / Wedding Venue: Lustre Pearl in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: In aDischin Events (Friends of the Bride) / Bouquets, Boutonnieres + Corsages: Bouquets of Austin / Centerpieces: DIY by the Bride, Groom + Bridesmaids with Flowers from Fifty Flowers & Succulents from East Austin Succulents / Save-the-Dates: Designed by a Friend of the Bride / Wedding Invitations + Programs: Designed by the Bride + Printed at Medical Parkway Printing / Chips, Queso + Tacos: Torchy’s Tacos + Served by Austin’s Elite Staffing / Pizza: Roppolo’s Pizzeria Truck / Wedding Cake: Grace Taylor (The Groom’s Sister) / Groom’s Cake: Jenny Janda (A Friend of the Bride) / Chocolate Chip Cookies: Tiff’s Treats / Wedding Cinematography: Richard Lizama of Lizama Videography / Music: Matchmaker Band / Cafe Lights: Ilios Lighting / Ceremony Chairs + Dance Floor: Premiere Party Cental / Koozie Favors: Designed by the Bride & Groom + Printed at Medical Parkway Printing / “Just Married” Bunting, Chevron Fabric Basket for Cards + “Mrs. Ballard” Dress Hanger: Etsy / Vases, Mason Jars, Burlap Ribbon + Wood Planters: Michaels, IKEA + Save On Crafts / Wedding Dress: Alfred Angelo / Dress Alterations: Carol Redman of Bridal Arena / Bride’s Shoes: TOMS / Bride’s Necklace: Her Own / Bride’s Earrings: Dillards, Borrowed from Her Sister / Bride’s Bracelets: Kendra Scott / Bride’s Yellow & White Chevron Clutch: Etsy / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung “D501” (Color: Quarry) / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: TOMS / Hair: Happy Salon + Spa / Bride’s Eye Makeup: Austin Wedding Makeup / Bridesmaids’ Makeup: Happy Salon + Spa / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew “Ludlow” / Groom’s Tie: J.Crew / Groom’s Tie Clip: Etsy / Groomsmen’s Pants: Jos. A. Bank / Groomsmen’s Suspenders: Wal-Mart / Men’s Shoes: TOMS

All you really need for a fabulous e-session is the love of your life, a killer red dress, and a super talented photographer like Sarah Kate. Luckily for this adorable couple, they have all the ingredients. Need more proof? Head over to the full gallery for the whole shebang!

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From the Bride-to-Be… With a full class schedule at Oklahoma State University, I had no choice but to register for a night class to accommodate my statistics credit. Little did I know, it was where I would meet my future husband … what are the odds? Fast forward past two years of dating in college, multiple fraternity/sorority social events and graduation in the spring of 2008, Aaron and I found ourselves relocated to my hometown of Dallas, Texas. Young and eager to begin our careers, we continued dating while beginning the next step in our lives in the “Big D.” Two years of working quickly passed when I was approached with a career opportunity abroad in London. After many discussions with Aaron, he was nothing but supportive and encouraging about the move.

Having only a few weeks between the day I accepted the position and my big move, we decided to squeeze in a last minute getaway to our favorite city, Chicago. It was there in Millennium Park when Aaron took me by surprise and got down on one knee — we have been happily engaged now for nine months. Although we are currently separated by a rather large “pond,” I could not be more excited about my move back home this December to be with my best friend and become husband and wife on February 23, 2013 in Dallas.

Photography: Sarah Kate Photographer / Location: White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas / Bride’s Top, Necklace + Dress: J.Crew

With one of our all-time favorite Austin venues, the Barr Mansion, as their backdrop this adorable couple was guaranteed a perfectly pretty wedding day and that’s exactly what they got.  With such a stunning venue there is really no need to upstage it by overloading in the decor department.  Keeping things simple, a baby’s breath-lined aisle and lace-wrapped mason jars filled with roses, created an elegantly sweet day from start to finish.  We’re smitten with the entire gallery of images by Peacock Photography and we know you’ll be too so head on over there!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Simple, natural and sweet — that’s the feel we were going for. I wasn’t really an extravagant bride. Oddly enough, I like little things. Little touches of beauty that caught my eye throughout the day brought me oh, so much happiness! I was smitten with our venue — Barr Mansion. It’s a place that kind of says it all. We got married underneath an old pecan tree with a big, beautiful, white Victorian house by our side while the sun was setting through the leaves. Our reception hall was a few steps over to an amazing rustic ballroom with windows everywhere. The venue is seriously dreamy. I felt that I didn’t need to upstage anything since the venue is so beautiful, surrounded by all things green and happy. As our guests entered, we had a welcome table with little pens, roses and a guest book that my talented sister created. All the while, the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack was playing. I melt at that music and my now-husband happens to love the book. I still haven’t read it yet…

We purchased a guest book from BHLDN and decided we wanted to add some of our own touches. My sister, Kate, transferred a few of our favorite engagements to some pages to personalize it. On the same note, Kate (also our designer) created our invitations and programs. We went with gray and a slight touch of light pink for our little program book tied with twine. For the actual ceremony, I added a few touches of baby’s breath (I adore baby’s breath) to the chairs down the aisle and other than that, we had our beautiful wedding party, roses and sweet music to add a sense of simple elegance. Everyone in our wedding party was wearing muted colors: light pink for the bridesmaids, gray and white for the men. I loved it. For the reception tables, we had big and little mason jars wrapped with either lace, twine or white ribbon; they were filled with roses and baby’s breath. I let the rest of the reception hall speak for itself: open, bold, and simple. Overall, I hoped that my wedding remained clean, sweet and elegant. Looking back at pictures from our lovely photographer, Peacock Photography, I am ever so pleased. It was a day to remember and the start to a marriage that I hope reflects the beauty of that day.

Wedding Photography: Peacock Photography / Wedding Venue, Catering + Cake: Barr Mansion in Austin, Texas / Floral Design + Table Decor: Central Market + Kate Stafford (The Bride’s Sister) / Wedding Invitations + Programs: Kate Stafford Design / Guestbook: BHLDN + Kate Stafford / Wedding Dress: Jenny Yoo / Bride’s Shoes: Anthropologie / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid

I’m typically a go go go (and go some more) type of gal. It’s very rare that I can sit without multitasking my fingers off. However when this beautiful film by Kevin Von Qualen came across my screen, I stopped. Stopped and did nothing but let this gorgeous film whisk me away to this couple’s perfect day. It’s Super 8 perfection, and oh so worthy of the five minutes of your undivided attention…

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Wedding Cinematography: Kevin Von Qualen / Wedding Venue: Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, Texas / Wedding Photography: InTandem / Planning: CLINK / Band: Sauce The Band / Song in Film: “Perfect Day” by Holley Maher

A glorious two-day celebration, a fabulous blending of cultures, a breathtaking bride and groom… if ever there was a wedding weekend to stop you COMPLETELY in your tracks, this spectacular Dallas soiree is IT.  From the vibrant colors bursting from every corner to the heartwarming moments filling the gallery to the drop-dead gorgeous images captured by the oh-so-talented Ivy Weddings, there’s not a single second of pretty that won’t leave you seriously swooning.  Yep, it’s a Friday and Saturday of pure lovely and we can’t get enough.  See it all here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Matt + Ivy of Ivy Weddings… When we first met Tina and Raja, we were struck by how well they matched. Raja is a physician and Tina is a yoga instructor, and even though they come from different states and have different backgrounds, they somehow met in Dallas and fell in love. If you ask Tina about their story, she’ll say Raja pursued her until she gave in and went on a date with him. If you ask Raja, he’ll probably agree with Tina, and say that’s exactly how it happened. We think that in itself is a sign that they’ll be happy for a long long time! 

Tina and Raja’s marriage was a celebration of the blending of two cultures and two families. We spent two days photographing their love story, and a couple all-nighters trying to narrow down our favorite photos! The first day of Tina and Raja’s celebration was the Mehndi Party, and the second day was the Western wedding ceremony. If you love culture and tradition, fun, food and dancing, you will fall in love with Tina and Raja’s Mehndi party. Their wedding ceremony the next day was a beautiful celebration of their families and future together. We loved how the bride requested a flower be placed on the first chair during the ceremony to honor her mother’s memory and how much excitement the bride and groom showed up until the last moments of the evening. It really was an epic celebration, and we wish them both a lifetime of happiness!

Mehndi Party Credits: Photography: Ivy Weddings / Venue: The Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Texas / Decor: Prashe Decor / Catering: India Palace Restaurant / DJ: DJ Riz / Western Wedding Credits: Photography: Ivy Weddings / Venue: Cityplace in Dallas, Texas / Floral Design: Rockstar Floral / Event Decor: Shag Carpet + The Bride / Officiant: Robbie Conover / Cinematography: Rudy Cassol / Bride’s Cake: Romano’s Bakery / Groom’s Cake: La Duni / DJ: Blair Sparkman of Party All the Time Productions / Bride’s Dress: Demetrios / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Donna Morgan via Nordstrom / Groom’s Suit: Pal Zileri via Ken’s Mans Shop

My favorite engagement sessions are those where I can see the awesome personalities of the couples shining through each and every image.  I feel like I totally get to know this sweet couple through their entire Dallas shoot captured by Ivy Weddings.  They are obvious a fun-loving twosome with a great sense of humor, style and complete devotion for one another.  See their entire love-filled day in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From Matt + Ivy of Ivy Weddings… Jane and Andrew are adorable! Their session was romantic and filled with personal details and sweet moments. Jane brought along a hand-painted kite for their save-the-date, her mother’s childhood bicycle with a picnic basket filled with things they love, and letters they had written through their relationship. The day of the session was gorgeous and windy (perfect for flying a kite!). Their wedding is coming up in June, and we couldn’t be happier for these two! 

Photography: Ivy Weddings / Location: Grapevine, Texas / Bike + Props: The Bride-to-Be + Her Mother