Belton Wedding Ideas and Inspiration

Taking Lavender + Blackberry Inspiration to the Next Level

Lavender and blackberry were the inspiration for this couple’s special day – but not just the color palette (although the hues sure do look pretty in the florals arranged by Lovely Leaves). These were also the tastes and smells prevalent throughout the celebration photographed by Jenna McElroy, and we can’t stop thinking, “How brilliant!” Now whenever the pair smell either lavender or blackberry, it brings them right back to their beautiful wedding day.

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Summer Weddings

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Estate Weddings

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Al Fresco

From the bride… When Isaiah and I got engaged, our first task was to pick the date. We didn’t want a long engagement, but finding an available weekend was proving to be a scheduling difficulty. Our solution was to instead get married on a Monday! By doing this, I was able to scale back on the magnitude of the wedding day, while still pouring myself into those memorable details.

Being a wedding photographer myself, I already had a clear vision of what I wanted my day to look like and who I wanted to involve. I had been imagining my wedding day happening at La Rio Mansion ever since they opened. It’s such a romantic place and truly a unique venue in my little town of Belton, Texas.

My inspiration for the day was lavender and blackberry. I wanted to not only have those be the colors, but to be the tastes and the smells of the day as well. In keeping with the laid-back romance of the day, we were married a little before sunset and served dessert and espresso at our reception. Isaiah is an avid lover of coffee, so we knew that hiring our favorite local coffee company would be a must-have. One of my favorite details was the delicious lemon cupcakes with lavender icing topped with blackberries made by my dear friend, Dana. Anytime I smell or taste lavender now, it brings me right back to that day.

The jazz band created the perfect classy yet laid-back vibe that I wanted to capture at the reception. I studied music in college, and it was important to me to have real musicians entertain our guests.

One of my favorite moments of the day was our first look. So much tension and anticipation had built up inside of me all day, and I didn’t even realize it! As soon as Isaiah and I saw each other, all of that was released, and I felt like I was ready to get married. By doing a first look, we also lengthened the amount of time we were able to spend together with just our closest family and friends before all the guests arrived.

I’m so thankful to all of my vendors who brought my vision to life and created the most beautiful evening. Being able to celebrate our love with our family and friends was so special.

How to Tie in a Little Piece of the Sea on Your Special Day

If you love the water but your big day is happening a bit further inland, you can still bring a little piece of the sea into your celebration. For this couple’s anniversary session at a lovely, Spanish-inspired La Rio Mansion, this beach-loving duo had Taylor Bible Weddings create a seashore vibe using clean white china and pops of gorgeous, pale blue along with incorporating sea glass and oyster shell accents. Lovely Leaves Floral Design tied it all together, and the resulting gallery captured by Hannah Haston Photography is sweeping us off our feet.

From Lovely Leaves Floral Design… Taylor and Tevin are the absolute sweetest couple! They married last year in a Texas Hill Country vineyard, but they love the beach, and so this was perfect for their one year anniversary. It’s not often that we get to plan a styled shoot with a theme for real couple. The day was so much fun and completely perfect.

La Rio Mansion is located in the small town they now call home. The venue was selected for its stunning stone architecture. Hannah Haston captured the most beautiful emotion on film that they will forever cherish, commemorating their first year.

Colors were a very pale blue with a lovely mix of neutrals. Florals included white dahlias, anemones, cosmos, veronica and delphiniums with the perfect amount of petite spray roses. We love to infuse weddings with greenery – southern smilax, ivy, and maiden hair fern are some of our favorites.

Taylor Bible Weddings used clean white china with silver flatware and layered fabrics on the table — a sheer with unfinished edges over a pale blue linen. For brides who dream of days on the beach, sea glass and oyster shells are ethereal accents, which offer a way to incorporate the place they love into their special days. Gold rimmed sea glass glasses in addition to sea glass bottles and oyster shells galore tied in some of Taylor’s favorite things about the beach.

Taylor’s gown came from Georgio’s Bridal, one of our favorite boutiques nestled in the heart of Waco. The soft tulle and lace appliqués tied in with the romantic feel. Her shoes were to-die-for. I love wedding booties, and these white gems were fabulous. Her hair was wind blown and magical, and her makeup was clean and natural, with the help of Southern Belles Beauty.

No anniversary would be complete without a chilled bottle of champagne, so we picked them up a beautiful bottle from one of their favorite local restaurants.

Romantic Emerald Green Wedding Inspiration

We’re falling so hard for this emerald green and gold wedding inspiration shoot! Set against sprawling oak trees and stone archways, it’s a mesmerizing play of vibrant velvets and silks, gilded silverware and lush greenery captured by Rachel Whyte Photography that will steal your heart like it did ours. Don’t miss all the pretty details right here!

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From Rachel Whyte Photography… A rainy day was never in the game plan for this romantic inspiration shoot. But when it rains, it pours and the fresh smell of rain brings along promise, growth and hopes for the future—perfect for the new venue, La Rio Mansion. From the sprawling oaks and stone archways to the secret garden and endless fields, the gorgeous venue leaves nothing to be desired even in a storm. Something about the rain is enchantingly romantic and we could not have been more in love with outcome.

Despite the weather and the recent cold, the grass was a fresh green which paired well with the dark colors we selected for the shoot. Charcoal, emerald and navy elements with gold accents gave way to a timeless feel. Marquee Rentals provided beautiful silk linens, natural bistro chairs and a wealthy collection of gold-rimmed glassware and gilded silverware. Details like our exquisite emerald velvet sofa were delivered by Swoon Rentals+Design. Lovely Leaves choose a white mix of large Alabaster garden roses, Veronica, dahlias, agapanthus, astrantia and lush greenery—a fresh selection for spring.

Lily’s Cakes designed a classic cake, clean fondant with ribbon and fresh flowers, which we set atop a table accented with a beautiful floral garland near the vintage fountain at the venue. The skilled handwritten gold calligraphy by Wondrous Whimsy was splendid—precisely what we had envisioned. The emerald cut diamond ring would be kept safe for generations inside a grey French velvet Mrs. Box—one of our favorite things.

The Allure ball gown Emily wore from Georgio’s Bridal was breathtaking against the rich fields, stone arches and Spanish tiles. Well-heeled to say the least: The shimmery silvery-grey pair of Jimmy Choo stilettos added a bit of excitement in with all of our formalities. Kimberly Cutler Professional Make-Up Artist and stylist Victoria Taylor make a fabulous beauty duo—they captured the exact romantic look we were wanting with Em’s hair and make-up. Jacob, Emily’s long-time (future fiancé), wore a tailored navy suit also from Georgio’s.