Texas Weddings

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

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

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

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

Country chic, whimsical and super lovely – this wedding by Jonathan Ivy Photography is the most darling DIY affair. Brides out there, you ladies are constantly amazing me with your craftiness! Case and point – this bride, her family and friends all joined forces to gather all the decor, arrange the flowers and bake the pies (and so much more!). Anyone that can bake a cake that adorable is good in my book! Believe you me, you’ll need to take more than a few minutes to take on all the lovely, so two step on over to the full gallery of images for even more!

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From Jonathan Ivy Photography…This beautiful country chic wedding can actually be described as a DIY wedding.  The bride, Ali, spent months collecting and designing this beautiful event.  Everything from the mason jars, to the china, to the dress she wore down the aisle was created by the bride.  Ali’s gown was sketched and created by her and her designer Classy Concepts in Mansfield, TX.  They drew out the gown and Classy Concepts custom made it for her including the short hem and fixed bow to accommodate her outdoor ceremony.  Ali then spent months along with her mom collecting random pieces of china and mason jars to create her place settings and decor.  The flowers, done by her friend Cameron, are a mix of wildflowers and roses placed on pedestals and jars collected by the bride.  The signs that led her guests throughout the event were built by her dad and painted by Ali.  She had them throughout the ceremony and reception.  All the pies and cakes on her dessert table were baked by her and the ladies in her family.

Ali implemented all her dream elements as well including having a chandelier in the tree above where she was married, having her wedding on the grounds of an old winery, Lone Oak Winery.  After pulling all of the details together she ran then by her coordinator to ensure the practicality behind them, after getting a thumbs up from Rachel with Rachel Events, they tag teamed implementing all her elements. The old car they departed in has a cute background…the groom’s brother was walking through a drug store when he saw the car out the window.  He went out and found the owners there.  He asked them if they would allow his brother and future wife to drive away in their beautiful 54′ Cadillac at the end of their reception and the couple said Yes!  Great ending to this chic setting. Her dream was to bring together a country whimsical wedding and I do believe she accomplished this.

Wedding Photography: Jonathan Ivy Photography / Photo Booth: Jonathan Ivy Photography / Flowers: Friend of the Bride / Event Design + Planning: Rachel Events / Location: Lone Oak Winery / Wedding Invitations: The Bride / Dress: Classy Concepts

This charming little ditty is sure to make your inner cowgirl holler an enthusiastic yeehaw!  Full of darling DIY details with that unique, whimsical edge that makes us fall in love with Austin every single time.  Each and every tea-dyed tag, mismatched vase and hay bale seating was created, crafted and styled by the adorable Southern bride and event planner.  The down-home dreaminess captured by Tyler Metcalfe Photography and Greenleaf Images fits the style and tone and captures that sweet Texas light so perfectly.  Gallop on over to the full gallery to spend some more time in this woodsy DIY wonderland.

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From the Bride…Our wedding was a DIY, very budgeted, full-of-love event.  There were so many personal and intimate details, made even more personal and intimate by the fact that my husband Tim & I, along with our families, created everything ourselves.  We were really so thankful for the support of our families and friends who contributed to our wedding day.  It took a community to make it happen!  I fell in love with weddings on our journey, decided I wanted to make every bride as happy as I was, and started my own event design/planning business.  Haven’t regretted it yet.

I always wanted a fall or winter wedding.  I barely managed a winter one, choosing March 20, the Spring Equinox and last day of winter.  I knew I didn’t want a strict theme or color coordination, but I did want the wedding to seem cohesive.  I had a lot of trouble getting people on board with my “vision” since I also had trouble putting it in to words.  But Tim was always right there supporting me and he was so game for all the unusual things I wanted to do.  Guests arrived to a woodsy wonderland and a little “outdoor chapel” that we created using antique furniture and windows.  That need to draw people in and engage them probably comes from my theatre background and work as an actor, but Tim agreed wholeheartedly regardless of the reasoning and was very involved in all of the planning.  We wanted every individual to feel like a key player and actively participate in our ceremony and our day.  It helped that our “community” of guests was very small, with about 55 guests attending including bridal party and family.  It was the perfect size for the atmosphere we were creating, which was – of course – intimate and personal.  Our guest book was a mock marriage certificate which everyone signed as a “witness” and we also had the guests take a congregational vow to support and love us, at the end of our ceremony.  Because our guest list was so small we had time to visit with each one of them, which was a high priority for us in our planning.

The wedding was held at my parent’s home in the Texas Hill Country, near Austin, TX.  We planned the whole wedding start to finish in less than 3 months and for about $4,500.  Much of that time was spent landscaping and readying the property.  Tim put in many hours clearing & graveling paths, trimming trees, laying rock.  However, while it was a lot of effort on everyone’s part, it was so much more meaningful to invest that time and money into a property we both had so many happy memories about.  I grew up playing in those woods, and they have also become very special to Tim.  We knew that it was worth the investment, and one that would keep on giving, rather than renting a venue with little or no sentimental value to us.

Event Design + Planning: Laurel White Design / Wedding Photography: Tyler Metcalfe Photography + Greenleaf Images / Videographer: Your Wedding Video Sucks / Florals: Sister of the Bride / Wood Cake Plates: Sunday Hatch / Location: Private Property / Wedding Dress: Family Heirloom / Bride’s Shoes: Seychelles / Bride’s Belt + Groom’s Attire: J.Crew

When it comes to wedding cinematography, we know it’s a must. Talk to any bride who did not hire a cinematographer on her big day (me included) and she will tell you it was her biggest and only regret. So, naturally, our love for a great highlight film is easily understood by the fabulous talent that is 31FILMS. Artwork – they create pure magic. Like this Houston Highlight. They captured the handsome groom, the beautiful bride, and the infinite amount of fun that was had at their wedding brilliantly. We love them. And we’re sure you will too after watching Nate and Nancy’s Wedding Highlights via 31FILMS. But first, a sneak peak from Table4 Weddings. More of this awesome affair here!

I’ve got goosebumps already! So without further ado, here is Nate & Nancy – The Highlight.

Nate & Nancy – The Highlight from 31Films on Vimeo.

From the groom … For us, it was all about the fun. With the wedding, we wanted the day to represent who we are, or more importantly, who we have become, as a couple. And, we may be biased, but we like to think we are pretty fun people, and we wanted our friends and family to feel that “fun” every second of the day.  So, we didn’t have much criteria other than that, but in the end it turned out to be a pretty great guiding principle.  It was what I was thinking when I decided to propose with my one ski on near the top of a Breckenridge Mountain.  Thinking back, it is how we make most decisions as a couple.  “Will this be fun, or an adventure, or some kind of awesome? Yes, ok, let’s do it then….”

We love Colorado dearly, but with Nancy’s large family in her hometown of Houston we wanted to have the wedding there.  I was just starting graduate school in the Boston area, so we decided over champagne the night of our engagement that we would marry over the school’s winter break.  Nancy had her eye on the beautiful Catholic Co-Cathedral in downtown Houston, and we found out soon after that they had an open date the beginning of January, so things started falling into place fast.  The reception site was a bit tougher, and we didn’t fall in love with anything right away.  But Nancy had heard about a new development on the west side of town that included the swanky and modern Hotel Sorella. CityCentre Houston is an urban chic complex, and very convenient for our many out of town guests with several upscale restaurants, bars and unique boutiques nearby.

But the real all-stars of the the day were our photographer, Jason Huang of Table4 Weddings, and our filmmaker, Aaron Tharpe of 31Films. Jason came first, and nobody else really had a chance.  My wife knew what she wanted here, and the man is a pro and a visionary.  Very talented at his craft, and Jason can manage a wedding day.

Aaron came later, and even though it took some convincing from Nancy to hire a cinematographer, we are most happy we decided to partner with Aaron and his wife Rachel. The video is maybe the coolest thing we have been a part of.  And Aaron and I hit it off, especially from a music standpoint. What I was most impressed with was how he took very detailed information that we provided in his questionnaire about who we were as a couple, and somehow translated that message via the medium of cinematic film.  We wanted to show that we like to have our fun, that music is a big part of our relationship, and that we have some very special people in our life that play an important role in who we are as a couple.

For Nancy, the details in the flowers, the styling, and the overall look of the day was important. She fell in love with the wedding gown immediately upon seeing it, and then, she carefully selected the flowers in the bridal bouquet and accessories that could hold up against the beautiful backdrop of her dress.  I surprised Nancy with her wedding gift shortly before the wedding, so that she could plan a “costume change” around the one-of-a-kind vintage bib necklace we had seen several months prior at the J. Crew Bridal Boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City.  Once the dancing started, Nancy changed into a shorter reception dress and wore the special necklace as we celebrated love and life well into the early hours of the next morning.

At the end of the day, it was a very beautiful wedding, and a very FUN time.  All the guests walked out laughing out loud and singing at the top of their lungs.  And Nancy and I?  We headed off to the next adventure.  We always do….

Event Coordination: Kelly Balfour of Eventology Weddings / Cinematography: Aaron and Rachel Tharpe of 31FILMS / Photography: Jason Huang of Table4 Weddings / Ceremony Site: Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart / Reception Site: Hotel Sorella / Hair & Make Up: Kristina Prats of Flawless / Floral Design: Dazzling Bouquets / Wedding Cake: Le Duc Gourmet Bakery / Cupcakes: Crave Cupcakes / Band: The Grooves / Invitations: Minted / Calligraphy: The Bride / Rehearsal Dinner: Cadillac Bar / Wedding Gown, Beaded Belt & Veil: Monique Lhuillier via Joan Pillow Bridal (Previously Impressions Bridal Salon) / Wedding Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Reception Dress: J.Crew / Reception Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridal and Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: J.Crew / Bride’s Bib Necklace: One-of-a-kind from J. Crew Vintage Collection / Bridesmaids and Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s Tuxedo: Ralph Lauren / Groomsman and Ring Bearer Tuxedos: Calvin Klein via Men’s Warehouse / Engagement and Wedding Rings: Custom design via Meierotto’s Jewelers

I’ve developed a serious cake crush on the frosted beauty in this Georgetown wedding.  The perfect confectionary centerpiece to go along with this sweetly styled day by Sweet Sunday Events.  It is almost too pretty to eat…almost!  Actually, I’m quite partial to the whole event!  It is just one of those charming, intimate, down-home style affairs that are so full of character and a whole lot of love.  Nathan Russell Photography captured each and every lovely little detail and his images are beyond breathtaking.  Click here to see the rest in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Sweet Sunday Events… Aside from being utterly beautiful, the reason I loved working with Haley to create such a picture perfect wedding is simple. There were no rules or restrictions. Haley supplied me with photos, an overall vision of her wedding and two simple key phrases: Shabby-chic and Natural (two words I just love!). And then we just ran with it.

Shabby-Chic: The tables were dressed with an ivory gauze material, gathered in the center and decked out with mismatched votives. Natural: In mint julep cups and tarnished metal pitchers, decorative kale, garden roses, succulents, kangaroo paw, brunia, purple majesty and foliage became the hub and source of many ooooos and ahhhhhs.

It was simply gorgeous, the kind of wedding that makes you cringe with envy and cheer with glee at the exact same time. Which doesn’t come as any surprise considering the photographer behind the lens was Nathan Russell who has a knack for taking some of the greatest shots ever (For real… Just check out his blog for yourself!). This just might be my favorite wedding yet. Congrats you two!

From the Bride… Austin and I have always liked doing things a little different than the “norm”. From the start, our wedding was going to be eclectic but with vintage and sentimental flare.  I’ve seen weddings that are just the same ‘ole, same ‘ole so to go with the non-mass produced wedding attitude we came up with a fantastic wedding! Several of the items that had a part in our wedding were either in my parents wedding, Bibles from long ago family members or family traditions. We kept the guest list intimate, so we figured the actual wedding should be the same way. We had our wedding in Georgetown, Texas at a beautiful venue at The San Gabriel House, also where Austin’s family stayed for the weekend, gorgeous flowers and rentals provided by Sweet Sunday Events and incredible photography by Nathan Russell Photography. Our to-die-for cakes were done by Paige’s Bakehouse, groovy live music provided by Karan Chavis and my dress was from Balina Bridal in Austin, Texas. Thanks to our awesome vendors, we had a stunning wedding!

Wedding Photographer: Nathan Russell Photography / Venue: The San Gabriel House Bed and Breakfast / Wedding Cake: Paige’s Bakehouse / Event Rentals,  Styling + Floral Design: Sweet Sunday Events / Music: Karan Chavis / Wedding Gown: Balina Bridal

This is a wedding to make all Texans proud, especially if you’re a Dallas Cowboys fan, and let’s face it, if you’re in Texas, that’s your team! This is the fairytale wedding of the Cowboy’s backup quarterback and his pretty-as-can-be bride who just so happened to design her own wedding dress. How’s that for talented? There to capture all the details of this elegant day was Spink Studio who put it best when she said that this wedding was the “talk of the town for weeks!” See all the details here in the gallery!

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From Spink Studio…This gorgeous wedding was the wedding of the back-up quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, Stephen McGee and his gorgeous bride Brittany Koehl! A lot of this wedding was DIY by the bride and her family. They were married at her home church, First Baptist Church of Midland, Texas. They had about 1,100 people in attendance to see this star-studded wedding! It was so great! Being a lover of fashion, the bride designed her own wedding gown and added lots of other glamorous touches to her wedding! It was a super fun, elegant and huge wedding that had the whole town talking for weeks!

Wedding Photography: Spink Studio / Wedding Gown: Bride’s own design

As soon as these gorgeous photos from Jenny DeMarco came in I couldn’t wait to get my little blogger hands on them! This wedding is the ultimate epitome of Texas casual elegance. I’m head over heels for the succulent seat assignments, the groomsmen’s green plaid bow ties and of course, the amazing floral displays filled with white dahlias and burgundy ranunculus. Hello gorgeous! For even more, head on over to the gallery!

See entire image gallery here!

From Jenny Demarco Photography: Amanda and John wanted a funky, vintage wedding that was inspired by the Wildflower Center’s beautiful setting. Relaxed, simple yet incredibly beautiful. All of her details seems to follow this formula, from her beautiful raw silk dress to the quirky groomsmen bowties. Their wedding day was easy going but still stylish and elegant just like the two of them. Amanda wasn’t the typical rose bouquet bride. She yearned to show off the natural beauty of the Wildflower Center with the use of succulents and mixed fresh greenery. The flowers used in her bouquet were white dahlias, burgundy ranunculus, safari sunset, and large succulent blooms prominently placed in front surrounded by seeded eucalyptus, bear grass and many other lush greens. These were bound together with brown twine and ivory satin ribbon to infuse the elegant and rustic feel of their wedding. The bridesmaids bountiful bouquets were a similar version of the bride’s. These bouquets continued the use of large succulents blooms, seeded eucalyptus, and bear grass loops.  To help accent their dress color, their bouquets were highlighted by gorgeous burgundy dahlias. These were wrapped with a sheer champagne ribbon to keep it neutral to it’s surroundings. To continue the beauty of the Wildflower Center, these were again utilized as accent pieces throughout the reception. The groom’s boutonniere mirrored the theme with burgundy safari sunset, seeded eucalyptus, and a mini succulent plant with a twine twist.  Incorporating a vintage funky style, the guys were green bow-ties and matching socks. Their boutonnieres were created with bright green mums and seeded eucalyptus leaves. The couple chose centerpieces which were created in a silver tin pail filled to the brim with large succulent plants, bear grass loops, white dahlias, cushion mums, twine twists and plenty of fresh greenery.  In addition, the bride and groom created the guest take home gifts and place card holder by replanting succulents in small jars. Each jar was accented with a wax seal and ribbon. Even the catering continued along with their theme. The Whole Foods flag ship store is in Austin and the couple used incredibly locally sourced and organic foods for their menu.

Photography: Jenny DeMarco Photography / Flowers: Cedar Park Florist / Event Design: Bride and Groom / Ceremony and Reception Location: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center / Shoes: Miss Mooz / Dress: Adele Wechsler / Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes / Caterer: Whole Foods / Hair and Makeup: Boardwalk Spa / Bowties: Pierrepont Hicks /Groomsmen Socks: Richer-Poorer

The last Friday in June. I can’t even believe that last sentence is true. We are so busy cranking out the pretty I often lose track of time. But here we are at Friday sending you off into the weekend with a fabulous e-session from the lovely Sara Donaldson. It’s so super sweet and full of a few of my favorite things – all things nautical and pretty party dresses. So let’s keep this pretty party rockin’ long into the weekend! See you on Monday!

click here for the full gallery of images!

From Sara Donaldson…I felt like I was driving around aimlessly (for over an hour) on my quest to find the perfect road for the car… It was pure magic that we came upon the perfect place! This couple couldn’t be more adorable together. I felt myself smiling behind the camera at them with every click of the shutter. It always makes me happy to see when a couple takes their engagement session to new heights and incorporates meaningful scenery. His love for vintage cars, her love for fantastic wardrobe finds, their love for sailing… a match made in photography heaven.

Photography: Sara Donaldson / Location: Grapevine, Texas (DFW) / Lake: Lake Grapevine / Car: 1966 Plymouth Sport Fury convertible

In case you missed them, here are the pretty posts from SMP Texas this week:

a downright dreamy Red River wedding
a travel-inspired photo shoot that had us all swooning
a darling DIY wedding at Sam Houston Park
an oh-so-lovely Lago Vista wedding

A few pretty things we found around the web…

Hey Gorg’s gorgeous girl cave via Made by Girl
I do believe I’ll be making this fab appetizer over the weekend via The Kitchn
a pretty ribbon round up via Erin Ever After

Have pretty weekend everyone! Meet you back here bright eyed and bushy tailed on Monday! xoxo, A.Blaire

After an embarrassing amount of time spent fawning over the images from Jennifer Lindberg Weddings of this fab fête, I have come to terms with the fact that I am completely in love with this couple. Yes they both look like they stepped right out of a magazine, and yes she may actually be snow white, but the real reason I now have a serious crush on this duo is they just look SO in love with each other. True partners in crime. Their story is worth the read and will make you love them even more. So settle in, and move gazing at the gallery of images from this gorgeous affair to the top of your to-do list today. You’ll thank me.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Paul and I met, fell in love and were engaged in a little over six months.  Our whirlwind romance was eventually slowed down by life; four months after our engagement, my mom had a near-fatal operation that left her in a coma for two months.  She survived, thankfully, and was able to make a full recovery over the next year.  Around the time we were thinking of revisiting our wedding plans, life gave us a happy surprise: I was pregnant.  We put our wedding on the back burner {again} and later that year I had our son, Dylan.

About a year and a half later, our dormant wedding plans finally found new life.  A spring wedding at my Aunt & Uncle’s home in Lago Vista, Texas, just outside of Austin, was set and, lucky for us; the third time truly was a charm! With its lush gardens, impressive cypress trees and intricate stonework, my Aunt & Uncle’s home, named Mariposa, is almost reminiscent of an Italian villa.  We wanted our wedding to be an intimate celebration of love and family and Mariposa was a perfect fit to the relaxed and sophisticated wedding we had always dreamed of. Looking back, we couldn’t be happier that it took five years (!) for our wedding to finally happen.  Because, when it did, it was amazingly wonderful and everything we could have asked for.  Thanks to husband and wife team Jenn and Jim for capturing the sweetest, funniest, dearest and loveliest moments of the day for us to remember.

My Advice: We planned our wedding ourselves and relied on help from our amazing friends and family.  But, if I could go back, I would hire a wedding coordinator for our wedding day.  I think I would have saved myself some moments of stress and the basket of 115 hand-stamped muslin bags with chocolate covered almond favors that my mother-in-law assembled may have actually been put out for our guests!

Caterer: Hill Country Pasta House / Gelato: The Chocolate Cup / Cakes, Pies + Flower Cupcakes: Russell’s Bakery / Reception Music: Airoldi South Austin Gypsy Jazz / Linen Overlays + Chair Rentals: Elegant Beginnings / Make-up: Jeni Hoover / Wedding Gown + Sash: Joan Pillow Bridal Salon / Veil: Joan Pillow Bridal Salon / Earrings: Anthropologie / Groom’s Suit: J. Crew / Ring Bearer’s Suit: Crewcuts / Flower Girls’ Dresses: Crewcuts / Invitation + Program: Stephanie Meyer / Stationery: Paper Source / Calligraphy: love*jenna / Wedding Photography: Jennifer Lindberg Weddings

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

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

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

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

Oh wow.  This wedding is spectacular.  I have been in a constant state of awe since the moment I laid my eyes on these glorious, seriously tear-inducing images by Alyse French Photography.  I don’t know what I am more in love with… the breathtaking 120-year-old church in downtown Houston, that gorgeous, gorgeous gown or the whoopie pie and champagne reception.  Oh, and then there’s all of the fabulous DIY details, including the flowers.  All together it’s one part vintage chic and one part awesome.  Prepare to be amazed and join me for even more in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Curtis and I met while working in the same research lab. We were also both students, so when we decided to get married, budget was our first priority. We wanted a practical wedding that would reflect our love as well as who we are without breaking the bank.

We planned an intimate vintage-inspired wedding with 35 guests. I was able to create our invitations, RSVP cards, reception cards, thank you cards, etc. all from just two templates! I made paper and ribbon cones that were filled with flowers and lined the aisles of the church. They provided the perfect simple elegance to accent the historic feel of our location. I also combed Etsy looking for other perfect details including hand made feather boutonnieres, jewelry made from mismatched vintage pendants, and matching vintage compasses to symbolize our love, forever guiding us toward one another. We made sure to add in plenty of other personal and unique details too, like an engraving on my engagement ring that inspired subtle fleur de lis decorations throughout our day including our use of lilies and irises in the flowers.

The ceremony was held in the historic St. John Church in downtown Houston. The cute antique country church is set against the Houston skyline and provided the perfect backdrop – a blend of the modern world with the historic, hometown feel. We had a short “cake and champagne” reception but instead of cake we served whoopie pies, a New England favorite straight from my family’s Maine heritage. Instead of a traditional guest book, we selected individual postcards with vintage love-related images and a vintage birdcage to hold the cards. It was such a treat to read the comments, advice and fun answers that our family and friends left for us! I definitely feel like it was the personal touches that made our day so special, from my little sister’s ring pouch, to the inspiration from my engagement ring and the whoopie pies from my childhood summers in Maine and so many other small details that made our wedding day truly unique.

Wedding Photography: Alyse French Photography / Bride’s Hair & Makeup: Empire Faces / Wedding Gown: Watters / Bride’s Shoes: MAXSTUDIO / Flowers: DIY / Whoopie Pies: DIY / Ceremony Music: Marion Haase / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. John Church of Sam Houston Park / Wedding Reception Location: Heritage Society Tea Room / Feather Boutonnieres, Vintage Jewelry & Vintage Compasses: Etsy

We like to serve up serious inspiration with a heaping side of style over here at SMP, and this travel-inspired photo shoot brought to us by the Texas talents of Catie Ronquillo Photography, Kate Foley Designs, Southern Fried Paper and Sugar Bee Sweets is just that and then some. The cakes couldn’t be prettier, the bouquet couldn’t be more breathtaking and the travel-inspired stationery couldn’t be more perfect. Heaping serving of style and inspiration – coming right up! Click here for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Catie Ronquillo Photography…I love to travel, especially if it involves France! After seeing a travel inspired invitation on Southern Fried Paper’s website, I approached Chelsea about doing a travel inspired shoot. I knew that I wanted some French accents and travel elements, and use the classic airmail stripe colors of red, white, and blue as inspiration. So we merged the two together and created a French Travel Inspiration shoot with a hint of vintage.

For the cakes, Heidi of Sugar Bee Sweets created five coordinating cakes each with its own special element. We displayed the cakes separately, paired with suitcases and cake stands at different heights, to create something different from a traditional tiered cake. For flowers, Kate of Kate Foley Designs created a beautiful bouquet and centerpiece with assorted red flowers and greenery to perfectly complement our color scheme. We used vintage books as part of the centerpieces and used suitcases to accent our design. A few French inspired accessories topped it off.

For the couple’s attire, we thought that the bride would look perfect in a short dress, perfect for a small ceremony or elopement, or for leaving straight away for the honeymoon. She wore the Pins & Needles 3/4 Sleeve dress from Urban Outfitters. The groom wore a seersucker coat from his personal collection with a red striped bow tie – perfect to infuse a bit of Southern into this shoot!

From Southern Fried Paper…Guests received a “wedding passport” save the date tucked inside a hand-lined snap close envelope and a boarding pass wedding invitation with a red airmail envelope. The travel inspired wedding showcased individual menus wrapped around each napkin, airmail escort cards pinned to a vintage map, and kraft travel journal favors accented with custom “Bon Voyage” stickers.

Photography: Catie Ronquillo Photography / Floral Design: Kate Foley Designs / Event Design: Catie Ronquillo Photography + Southern Fried Paper / Wedding Cakes: Sugar Bee Sweets / Stationery: Southern Fried Paper / Makeup: Kay Castro / Location: White Rock Lake, Dallas / Dress: Urban Outfitters

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

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

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

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

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

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

Get ready to fall in love with every little thing about this darling, gorgeous, sweet, vintage meets country elegance wedding captured by Lauren Larsen Photographs. I have a feeling the sweet little flower girl will be the first to grab your heart, but then you’ll be swept up again by all of the lovely flowers from Bows and Arrows, and then yet again by the amazingly adorable 16 foot high chapel facade that was lovingly built by the groom. By the time you scroll to the bottom you will be in a full on love fest with the sweet soirée, and I think that is a pretty darn good way to start your Monday. Click here for even more!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Bows and Arrows… Natalie and Lindsay were married on a high embankment that overlooks the Red River in Telephone, Texas. The ceremony took place on lush burmuda grass, under old oak trees in an outdoor sanctuary. The 16 foot high chapel facade, with rescued stain glass windows, was built by the groom. The ceremony ended with a surprise fly over and a ten minute aerobatic show over the river.

The bride wore Hallie by Priscilla of Boston with an added cap sleeve to complete the vintage-fall look. Her birdcage veil was marked by a stunning 1920’s broach of the brides late grandmother.

The wedding theme was vintage meets country elegance. The colors were deep coral, and shades of mustard-yellow and grey. The flowers were an assortment of garden roses, yarrow, brunia, rice flower, mimosa, ranunculas, football mums, and billy balls. The bride’s bouquet was stacked with plush white peonies and laced with dusty miller. The vintage styled guest sign-in table backed up to a framed collage of the family tree of weddings and brides. The table centers were scattered with clear glass, milk glass, and mason jars, lightly dusted with a bundle of stems in each. Cake Affairs Dallas styled three custom round tiered cakes that sat atop vintage pedestals. Each had a vertical texture on the white frosting and yellow velvet ribbon along the base. The groom’s cake was a giant graphic of Ron Paul’s face!

The reception took place in the groom’s airplane hanger adjacent to the ceremony, in a vast field, surrounded by hay bails. After a country dinner of brisket and chicken fried steak the guest danced the night away to the ultimate 80’s band -Live 80. The couple made the their exit to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon,” while guest showered them with vintage themed paper airplanes.  And then they were off to honeymoon on St. John Island and a beautiful life together!

Wedding Photography: Lauren Larsen of Lauren Larsen Photographs / Floral Design: Alicia & Adam Rico of Bows and Arrows / Linens: Alexandra Mitchell 0f BBJ Linen / Lighting: Ryan Kelley & Jennifer Burns of Beyond Lighting / Rentals: Teresa Wall of LiveWire Special Events / Band: Chad Allen of Live 80 Band / Strings: Barbara Allen of Classic Strings / Catering: Kathy Wiliams of A Gourmet Catering / Wedding Cake: Margaret of Dallas Affaires Cake Company

So ladies and gents, how was your week? Hopefully you spent some (or a lot) of it ogling over all the prettiness that graced our computer screens here on SMP Texas Weddings. It’s a Monday – Friday pretty rodeo for sure. To keep the pretty kicking over the weekend, I just had to share a super fun image by Lauren Larsen Photography that will be showing it’s pretty face along with its other image friends on Monday. Adorable, right? Well make sure you are right back here with me on Monday morning to see it all!

Photography: Lauren Larsen Photography

In case you missed them, here are the pretty posts from SMP Texas this week:

an Austin wedding with the perfect pops of orange
a Magnolia wedding with a serious pair of shoes
a fabulous, fun-filled fête at The Wild Onion Ranch
a vintage rental shop that seems too good to be true! 
a ballroom beauty of a wedding in Austin

A few pretty things we found around the web…

a could not be more adorable wedding complete with pigs via Snippet & Ink
the typography-lover in me is crushing on this wallpaper via poppytalk 
take me back to Capri pretty please via Mrs. Lilien

Have pretty weekend everyone! Meet you back here bright eyed and bushy tailed on Monday! xoxo, A.Blaire

We love a good ballroom wedding over here at SMP, and this wedding by Ashley Garmon Photographers provides the perfect dose of indoor goodness for your Friday morning. Dripping with orchids and oozing elegance, Caplan Miller Events made sure everything was decked to the nines for this sophisticated family affair. It doesn’t hurt that the couple happens to be as gorgeous as the event itself, and it all makes for a very lovely full gallery of images.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Ashley Garmon Photographers…This caberet-style wedding was all about family.  The mother of the bride had her vision of the chuppah from the start.  She designed a family tree with photos of all of the bride and groom’s family members. She had this screen printed onto fabric and used as the chuppah.  It was outlined with florals and then suspended over the dance floor.  Guests entered our ballroom and were ushered to their dinner tables. The tables were set for dinner and a program/menu card combination was displayed at each place setting.  Guests sipped champagne and nibbled on candied nuts during the ceremony.

Once the wedding ended… the ballroom went dark…. and a spotlight hit the service doors as the servers paraded in with the first course. The dance floor was cleared of the ceremony stage and screens were removed to reveal the band for dinner and dancing.  The suspended chuppah was now the dance floor decor and hung overhead all night.  After the served first course, guests were invited to the themed food stations that were each paired with a cocktail from that region — tex-mex cuisine and margaritas, greek food and ouzo, sushi and sake, italian and chianti, texas cuisine and Shiner Bock and more.

Photography: Ashley Garmon Photographers / Cinematography: Crescent Video / Floral Design: David Kurio Designs / Event Design & Production: Caplan Miller Events / Event Planning: Caplan Miller Events / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: The Four Seasons Hotel / Lighting: Filo Production Services / Rentals: Premiere Party Central + Marquee Rents / Linens: La Tavola / Hair & Makeup: Brooke Michie / Wedding Cake: Simon Lee Bakery / Wedding Ceremony Music: Barton Strings / Band: TOP / DJ: DJ Rich / Chuppah: Legacy Chuppah

Grab a fork and spoon because y’all are going to eat.this.up. Seriously, every last bite of it. Just imagine a magical place where all of your favorite wedding props from all of your favorite weddings came together under one pretty roof. All of those “where did you get that?” questions answered at a one stop shop. Sounds too good to be true? Well for once – it isn’t! This magical place is also know as Recollection Vintage, and I am ready to jump on a plane to pay these pretty ladies in Houston a visit thanks to all of these delicious images from Christa Elyce Photography. I asked them a few questions below the images so you can get to know them/ fall in love with them even more, so read up and remember the full gallery has even more yummy images for you to devour.

Who are the owners?
Recollection is a team of three ladies…Patty DePierri and Ashley Dernick, a mother & daughter creative team, are owners of Houston party favor company – Something Old, Something New Wedding Designs.Natalie Dawley is owner of Two Be Wed, a Wedding Consulting and Event Design Firm, and co-owner of Houston’s Patio-Chic Event Venue, The Patio on Mercer. Patty DePierri has always had a passion for collecting vintage items and her home is filled with beautiful, eclectic finds.  She never cared about trends, but instead, designed according to what she loved and it always paid off.  Ashley had the privilege of learning about antique and vintage décor at a young age, and has a unique design style of her own that could turn a discarded and chipped fireplace mantle into a charming, romantic backdrop for a ceremony.Natalie Dawley shares the same love for this design style and has designed two wedding planning studios filled with eclectic mid-century and earlier finds. She is collector of anything that catches her eye and is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functional for daily life and entertaining. After sharing ideas and concepts with each other they knew it was a perfect match to collaborate on this niche’ design service, the first of its kind in Houston. Pairing their passion for old things, interior design, and party planning, these ladies gladly introduce Recollection Vintage Rentals. Recollection offers vintage furniture, fixtures, vessels, vases, props, and accessories for weddings, events, photo shoots, photo booth backgrounds, and any other creative opportunity to turn old things into treasures.

What makes Recollection unique?
Recollection Vintage Rentals is the first rental company in Houston offering vintage styling using one-of-a-kind, authentic pieces from the mid century and older. They also offer all modern rental needs like tables,garden and chivari chairs, ghost chairs, and a variety of linens. Recollection can design and customize linens, tablecloths, and runners as well as offering their vintage collections for rent. Recollection provides floral and décor services and has an abundance of unique containers including a full collection of white and black milk glass as well as a mason jars, urns, buckets, and other interesting pieces.

How do you rent from Recollection?
Anything on the website is for rent, but the rental inventory goes beyond what is seen on the website. Call and schedule a consultation with the designers. They thrive on the face to face interaction and collaboration with clients to customize the perfect look for their event or photo shoot.

What sets Texas weddings apart from weddings anywhere else?
There’s no place like Texas!! The “Don’t Mess With Texas” and “Everything in Texas is bigger” mottos stand true for weddings in the Lone Star State! Even if it isn’t a 300 guests plus wedding they are bigger and better in terms of style and design. The brides in Texas love to collaborate and push the envelope regardless if their style is classic or contemporary, traditional or modern.

What kind of weddings do you love the most and what is your favorite trend right now?
We have a crush on pre-ceremony cocktail hours- usually guests are in a rush and running behind and so this gives them an opportunity to sit back, relax, and get in the wedding mood. A simple beverage station of lemonade and iced tea or serving a signature drink adds a lovely touch. This is also a great way for guests to mingle with friends and find the people they want to sit with.

What is your biggest piece of advice for people planning a wedding?
Hire a wedding planner!! They make life so much easier for the bride and groom, bridal party, their families, and the vendors. It may not be in the budget to hire a consultant to plan the entire wedding, but a couple cannot afford not to have a coordinator on the day of. It’s like having liability insurance and the confidence that even though there may be hiccups on the day of, the bride and groom can go on in marital bliss without stress or grief.

Who are your favorite vendor friends in Texas that keep your inspiration flowing?
We are so fortunate to be working with talented industry professionals,specifically photographers. They are the ones capturing the essence of our design style and bringing life to our vintage inventory and to our vignettes. Some of our favorites are Rachel Robinson Photography, Lovelee Photography, and Christa Elyce Photography

Photography: Christa Elyce Photography / Rentals: Recollection Vintage

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Indian weddings have got to be so. much. fun. Consider, if you will, this Dallas fusion wedding. Greg Blomberg Photography‘s photos are so full of life, emotion, fun, and color, you almost can hear the music and feel the dancing. It’s amazing! The couple is so adorable together. And, did I mention, the bride has at least three dresses? Any wedding that affords the bride three costume changes is okay in our book! When you’re ready to get your fusion on, check out Greg’s blog for more of this Indian/American couple!

Click here for the full image gallery.

It’s not often that a couple has two weddings and two receptions. Roxy and her family are of Indian descent and Mark is American. So naturally they had a full blown Indian wedding and reception with all of its traditions and ceremonies and the very next day continued with round two – an American wedding and reception.

Roxy and Mark have been together for over five years and are clearly best friends whose infectious laughter spreads to anyone around them. If you are anywhere near Roxy and Mark, you are guaranteed to have a blast.

Richa Johari and Hala Snyder of Events by Hala did an incredible job coordinating this momentous series of events. Suman Pai of Elegant Affairs designed a full range of amazing decor for both wedding days. She was able to capture the essence of the Indian culture with colorful flower arrangements complimented with extravagant gold details and a mandap (the four column marriage altar)  that was to die for. Not only did she do a beautiful job for the Indian wedding and reception but also for the American wedding and reception, which visually tied together in a subtle manner in keeping with the same color scheme while creating a completely different decorative presentation.

This wedding was as fun as it was gorgeous and visually impressive. Roxy’s Indian heritage was beautifully honored with all of the traditions, customs, attire, and decor. All of the guests loved dressing in traditional Indian outfits and enjoyed the many special events throughout the wedding. We were so honored to photograph this wedding!

Photography: Greg Blomberg Photography / Wedding Coordination: Events by Hala / Event Decor & Floral: Elegant Affairs / Venue: The Fairmont Hotel / DJ: DJ Happy Singh / Hair & Makeup: Mo Bowers of Fairy Godmothers Bridal / Entertainment: Mars Hill Band & Dallas Gigs

When the bride walks down the aisle to Pretty Woman, you know you are in for a festive little fête! If you are anything like little ol’ me, that song will now be on repeat in your pretty little head for the rest of the day – thankfully it provides great back ground music for this colorful and deliciously fun party by Caplan Miller Events, complete with a darling donut bar! In my book, donuts are completely calorie-free at weddings so that makes them that much more darling, don’t you say? There is oh so much more to be seen, so saunter your Pretty Woman singing self on over to the full gallery of images for even more!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Caplan Miller Events… Martha Lynn and Trevor wanted a wedding that felt as if it was held in their backyard.  They love lots of “southern” touches — mason jars, sweet tea, lace, milk glass.  We combined it all for an incredible Texas evening under the stars.

Guests were greeted with Texas beer and sweet tea as they made their way to the ceremony site. The ceremony was officiated by the bride’s uncle. Our guitarist learned Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive” for the groom’s processional.  The girls came down to “Pretty Woman.” Afterwards, the guests enjoyed a poolside cocktail hour and a Texas-style buffet dinner. The bride created a donut table in honor of her grandmother who she loved having Krispy Kreme donuts with as a young girl. Guests enjoyed mini cupcakes, wedding cake, donuts and a custom groom’s cake – a 2-side beer can.  One side Lone Star and the other side Rainer.  Both represented his Seattle roots and his current home in Texas.  They were sent off with sparklers and departed in an antique limo.

Event Design & Production: Caplan Miller Events / Wedding Photography: Cory Ryan Photography / Wedding Venue: The Wild Onion Ranch / DJ: DJ Rich / Wedding Ceremony Music: Andrew Nafziger / Event Styling: The Inglenook Decor / Wedding Cake & Cupcakes: Nom Nom Global / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Lanterns: FILO Production Services / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Antique Limo: Antique Limousines of Austin

The sweet meter is off the charts for this wedding by Sharon Nicole Photography. From the angel face bride to all of the darling details, it has love written all over it. I have to say though, the shoe envy I am currently experiencing is seriously off the charts as well. Apparently when you combine green and Christian Louboutin you get greatness. Those are some incredibly pretty peep toes, particularly when placed on such a pretty bride. Oh there so much more sweetness to devour, so be sure to pop on over to the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Sharon Nicole Photography… Lindsey and Ernie’s wedding was absolutely beautiful. I could feel the anticipation as Ernie waited patiently for Lindsey for their first look. These two are so sweet with each other and very much in love. Lindsey did a great job with all of the details and using the green, black, and white color palette. She told me that many of the items she used in her wedding were found on Etsy. I also loved that Lindsey decided to have one of her male best friends be a part of her side of the wedding party, and he was given a green bow tie instead of black to help him stand out. I later found out that he is one of the reasons why Lindsey and Ernie met, so it was obvious why Lindsey wanted him to be part of their wedding! The bridesmaids all bought black dresses from The Limited and the green sashes were bought separately. The groomsmen looked so classy in black bow ties and vests, and Ernie looked very handsome in his suspenders and black bow tie.

One of the coolest elements of Lindsey and Ernie’s wedding was Lindsey’s wedding dress. The skirt (Which also had pockets!) attaches separately to her dress, so at the reception she was able to take it off and reveal the lace cocktail dress underneath! Lindsey’s green Christian Louboutin shoes were the perfect shade of green to go along with everything else in the wedding!

Ashelynn Manor is a beautiful venue and I loved shooting there! There are so many different spots for photos around the white picket fences, cute white chapel, a mansion to get ready in, and a barn to party in. Everything was decorated and nothing was left unnoticed! The Senterpiece did a great job with their flowers and their “L” and “E” letters were visible to greet guests at the chapel doors and later transferred to the barn doors at the reception. It was a great way to re-use the same elements at the wedding! The black branches with white flower bases and hanging crystals tied the color scheme and elegance of the wedding together. I just really fell in love with how well everything matched! I really loved their exit shot because of the color the green ribbon streamers. I’ve seen lots of exits and it was refreshing to see something different than rose petals, bubbles, and sparklers. Truly inspiring!

Wedding Photography: Sharon Nicole Photography / Wedding Venue: Ashelynn Manor / Wedding Dress: Martina / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Event Coordination: Egna Olmos of A Particular Event / Hair & Makeup: Your Beautiful Face / DJ: All Time DJ / Floral Design: The Senterpiece / Wedding Cake: Lisa Barcelona / Rentals: Any Occasion Party Rental / Beverage Catering: Capitol Beverage / Videography: Grasshopper Productions