Texas Weddings

Hello country charmer of a wedding by Keely Thorne Events! It’s a perfect mix of traditional elegance and down home country style. It’s all Texas, and it’s all good in my book. With a beautiful, natural color palette and fluffy florals from Darryl & Co. gracing us with their prettiness at every turn, how can you really go wrong? Thanks to Studio 563 there is even more of this country affair to see – so boot, scoot and boogie on over to the full gallery of images.

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From the Bride… The idea behind my wedding was to combine classic elegance and country charm. We wanted to embrace our Texas roots and provide a country experience for our out-of-town guests, but also keep things fancy and elegant. We decided to nix the traditional ballroom hotel theme and have our wedding and reception in the small town of Navasota, Texas where my parents own a ranch.

The catalyst for my theme came from the designs of Tracy Brockhouse of Bluebird Designs. She truly captured our vision in a rustic yet elegant wooden backed invitation. Additionally, she created all of our invitations, menus, programs and even designed a family crest that was used through out all of our wedding pieces.

After our ceremony at an old Catholic church, guests headed to a tented reception held on the patio of my parent’s home. We chose an earthy, simple color scheme of whites, ivories, greens and browns. Very early on, I fell in love with the idea of covering the tent with the glow of soft candle light from lanterns. Darryl and Co. made that vision a reality with lantern centerpieces, lanterns on the walkways around the tent and lanterns hanging from the corners of the dance floor on tall clusters of branches. Two antler chandeliers were hung on each side of the tent to tie in the rustic outdoor theme. There were three different flower arrangements designed to give depth and a variance of height on the tables. Some were lanterns with clusters of flowers around the base and top, some were tall topiaries and some were urns filled with floral. We used details such as the table assignments hanging from lantern hooks outside the tent as guests approached, custom made signage around the reception tent made by my father-in-law and tables named after indigenous trees and flowers in the area to tie into the theme.

Since I’m Italian and our favorite restaurant is Carrabba’s we decided to have a 6 course seated dinner by Carrabba’s for our reception dinner. Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour of drinks and appetizers before we arrived and were able to spend time outside the tent at the adjacent pond where we set up a nearby retreat for guests to enjoy a view of the property. The wedding cake was a traditional cream cheese frosting and lemon cake and the grooms cake was a double chocolate fudge cake and chocolate frosting in the shape of a Makers Mark whiskey bottle – the groom’s favorite whiskey.

Shortly after dinner and speeches, The Revelators began playing and dancing was well underway.  The bouquet and garter toss was off the side of a slight hill near the edge of the house and our exit was made out to the exit car by the light of sparklers.

Wedding Photography: Studio 563 / Floral Design & Event Decor: Darryl & Co. / Event Coordination: Emily Moise with Keely Thorne Events / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Joseph’s Catholic Chapel / Wedding Reception Location: La Dolce Vita Ranch, Private Residence / Wedding Invitations: Tracy Brockhouse of Bluebird Design Studios / Wedding Cakes: Who Made the Cake! / Groom & Groomsmen Hair: V’s Barbershop / Catering: Carrabba’s Italian Grill / Hair & Makeup: Your Beautiful Face / Wine: Becker Vineyards / Band: The Revelators / Wedding Dress: Watters via Brickhouse Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy via Ventura’s Bridal / Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Groom’s Wedding Band: Michael Klein’s Fine Jewelry / Bride’s Earrings: Nadri / Bride’s Sash: Kirsten Kuehn Designs / Reception Signage: Father of the Groom / Favors: Beau Coup + Jelly Belly / Sparklers: Sparklers R Us

When your sister is the unstoppable force behind Viva Bella Events, ready to put on a rocking wedding in your honor, consider yourself lucky. We know this Dallas bride (whose sister really is Dora from Viva Bella!) sure did. All her cobalt blue dreams came true on her wedding day. She was able to put together a rockstar team of vendors – including the talented amo-ink and wonderful Kortnee Kate Photography – to travel with her from Ohio to Texas for the big day. Oh yeah, and her groom was there to love, cherish, and dance the sparkly night away with her. Talk about perfect. More about this adorable couple at Viva Bella’s Blog!

More romance and sparkle in the gallery!

It is said everything is bigger and better in Texas and that is certainly how I wanted my Dallas wedding to feel – with lots of cobalt blue and bling! I also wanted my wedding to represent the warmth and welcoming nature of Texas and my family, so I sought to offset the bling with personal, intimate touches throughout.

My inspiration came from the chandeliers in the chapel of Piazza in the Village. I had a brainstorming session with my wedding designer, Dora Manuel of Viva Bella Events and my invitation designer, Amy Owens of Amo-Ink, and we decided the sparkle I sought after for my wedding would best be captured by a “chandelier” theme. The result was glamourous, striking, and original.

We set the tone of the wedding with foiled, stamped invitations. I wanted a modern feel for my reception, so we used various shades and textures of blue and silver for our linens, as well as 4 different types of gorgeous centerpieces.

Lucky for me, my florist, Kim Kenney of Timeless Fiori, is also a planner and designer, so I had her and my sister, Dora, to brainstorm amazing ideas with. Kim helped us with day of coordination, too, so my whole family could enjoy the day.

Again, I wanted our wedding to feel personal and warm so our wedding favors were individually baked 7 inch pans of cinnamon rolls that my grandmother, RoRo, took 3 months to bake. It was the biggest hit of the night. They melted in your mouth!

We brought several of our must-have vendors in from Cincinnati, and I’m so glad we did. The party was hopping and the dance floor full, thanks to the music and mixing of DJ Toad. Kortnee Kate, also from Cincinnati, captured our day perfectly!  We’re so thankful to all of our vendors who helped our wedding vision perfectly come to life!

Venue & Catering: Piazza in the Village / Wedding Planner & Event Designer: Viva Bella Events / Wedding & Floral Design & Day of Coordination: Kim Kenney of Timeless Fiori Floral Design & Timeless Elegance Weddings / Stationery: amo-ink / Photography: Kortnee Kate Photography / Lighting: Beyond / Reception Music: DJ Toad / Favors: RoRo’s Cinna Rolls / Cake: Bonnie Ruth’s Cafe Trottoir et Pastisserie

I love this couple. Not only is their wedding just beautiful, they also seem like loads of fun. So much fun in fact, that they stopped at a carnival while driving to take photos in the lovely city of Austin. Any bride that wins a bean bag toss in her wedding gown is OK in my book! My party hat is off to this duo and their vintage meets romantic meets super fun wedding by Three Apples Events. For even more, check out the full gallery!

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From Three Apples Events… Lesley and Paul’s wedding inspiration was vintage romance from start to finish.  The fashion was a big part of their day. The top of Lesley’s stunning dress was covered in lace and beading with removable lace cap sleeves to wear for the ceremony.  The bottom of the dress was exposed tulle.  She wore a birdcage veil for the ceremony with a feathered pin to hold it in place.  For the reception, she changed to a larger floral piece. To customize it, she completely changed the corset back to one with a zipper and added her grandmother’s wedding dress buttons from her 1935 wedding. Lesley’s grandmother recently passed at age 100, so it was really special to her.  For her garter, she had her seamstress create one from lace off of her mom’s wedding dress.  Her mother-in law lent her her lucky sixpence, and Lesley placed it in her shoe for the walk down the aisle. She did have one modern piece – blue sparkly shoes… her “something blue.”  Her bridesmaids wore navy blue dresses with black lace at the top and pretty vintage feather fascinators that included the wedding colors of peach and white.  Paul and his groomsmen all wore coats with tails, striped pants, vests, cravat ties and top hats – a nod both to the vintage style as well as Paul’s British background.

After a beautiful Catholic ceremony, the newlyweds headed out in a 1960’s white Bentley to take photos around Austin. They happened to drive past a carnival and decided to go play! Some of their favorite pictures of the day are of them playing carnival games in the middle of downtown Austin in full wedding attire!!  Lesley won the bean bag toss, but who’s counting?  Definitely something they will never forget!

The reception décor was a continuation of the sweet vintage look with a romantic feel.  Lesley and Paul have traveled all over the world together and wanted to incorporate that love for travel into every piece of the décor.  Instead of a traditional guest book, we set up a mailbox with stacks of postcards – they asked their friends traveling to Austin to bring postcards from their hometowns – and had everyone leave them a postcard for when they returned from their honeymoon in the Maldives! To tie in the past and both of their families, we set up photos of their parents’ weddings next to the mailbox. And to keep in with the travel theme, for the guest favors, everyone got a luggage tag saying “Enjoy the Journey”…one of their favorite mottos.

For the table numbers, we gave each table the name of a city that they’ve traveled to together (along with a photo taken while they were there), from Prague to Tokyo, Cozumel to Budapest.  For the centerpieces, instead of doing a standard large piece, we decided to collect various mismatched vases from thrift stores all over Austin, along with tin cans and mason jars. For each table, I tied raffia on some of the vases and cases, and set clusters of soft, romantic peach and white flowers like roses, tulips, calla lilies, and freesia.  Every table also had an ivory lace topper and lots of candles. The head table was really amazing with a long lace runner down the length of the table covered in vases, cans, and jars of white and peach flowers and interspersed votive candles.

The evening started with a live performance by Jeffrey David Goldford singing during the cocktail hour and the dinner as well as the couple’s first dance (“Arms of a Woman” by Amos Lee – so sweet!).  He’s an old friend and flew in from Chicago to perform for their wedding day! Later in the evening when Lesley, Paul and their guests were ready to really get down, the DJ took over.  The entire night, pretty much everyone was on the dance floor!

Instead of a traditional cake, they opted for cupcakes!  Yum!  Scattered around the cupcake display were homemade “Love” tags, and the cake topper was the topper from Lesley’s parents’ wedding cake in 1970.

Since they had so many friends come into Austin from all over, they wanted to make sure to get a lot of fun pictures with everyone. The photographer set up a photo booth-style area and took lots of fun group shots.  Let’s just say the top hats saw their fair share of photos!

At the end of the night, instead of an exit in a limo, Lesley and Paul decided to make a thoroughly Austin exit and rode off in a pedicab!  What a fabulous day!

Wedding Photography: Jake Holt Photography / Event Design & Planning: Three Apples Events / Wedding Ceremony Flowers: Central Market / Wedding Reception Flowers: Three Apples Events / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Austin Catholic Parish / Wedding Reception Location: Palm Door / Hair: Urban Betty / Makeup: Rochelle Rae / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Shoes: Nine West / Bridesmaid Dresses: Eliza J / Cupcakes: Cakemix Austin / Bentley: Antique Limousines / Band: Jeffrey David Goldford / DJ: Erik with ATX DJ

Now THIS is a Style Me Pretty wedding. Aside from being ALL about the pretty, the drop dead gorgeous bride (who looks like a celebrity that I just can’t pinpoint) designed a day that was literally overflowing with SMP style details. The Keep Warm tags that we did for Libby’s Nashville wedding, the anthropology meets garden inspired design, the printed handkerchief invitations. The everything, really. But what I love most is the thought, the romance, the elegance behind each and every one of those details. And who better to photographs such gorgeousness than The Nichols. Oh and guess what. We’re just getting started. You can click here to see so much more.

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When our wedding coordinator, Beth at 36th Street Events, asked Kyle and me to choose just 3 words to describe how we wanted our wedding to be, we toyed around with beautiful, classy, unique, quirky, elegant, rustic, antique, joyful, and romantic. But we just couldn’t get the following three words out of our head: magical, whimsical, and happy. These words were the driving force behind our decisions. And, as it turned out, we ended up with a touch of everything!!

After we were engaged, someone told me that “the invitation sets the tone.” I took that very seriously. I scoured the internet and local paper shops for an invitation that would not only set the tone, but would also be something I loved to look at for years to come. I was so bored by everything I saw- nothing was whimsical, and nothing made me feel happy. Just when I was about to give up hope and order traditional invites, I found these dolls from Lucky Luxe. It was love. And that set everything in motion. We invited our guests to the wedding with a handkerchief that read “dinner, dancing, and merriment to follow” (whimsy) and a return postcard that mentioned being there “with bells on.” The responses never ceased to make us laugh.

We then completely customized our wedding ceremony. I think we spent just as much time molding our ceremony as we did on reception details. We were married outside at our beautiful venue, Laguna Gloria. Lili, our flower-dog, gave everyone a good chuckle when she hurried down the aisle with a huge pink peony attached to her collar. My sister read “Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog,” my grandfather spoke from the heart, and Kyle’s dad ended the ceremony with 3 wishes for our future. It was heartwarming, perfect, and completely meaningful to us. After the ceremony, we stole away for a private 3 minutes to exchange personal vows. I highly recommend this. It was a very sweet moment between us—lots of happy tears.

Our flowers were out of this world – the Posey girls (as I like to call them) used vintage milk pitchers, mason jars, mercury glass, lanterns, and antique wine glasses to show off their combinations of light pink peonies, hydrangeas, dusty miller, wax flowers, and astilbes. The overall effect was an “Anthropologie inspired garden party.”  Can we say whimsical?  My bouquet was wrapped with lace from my mom’s veil and she let me borrow a beautiful vintage cameo that my dad had given her. The bridesmaid’s petite bouquets were wrapped in twine with pearl accents. I loved merging the rustic elements with classic touches.

We had family style seating underneath a large oak tree. It was so romantic and my favorite part of the night was looking out over all of our guests chatting over candlelight. It felt like a huge thanksgiving dinner! We reserved one table for our wedding party and set the table with a mix-match of antique dishes my mom and I picked up at the Round Top antique fair. We set little notes at each table… we couldn’t tell our guests enough how much we love them.

At the end of the night, we quite literally skipped away to the sound of all of our friends ringing bells. We both feel that it was the absolute happiest day of our lives. We were overwhelmed by how loved we felt and how full of love we were! After 8 months of planning and gushing over Style Me Pretty posts, we pulled off our very own fairy-tale wedding. It was magical. It was whimsical. It was happy. And it was also a dash of everything else we could have ever wanted.

Wedding Photography: The Nichols / Wedding Venue: AMOA – Laguna Gloria / Wedding Coordinators: 36th Street Events / Floral & Event Design: Posey Floral & Event Design / Cupcakes: Hey Cupcake! / Calligraphy: Bailey Amon of Amon Design Studio / Hair: Sasha Lemay of Lemay Studio / Event Rentals: Marquee Event Group / Wedding Invitations: Lucky Luxe / Custom Place Cards: Paper Place / Ceremony Music: Strings Attached / Reception Band: The Original Recipe Band / Wedding Dress: La Sposa via Alexa Gavela Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale

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Some people are just extremely lucky to have a perfect backyard wedding house in the family.  Well, this lovely couple definitely falls into that category. The bride’s parent’s home (turned stunning Texas Hill Country reception for the evening) could not be more perfect for this country chic celebration. On top of the venue, I am just loving the floral design by Sprout – the bridesmaid bouquets are just understated perfection. So go ahead and settle in with all the images from Urth Studio Photography in the full gallery of images – you know you want to!

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When Ginny Estes and Randy Cadawaller got engaged they knew they wanted to get married in the Texas Hill Country and began looking at venues. When all was said and done, there was no place they loved as much as Ginny’s father and stepmother’s home at Settlers Crossing in Fredericksburg. They turned to Elizabeth Harris to bring their vision to life. The decision was made to have the ceremony at the charming and historic St. Barnabas Episcopal Church with the reception being a tented affair on the lawn of the main house at Settlers Crossing. The focus was on combining elegance with rustic elements in keeping with the setting’s refined country charm.  Ginny’s step-mother, Melissa, an interior designer, began collecting antique baskets and large wooden pieces that would later be incorporated as serving platters on the food stations set on farm tables throughout the lawn, so that they would have a homespun “bountiful feast” look to them. San Antonio designer, Besty Mortimer of Bye George, worked with Ginny on custom Save the Dates and invitations. The stage was set for a beautiful Texas Hill Country event.

Each member of the family had something to contribute to the the food stations.  The bride’s father, David, had one request, “He wanted beef tenderloin and he wanted it rare!”  Ginny, a notorious finicky eater, had her own “Ginny’s Comfort Food” station that was a nod to her mother Jamie’s Mississippi roots and served chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, crab cakes and other down home southern fare.  Delicious Details catering rounded out the food with a made-to-order pasta bar and a variety of salads.

Kristin Radicke Light of Urth Studio Photography captured the evening while Austin’s Ilios Lighting turned a beautiful setting into a truly stunning one.  After guests parked in a large field near the entrance they walked across a limestone bridge washed with golden lights and were met with trays of champagne and the music of a brass band.  The huge tent backed up to a creek bed that was lined with festoon lights while each of the tree groves along the creek was uplit with warm amber tones.  The limestone and stucco walls of the house were also washed in a golden hue. David and Melissa commented: “The only thing we really had  trouble envisioning was the lighting. We just trusted Elizabeth on that one. It wasn’t dark when we left for the church so driving up to the house after the ceremony we were awestruck. It looked like a fairytale land. We kept saying we couldn’t believe this was our house!”

Inside the tent, strings of festoons and warm colors washed the entire interior.  Heavy gold table cloths with a paisley inlay were topped with chocolate brown taffeta and jute overlays.  Sprout adorned half of the tables with giant glass cylinders filled with manzanita branches and fall leaves chock full of fall colored hydrangeas. Tealights hung from the branches of the arrangements and added to the warm glow of the tent. The other half of the tables had large pillar candle clusters wrapped with grapevine and bittersweet and more hydrangeas.  “Michelle of Sprout did a fantastic job taking the idea that we wanted tall arrangements with a bit of a wow factor but not in a ‘country club’ way.  We kept saying that we wanted them to look “messy” rather than stylized and she delivered just that,” said Harris.  Large fire bowls surrounded by wooden rocking chairs situated next to the Cuban Cigar Bar provided another vignette for the guests to relax and enjoy.  Situated near the oversized barn wood bar, a coffee and hot chocolate  station was stocked with various liqueurs in antique crystal decanters.  This added touch proved to be very popular with guests looking to take the chill off the fall evening.

“One of my favorite moments was at the end of the evening, after everyone had departed. The bride’s dog, who had been roaming the reception wearing a lace collar made by Ginny’s grandmother, put her front two paws up on the cake table and snagged one of the remaining cupcakes.  She was part of the celebration and wanted to have her cake too”.

At the end of the evening the bride and groom drove off in a vintage pickup truck amid a show of sparklers and after the last bus pulled away, the entire family went and sat in the tent, feet propped up amid all the beautiful lights, candles and flowers.  “We just didn’t want it to end.  Truly, it was magical. It was everything we dreamed it would be and so much more”.

Wedding Photography: Kristin Radicke Light of Urth Studio Photography / Flowers: Sprout / Event Design: Elizabeth Harris Event Design / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Barnabas Episcopal Church / Wedding Reception Location: Settlers Crossing / Wedding Invitations: Betsy Mortimer of Bye George / Caterer: Delicious Details / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Tent & Event Rentals: Illusions Rentals & Decor / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bride’s Cowboy Boots: Custom

I just couldn’t resist featuring this fun Cinco de Mayo inspired photo shoot by Greg Blomberg Photography and Bows and Arrows today. All of the fabulous color popping off the page is just making my Cinco de Mayo loving heart happy, and it wouldn’t be right to keep that all to myself.  Complete with mariachi band, pinatas and pennant flags to beat the band it’s the epitome of the perfect party. So pass the guacamole (and perhaps a margarita) and head on over to the full gallery for even more of the fiesta.

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From After Yes… Bows and Arrows was the creative mind behind this fun, Cinco de Mayo wedding shoot by the talented Greg Blomberg. They put together gorgeous, lush arrangements and a bouquet accented with paper flowers. They also created a Frida Kahlo-inspired floral head piece for the bride. We kept the hair and makeup true to the cultural and spirit of Frida as well.

Heidi of Sugar Bee Sweets made a colorful cake dressed with fondant pennant flags and mini cakes to hold place cards. Her cakes are absolutely fabulous in design and taste. The die cut stationery by Southern Fried Paper was perfect for the fiesta theme. We just love how the invitation and table numbers were strung together. The paper flower escort cards tied it all together perfectly.

One of our favorite details are the red chiavari chairs from Ducky Bob’s. The simple pop of red really transforms the table scape into an inviting dinner space.

Finally, no Cinco Mayo party (or wedding) would be complete without mariachis and a pinata!

Photography: Greg Blomberg Photography / Floral & Event Design: Bows and Arrows / Event Coordination: After Yes / Wedding Cake: Sugar Bee Sweets / Hair: Pura Vida Salon / Makeup: Haute Facade / Styling: Cowboys and Indians / Rentals: Ducky Bob’s / Stationery: Southern Fried Paper / Mariachi Band: Mariachi Herradero / Location: Restaurant Bar Monterrey, Dallas, TX

Vintage cake toppers have discovered the most direct route to this girls heart. So obviously, this Texas Wedding, seen through the lens of Eclectic Images Photography, has wiggled right in. The bride and groom went for a vintage feel with elegance tucked neatly into every little detail, including one of the best collections of adorable cake adornments we’ve seen in a while. Simon Lee Bakery even created a perfectly sweet cake to sit under one of the porcelain couples. Check out Eclectic Images’ blog for more!

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From the bride … Richard and I met in college, where I was the Dream Girl of his fraternity for two years. When we kissed for the first time, he told me he felt fireworks. Fittingly, he proposed on July 4, 2008 during fireworks.

We wanted a vintage modern feel. I wanted touches of old incorporated with new. I love vintage, but I have a special place in my heart for just timeless elegance. I used my grandmother’s cake topper, vintage pins for the bouquet with name pins of the important women in our families. I also used vintage cake toppers as décor on the tables. We had a piano player instead to keep with the old world feel.

Church: Hankamer Fleming Chapel / Reception: Bella Notte on Main / Photographer: Heather Banks of Eclectic Images Photography / Wedding Gown Designer: Demitrios Bridal / Bridesmaids Dress Designer: Alfred Angelo Bridal / Makeup: Maris Malone Calderon / Invitation Designer: Paper Place Austin & FishFeather / Cake: Simon Lee Bakery

This interior designer by day bride takes DIY to another level. How so you ask? Well she not only designed the bridesmaid dresses, boutonnieres and so much more but she also designer her own gown. Yes, her own gown. How amazing is that? I am just in awe of all she was able to accomplish, and still make it such a fabulous party at the end of the day. My party hat is off to this couple for sure! For even more inspiring images from stella alesi/photography be sure to check out the full gallery.

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From the Bride… When we started planning, we agreed wholeheartedly on one thing: we wanted a party. We wanted great food and all of our friends, and we wanted to dance. At some point during all of it we would actually get married, but we wanted to CELEBRATE our love. Like throw your hands up in the air, get down with your bad self and celebrate, because we are in love.

We live in Houston but decided a wedding in Austin would be part destination, part totally affordable weekend getaway. We also thought, from a planning aspect, it would be a blast to make periodic trips westward together, sort of punctuation points in our 18-month engagement. Sometimes things don’t go according to plans, but in this case, we couldn’t have gotten off to a better start… Austin is where it’s at.

So much of the mood was determined when we chose our wedding venue. Green Pastures is beautiful and romantic and Victorian. It has vintage wallpaper and charm oozing around every corner, a teeny little bar tucked secretly under the eaves upstairs, wraparound porches with blue painted ceilings, resident albino peacocks that patrol the grounds and giant live oak trees wrapped in lights, which we were married under. As if it could be any more magical, GP happens to also have an incredible menu, talented chefs and wonderful staff, so that didn’t hurt either.

When not a starry-eyed bride, I am an interior designer and have access to millions of fabrics, which is where I started after we settled on Green Pastures. I wanted the style and colors of the wedding to match the style of the home, yet still be current and not look like a trip back in time. I settled on a palette of neutral tones, so we would compliment the atmosphere: ivory, pearl, gold, tea rose, brownish-grays, soft, muted pink undertones and black. I did some online research for garments but didn’t fall in love with anything. Also, it seems like things are out of whack these days with regard to price and quality, so it was easier for me to just have everything made custom to be exactly what I had in mind. I designed my gown first, made of a gorgeous off-white silk and tremendously comfortable (for all-intensive dancing purposes) before moving on to the other parts. For the maids, it had to be chevron stripes! Which don’t even exist, for the most part, but I found a beautiful gray/brown fabric with ivory stripes and my seamstress turned it into some of the most adorable and flattering dresses I’ve seen yet. I loved how all of the dresses were formal, yet sort of casual because of the fabrics.

I made the boutonnières for the men from vintage ribbon I bought at Liberty of London, and modeled the pieces after old medals and awards. In the centers, I added a compass button, as a memorial to my grandpa, who couldn’t be there. I’m from Kansas, and he always gave me compasses when I returned home, so I could always find my way. I made floral rosettes for the mothers, Brad’s nanna and the house party from leftover silk from my gown, so they would be able to keep them after the big day, sort of a part of me. I added vintage buttons from a collection I inherited from both of my late grandmothers. We all had a bit that was old that day!

Not long after deciding upon GP, I launched a massive eBay search for vintage birdcages. Brad liked to joke that birdcages were the perfect wedding metaphor, but I wanted a collection to use in our exterior decor. Petal Pushers, our florist, filled the birdcages with moss and flowers, and then hung them from the branches of the oaks under which we were married.

I also collected the vases for each table-assorted sizes in groupings of 5-7 containers per table. This wasn’t expensive, as vases ranged from 25¢ to $2, but I underestimated how long it would take to source, sort, and then spray paint all these containers. 5-7 containers per table x 45+ tables x spray painting = not my best idea. They ultimately looked lovely and exactly how I planned, but it was a labor of love to complete.

The day before the wedding, I had to run over to Michaels to pick up ribbon for our cakes. Do you know what else they sell at Michaels, especially the week before Halloween? GLOWSTICKS, that’s what. Part of me thought I was crazy, but part of me knew that glowsticks would be absolutely perfect for our dance party. They were 15 for a dollar (!!!!) so I limited myself and walked out of Michaels with $30 worth of awesome…. Or 450 glowsticks.

The reception was always designed with a dance party in mind. I had been hearing (via blogs, mind you) about a guy in Los Angeles called The Flashdance, aka Michael Antonia, who is part wedding DJ, part musical mash-up genius. DJ Mike had never been to Austin before but was game to travel, and our lives were changed forever. After the formality of first dances, somebody hit the lights and the dancing began in a frenzy. I’ve never seen so many adults dancing for such extended periods of time. Glowsticks were everywhere, on every guest, and I’ve never been so happy.

I’m writing this from our honeymoon, and our six month anniversary is tomorrow. We have been so thrilled to re-live these details, and will always feel like our wedding was the hands-down best time we have ever had! It was a wonderful time, including all the planning that went into the event, and I hope every bride has an experience as happy and exciting as mine!

Wedding Photography: stella alesi/photography / Wedding Coordination & Design: The Bride / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Green Pastures / Catering & Wedding Cake: Green Pastures / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Ceremony Music: Will Taylor & Strings Attached / Wiring & Equipment: SoundCheck Austin / Linens: Austin Party Central / Wedding Invitations: Dauphine Press via Katie & Co. (Custom Design by the Bride) / Wedding & Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Kim Couture (Custom Design by the Bride) / Neck Ties, Bow Ties & Vests: Quiltworks (Custom Design by the Bride) / Flower Girl Dresses: Quiltworks (Custom Design by the Bride) / Groom’s Ring: Titanium Knights (Custom Design by the Bride) / Wedding Veil: A Busy Mother (Custom Design by the Bride) / Clothing Labels: Name Maker (Custom Design by the Bride) / Invitation Stamps: Zazzle (Custom Design by the Bride) / Wedding Cake Topper: Melabo / Bride’s Ring: Custom, The Groom / Save The Dates & Wedding Programs: DIY, The Bride / Ribbon Boutonnieres: DIY, The Bride / Silk Fabric Flowers: DIY, The Bride / Flower Girl & Bridesmaid Hair Accessories: DIY, The Bride / Flower Girl Baskets: DIY, The Bride / Ring Bearer Box: Vintage / Bridesmaid Bracelets: DIY, The Bride / Moustache on a Stick: DIY, The Bride / Shoe Basket: DIY, The Bride / Guest Book: DIY, The Bride

Oh.my.blue.dress. I am just speechless. I need a few minutes to collect myself…OK, I think I am good now. The best part? The rest of this Texas pretty by Keely Thorne Events is just as jaw dropping as the dress of the self-proclaimed fashion addict bride. Texas, you get me every time with your mix of puppies and barns and splashes of fabulous fashion. Y’all just know how to do it. And thanks to AV Photo there is a gallery of goodness for your viewing pleasure.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

Lindley and Jason got married on Jason’s family farm in Brenham, Texas. The house literally completed constuction the week before the wedding! So it was so special for the couple to hold the wedding here and kick off one of MANY parties and family gatherings to come out at the ranch.

Due to the distance of the ranch to Houston, the ceremony rehearsal was conducted by Lindley’s event planner, Emily Moise with Keely Thorne Events, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. The rehearsal dinner that followed was a formal affair at Tony’s Restaurant in Houston.

The bride grew up with part-owner of A Fare Extraordinaire catering, Rachel Volz, who was also a bridesmaid. Rachel and her team went above and beyond to make sure Lindley hired the right vendors for her dream wedding. The wedding day had everything. The guys skeet shooted and grilled burgers during the day, while the girls sipped champange and got pampered in the main house. Only Lindley, her mom and her wedding planner Emily had seen her amazing Douglas Hannant dress. When the time came for the bridesmaids to see “ahhh” was heard loud and far in for how amazing she looked.  Lindley, owner of jewelry company Korula designs, is pretty much a fashion addict, and her amazing style was showcased throughout the entire wedding.

The ceremony was held at sunset in the property’s orchard garden. The cross was permantly built especially for the wedding and stands as a forever reminder of that day. The bride’s dad did not see her until lining up with her right before the walk down the aisle to music played by a bluegrass band.

Guests continued to enjoy the bluegrass music during the cocktail hour with passed drinks in Mason jars.  Guests entered the reception area around the pool with a sushi bar and music from the band, Grady Gaines and the Texas Upsetters. Guests enjoyed a delicious meal by the caterer, puffed cigars rolled on site by the firepit and had cowboy hats formed to fit each guest on site.  Into the night, there was a  surprise fireworks show, glowsticks passed to guests on the dance floor, and late night breakfast tacos. The evening was topped off with a DJ and late night party in the 2nd floor of the ranch’s red barn.

Oh and how could we forget…Lindley’s beloved dog Oscar was spotted around the property before and after the ceremony with a fresh floral collar and garland leash made just for her by her florist, Jonathan Andrew Sage. Very adorable.

Wedding Photography: Andrew Van Gundy of AV Photo / Floral Design: Johnathan Andrew Sage / Event Coordination: Emily Moise of Keely Thorne Events / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Wedding Dress: Douglas Hannant / Bridemaid Jewelry: Korcula / Catering: A Fare Extraordinaire / Wedding Cakes: World Catering / Event Lighting: Bright Star Productions / Fireworks: Fireworks by Alpha / Cigar Roller: Hight Cigar, LLC / Cowboy Hat Former: Neal Shudde of Shudde Bros Hatters / Rehearsal Church: St. Martin’s Episcopal Church / Rehearsal Dinner: Tony’s / Wedding & Reception Location: Private Residence / Wedding Band: Grady Gaines and the Texas Upsetters

As much as I gush day after day about the big day’s design, I am a huge sucker for the ceremony. It’s where the magic happens.  This darling duo celebrated with two and started their day off with a traditional (and emotional) Vietnamese ceremony. The images from Table4Photography just tell the story so perfectly – these two love each other so much! So much so, they take the plunge literally at the end of the night and jump in the pool! So brave! Would you do that? See even more in the full gallery!

Click here for the full image gallery!

Our wedding was amazing!  We put a lot of time and effort into every detail and were blown away by how it all came together.  We made all the centerpieces, programs, menus, table numbers, and placecards by hand.  We splurged on a few items that were really important to us:  invitations, the venue, food, alcohol, chairs, and lighting. We started the day with a traditional Vietnamese ceremony at Daniel’s Uncle’s home.  It was probably the most emotional part of the day but we managed to lighten it up with some Street Fighter moves :)

Afterwards it was a whirlwind of getting hair/makeup done and getting dressed!  I got each of my bridesmaids a personalized hanger that made for some cute pictures :)  Daniel got me a beautiful bracelet for a wedding gift and I gave him a watch as well as a notebook I started writing for my future husband 10 years ago.  It made him cry :)  He did a fabulous job personalizing his own outfit as well!  He ordered his shoes online and designed them himself – they are embroidered with our wedding date.  I don’t think a lot of guys can pull sneakers off with a suit but he did it well!! I think our photographer did an amazing job with our first look!  He snapped photos from outside a window while his assistant was inside taking up-close pictures.  One of my favorite series of the day, it was a nice intimate moment.

Our ceremony was short & sweet.  One of my friends timed it – 17 minutes from the moment all the processionals started to when the last bridesmaid/groomsman walked down the aisle.  Our goal was to make it pretty but fun.  Rachel (our day of coordinator) and our florist did an amazing job putting some simple details into the ceremony decor – we didn’t spend a lot here because we knew it would be so short.  But the aisle decorations and backdrop looked expensive to me!  They did an amazing job!  We had a DJ for the music and chose contemporary music performed by the Vitamin String Quartet.  It really gave the ceremony a light and fun feel – the groomsmen walked/danced in to a string version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, the bridesmaids (and our beloved dog Ralphie) walked in to the string version of Jackson 5’s “I’ll be There”, the bride walked with both her parents to the string version of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”, and the recessional music was a string version Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”.

We made our own placecards with cards purchased from the Michael’s Dollar spot and had personalized napkins in our wedding colors for the cocktail reception.  I don’t have pictures of it – but we had 3 beverage containers on the balcony with themed drinks.  One was a simple water with lemons, another was lemonade, and the third was “Joanne’s Special Drink”… a mix of sprite and pineapple juice (named after the bride’s sister’s specialty drink from childhood).

Our reception was special because of all the details we put into it.  We carefully chose the buffet menu to satisfy our Asian families – we knew the seafood station would be a huge hit with them!  We made all the table numbers by painting frames from Ikea with scrapbook paper backing and painted address numbers from Walmart.  All our centerpieces were created by us – we spent a few weekends perfecting the trees with crystals!  Lighting was also important to us – we had simple white uplights to highlight the concrete columns and had the lighting company hang crystal candle votives that we purchased ourselves.

I surprised Daniel by purchasing a Houston Rocket’s garter… it’s his favorite team (as evidenced by his groom’s cake) and I wanted to do something special for him :)  He topped that by surprising me with a serenade, backed by his groomsmen!  Then he was iced by my boss… haha. Our DJ did a great job reading the crowd – the dance floor was PACKED all night.  One of my co-workers challenged Daniel to a mini-dance off where they “walked it out”.  haha.

Once the dancing was done, we exited to sparklers and left in a golf cart…. then we came back.  Lakeway Resort has an AMAZING pool and we had joked about how fun it would be to jump in after the reception.  We made a last minute decision to do it – take a look at the pictures, I think it was totally worth it :)  The best part was that some of our friends jumped in with us!  The girls were fully clothed in their nice wedding attire but took the leap with us… it was incredible! Our wonderful day-of-coordinator, Rachel, helped us pull everything together.  Our goal was to have a beautiful and FUN wedding that wouldn’t cost us an arm & a leg… it was a lot of work but I think we pulled it off nicely!

Photography: Table4Photography / Cakes: Simon Lee Bakery / Vases: DFW Vases / Flowers: Bouquets of Austin / Event Planning: Buon Affare Events / Ceremony Location: Lakeway Resort & Spa / Reception Location: Lakeway Resort & Spa / Lighting: D&H Lighting / DJ: Greenbelt DJ / Invitations: The Pink Tulip / Dress: White One

Welcome to Style Me Pretty Texas! We have the perfect wedding to get the party started, so get ready to soak up some serious detail goodness with the perfect amount of Texas style all wrapped up into one gorgeous and personal post.  Sounds pretty fabulous right? Add the fact that Suzi of  Q Weddings was there grab all the moments in a way only she can, and this is one Austin affair you’ll be bookmarking for sure. For even more fabulous, be sure to check out the full gallery of images.

click here for the full gallery of images!

My biggest goal with our wedding was to be sure that when our guests arrived, they could tell it was our wedding. I wanted our wedding to reflect our taste and our personalities without question. This desire affected every decision I made when it came to decor and feel. Ryan and I are not overly fancy, and we really don’t enjoy being the center of attention, so we wanted to create a laid back yet refined event that would let us feel comfortable to celebrate our special day with our close friends and family. I had about 6 months to plan our wedding, and as soon as I begin, I immediately decided there would be no theme or specific color. Rather I aimed to evoke feelings that represented Ryan and myself. I wanted to evoke a casual elegance with modern decor and vintage touches. We didn’t want to do anything over the top or too trendy, as we wanted the event to feel timeless, something we could look at 30 years from now that would still feel current.

The wedding was outside and on a Friday. No one was wearing tuxedos, and I selected a rather simple dress to keep that casual feel we wanted. I asked my vendors to use any and all shades of white, greens & browns to keep everything natural & to blend with the breathtaking surroundings of the Winfield Inn. As you can see, the live oak trees, famous here in Texas and beloved by both Ryan and myself, and the garden provided almost all the decor necessary. We wanted to let that natural beauty shine through, not compete with it. While our wedding was the Friday of Halloween weekend, we opted to not do a black & orange themed wedding. Instead, I had our florist add a few orange dahlias throughout the reception just as an homage to the holiday. In addition, the only decor at the ceremony was white & fairytale pumpkins my mother and wedding planner so graciously hauled from a local farm and stored (inside so they didn’t rot) for a month. Reception decor included arrangements that made of vegetables, succulents and flowers. I have always loved succulents since I was a child and remember loving a jade plant my grandmother had. When I first met Ryan, the only plant he owned was a small aloe, and because they are native to Texas as well, we decided to emphasize them in our arrangements.

Like every wedding, ours had a few memorable moments of course. One special moment for us was the first look just before the ceremony. I gave Ryan his gift – a chrome pig statue he had wanted but would never buy himself. Ryan is a type 1 diabetic (and I am gluten intolerant – what a couple), and insulin used to be made from pigs, so Ryan always jokes he is part pig and feels a special fondness for them. I loved the photos that the pig produced, and he even made an appearance at the ceremony. Another moment everyone enjoyed came as the guests arrived to the ceremony. In the spirit of the Halloween season, we had one friend show up in costume. He was dressed as Gingy from Shrek, and I loved seeing his big brown head in the seats as I walked down the aisle. It really helped break the ice for Ryan and I to see our friend in costume right before the biggest moment of our lives. Thank you for letting us share our wedding with you.

Photography:  Q Weddings / Flowers: Rose Hip Flora / Event Planning: Lindsey Watts of Lilleypad Events / Venue: The Winfield Inn / Invitations: Salt and Pepper Letterpress / Calligraphy: Letter Me Happy / Cupcakes and dessert bar: Black Bird Bakery / Music:  Matt Wilson Band / Film Work: Richard Photo

Well folks – another day, another venue I fall head over heels in love with. Oh Barr Mansion, you had me at your gorgeous wrap around porches. I also adore how the bridesmaid dress are just the perfect shade of lovely to match the fabulous painted ceiling.  There is just so much go love about every image by Urban Grey Photography, I could go on all day. I’ll spare you the lengthy paragraphs, but be sure to check out the full gallery for more!

click here for the full wedding gallery!

We met in October 2008 at a swing-dancing event in West Austin and David proposed there year later. I never had a clear picture of what I wanted for a wedding as far as styles go (even after creating an internet survey it still took me six months to pick colors) but I did know I wanted a wedding that was about us as a couple. What we needed: An indoor/outdoor reception venue for fickle Texas weather, a large dance floor, GOOD Vegetarian food (read: not a pasta buffet), and beautiful memories. What we wanted: Highlight David’s artistic talents, add my love of musical theater, incorporate David’s beer-making hobby, make a photo booth AND throw a really fun party!

Despite family illness, freak fires, moving into a new home and a broken hand, we succeeded in checking everything off the list. We added to David’s family history by being the 4th generation to get married at First Presbyterian in Georgetown, TX. The Barr Mansion was the loveliest reception venue. They served a real menu of vegetarian food that tasted so fantastic even my carnivorous brother was impressed. Barn version 2.0 is even more integrated into the natural than the first and someone else did all the worrying for me on the big day (thanks Rick!). David used his talents to draw and design our invites, program and thank-you cards based on a musical theater theme, which we also carried into the ceremony music. Our guests were treated to 5 different home-brews that they drank out of beer stein favors. Magan brought in James Dvorscak to coax people out of their shells for the photo booth, and best of all, the dance floor was never empty.

As for memories, I can’t stop looking at the pictures! Is it acceptable to put giant photos of yourself in every room in your house? I cannot believe how fortunate we were to snag Magan Blasig as our photographer and a big thanks to my mother for magically picking her out of the haystack of a vendor list that we started with.

Photography: Urban Grey Photography / Flowers: Abby of Stem Floral / Ceremony Location: First Presbyterian Church / Reception Location: The Barr Mansion / Graphic Design: David Stump (the groom), davidwstump@gmail.com / Hair: Danielle Barr, daniellembarr@gmail.com / Makeup: Kandy Glass, kandyglass@gmail.com / DJ: Full Circle Media /Venue and Catering: The Barr Mansion / Magan’s Assistant: James Dvorscak

You’ve been asking for it, and we’ve heard you. We love, love, love to feature culturally gorgeous weddings. And today, we have a stunning Nigerian Wedding from Sweet Pea Events. We’re totally obsessed with the Nigerian fashion, dancing, and traditions, captured perfectly by Lindsey Shea Photography. And I’m convinced this was one of those had-to-be-there, fun as could be weddings the guests are all still raving about. The amazing team at Sweet Pea, along with the talented group at Branching Out Floral and Event Design totally signed, sealed, and delivered one for the books. Click here for even more!

The talented team at Elle Films shared some amazing video of the day – check it out!

Our wedding was a beautiful mixture of culture and elegance. My husband is from Nigeria and we knew we wanted his family’s traditions to play a part in our wedding. The day before our wedding we held a traditional Nigerian Engagement Ceremony. Nigerian culture focuses on not only bringing the man and woman together, but uniting two families. This is celebrated by lots of food, prayers, singing, and dancing, all while wearing authentic Nigerian clothes.

My mother-in-law was so gracious to fly to Nigeria to have clothing made for our entire wedding party. I loved the bold, bright colors of all the clothing; she handpicked all the fabrics herself. According to tradition, the two families are assigned a color to wear to designate them apart. Headwraps are very customary in Nigeria and we were fortunate enough to get an internationally-known headwrap artist to tie our headwraps, or geles. Wearing these geles was a new and fun experience for me and all the girls in my wedding. We held this lively event at the Hilton Anatole.

I fell in love with a green bridesmaid dress at a local boutique and decided then that I wanted the colors to be green and purple, with white accents. My husband and I both come from large families, so keeping the guest list small was out of the question. A friend of ours recommended our florist and Branching Out Floral & Event Design was terrific at working with us to create what we wanted. I told her I wanted simple, but elegant and she knew exactly what to do.

We love to dance, so we really wanted to find a great live band for the reception. We spent hours and hours searching and listening to different bands online, and then finally came across a band called Icehouse. They were incredible! We also wanted our guests to enjoy some great food, so we worked with the hotel to create a great spread, including a sushi bar, potato bar, and stir-fry! We were so fortunate to have a great team of people help us plan our big day. It was truly unforgettable!

Event Planning: Kelly Simants at Sweet Pea Events / Floral: Branching Out Floral and Event Design / Cake: Delicious Cakes / Hair & Makeup: Smoking Hot / Band: Icehouse / Nigerian Hair Wraps & Makeup: Segun Gele / Ceremony Venue: The Village Church / Reception Venue: Hilton Anatole / Photography: Lindsey Shea Photography / Cinematography: Elle Films

Oh, Spring! How I do love thee…your flowers, your picnics in the park, your umbrellas hanging upside down from the sky…Ummm, wait a minute, let me rephrase that. Oh Wednesday, Inc., EE Photography, and Amanda Marie Portraits, how I love you all! The way you capture the light just so, how you adorn your aisle with lace and confetti, how you style every little detail down to the dogger-doodle’s ribbon…I could go on and on! But I’ll stop so you can check out all the prettiness below. And when you’re ready to count your own ways in which you love these photos, get ye to the gallery!

Check out the entire image gallery here!

From Wednesday, Inc. We embraced the approach of spring with vintage umbrellas and a handcrafted shower to create a scene that felt very dream-like and intimate, while still maintaining a strong sense of play. The ceremony was held in a sophisticated loft in downtown Fort Worth. Dramatic windows offered perfect natural light for our afternoon ceremony, and umbrellas hovered above the scene to offer a delicate touch of whimsy. The setting for the reception could not have been more picturesque! Our cozy table sat on top of a hill in a park overlooking the Fort Worth skyline. It was undeniably a site for sore eyes!
Teacups overflowing with ranunculus and french tulips doubled as table decor and favors for the guests. The flowers, provided by Kate Foley Design, were truly my favorite part of the day and tied everything together perfectly.

Event Design and Paperworks: Wednesday Inc. / Florals: Kate Foley Designs / Photography: EE Photography and Amanda Marie Portraits / Bakery: The Pie Place / Models: Crystal and Sammy, Brandi and Tyler / Brides Dress: Ella Bleu / Bow Ties: Nerds of a Feather

Here at the Little Black Book Blog, we really love a good Texas wedding. Sometimes they are quirky and unique, sometimes they have a sexy latin flair, and sometimes, they are absolutely lovely. Like this one, seen through the lens of Christina Carroll Photography. From the adorable Save the Dates, dreamed up by The Inviting Pear, the lucky guests knew to expect an insanely fun and beautiful wedding. And boy did this bride and her pilot groom deliver. CLINK, the helpful designers AND planners, have more from this wedding on their blog, so don’t hesitate to get over there!

Check out the to-die-for custom birdcage veil from Tigerlilly!

Visit our gallery for even more!

From The Inviting Pear … Anna and Ryan met on spring break in Mexico. Just when they thought they should try living in the same zip code, Anna got a job in New York and Ryan deployed again. Despite the odds and more than 68,743 miles traveled, love conquered all. After years of courtship, and never having lived in the same city, they tied the knot in Austin. They chose a “Flight of Fancy” theme due to their endless moving and traveling around, plus Ryan being a pilot.

I designed a paper airplane logo using their orange and navy colors with accents of green. The airplane on the sticker, save the date, and accommodations card branded their wedding with the “Flight of Fancy” theme. For the reception collateral, everything coordinated in an eclectic way. I created five different geometric designs in their colors. This created a fun look for each piece, including “sweets” signs, menu, escort cards and table cards.

From CLINK … Anna came to us with Villa Antonia as her venue and a fun, bold color palette of navy, orange, and taupe with accents of wasabi. She wanted to incorporate rich, organic, vintage, and chic design elements that worked well within her venue.

The ceremony took place atop a cliff with an amazing panoramic view of the Texas Hill Country. After a beautiful ceremony officiated by a family friend, the couple recessed to The Beatle’s, “All You Need Is Love.” Following a military tradition, Anna and Ryan passed through the Arch of Swords where they were required to kiss before permission was granted to pass through each sword.

Guests enjoyed a champagne reception, then made their way to dine under the stars and a blanket of white paper lanterns. After dinner, guests moved indoors to enjoy the live band and dancing. As the evening heated up, Anna changed into a stunning second dress and danced the night away. The couple departed the reception under a shower of orange paper airplanes and rode off in a classic blue Mustang.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Villa Antonia / Catering & Rentals: Sterling Affairs Catering & Event Planning / Cake: Michelle’s Patisserie / Furniture Rental: Mancino Iron / Linens: BBJ Linen / Lighting: ILIOS Lighting / Hair & Makeup: Rochelle Rae / Ceremony & Cocktail Music: Divisi Strings / Entertainment: The Grooves / Officiant: David Danielson / Florist: Visual Lyrics / Photographer: Christina Carroll Photography / Transportation: Transportation Consultants / Wedding Coordination: CLINK / Wedding Stationery: The Inviting Pear / Wedding Dress: Marisa / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Veil: Handmade by Tigerlilly / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Fusion weddings often make for the most amazing celebrations. Think about it – two different cultures marrying their traditions into one giant celebration. The result is bound to be something spectacular, culturally rich, and simply put, totally special. Much like this Houston wedding from J. Cogliandro Photography. If you’re not already in love with Joe, you absolutely need to take a look back at his other features on Style Me Pretty this week. From Greece to Texas ~ he’s our go-to guy this week! And to finish up the Joe C. love-fest, we have one more dazzling Houston wedding. Divya and Chris have shared their three day affair that was so full of love, fun, and laughter … three of THE most important aspects of a marriage. To let you feel the energy of this wedding, we even have the Same Day Edit from ~ who else but Aaron at 31FILMS! The SDE was played at Chris and Divya’s reception. After you watch that, we have the wedding story from the groom’s perspective, so make sure to check that out. Joe Cogliandro has more of this amazing couple on his blog, too, so hop on over there!

Seriously, we hope you’re ready for this Same Day Edit. It’s amazing, but we would expect nothing less from the talented 31FILMS. You’ll feel like you were there for all three days of this special celebration. Promise.

Chris & Divya – Same Day Edit from 31FILMS on Vimeo

From the groom … I was totally blown away by our wedding. It was a traditional Indian wedding and not being Indian, I didn’t really know what to expect. This was truly a dream wedding for both of us; it was three whirlwind days with four different events. Starting with the Mehendi Party where the traditional henna was applied, continuing to the Sangeet, a night of song and dance to celebrate the wedding, and finishing with our wedding ceremony and reception.

The night before the wedding we held a Sangeet/rehearsal dinner at the Museum of Fine Arts. The theme was royal Arabian, with rich hues of blue, purple, and red. We had dances performed by members of the family; Divya’s family performed a skit depicting our courtship. It was a fun evening that ended with dancing to kick-off the next evening festivities.

The ceremony, held at Hotel Zaza, was preceded by a Bharat, or procession, which was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The energy and cohesion slowly increased to a full crescendo when we arrived at the hotel – the energy was electrifying! All 20 members of the bridal party were in full Indian attire and the entire crowd was dancing to the music as I made my way into the building. We had a traditional Indian wedding ceremony that lasted approximately 1 hour and included several traditional ceremonial acts, such as walking around fire and taking the 7 sacred steps. After the ceremony, we exited the Zaza in a classic white Rolls Royce, which capped the fairy tale ending.

We then took some photos and headed back to change for the big reception. We, along with the wedding party, had all prepared special entrances, along with a surprise Bollywood dance that Divya and I had practiced. The dance went perfectly and then we could enjoy the crowd and see the beautiful decor that Divya had arranged.

Divya did an unbelievable job transforming the contemporary space into our dream reception. She really wanted to mold the contemporary design of the museum into the theme of our décor. Tom Stringer helped her create that with florals that were like pieces of art – gravity defying! It was amazing to watch the sea of people dancing and having a great time – some who we’d never seen dance before! Our primary goal was to have a wedding where everyone would have fun and we were beyond pleased with the results.

Photography: J. Cogliandro Photography / Videography: 31 Films / Ceremony Location: Hotel ZaZa / Sangeet & Reception Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston / Event Design and Florals: AJ’s Urban Petals / Linen & Decor Rental: High Fashion Fabrics /Make Up & Hair: Edward Sanchez / Event Day Coordination: Simply Perfect Day / Entertainment: DJ Rocky Rhodes / Lighting: DRK Event Lighting / Catering: Bombay Brasserie Caterer & Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill / Brides Sangeet Outfit: Manish Malhotra, Mumbai, India / Cake: Wedding Cakes by Gina

We think you’ll be seeing a lot more from Joe C. this year on SMP! Our thanks to him and his staff for providing our daily dose of pretty here on The Little Black Book Blog!

And don’t forget, Joe’s brides and grooms have delighted in his Boudoir Photography as well!

There’s something oh-so romantic about backyard weddings. Inviting all your closest friends and family to celebrate the beginning of your life together, all the while knowing you’ve been spending time there for years, and will be for years to come. If only all our backyards were as gorgeous as this Texas Hill Country yard! We’re going to be spending all day with the oh-so-fabulous Joe Cogliandro. Enjoy, enjoy, and enjoy some more. Then if you want even more J. Cogliandro Photography (we did!) check out his blog for some of his pretty amazing work.

More of this gorgeous backyard affair in the gallery!

Our wedding took place on April 24, 2010 in Jonesboro, Texas. We chose to have our wedding at my parents’ ranch home in central Texas. We have enjoyed spending our free time there with family and friends and thought it would be the perfect setting to start our new life together.

A gospel band preformed all the music for the ceremony. We were married in the front of the home under a large oak tree with lanterns and orchids. After the ceremony the guests were treated to a cocktail hour on the patio. The reception was held in the back of the home by the pool with a live band. A beautiful fireworks display lit the night after my father’s toast!

Each guest left with sugar cookies beautifully decorated from Paulie’s Cookies, which are definitely a favorite of ours. We had a wonderful night that we will never forget, and we hope that our wedding guests won’t either!

Photography: J. Cogliandro Photography / Flowers: Bloomingals / Event Design: Pendley Party Productions / Location: Argenta Ridge / Invitations: Atelier du Papier / Dress: Casablanca / Bridesmaid Dresses: Ann Taylor / Caterer: Bestyett Catering / Reception Band: Sign Sealed Delivered/ Ceremony Music: Kathy Taylor & Favor

As we said, we have a day-long love-fest with Joe Cogliandro today … so keep an eye out for even more!  It’s Friday … it’s OK … you might even take a quick peek at Joe’s Boudoir photography on his website (+ a ‘Houston Fusion’ wedding + Houstonian Hotel second celebration from two of our faves)!

It’s a Joe Cogliandro kind o’ day here on The Little Black Book Blog, and that in and of itself is a reason to celebrate! You all applauded the gorgeous wedding in Greece earlier this week … and to be honest, we just didn’t want to stop there. Back in his Texas, we have three more of Joe’s weddings for you today. That’s right. Three! First up are Xochy & Todd. You might recognize them from their intimate Turks and Caicos wedding Eddye featured last year. We have the highlight film from 31FILMS featuring that celebration (just in case you missed it). And if you think that wedding was oh-so-pretty, just you wait …

Xochy and Todd followed up their Caribbean celebration with a more traditional, albeit knock- your- socks- off wedding and reception back home in Houston. The bride wanted a wedding that would wow their friends and family. From the looks of it, we’d say she totally scored.  Visit Joe’s blog for more of this amazing duo!

However … before we devour their Houston wedding, let’s take a little trip back to Turks and Caicos with 31FILMS. Make sure to read our bride’s story to hear all about these breathtaking beach nuptials!

Stunning, right? Now check out the Houston celebration that could possibly top THAT.

Visit the gallery for more of this stunner!

We wanted more of this wedding, and 31FILMS has delivered! Click here to see everything Xochy & Todd at 31FILM’s blog.

They say you only get married once, and that was definitely the motivation behind the planning of what would be a perfect wedding, or should I say weddings. We had the perfect recipe to create two weddings that would not soon be forgotten.

Our first wedding was on Turks and Caicos. We were originally torn between a beach wedding and a church wedding so we decided to do both! The date of our intimate beach wedding would be on 2.10.2010. Two years before we were engaged we were asked almost every day when we would get married. So, I chose a date that had a ring to it… 2.10.2010. Needless to say, when the time came to plan our private nuptials, the date had already been set.

Although the wedding in Turks and Caicos was more than we could have ever dreamed, and left us with memories of a lifetime, planning a Houston wedding, for all our friends and family, was our opportunity to really let our beliefs, passions, and personalities shine.

We’re members of the historical church of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, so the regal church with its stain glassed windows, high stone arches, and magnificent built in organ was the perfect backdrop. The choir set the tone for the ceremony; the songs chosen were chosen with meaning. Several people approached us at the reception to tell us that we could have ended the wedding at the church, which was confirmation that we had accomplished our purpose in sharing our moment.

We knew that the reception had to top everything else. With our outgoing personalities, every detail had to leave our guests speechless. The overall feeling of the reception was to be one big dinner party.

The hallway was lined with iron stands of votive candles. A waterfall with a picture of us from Turks and Caicos was the entry into the reception, TV’s played our highlight video from Turks and our engagement shoot in Las Vegas, a large table of sushi appetizers greeted our hungry guests, and we even had a casino room! Flowers were everywhere, candles were on everything, and black iron was a statement for the room leaving it feeling rich, classic, timeless, and breathtaking.

The most important thing you can possibly do for your wedding is to find the right photographer and cinematographer. I look back at the photos from both weddings and relive every moment all over again. The attention to detail with 31 Films is unsurpassed. They capture your day in a way that will leave you in awe and feeling your emotions flood back again.  Everyone tells us that whatever we spent on J. Cogliandro Photography and 31FILMS was worth every penny, and without a doubt we agree!

Photography: J. Cogliandro Photography / Videography: 31FILMS / Floral & Event Design: Darryl & Co / Event Coordination: Samantha Darr, Soiréebliss! Events / Ceremony Location: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church / Reception Location: The Houstonian Hotel / Dress: Custom made by Parvani Vida / Rings: Custom made by Bashinski

We are quite literally green with envy over this next Dallas wedding sent to us by Grit + Gold. Green is symbolic for nature. Growth. Harmony. Freshness. Green is also the most restful color for the human eye and suggests endurance and stability. Didn’t know that did ya’? What more apropos color could there be for a wedding? Everything from the fresh florals to the yummy custom M&M’s to the gorgeous damask throughout ~ well, let’s just say it put a big grin on my face. The brilliant Jenny Martell Photography is the talent behind this one, and we’re so glad she was there with her artistic eye to capture this courthouse wedding. Any marriage that starts with such a fun wedding is bound to be blessed and full of life. Once you’ve devoured this pretty wedding, check out Jenny’s blog for more gorgeous nuptials!

Visit the gallery for more of this fresh wedding!

From the bride … The decision to have our wedding at the Old Red Courthouse was one that came with great ease. It is magnificent in appearance with a great balance between old historic charm and the elegance of a grand ballroom. Our day was infused with hues of greens and touches of damask. We incorporated personal touches like mini jars with personalized M&M’s and hand written notes from guests hung on our wishing tree. Jenny Martell Photography did a phenomenal job with our photography. Some of our favorite photos are those taken down in the lobby of the museum, where there is a wonderful and original white and black checked flooring. It matched the wedding beautifully.

Photography: Jenny Martell Photography / Floral Designer: FD2 Custom Floral Design / Event Planning & Design: Grit + Gold / Cake & Desserts: The Cake Guys / Wedding Gown Designer: Priscilla of Boston / Caterer: Culinary Art Catering / Linens: BBJ Linen / Wedding Venue: The Old Red Courthouse / Entertainment: DJ Tony Lopez

If you’ve got Spring Fever and have been craving the perfect mix of pretty budding florals, gorgeous late afternoon light, and a delicious menu of fresh spring cuisine, we’ve got just the thing for you today. When this South Texas photo shoot popped into our inboxes, we all did a little happy dance. And images like these, from the always amazing Anahi Navarro Photography, are too good to keep to ourselves. You might want to turn off your phone, shut down your email, and close your door. Why? So you can spend uninterrupted time relaxing with some seriously pretty spring inspiration. It’s just that good. And once you’ve done that, check out Anahi’s blog for more ah-maz-ing images!

If you aren’t done with this spring shoot, click here!

Five Star Wedding Films was at this shoot too – click here for the film!

From the super talented Anahi Navarro … As vendors in the Rio Grande Valley, we always find it essential to search for the most innovative styles and decor for our brides. Having great outdoor venues in our area, our focus was to bring a vintage look to the outdoor wedding. We were able to unite a great group of creative vendors to participate and create our featured look. Our focus on details included all aspects of the wedding day design from linens to flowers and even including designed entrées for the perfect wedding look. We love that we have a chance to share our creative ideas with brides.

Photography: Anahi Navarro Photography / Flowers: Special Flowers / Event Planning: Leticia Arriaga Event Coordinator / Ceremony Location: Quinta Mazatlan / Dress: Sposa Mia Bridal / Cakes: Cynthia’s Cakes / Linens: Dream Weddings by All Party Rentals / Makeup & Hair Artist: Beatuiful Bride by Rosemary / Catering: Wray + Co. Catering by Design / Cinematography: Five Star Wedding Films