Texas Weddings

I just love this couple. They took their special day and infused it with pieces of their personality and style. And that style? Well it just happens to be beautiful. All the lovely took place at one and only Barr Mansion, and each moment was captured to perfection by Amelia Tarbet Photography. You’ll want to spend more than a few moments gawking over all the gorgeous – so head on over to the full gallery of images for even more!

From Amelia Tarbet Photography…Louisa is an amazing organic chef from New York (Lucid Food, her book is sold everywhere, including Amazon and Antropology). James is an accomplished musician. James fell in love with Austin nearly 20 years ago when he started to play at SXSW and so it was a simple choice when they went to pick a wedding destination, they chose Austin’s premiere venue; Barr Mansion. The food was all organic and in season, dress was hand-made in San Francisco and the bridesmaids and groomsmen had free-reign to choose what they wanted to wear. Mix of cultures- Louisa is Persian and James is Buddhist. Everything, including cake, flowers and food were done by Barr Mansion. Huppa was done by Stems Floral.

Photography: Amelia Tarbet Photography / Flowers: Butter Bean / Huppa: Stems Floral / Ceremony & Reception Location: Barr Mansion / Wedding Planning: Set The Date Events / Coordinator: Haley East

We hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend full of merriment and cheer.  Speaking of merriment and cheer, this wedding by Addison Studios, with its vintage vibe and charming details, is filling our hearts with glee.  A lot of love and spirit was put into this wedding from collecting each fabulous vintage piece to creating the pearl, button and brooch table numbers.  See all the sweet details in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…As soon as my husband and I got engaged, we almost eloped because we were so freaked out by the cost and stress of a wedding – we both already work full time and go to school full time, how on earth could we manage a wedding as well? But we soon realized we had to have a celebration for our family and friends, and when the big day came around, we knew we had made the right decision.

When I started wedding planning, I knew I wanted a vintage vibe, but I wanted something a little different from the typical mason jars, twine, and paper straws. As soon as I found my Save the Dates I knew exactly what I wanted – an outdoor garden affair with little, elegant, vintage, details. Even though we were getting married October 1st, I couldn’t get myself to go with classic fall colors. Instead, I went with navy, charcoal, cameo pink and green for more timeless pallet, with silver and pearls as accents.

Early on I fell in love with pearl bouquets, but I knew I wanted flowers for my bouquet since I’m also a biologist and have spent a lot of time studying plants, I can never have enough flowers! At the same time I was having trouble with centerpieces, and although I knew I loved the mixture of milkglass, silver and cut glass I had been collecting, I wanted something that added some “oomph”. Some hot glue, floral foam, wire, paint and a couple thousand pearl beads, buttons and brooches later I (with the help of my mother and MOH) came out with these unique, quirky table numbers similar to brooch bouquets to add to my centerpieces. The vintage bride and grooms came next – when I was looking for our own vintage topper, I couldn’t choose; I bought one, then another, then another… soon I added them into the centerpieces as well.

We also wanted to incorporate some things from my grandparent’s wedding – they also married in October (in 1954). Not only were we able to use their ring pillow, but we displayed their cake topper next to our cake. My grandmother had also worn a tiara, which is unfortunately long lost. While wearing a tiara was a little too dramatic for my taste, instead I got one for my flower girl. I loved having that history with us on our own special day.

I also had the favors double as place cards – since we were outdoors I couldn’t do tented paper cards for fear they would blow away, and this way I didn’t have to also buy card holders. I found these great little vintage-looking honeys – and I added some navy ribbon and textured paper with a “Thank You” stamp on the back, and wrote our guests name on the front . I printed the menus myself on the same textured paper, and used a fancy corner rounder to add lace-like detail to the corners. The reserved signs for the ceremony seating were also made in a similar fashion, with navy paper backing to make the corner detail pop.

I should also probably mention my husband has a Clark Kent complex – but instead of making a typical superman logo groom’s cake, we made it a bust of the groom ripping his tux off to revel the superman logo underneath – we had our baker match his tux colors and our florist make a boutonniere to match his, it was perfect!

Finally, one of my favorite things was having my mom do a custom pastel of our venue. I was able to share it with our guests by using it on our programs, but I also have the original framed in our hallway as a gorgeous piece of art to remind us of our wedding in a slightly more subtle way than plastering our house in our wedding photos.

The day of the wedding was amazing, it made all those hours and late nights of hard work worth every second. I know they say you can’t have a perfect day, but it pretty sure was close.

Wedding Photography: Addison Studios / Ceremony + Reception Location: The Winfield Inn / Floral Design: Last Petal / Wedding Cakes: Pennington’s Cakes / Vintage Cake Toppers: eBay / Custom Venue Pastel: PurpleLizardStudio / Save the Dates: GoGoSnap / Custom Stamp + Logo: OnYourMarkStamps / Photobooth: Max Photography / Cake: Pennington Cakes / Gelato: The Chocolate Cup / Coffee Bar: Kenny’s Coffee / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Bride’s Make-up: Avery Allen of Austin Wedding Makeup

This crafty and stylish bride planned and designed her entire wedding and DIYed everything from the bunting, table runners, centerpieces, and name cards. You name it, she made it! We’re loving the simplicity of the decor along with the gorgeous pops of red florals that add such a fun contrast. The Life You Love Photography captured each and every detail and special moment to perfection and there’s so much more just waiting for your adoring gaze in the full gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From The Life You Love Photography…Lindsay and Marshall had a beautiful wedding at the French Legation in Austin, TX on October 1st, 2011. With a beautiful ceremony, surrounded by friends and family, followed by a cocktail hour and fun-filled reception, their whole day was truly a celebration.

Lindsay and Marshall had a bit during their ceremony that they called- “incorporating the Quaker tradition” where they invited guests to share their thoughts and feelings. It was truly beautiful to hear people speak what was on their mind as it came to them and equally amazing to watch Lindsay and Marshall receive all of the love and kind words.

Lindsay planned the entire wedding herself which is especially amazing considering all of the tiny details and and decorations that went on through out the night. From hand making the bunting, table runners, centerpieces, name cards, etc.. everything went off beautifully with out a hitch.

Also special is that Lindsay made a slideshow to show to guests that had interviews from the bride and groom talking about how they met, what they love most about each other and what they are most looking forward to in life. Paired with engagement pictures from The Life You Love Photography as well as old memento photos, this was truly a special treat.

Wedding Photography: The Life You Love Photography / Floral Design: Pollen Flower Art / Getting Ready Location: Eponymous Garden / Ceremony + Reception Location: The French Legation / Wedding Dress: Serendipity Bridal / Alternations: Olga Europe Fashion / Catering + Cakes: Ecstatic Cuisine / Hair: Hair by Joel / Slideshow: Reflect and Record (The Bride)

There are so many gorgeous and well done DIY details in this vintage chic beauty photographed by Jenny DeMarco that I’m not even sure where to begin! I’m absolutely loving the soft color palette of peach, coral and light green. The florals and are beyond gorgeous, the burlap infused seating chart is super charming, but my fave might be all those lovely, antique mis-matched chairs. So, so cute! Check out even more here in our new and improved galleries!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Jenny DeMarco…I could try to explain just how much fun this amazing couple is and how much laughter and joy was at their wedding. Erin was so passionate about having beautiful details that kept with her overall look and feel of their rustic country wedding, but also told guests things about her and Jud as a couple. So much of Erin’s inspiration came from her love for Jud and their families, including many an inside joke such as the infamously adorable owl cake, (which was a threat to her mother that she was going to have an owl themed wedding). Their love of music played a big role in their wedding inspiration and was showcased by using photos of the couples favorite artists as decorated table markers.

I loved that during the reception the DJ used a song by the artist of each table as their cue to dismiss. In addition Erin made a mixed CD of some of their very eclectic taste of favorite songs which included everything from Willy Nelson to Celine Dion. The family also used many of their own items for the decoration. All the china used at the dining table is owned by Erin and Jud’s families, and the cookies were all homemade special family recipes. Jud even bought out his 72 Chevy truck to use as the gift table. One of my favorite details with the couples initials that Jud painted when he first started dating Erin. It was nice to see that piece of their history together at the wedding.

Petal Pushers and Your Wedding Your Way did an amazing job with Erin’s color scheme which included peaches, corals, spring greens, all of which Erin found together in a colorful potholder, what a way to stumble upon your wedding colors! Erin also had custom wedding stationery created so that everything from the labels on the cookie jars to the menu’s and programs all coordinated. Overall, not only did the wedding look incredible beautiful, but the details were heartfelt and personal which made for a wonderful celebration.

From the Bride…The overall theme for the wedding was vintage chic. We used our favorite musical artists and turned them not only into tablemarkers. We used all vintage black and white or sepia photos for the table markers to keep the theme. We also used the classic rock theme to incorporate the escort cards which were also used as CD favors. One specific item that was the most meaningful to us was the ‘e + j’ in the side of the truck. Jud painted that in the when he first bought the 72 Chevy truck when we first started dating. I am very thankful that Jenny captured the picture and the way the vintage quilt is hanging over the end of the truck is beautiful. It really had a symbolic meaning to us. What I remember the most about the day of the wedding was walking down the aisle and seeing the look on Juds face. I will never forget it. He couldn’t keep his eyes off me. Even if I turned away he was still watching me. I also had a moment with my father saw me for the first time. We were taking photos and he just walked out of the door and looked at me and we both just started crying. That was also a meaningful moment that I remember.

Wedding Photography: Jenny DeMarco / Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie Yandell of Your Wedding Your Way / Venue: Vista West Ranch / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Wedding Cake: Krissy Cakes / Hair + Make-up Artist: Beauty Mark Agency / Catering: Gourmet Gals & Guys / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Reception Stationery: Inviting Pear / China: Actual Family Heirlooms / Place Cards/Mixed CDs for Guests: The Bride / Wedding Dress: Serendipity / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Ceremony Music: Serenade String / Reception Music: Bryne Rock, DJ / Lighting Design: FILO

Oh, I just love this wedding so much! It’s so fun and bright and cheery that I want to bottle it up so I can look at the gorgeous images by Cory Ryan Photography any old time I want to. From the colorful backdrop to the groomsmen’s neckties, this wedding is overflowing with spunk and creativity. And you can see even more right here in our new and improved galleries!

Click here to see entire gallery of images!

From Cory Ryan Photography…Being invited to shoot a wedding for these two uber creative Pump Project artists was quite an honor. Upon arriving at Star Hill Ranch and seeing all of their amazing DIY details, I was over the moon! The couple’s favors were hand-made animal paintings that did double duty as table seating cards. The groom wore a leather Texas belt buckle and an old timey bow tie. He hand made boutonnieres for himself and the groomsmen (guys can be crafty too!) – made with a branch, succulent air plant and buttons in shades of opalescent pink and purple. These looked great paired with the vintage looking fuschia ties and the bridesmaids deep lavender purple dresses. The bride wore a lovely and classic strapless dress delicately ornamented with just a touch of sequenced flowers and leaves.

For the ceremony, Joelle constructed a hanging wall of multicolored yarn poms that were so original and provided a perfect photo backdrop. Brightly colored lanterns set the stage for venue. And in the romantic little white chapel, guests escaped the heat with ice cold A/C and decorated their own fans, got their programs, signed the thumbprint tree with ink, and sat catching up in comfort.

After the ceremony, guests moved to another one of the cool outcrop of amazing old-timey-Texas looking buildings on the estate of Star Hill Ranch. Kids were invited to have fun at the arts and crafts table, which every parent loved!! Appetizers were served buffet style, while the Whiskey Shivers sung their down home songs in perfect harmony. Influenced by everything from Johnny Cash to Jolie Holland, this high energy roaring string band has to be seen to be believed. After taking the couple around the property for some photos – who can resist and old broken down truck and tractor? The couple waltzed in the street al fresco. One of my favorite moments from the day is when the couple practiced their dance inside a room of stained glass. Perfect light and a perfect moment.

Later guests moved over to dining hall for dinner catered by Pink Avocado. Joelle constructed the singularly most amazing centerpieces I may have ever seen. Spray painted horses & dinosaurs in pastel candy colors were surrounded with table numbers and frames with nested birds atop and both real and fake pom flowers inter dispersed. Other super creative touches were stones with guest names written on them in silver at each table setting and a handmade cake complete with wooden personalized figurines on top and fondant version of their cat and dog on the second tier was amazingly cute!

Dinner closed with cleverly personalized toasts, including Jason’s sweet toast to Joelle about finally finding the perfect woman. Then guests were invited out to the dirt road for the first dance a la two step and more dancing and music played by the band.

Wedding Photography: Cory Ryan Photography / Venue: Star Hill Ranch / Band: Whiskey Shivers / Bar + Catering: Pink Avocado / Floral Design: Arthouse Design Austin / Wedding Cake: Sheila Marie Fleming / Bride + Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Centerpieces: DIY / Kid’s Art Station: Abrakadoodle / Decor: DIY / Wreaths + Ring Bearer’s Pillow: Mother of the Groom /  Thumbprint Tree: Family Friend / Fans: Oriental Trading Co. / Sashes + Hair Flowers: ProjectU / Ties + Bow Ties: Divine Domestication / Bridesmaid Jewelry: Rachael Adamiak Jewelry + Limbo Jewelry / Hair: Aveda

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

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

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

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

We’re totally loving this sweet and simple DIY wedding with gorgeous florals by Verbena Floral Design and pretty as can be images by Sara & Rocky Photography. The venue is super unique and natural and this outdoor loving couple knew just how to work it and used all the trees and landscaping to their advantage. Pay close attention people, because there are tons of cute DIY projects within this post! Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Sara & Rocky Photography…Abby & Matt’s wedding was at Barr Mansion in Austin, Texas.  It was such a laid-back day, and from the words of Abby: “I wanted to keep it simple, and cute with personal touches everywhere.”  She also said, “We are big outdoors people, so we love that we were surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees.” They used lots of mercury glass, succulents, and light and fresh colors. 

Wedding Photography: Sara & Rocky Photography / Floral Design: Verbena Floral Design / Ceremony + Reception Location: Barr Mansion / Invitations: Pepper Glen Design / Wedding Dress: Signature Bridal / Make-up + Hair: Keep Austin Gorgeous / Cake + Catering: Barr Mansion

What do you get when you mix together pinatas, pizza and pretty Jimmy Choos? Give up? You get a super festive yet fancy fete filled to the brim with gorgeous details and tons of fun. This creative couple chose to ditch their current city of NYC and headed to Austin for a Tex-Mex inspired day. And the results are nothing short of amazing. Matthew Moore Photography snapped away late into the evening to capture all the goodies and you can click here to see even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Glenn and I got engaged at the end of December and we immediately knew we wanted to have our wedding in the fall. That meant I had to find a venue pretty quickly, if we were going to have it in 9-10 months. I started looking non-stop for possible venues in the northeast, near our home in Brooklyn. I’m an art director at Allure magazine, and Glenn works in creative services for J. Crew, so we are both pretty picky when it comes to aesthetics. After almost a month, we still hadn’t found a place that we could afford that was really “us”. At that point, we considered having the wedding in Texas, where I am from. Almost immediately, I found the Barr Mansion, in Austin, on another “real wedding” blog post, and we fell in love. I enlisted my parents to pay the site a visit (and take a million photos) and we put a deposit down at the beginning of February.

When we decided on Austin as our destination, I immediately knew that we had to stay at the Hotel San Jose. It is just such a well designed place, where every detail is considered. Even though I grew up in Texas, most of our friends and family live elsewhere, so almost everyone who attended was from out of town. I was really touched that SO many of our friends made the trip from New York (almost 70 of them!). A lot of our friends stayed at the San Jose, which turned out to be the perfect meeting place in the evening for drinks and during the day, for lounging by the pool and getting ready. Everyone loved Austin—it’s almost like a little New York in Texas, but with BBQ and friendly people! In the morning before the ceremony, Glenn and his close friends went to a shooting range nearby and had the best time. Very fun for a bunch of New York City boys!

Almost everything was bought or sourced online—I just didn’t have the time to physically go shopping for things and being so far away, it just made more sense to find our vendors through various websites. My co-workers must have thought I was crazy… every day, it was another package coming for me! My thank-you cards, rehearsal dinner dress, vintage postage stamps… everything! I ordered my dress from Net-A-Porter about 5 days after Glenn proposed. I loved it at first sight, and they offer free returns, so I figured why not? It turned out to be a perfect fit and required no alterations or fittings. I also bought my shoes from Net-A-Porter; the sash and veil were from BHLDN.com. My necklace was something I found at a thrift store for $5 years ago and just happened to work perfectly.

Glenn wanted something special for the men in the family and his friends to wear, so he commissioned custom-made ties from C. Chauchat. Curie is a friend of ours, who makes the most beautiful ties by hand. She layers a semi-transparent fabric over a solid fabric to create new patterns and colors. Family members wore a light colored tie and close friends wore a darker tie with shades of green and blue.

I am a graphic designer, so I knew from the beginning that I wanted to design our invitations. I had heard it is hard designing for yourself, but I had no idea! It took longer than I expected, but we couldn’t be more happy with the results. We had them printed with Anne Noonan at Soho Letterpress in New York. She did an absolutely incredible job… all the pieces are extra extra thick, for an amazing feel. I wanted a really heavy, sturdy outer envelope, so she used a cover weight paper and cut them all out by hand! Also, the liners were a specific pantone color that she printed especially for us. Overall, amazing.

We went a little crazy with custom-made stamps… I used them to stamp the escort cards, welcome bags, favor bags, thank you tags and matchbooks. All the stamps I designed and then ordered through rubberstamps.net. I stamped table numbers on small manila tags, and then typed the names on the reverse side, using an antique typewriter Glenn found. We tied these to votives using bakers twine. At the table, there were books of matches that I stamped using a copper ink pad. My mom made all the candied pecans for the favors. We packaged them in little muslin bags that we stamped with a little logo I designed with a pecan tree. The bags were tied shut with a stamped “thank-you” manila tag.

Glenn found most of the jars for the centerpieces during one of his shopping trips to the yearly Brimfield Antique show. The rest we scavenged ourselves at Dead Horse Bay here in Brooklyn. I designed and printed the table numbers to match the escort cards and matches. The rodeo lights and Confetti System pinatas were also Glenn’s touch and really helped to personalize the space. We found the Mexican paper banners while we were visiting my parents in San Antonio. Having grown up in south Texas, I really wanted that sort of TexMex flavor reflected in the decor. In addition to the decorative piñatas, we also had a colorful one for the kids. We thought it would be fun to kick off the party and of course all the adults got really into it!

The barn at Barr Mansion recently went through a renovation and as they were building, they added in a great pizza oven in the back. I really wanted to include pizza in the menu somehow… Glenn had the brilliant idea to have pizza come out later in the evening, to keep the dance party going! We also had little to-go pizza boxes, so guests could take slices back on the buses with them. Also, we can’t say enough good things about Matthew and Katie Moore. As soon as I saw their work, I knew we would mesh well. I love his eye and use of color and lighting. We were so excited to work with them, and they were so amazing in helping us feel comfortable and relaxed on the day.

Venue + Catering: Barr Mansion / Wedding Photography: Matthew Moore Photography / Floral Design: Stem Floral Designs / Invitations: The Bride / Invitation Printing: Soho Letterpress /  Wedding Dress: Adam via Net-A-Porter / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Veil + Sash: BHLDN / Bridesmaid + Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew / Suit: Yves Saint Laurent / Groom + Groomsmen Ties: C. Chauchat

This pretty little vintage number by After Yes and Sarah Kate, Photographer  has certainly brightened up my Monday morning.  If the rest of the week looks half has good as this then it will be a lovely week indeed.  Old world charm meets modern romance in a Dallas wedding filled to the brim with eye-popping details.  There are homemade jams and some of the cutest cakes I have ever laid eyes on and that is just a taste of the goodness in store for you.  Go to the full gallery to see it all!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Groom…When we first started planning our wedding, we knew immediately that we wanted to accomplish three things: (1) create a relaxed, intimate setting designed to maximize our quality time with loved ones, (2) give honor to our family and our past throughout the night and (3) incorporate personal touches that held meaning to the both of us. What we didn’t know quite so immediately was how complex that planning could become. Thankfully, we found Elizabeth (with “After Yes”) who was able to translate our quirky style into the lovely wedding that we never knew we always wanted.

Strategically placed couches (covered with antique quilts) and carefully chosen local wines and beer created the relaxed environment we were looking for and a sit-down, four course meal gave us the opportunity to celebrate with our closest loved ones in a small personal setting.

My wife and I look to our parents as living roadmaps to a successful marriage (after all they’ve managed to make it work for some 40 odd years themselves) so a simple way we chose to honor them was to use their wedding colors as our own, blue for my folks and yellow for hers. My sister is famous for her homemade jam’s, so it was a “no-brainer” to gift our guests with her Banana Jam, our personal favorite (so much so that it also made its way as a filling into one of our five different wedding cakes). We were also able to hunt down and put on display old family photo’s of couples going back five generations on each side of our growing family tree.

My wife and I are embarrassingly obsessed with surrounding ourselves with antiques, so why would our wedding be any different? A few of our favorite items were: an antique typewriter serving as our “guest book” (also used when we addressed our invitations), a 1901 gramophone used during our first dance, a 1950’s Chevy pick-up truck used as our “get-away” vehicle and selected vintage Dallas postcards used as place settings.

For days after the wedding we heard over and over again that the night was “soooo you two”… and to us that’s the best compliment we could ever receive.

Wedding Photography: Sarah Kate, Photographer / Floral Design: Bows and Arrows / Event Planning: After Yes / Ceremony + Reception Location: Hickory Street Annex / DJ: Astounding Sounds / Catering: Two Sisters / Cakes: Sugar Bee Sweets / Officiant: Love Notes / Ceremony Music: Serenata Strings / Hair + Make-up: Haute Facade / Invitations + Wooden Signs: Elefant Press / Bride’s Shoes: BHLDN / Exit Car: Dallas Classic Chevy

We’ll continue our day of inspiration from Justin & Mary with a romantic, rustic stop in Houston.  They took inspiration from a favorite country tune – Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks – and infused a laid-back country fête with elegant, vintage details.  I love the thread of blue – from the groom’s denim attire to the blueberry treats – that they wove throughout the decor.  Click here to see all the fun details!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Justin & Mary…For our Houston stop, we channeled the ethereal vibe evoked by the Dixie Chicks famous song, Cowboy Take Me Away.  We wanted a soft simple vibe with tons of soft blues.  We served three different types of blueberry desserts, had burlap bags of seeds as favors and had a station filled with quilts to keep you warm and hankies for your happy tears.  We borrowed a fiddle from a friend to use for portraits and found a wooded area to take the bridal party that really captured the essence of the song. “I said I wanna touch the earth, I wanna break it in my hands. I wanna grow something wild and unruly. I wanna sleep on the hard ground, in the comfort of your arms on a pillow of blue bonnets and a blanket made of stars.”

We kept the design simple, buy using mismatched china on our head table, vintage keys and quilt patches for decoration on our welcome table, and filling mason jars with blueberries and wild flowers as decorations. Special thanks to Lacy Degarath and Christine Trimoulet for pitching in to make it all happen!

Photography: Justin & Mary / Venue, Tables, Chairs + Linens: Houston Oaks / Paper Suite: Invitations Ink / Hair + Make-up:  Jessica of Adorne Artistry / Bridal Gown: Bride’s Own / Bridal Hair Accessory: Maison De Mode / Vintage Rentals: Rent my Dust / Style Interns: Meagan Bechtel + Ginny Wosak / Models: Amber + Allen Strickler / Maids: Meagan + Ginny / Additional Contributors: Lacy Degarath of More than an Image + Christine Trimoulet

To help carry you through your lunch hour, the next wedding on our little parade of pretty by Phenom Photographers will be sure to give you a much better boost than that cookie you are reaching for (although we fully endorse cookie consumption). It’s a sweet as can be farm fête that will be sure to activate your oooh and ahhhs, and really what’s better than that? Don’t forget, there is so much more pretty in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We wanted a wedding where country chic met city classics. Bringing together these two atmospheres – the rustic and urban, the family and the friends, the traditional and the irreverent, the old and the new – was behind everything we did.

We chose a time and place that brought together our families. We were married on the 30th anniversary of the bride’s parent’s wedding, on land which the groom’s grandfather had acquired in a poker match, and had been worked by four generations of his family.

We started by constructing a chapel on the family farm under a grand oak tree draped with Spanish moss. Vintage window’s and stained glass recovered from Canton’s First Friday Trade Show was suspended from the branches to create space and focus. The small group of family members were seated along an isle of white muslin in chairs collected from the farm house and local antique shops. White paper lanterns swung gently in the breeze and white paper parasols bobbed on ladies’ shoulders. The bridal procession was played on a vintage Victrola.

Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero via LuLu’s Bridal Boutique / Bridesmaid + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Ties: Thomas Pink / Floral Design: Jennifer Pavlovich Designs / Wedding Cake: Black Flour / Music: Bride + Groom / Invitations: Michael’s (design by Bride and Groom) / Hair + Make-up: WET Salon / Wedding Photography: Phenom Photographers / Jewelry: Groom’s Mother via Etsy / Transportation: Lone Star Limousine + Austin Pedicab

Holy Moly Texas, do you produce some stunning weddings or what? This one came our way straight from Austin, and although we’re Keeping Austin Weird, there is nothing strange in site. It’s gorgeous. Straight up. BZ Events helped the bride plan a chevron chic affair – which seemed to be a blast for all in attendance (which included 25 children, friends, and family). Captured by Ashley Garmon Photographers, this fête is fantastic. You’ll definitely want to check out the gallery to see more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From BZ events…When we first began planning Ali + Chris’s wedding two things were very important.  One, Ali wanted everyone to feel like family.  Two, the wedding was one month away!  As luck would have it, the stage was already set for a beautiful event with Laguna Gloria providing the perfect backdrop.

“Happy Tears Hankies” were needed as a trio of tutued flower girls lead the way before Ali was escorted down the aisle by her mother.  Guests kept their hankies on hand for the special touches and romantic details that honored both families.  Tied to Ali’s bouquet was her grandmother’s wedding ring and a Texas charm, a nod to finding love in the heart of Texas.  Chris’ two sons, Ethan and Oliver, were his best men, and Ethan carefully delivered both rings to his dad.  Ali’s sister, Christine, serenaded the couple with a stunning rendition of Songbird by Christine McVie.

Ali’s chic style inspired textural centerpieces with custom vase wraps and a color palette of mustard and charcoal.  Cards noting five fun facts about the bride + groom adorned each guest’s place setting while the 25 children in attendance were encouraged to play I Spy with disposable cameras.  Guests were treated to a buffet of the couple’s favorite treats as Ali + Chris danced the night away under the stars.

Wedding Photography: Ashley Garmon Photographers / Venue: AMOA Laguna Gloria / Event Planning + Design: BZ events / Floral Design: unexpected elements / Caterer: Primizie Catering / Officiant: Judge Jon Wisser / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Linens + Rentals: Marquee Event Group / Ceremony Music: Hill Country Strings / Reception Music: Groovelabs / Cake: Polkadots / Dessert Buffet: Bake Sale / Hair: Shannon of Ritual Salon / Make-up: Angela of LucieMarie

How dashing is their duo? As dashing as they may be, their wedding captured by Greg Blomberg Photography is equally as stunning. With beautiful blooms by Bows and Arrows, stylish bridesmaid dresses those ladies will definitely wear again, and that traditional elegance that never goes out of style there is a lot of pretty to be had in this post! It doesn’t stop here, remember there is more to see in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Greg Blomberg Photography…Katie and Daniel were co- bible study leaders who wanted a traditional wedding that expressed their faith and a modern reception that expressed their funky personalities. They chose the classic and picture perfect Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas for their ceremony, officiated by Daniel’s father. The wildly popular and upscale restaurant, Stephan Pyles was the location for the reception, owned by highly acclaimed chef Stephan Pyles. A place not typically used for wedding receptions but instead widely well known for its incredible food and atmosphere, Katie thought it would be unique and perfect for her reception.

Bows and Arrows provided gorgeous and interesting flower arrangements and decor for both the ceremony and reception. Two completely different locales and themes– a very traditional church with columns in the front that is reminiscent of a southern plantation and a modern, clean lined, contemporary restaurant somehow seemed to fit perfectly together thanks to the flowers and decor– that were appropriate for both venues, yet unique and different at both places.

Ceremony Location: Royal Lane Baptist Church / Reception Location: Stephan Pyles / Wedding Photography: Greg Blomberg Photography / Hair + Make-up: Laura Mercier / Floral Design: Bows and Arrows / Wedding Cake: Dallas Affaires Cake Co. / Entertainment: Specialty Sound / Transportation: Blue Diamond Limousines

It’s time to rise and shine SMP Texas because we have a fantastic new advertiser to introduce to you today!  Mustard Seed Photography brings a charming, natural approach to wedding photography and the results are nothing short of magical!  Make sure you spend some time at their website today and show them some SMP love!  And don’t miss out on the incredible engagement session contest they are offering exclusively to all you amazing SMP Texas readers!

From Mustard Seed Photography… We believe that weddings are a social celebration of a very sacred commitment. We feel honored to be participants in every wedding we shoot and treat both the day and the people involved with the highest level of respect. Most of all, weddings are a day filled with beauty and magic that emerges effortlessly. We believe our job is to capture that magic in the most authentic way – naturally, honestly, joyfully.

We approach all weddings organically.

We edit our images naturally.

We strive to capture the moments just as they are happening.

We are silly, funny, enthusiastic.

We are organized, blended, patient.

We absolutely love what we do.

And in all that we do…

we try to represent the grace, distinction, and beauty that is naturally occuring in the world around us. We hope you find both beauty and laughter while browsing through our photographs! – Kat & Rachael

For the readers of Style Me Pretty Texas: Enter to win a free engagement session for one Texas couple!

It’s easy, just follow these steps to enter…
1. Visit our Facebook Page and Like Us.
2. Write on our Wall and tell us why you should win the free engagement session (offered to one lucky Texas couple).

Contest ends December 10th, 2011. Good luck!

We know that you will love our newest advertiser as much as we do and, remember, make sure to stop by their site and show them some SMP support! Welcome aboard!  We’re happy to have you join our Style Me Pretty family!

 

These cuties met in New York City while working for an ad agency and when it came time to plan their big day they decided that a travel theme wedding would be perfect since she’s from Texas and he’s from New York. They infused a bit of each others home states and places they’ve traveled together into the decor with pretty custom map centerpieces. And it really wouldn’t be a Texas wedding without the bridesmaids in super chic cowgirl boots! She-N-He Photography and Design captured each and every special moment and detail to perfection and there’s much more where this came from in the full gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From She-N-He Photography and Design…Katie and Kieran met in New York City while working as copywriters for an ad agency. Katie is from Houston while Kieran is from New York. To celebrate the great distance they crossed to come together  they created a lavish destination affair.

Their centerpieces and table numbers were custom designed maps of locales that the couple hold dear to them including Manhattan, Mexico and Austin. They also included nods to their host city of Austin with charming cowboy boots, BBQ, and Tabasco sauce party favors. Their awesome wedding color combo of turquoise and pink was in every detail including bridesmaid’s dresses, flowers and a four tiered pink gradient wedding cake by Simon Lee Bakery.

Kieran mentioned during their engagement session that Katie requests or plays “Boot Scoot Boogie” everywhere they go in New York…hmmm, sounds familiar. With the Matt Wilson band at the helm there was not a still moment on their dance floor. It was an amazing Sunday evening with the most perfect sunset. A day any couple would proudly relive again and again.

Wedding Photography: She-N-He Photography and Design / Venue: Vista West Ranch / Coordination: Lizze Belle Event Planning / Bridal Dress: Galina Signature / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bridesmaid Footwear: Cavendar’s Boot City / Hair + Make-up: Erica Gray / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Michael Kors / Officiant: Chaplain Larry Todd / Caterer: Gourmet Gals & Guys / Wedding Cake: Simon Lee Bakery / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Lighting: FILO Productions / Ceremony Music: Musical Discovery Chamber Players / Reception Music: Matt Wilson Band / Custom Map: Snappy Map

Kristi Wright just made my day. Take a look at the gorgeous images she captured below, and she’ll be sure to make yours too. This wedding is the absolute perfect mix of casual outdoor reception and uber elegant details. Pops of yellow against the grey and black details along with a cake I am absolutely smitten with makes for the prettiest of parties if you ask me, and you can see more in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Kristi Wright Photography… Erica + Michael were married in a beautiful intimate, outdoor ceremony, in October, at the Allan House, in Austin, Texas. Erica + Michael are the sweetest couple!  Touches of yellow and gray accented the day including fun paper poms lining the aisle. Pearl Events Austin did a fantastic job of coordinating the event and making sure the day went smoothly. With Becky Navarro (Pearl) in charge, Erica + Michael never had to worry over a thing! The food by Austin Catering was so good – a mix of Louisiana (where the bride is from) and Texas favorites. Michael + Erica made their get away in a pedicab with a sweet “just married” sign attached!

Wedding Photography: Kristi Wright Photography / Floral Design, Wedding Signs & Paper Poms: Marcie Lynn Walker / Event Planning: Becky Navarro of Pearl Events Austin / Event Design: The Bride / Ceremony + Reception Location: Allan House / Catering: Austin Catering / Wedding Cake: Polkadots / Lighting: ILD Lighting / Music: Texas Pro DJ / Invitations: Alexis Wilson / Bride’s Shoes: Gianni Bini / Wedding Dress: San Patrick via Blush Bridal

It’s official, SMPers… December is here!  And what better way to welcome in the final month of 2011 than with this uber-stunning Houston affair by Adam Nyholt, Photographer?  Mixing traditional elements with a more modern flair, this ballroom fête is overflowing with gorgeous details, including ah.mazing florals, lovely white and green hues and a beyond breathtaking Monique Lhuillier gown.  Plus, ghost chairs!  So, jump start this new month in style with a trip to the gallery and then stay tuned for even more fabulous from 3 1 F I L M S below!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

As promised, one very amazing video by 3 1 F I L M S that is sure to leave you swooning for the rest of the day… Simply.  Stunning.  Enjoy!

From the Bride… What we wanted most was an intimate, personal wedding, regardless of how many people we’d be having. We spent a lot of time working with our event coordinator, florist and lighting company to create a mood that was both romantic and moving. We’d been together for almost six years by the time our wedding arrived, and in that time, we’d become close with each other’s friends and families, so it was important that they were all included in the best ways possible. Our friends and family love to get dressed up and have a good time, so the wedding was black tie to mark the occasion.

I envisioned a white wedding with a modern twist. I thought of each centerpiece as a work of art, a sculpture made of flowers. I knew I wanted to showcase lots of different materials in my centerpieces and chuppah, like steel, milk glass, and acrylic. Every centerpiece was different, which encouraged guests to walk around to other tables. We complimented that with lots of beautiful, cascading white flowers, grasses and moss. There were candles everywhere and amber lighting for the ceremony, which changed to a more festive blue lighting for the reception. Because our cockapoo, Winnie, couldn’t be at the wedding, I surprised my husband with a likeness of her, made of hydrangeas, which served as the centerpiece on the head table. We had an all-white stage built, and an all-white dance floor, which made everything pop. Our first dance was a surprise flash mob, and my father’s barber shop quartet – he’s been singing with them for almost 40 years! – performed for everyone. At the end of the night, we served everyone James Coney Island, a favorite local hot dog spot.

Thanks to our incredible team, we had a perfect night and our friends and family had a ball. Our wedding vendors made it possible for us to relax and have fun the entire day. It was everything we wanted it to be!

Wedding Photography: Adam Nyholt, Photographer / Wedding Cinematography: 3 1 F I L M S / Floral Design: Plants ‘n Petals / Event Planning: Bobbi Asarch / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: The Omni, Houston / Cakes: Susie’s Cakes / Band(s): Sauce + Kelly Dean Group / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier

This Houston affair by Belle of the Ball and Nancy Aidee Photography is pure romance through and through.  Oodles and oodles of red roses, tulips and orchids cascade from every corner of this stunning celebration.  And that dress, oh that dress!  Could there be a more glowing, gorgeous bride?  The result is one of the most romantic ballroom weddings I have ever seen!  There is so much more to enchant you in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Belle of the Ball…Sweet as she was beautiful, Abby Tippit met her now-husband Matthew Spinn while both were working at Memorial Hermann Hospital.  The couple exchanged vows at First Presbyterian Church in Houston’s Museum District, a church holding special meaning for Abby and her family.  A festive reception followed at Houston’s La Colombe D’Or, one of Houston’s premier wedding venues.

Originally the Fondren mansion, the home of the founders of Humble Oil, La Colombe D’Or’s main ballroom, the Grand Salon, was constructed of original carved wood panels brought to Houston from an eighteenth century French chateau.  Here, guests enjoyed a variety of food options prepared by La Colombe D’Or chefs, and kept the dance floor full to the sounds of local Houston band, Password.

Decor was a mix of traditional and modern. Beautiful red centerpieces and champagne linens, both provided by Wedding Flowers by Lisa, adorned the tabletops in the Grand Salon, while white, black, and mirrored sofas, ottomans, and cocktail tables in the Conservatory created a more casual yet hip lounge feel.  Following the hours of cocktails, delicious food, and plenty of dancing, the couple waved goodbye to their guests as they departed in a vintage Princess Rolls Royce for Houston’s Four Seasons hotel.

Event Coordinator: Alia Rdissi of Belle of the Ball / Wedding Photography: Nancy Aidee Photography / Ceremony Location: First Presbyterian Church / Officiant: Rev. Bill Heston / Wedding Dress: Stanley Korshak / Reception Location + Catering: La Colombe D’Or / Band: Password / Floral Design + Linens: Wedding Flowers by Lisa / Wedding Cakes: World Catering / Programs: Atelier Du Papier / Make-up: Kristin Daniell / Hair: Hues by Heather

How sweet is this Dallas wedding by Ivy Weddings?  It is a big, sugary bowl of goodness with confectionary-colored details that are making me all googly-eyed.  I love their vintage-glam, eclectic, seaside theme and all the unique, yet utterly adorable, centerpieces that they created for each table full of lace, seashells, vintage pieces and photographs.  Head on over to the full gallery to see it all!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Jordan and I highly valued being able to have any and all of our loved ones at our wedding celebration (hence the over-sized wedding party and fairly large guest list!), and we wanted everyone to have a great time (hence dance reception, lots of good food, Mexican food is a family favorite!!), entertainment (photo booth with various props!). We were so thankful to be able to spend this special weekend with all of our loved ones!

In order to achieve this, we HAD to do things as cheap as possible and we were very fortunate to have family and friend involvement in every aspect of our wedding and reception. Since both of us greatly valued it being a great time for everyone, and I really wanted it to be as classy and beautiful as possible, yet down to earth we spent a lot of time thinking through the logistics with intentionality.  We were able to have all of our wedding party to stay with us at a nearby encampment where we also were able to enjoy our rehearsal dinner and wedding day breakfast in a homey, laid back environment.

We enjoyed our theme of vintage-glam eclectic seaside wedding because it fit all of our interests: using vintage items as centerpieces that we already had and/or could reuse in our home, choosing the colors sea-foam and tangerine (2 of our favorite colors–he and many of his groomsmen are Oklahoma State fans plus these colors were the theme of our new beach cottage in California!!)  Classy accents of cream. gold, champagne: Pearls, lace, ruffles, sassy shoes, big glam hair and hairpieces are all a part of my personal style and so all of the bridal party was nicely accessorized in this manner! We also loved the look of the crisp linen and cotton attire that our wedding party all wore, we wanted for it to be classy and beautiful…yet down to earth.

Our location was perfect–my alma mater where I greatly enjoyed my undergrad years and the place where Jordan completely surprised me with a proposal.  It was a gorgeous, sentimental venue that was a perfect location for our guests who came from all over to celebrate with us.  The dance reception was also incredible–my friends decorated the trees and gazebo with chandeliers and lights like a fairytale and my good friend provided DJ services for us .  Our guests enjoyed dancing, glass bottled sodas and a homemade photo booth with various props that kept everyone entertained for the evening!! Our parents, family, wedding party  and other friends helped us tremendously to have an extraordinary wedding celebration that we will never ever forget!! We had the best time with each other and our loved ones, everything came together better than we could have ever asked or imagined and we couldn’t believe how our loved ones took the time to come from all over to celebrate and party with us!! It was incredible and we are so thankful!!

Wedding Photography: Ivy Weddings / Venue: Dallas Baptist University / Bride’s Dress: Custom Mostafa Moghbel of The Bridal Showroom / Bride’s Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Bride’s Hair: Cheryl Graves of Magnolia Hair Salon / Bride’s Make-up: Aubrey Corbett / Bride’s Ring: Israel Diamond Supply / Groom’s Ring: James Avery / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Tuxedo Junction / Florals: Mary Buchanan, Mother of the Bride / Catering: Sodexo, DBU / Transportation: Jimmy Gibson / Bride’s + Groom’s Cake: Sarah Crews / DJ: Jake Salem / Officiant: Rev. Mike A. Perez, Grandfather of the Bride

I have the best job ever. But if I could think of one thing that could make it even better it would be this: on-site wedding reporting. Not just getting the prettiest ever images sent to my inbox, but getting to actually attend these fantastic fetes. That so would have come in handy with this Austin wedding. I’m dying to smell those flowers, to eat that delish food, to dance the night away at this affair, planned and designed by BZ Events. And to hang out with this couple and share this special, special day with them. It would have been amazing. Luckily, Diana M. Lott Photography was there snapping away at every little moment, so we’ve got a gallery chock full of her work to make us feel like we really were there. Meet you there!

From BZ Events … When we first spoke with Emily about her wedding vision, here’s how she summed up her dream day —  a fun, destination Austin wedding, an exciting venue, an amazing band + an atmosphere where no one would wait for a drink or a nibble! And thanks to our amazing team of vendors, that was  just how the day unfolded.

Their color palette embraced all of the natural Spring tones and included lots of bright blues, pinks, fresh greens and soft whites. Blue thistle, pink peonies, phaeleonopsis orchids, tulips and loads of hydrangea graced the ceremony and reception decor. Emily’s bridesmaids selected their own blue dresses to round out the Spring soiree.

In the spirit of a “rocking party” reception, we planned their menu to be completely portable, leaving guests plenty of time to mix, mingle and dance. The options were almost as plentiful (and just as tasty) as a Thanksgiving feast.

Guests enjoyed a delicious raw bar, complete with oysters on the half shell, broiled shrimp and fresh crab claws. A decadent carving station, a made-to-order taco/tostada bar and Chinese Chicken Salad, served in branded take out boxes, rounded out the selections.

Paired with classic lime and Prickly Pear margaritas, the menu was a huge hit … Then, of course, there was wedding cake + a late night slider snack! No guest went hungry at this wedding.

Guests dined and danced under the stars at the gorgeous Wild Onion Ranch to the sounds of one of Austin’s best bands, the Memphis Train Revue. Longhorns roamed the ranch, providing plenty of picture-perfect photo opportunities for Emily and John’s family and friends. A surprise fireworks show (and sparklers) ended the night in style, as the newlyweds drove off in their royal blue convertible.

Photography: Diana M. Lott Photography / Event Planning + Design: Cortney Zieky, BZ events / Flowers: Westbank Floral Market / Ceremony + Reception Venue: Wild Onion Ranch / Caterer: 2Dine4 / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Linens: Marquee Event Group / Band: Memphis Train Revue / Ceremony musicians: Hill Country Strings / Hair: Rachel McDaniel / Makeup: Rhea McCarter / Officiant: Jim Gentil