A traditional Austin wedding chock-full of beautiful blooms from STEMS Floral Design is kind of like a gift from the wedding gods. A drop-dead gorgeous, stop-you-in-your-tracks gift that brightens our entire day here at SMP Texas. So, this uber-stunning Driskill Hotel affair? It has us pretty excited. Because anything dripping with sparkling gold hues and lush white florals is sort of right up our alley. And the breathtaking images captured by Jenny DeMarco Photography? Brilliant. See them all in the full gallery.
From the Bride… “It was love at first conversation,” John likes to say. John and I went to the same college but somehow did not meet each other until law school at the University of Texas. We are both avid readers of history and philosophy, so our conversations were immediately deep and interesting. We quickly realized not only that we were in love, but also that we had a love that could last like our parents’ marriages, which was important to both of us. Both sets of parents have been married for over 30 years and have been a source of inspiration for both of us.
Our wedding was about family. We both have relatively small, intimate families, and so we chose a location that would best allow the largest number to attend – Austin, Texas. We are both descendants of Texans who were here before Texas’s statehood, and given that we also attended law school and met in Austin, it was a particularly relevant location for both of us.
I am originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma and was an active member of my Episcopal church there growing up, just like my mother and her mother. Fortunately, John’s parents were married in an Episcopal church in Austin, which became the venue for our ceremony. The Good Shepherd, therefore, had a special significance for both of our families.
John and I are traditional and romantic and wanted our wedding to evoke those feelings. We chose the Driskill Hotel, a historic hotel in Austin, because it represented our love of history and tradition. STEMS created a setting that perfectly supplemented the dark wood in the room with a light, airy, and romantic tablescape. Hydrangeas, orchids, and roses appeared to float on top of glass candelabras. All of our details, from John’s Texas flag cufflinks and oilrig groom’s cake to my cowboy boots and great-grandmother’s ring demonstrated our attention to detail and sentiment.
The most memorable moment was when I surprised John with a video from his friend who was deployed. After a beautiful slideshow created by my sister, who is a film editor, everyone paused as the sound of a helicopter overcame the speakers. The video depicted Sam, a marine, descending from a helicopter and running up to the camera to congratulate us. John’s eyes instantly filled with tears and everyone cheered. Coincidentally, John had just toasted to Sam even though he could not be there.
John and I are blessed with the most loving and supportive families in the world, and we will never be able to thank them enough for helping us to create and experience such a special day.
Wedding Photography: Jenny DeMarco Photography | Ceremony Venue: The Good Shepherd in Austin, Texas | Reception Venue: The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas | Floral Design: STEMS Floral Design | Catering + Wedding Cakes: The Driskill Hotel | Wedding Invitations + Stationery: Crane & Co. | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza via Stanley Korshak | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Badgley Mischka is a member of our Look Book. For more information on how members are chosen, click here.
