Dripping Springs Wedding at Vista West Ranch by Forever Photography Studio

We’re wrapping up the week with this beyond gorgeous Dripping Springs wedding. I seriously can not get over how fabulous these florals are, especially how they lined the aisle with pretty little mason jars. I could seriously frame a pretty image or two from Forever Photography Studio and lucky for you and me there’s a whole gallery just waiting to inspire. Click here for more!

From the Bride… Pete and I met right after I had moved home from college. So many of my friends had moved away, and what I used to call home felt like such a different place because of it. One Thursday night I went to go visit my cousin at a restaurant she worked at. I noticed Pete almost immediately when I walked in as we casually made eye contact. About an hour later he came up to talk to me, and we really hit it off. A few phone calls later, he asked me on a date. And I guess the rest is history! We live in Houston, and after touring multiple venues around there, none really gave me the feeling I was looking for. We wanted something elegant but laid-back, sophisticated but not too stuffy. We wanted people to have fun! I’ve always loved the Texas Hill Country, so we decided to take a weekend trip to Austin. We lined up 12 venue appointments (it was a long and busy weekend!). Vista West Ranch was literally appointment #12. The very last one. Up until that appointment there were a few venues that were on the short list, but nothing definite. The minute I walked into Vista West Ranch, I knew it was the place we were going to get married. I immediately fell in love with its rustic vibe. It was absolutely everything we were looking for.

Long before we even had a date picked out, I knew I wanted my colors to be green and gray. Ironically enough, it worked out perfectly when the only weekend in spring Vista West Ranch had left was St. Patrick’s Day. After picking colors, the venue really drove a lot of the inspiration. I was dead set on having tall and short centerpieces, but I didn’t want them to be glass. I found beautiful birch wood vases on the internet and used wooden candlesticks for the tall arrangements. My florist was wonderful in working with me and helping bring my vision to life. We worked through the logistics of getting a huge arrangement to sit securely atop a small wooden base. Everything turned out beautifully. For our wedding favors, my mom and I made 100 jars of strawberry jam. My mom has been making this recipe ever since I was a small child. I remember every Christmas she would make jars of it for me to give to my teachers and bus driver as gifts. For a few months every weekend, we would get together and make a batch. I think it took about nine batches to get all the jars filled! I then searched (and searched … and searched) all over for the right fabric to cover the jars and made cute labels for them. I will say being a graphic designer definitely had it advantages when it came to wedding planning. I put my creative touch on almost every element I could.

I consider myself a very non-traditional bride. From Pete and I seeing each other before the wedding to our “guest book” quilt,  I really wanted this moment to be about us. I can’t wait to see how the fabric squares come together to make a beautiful quilt we car cherish for the rest of our lives together. The wedding took 15 months of long, hard planning, but we can honestly say it was the best day of our lives. We wouldn’t have changed a single thing.

Wedding Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Wedding Venue: Vista West Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas / Event Design + Planning: Lauren Carrillo of Something To Celebrate / Floral Design: La Fleur Vintage / Wedding Cinematography: Waterloo Films / Wedding Invitation Design: The Bride / Wedding Cake: Lori Saldana of Classy Cakes by Lori / DJ: Erik of Greenbelt DJ Productions / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale via Bella Bridesmaid