Texas Weddings

It’s impossible to look through the gallery of this wedding and not see the unmistakeable and utter joy emanating from your screen. This beautiful Bride’s smile radiates through every image from Bloom Photography and each moment captured is simply as-sweet-as-can-be. BZ Events has designed this fête at Laguna Gloria to perfection and every detail shines with the amazing love between this bride and groom. See it all in the gallery right here.

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From Bloom Photography… Kate and Scott are the perfect match — one look at these two, and you are certain they were meant to be a pair. Their wedding in early September was blessed with unseasonably cool weather and was an ode to all things classic. Kate describes her look as “lush and blush” with an abundance of glamorous gold and mercury glass topped with blush-colored linens and flowers everywhere! No detail was spared the classic treatment, from her letterpress invitations to her short getaway dress!

Wedding Photography: Bloom Photography / Wedding Venue: Laguna Gloria at the Austin Museum of Art in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: BZ Events / Floral Design: Stems Floral Design / Wedding Cinematography: Crescent Video Productions / Wedding Dress: Amsale / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Effortless elegance is the name of the game here, and my objects of obsession are the little burlap baggies filled with petals for guests to toss after the bride and groom kissed at the ceremony. Adorable!! And the pictures of this moment just sing with happiness! The couple used simple and classic white and off-white tones for their nuptials, and I couldn’t imagine a more lovely indoor-outdoor reception site. See all of it and a whole lot more in the full gallery of photos right here, thanks to Ashley Garmon Photographers and Keely Thorne Events!

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From Keely Thorne Events… Sarah and Carey were married on April 14, 2012, in Austin, Texas. The couple, both from Houston, chose Austin as the city for their wedding for its laid-back feel and so their guests could enjoy a weekend away. The University of Texas Golf Club provided the perfect backdrop for their spring wedding and allowed for the couple to be married and hold their reception at the same venue, a detail that was important to the bride and groom from the start. Guests arrived and were immediately greeted with string music on the lawn where Sarah and Carey would be married. The lawn, overlooking the rolling hills of Austin, served as the ceremony location. Guests were seated on benches, and an altar flanked by olive trees created the perfect backdrop for the couple’s nuptials. Small burlap bags were placed at guests’ seats, and when the bride and groom kissed, guests showered them with petals. Each bridesmaid chose their own off-white dresses, and the groom and his groomsmen were outfitted with attire from the father of the groom’s store, Vincent Ford, in Houston.

A seated dinner followed the cocktail hour where guests were treated to a custom-designed menu that the bride and groom worked closely with the Chef at the University of Texas Golf Club to create. Following dinner, guests made their way inside the clubhouse for a night of dancing! The Bulletproof Brass Band kept guests on the dance floor the entire night and only could get them to stop when the bride and groom made their exit on a golf cart!

Wedding Photography: Ashley Garmon Photographers / Wedding Venue: University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: Kristin McShane of Keely Thorne Events / Floral Design: Rosehip Flora / Wedding Cakes: The Cake Plate / Wedding Invitations: Mr. Boddington’s Studio / Band: Bulletproof Brass Band / Linens: Peggy Poling Designs / Tents + Rentals: Marquee Event Group / Lighting: FILO Designs / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier via Joan Pillow Bridal

We love the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center around these parts and it’s so much fun to see it transformed from season to season. This autumn wedding is no exception and has the most beautiful fall flowers and succulents ever. We love their let love grow theme and flower seed favors. Adorable! Lissa Anglin Photography captured each and every gorgeous detail and you can see it all right here!

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From Lissa Anglin Photography… Travis and Lindsay’s autumn wedding at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center was perfectly designed with an elegant primary color scheme. The bright florals were anything but ordinary, featuring succulents, artichokes and kale. The bridesmaids wore rich navy dresses and the groomsmen wore navy polka dot ties. String lights and a wildflower backdrop made their ceremony intimate. Instead of a unity candle or sand, the bride and groom actually tied a knot from two pieces of rope given to them by their parents. Taking inspiration from their venue, they offered their guests wildflower seeds and served up Texas-made pies in lieu of a traditional cake.

Wedding Photography: Lissa Anglin Photography / Wedding Venue: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: Style & Grace Events / Floral Design: Pollen Floral Art / Officiant: Spike Gillespie / Catering: Circle C Cafe & Catering / Bakery: The Texas Pie Company / Wedding Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Musicians: Austin Piano & Strings Studio / Wedding Dress: Mori Lee via LuLu’s Bridal Boutique / Makeup: LucieMarie

We are totally loving each and every inch of this DIY rustic-meets-rainbow-meets-eco-friendly BBQ inspired day. The signs, the mismatched melmac dinnerware (genius!) and those adorable dinner trays all add up to one heck of a spunky party. Some brides just know how to DIY a wedding like nobody’s business! Click Chick Images captured the day to perfection and you can (and must!) see it all right here.

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From the Bride… Although we very much admire fancy weddings, we knew that a big, elegant wedding wasn’t for us. Instead, we yearned for an intimate wedding with a backyard BBQ feel to it. And so, we began the search for a venue that would offer just that. Luckily, we didn’t have to search long, for the second we set foot on Ceres Park Ranch, we knew it was the place for us. One of the best things about our venue was the fact that nothing was forced on us. We were given a (supremely awesome!) blank canvas and, while that meant a lot of work and an endless list of DIY projects, it also meant that we got exactly what we wanted. It seemed like no matter what crazy ideas we threw at them, the folks at Ceres Park Ranch were always more than willing to work with us. Some of our more nontraditional ideas included: a “lawn game hour” in lieu of a traditional cocktail hour, Jester King beer tasting offered up at the bar, a mechanical bull rental, a hot dog roast, and the release of colorful sky lanterns into the night sky. Unfortunately, the wet weather ended up interfering with the last two items; but it also gave us a beautiful full-sky double rainbow and the incredible sound effect of rain pounding down on the tin roof of the pavilion. Both were truly magical and more than made up for the absence of the other two activities.

Wilson and I decided pretty early on that we’d be skipping the traditional wedding cake. We decided to collect a bunch of mismatched containers and fill up a sweets bar with some of our favorite goodies — mini cupcakes in various flavors, sweet potato pie, bread pudding, black and white cookies, dessert popcorn and an assortment of candies. We included a basket of to-go containers so that guests could bring treats home with them. But my absolute favorite detail surrounding the dessert bar came from a last minute decision to dedicate it to the memory of my maternal grandfather, who sadly passed away one week before our wedding. Grandpa lived a wonderful 91 years and taught me that, “Life is too short to not eat dessert … for breakfast.” Thus, it was only fitting that the dessert bar be dedicated to him!

I have also long admired the gorgeous photos I see of mismatched wedding china, and I briefly considered doing the same for our wedding. Somehow, though, it didn’t seem right to use precious china at an outdoor BBQ wedding! So I decided to create my own twist on the trend. I have had an obsession with melmac for as long as I can remember — I just love the vibrant colors, the historical significance and the durability factor — so I decided to utilize mismatched melmac at our wedding. Overall, I managed to collect more than 250 pieces through various sources — eBay, Etsy, garage sales, thrift stores, etc. And I finished things off with some light turquoise barbecue trays found at a local camping store. We used birch compostable utensils and wrapped each set up with a handmade napkin (old bed-sheets cut up with pinking shears — super easy!). We then printed out tiny menu cards on Kraft paper and tied one around each utensil set with twine. This was one of my favorite personal touches and it was unbelievably easy to pull off.

While it certainly wasn’t perfect, I really feel that our budget, environmentally-minded, locally-sourced, rainy, outdoor, BBQ, DIY, rainbow-rustic wedding couldn’t have been more “us!” It was a celebration of our love, our friendships, our beloved Austin and our desire to enjoy the heck out of every minute of life! I can’t thank our friends, family and vendors enough for making the weekend so very unforgettable!

Wedding Photography: Kara Trombetta of Click Chick Images / Wedding Venue: Ceres Park Ranch in Austin, Texas / Flowers: Purchased via FiftyFlowers + DIY Arranging / Wedding Cinematography: Lizama Videography / Catering, Sweet Potato Pies + Bread Pudding: Austin Barbecue Company / Sweets, Cupcakes + Mini Cupcakes: Sweet Treets Bakery / Popcorn: Cornucopia / Beer: Jester King Craft Brewery / Wine: Duchman Family Winery / Wedding Paper Goods, Bouquets, Boutonnieres, Ribbon Banners, Card Table Decor + Postcard Guest Book: DIY / Printing of Paper Goods: Zazzle + Vistaprint / DJ: Mr. Thrill DJ Plus / Mechanical Bull Rental: Extreme Events of Texas / Wedding Dress: Calvin Klein via 6pm.com / Bride’s Blusher Veil: Austie / Bride’s Boots: Stetson / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew (Silk Chiffon) / Men’s Suits: J. Ferrar via JCPenney / Men’s Ties: The Belle and The Beau

This Austin wedding held at The Driskill Hotel and captured by Jenny DeMarco Photography is just about as glam + fabulous as they come.  From the super chic florals + branches dripping with crystals by Last Petal to the gorgeous metallic linens from Wildflower Linen, this little number is wedding gold!  There is SO much more elegance to pour over in the full gallery (like the bride’s handmade brooch bouquet!), so be sure to set aside an hour-or two-to see it all for yourself!

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From the Bride… When Jerry and I started looking at venues, we instantly fell in love with The Driskill. This hotel is a Texas landmark, and we loved the idea of having our wedding in a space with several different rooms instead of just one ballroom. The Driskill is very opulent on its own, and I felt it was crucial to add flowers and décor that would not compete with this gorgeous space. I have always loved the glamour of black and gold together, and since these colors complimented the hotel’s existing décor, they seemed like a perfect fit! I wanted our wedding to feel classic, elegant and totally glamorous. We added accents of crystal and silver in addition to the black and gold for lots of glitz. Our amazing florist, Last Petal, perfectly executed my vision. We used gorgeous 5-foot gold manzanita trees adorned with phalaenopsis orchids and dripping crystals for drama. White hydrangeas, roses, snapdragons, mini calla lilies, phalaenopsis orchids and freesia were featured throughout and kept the arrangements looking classic. Painted black succulents and seeded eucalyptus were added for an unexpected twist. With all of the candles, fabulous lighting and metallic accents, the room absolutely glistened! It was magical! I took charge of planning and organizing all the details and was extremely hands on with the décor. I had several DIY projects, including our table numbers, napkin holders, escort card boxes, photo booth sign, candy buffet and all our custom-designed stationery. I also hand made my brooch bouquet. It consisted of roughly 100 brooches that I collected, and it weighed about 12 pounds. In addition to DIY projects, I also purchased a lot of unique décor items on my own. The crystal curtains around the dance floor and the adorable gold place card holders are two examples of the many items I brought.

The Driskill did all the catering for the event, which was delicious. We started the evening off with several passed hors d’oeuvres. For dinner, Jerry and I decided on food stations instead of a sit-down dinner because we wanted our guests up and mingling. We had an amazing 15-piece big band, as well as a DJ, and the combination had everyone on the dance floor until the very end of the night. For our exit, guests had fun blowing customized black and gold kazoos as we rode off in a fairytale horse and carriage.

Jerry and I both agree that the ceremony was one of our favorite parts of the evening. Reading our hand-written vows to each other, in front of our friends and family, was an incredibly special moment. We are so grateful for the amazing work of all our vendors. Our photographer, Jenny DeMarco, was especially remarkable. She did an impeccable job of capturing all of the details of the day. The #1 most important thing I can suggest for a bride-to-be is to hire a wedding coordinator. I loved the entire planning process, but having Barbara Hearne there on the actual day was invaluable! I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her!

Wedding Photography: Jenny DeMarco Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas / Floral Design: Last Petal / Brooch Bouquet: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Coordination: Barbara Hearne of Barbara’s Brides / Officiant: Scott Payne of The Knot Tyer / Wedding Stationery: Custom by the Bride + Miriam Reta Hall of Pizazz / Ceremony Music: Andrew Grainger of Austin Pianist / Band: The Vintage 15 / DJ: Josh Wilkinson of Penguin Entertainment / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Linens + Rentals: Marquee Rents + Wildflower Linen / Photo Booth: Say Cheese Photo Booths / Candy: Big Top Candy Shop / Custom Kazoos: Kazoobie Kazoos / “Just Married” Sign: Tuck & Bonte / Paper Straws: Isakay Boutique / Wedding Dress: Michelle Roth via Kleinfeld Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: White by Vera Wang / Bride’s Belt: Custom by Thomas Knoell / Bride’s Necklace: Jenny Packham / Hair + Makeup: Rochelle Rae / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bari Jay + For Her and For Him / Groom’s Tuxedo: Calvin Klein via Men’s Wearhouse / Ushers’ + Groomsmen’s Attire: Black by Vera Wang via Men’s Wearhouse / Flower Girl’s Tutu: The Bumble Bee

This wedding contains just about every one of my all-time wedding loves: a glittery gown that oozes elegance with every shimmer, an adorably rustic ceremony venue, and delectable sweets as far as the eye can see. And on top of all that loveliness, Mercedes Morgan Photography has perfectly captured the warm Austin sunlight in some of the most gorgeous portraits I’ve ever seen. Find all of the beauty of the Zilker Clubhouse and more in the gallery right here.

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From Mercedes Morgan Photography… Wonderful friends and family gathered together in Austin to watch Rose and Marcin become man and wife. Their touching ceremony incorporated a Polish tradition of sharing bread — a nod to Marcin’s heritage. Two of the loveliest details were the Austin skyline and the gorgeous sunset that gave everything a rosy color. Friends and family had a hand in all of the celebration, from set-up to tear down. The madeleines were courtesy of a good friend, the playlist was compiled by the groom and another friend, and table arrangements were also put together by the couple and their crew.

Wedding Photography: Mercedes Morgan Photography / Wedding Venue: Zilker Clubhouse in Austin, Texas / Floral Design: Charles & Medora Barkley + Peggy Loughlin / Candles + Vases: Quick Candles / Dessert + Other Decorations: Kara, Rachel + Ann Helmke / Catering: PoK-e-Jo’s / Getting Ready Venue: Loft on Cupid’s Bluff / Wedding Dress: Pisarro Nights via Nordstrom / Bride’s Jewelry: Family Heirlooms / Hair: Blo Austin / Makeup: DIY

We all know the things that make weddings off-the-charts amazing are those little, magnificent details that give the day its own personality and character. Well, SMPers, hold on to your hats because this wedding from Joyful Details is filled to the brim with some of the best DIY details I’ve ever laid eyes on.  The words that keep coming to my mind to describe these nuptials at The Inn at Wild Rose Hall just happen to be scrumptious, yummy, delicious, and so on. Why am I thinking only of words that describe food, you might ask? Because I want to eat up every delightful image from Two Pair Photography in our gallery right here.

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From Joyful Details… The Inn at Wild Rose Hall is such a great hill country venue, and it was a perfect outdoor setting for this crafty, DIY summer wedding. Megan was a bride after my own heart! She was so incredibly talented and did such an amazing job creating all these adorable DIY projects for her wedding. All of the flowers for the wedding were hand made out of paper and coffee filters.  She also made all the chevron table runners and signs.  There were just too many great details at this wedding to name!  The photos from Two Pair Photography are just stunning and do such a wonderful job of describing what a perfect day they had!

Wedding Photography: Two Pair Photography / Wedding Venue: The Inn at Wild Rose Hall in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: Kristi of Joyful Details / Floral Design: DIY by Megan Norman, The Bride / Officiant: Keith Simpson (ksimpson@centex.net) / Catering: Jack Allen’s Kitchen / Pies: Tiny Pies / DJ: Kevin Moore (soundmoore@yahoo.com) / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero “Abilene” / Bride’s Shoes: Butter

A wildflower extravaganza.  The perfect way to kick off our Tuesday morning – with a wedding so beautiful, so incredibly breathtaking, so chock-full of wildflowers by La Fleur Vintage, you can barely believe the pretty.  I’m talking vibrant colors, darling DIY details and a bride and groom who are the epitome of sweet.  Intrigued?  Well, JUST WAIT until you jump into the gallery of gorgeous captured by Whitney Runyon Photography, because this is the kind of affair that puts an ear to ear smile on your face and fills your entire day with HAPPY.  Click here for all of the pretty.

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From the Bride… Mark and I met formally in high school in our small west Texas town, but our paths probably crossed several times before that. We attended the same elementary school for a period of time, and our families have known each other for generations. We had been in the same group of friends for over three years when we finally decided to go on a date. Five years later to the day, Mark asked me to marry him! I had always dreamed of having a spring wildflower wedding with a lot of color, so this is where we started our search for the perfect venue and date. I came across The Inn at Wild Rose Hall in Austin online, and it was the only venue that we looked at. We loved the owner immediately and knew that April 28th was our date – making our engagement 5½ months long! I told our florist, La Fleur Vintage, that I wanted the bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces to be very loose, wild and colorful. They were able to turn my vision into reality and created the most gorgeous floral designs for our wedding – using big mason jars wrapped in twine and mismatched glass containers filled with flowers to create an assorted look. On our wedding day, I was in awe of how beautiful the flowers were. In going with the wildflower theme, I told my bridesmaids to wear any floral dress they wanted, as long as it was in the blue family. We told the groomsmen to wear a white shirt and gray pants, and we provided them with suspenders and floral bow ties that I bought on Etsy. Even my dress was embellished with floral detailing!

From there, everything was DIY. I am not crafty by nature, but luckily I had a very talented group of women on my side who enjoy countless hours of crafting! With the help of my three sisters-in-law, mother in-law, maid of honor and many other family members, we were able to create the wedding of my dreams. Our paper projects included the save-the-dates, wildflower seed packets that we gave as favors at the wedding, programs, reserved table cards, place cards for the head table, candy bar labels, and invitations – all designed by my sister-in-law Amanda. We printed and cut every piece of paper, punched all of the floral borders and corners, and sewed the seed packets. Our biggest project was the invitations — they were a labor of love. My mother-in-law scoured fabric stores for the perfect fabrics and hand made over 200 feet of bunting, the cake bunting, the ring bearer pillow (which had lace from her wedding dress sewn in it), and the “bride and groom” chair bunting and matching pillows. She also hand-made the most precious rehearsal dinner invitations ever. My other sister-in-law, Melissa, brewed, bottled and labeled homemade Cabernet Sauvignon wine that we gave as favors at the rehearsal dinner. She also made pillows for the ring bearer’s wagon. Other projects included wrapping the tea light votives in lace, the candy bar, and two wood hand-painted signs.

On April 28th, 2012, our day came together beautifully – including the weather! Our ceremony was a perfect representation of Mark and me. A bridesmaid’s daughter was the flower girl, and Mark’s 6-month-old nephew was the ring bearer. He rode in on a red wagon with floral pillows and totally stole the show! A good friend of ours, who is a pastor at a church in Austin, officiated our wedding and made our ceremony feel so personal. Mark and I wrote our vows together but left the wedding message up to our officiant. We laughed and cried through the whole ceremony, and then we kissed and were married! For the reception, guests made their way over to an open veranda with a covered ceiling. We had Tex-Mex food catered by an Austin favorite, Kerbey Lane, and ice cream catered by Austin’s one and only Amy’s Ice Cream. We served iced tea, lemonade, Texas wines and Shiner beer to honor our Texas roots!  I feel so blessed that our photographer, Whitney Runyon, was about to capture the beauty of the day flawlessly. I would have never been able to get it all done without our amazing families, vendors, and my wonderful wedding party! It was a perfect spring day full of color, life and fun — but in the end, I am so thrilled to be married to my best friend and love of my life!

Wedding Photography: Whitney Runyon Photography / Wedding Venue: The Inn at Wild Rose Hall in Austin, Texas / Floral Design: La Fleur Vintage / Officiant: Mark Charbonneau of Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, a Friend of the Bride & Groom / Wedding Cinematography: Danny Garcia / Catering: Kerbey Lane / Ice Cream: Amy’s Ice Creams / Wedding Cake + Cupcakes: Sibby Barrett of Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm / Beverages: Spec’s Texas Superstore / Wedding Invitations, Save-the-Dates, Favors, Programs, Labels + Place Cards: DIY by Amanda Lamb, the Groom’s Sister / Paper + Envelope Supply: Paper Source / Homemade Wine Kit: Austin Homebrew / Wildflower Seeds for Favors: Wildseed Farms / Favor Bags: TwineAndTape / Straws + Straw Flags: isakayboutique / Cupcake Sticks: VintageTwee / Wedding Dress: Watters “Malibu” via Stardust Celebrations / Bride’s Shoes: Chanel / Bride’s Wedding Band: Bailey, Banks & Biddle / Wedding Dress Hanger: BridalWeddingHangers / Hair + Makeup: Andrea Juarez of Peal Hair & Make-up Studio / Bride’s Earrings, Bracelet + Bridesmaids’ Necklaces: DelicacyJ / Groom’s Suit + Tie: J.Crew / Groom’s Wedding Band: Fabuluster / Groomsmen’s Bow Ties: TuxandTulle

We absolutely adore all the ladies over at Blush Bridal Lounge in Austin so when we heard that store manager Amanda was getting married we just knew her wedding would be drop dead gorgeous and we couldn’t wait to get our hands on the images. Her day is all that we imagined and then some! We’re talking a stop you dead in your tracks  gorgeous gown (of course!) and that’s just the beginning. Apryl Ann Photography captured all the fabulous details and you can see the whole day right here in the full gallery.

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From the Bride, Manager of Blush Bridal Lounge… I am the manager at Blush Bridal Lounge in Austin, Texas. We are avid SMP readers and total wedding enthusiasts, so when I became engaged in 2011 to my long-time boyfriend Lucas, I knew planning my wedding was going to be a little different than the average bride. I was blessed to have many professional friends who I have met over the years to execute my wedding flawlessly, and I couldn’t have done it without them. My husband and I are very laid-back, low key people. So it was important for me to find something beautiful yet unique to wear, book an outdoor venue that was just as stunning and create a loving atmosphere with good food, great music, and an Austin vibe.

I first saw my dress in a monthly newsletter that Enzoani sends their retailers. It was custom-made for an editorial shoot for People magazine and I knew I had to have it. You can imagine how disappointed I was when I called the production manager and she let me know they were not going to be adding it to the Fall line. However, with a little persuasion from both the owner of Blush, Erica, and our sales representative Craig, they made it happen. In July of 2011, I was able to see my dress walk down the runway at the Enzoani fashion event in sunny California. It was spectacular. The dress’ name is Mila, and it has a hand-dyed celadon lace bodice and silk chiffon skirt with blue crystal beaded belt. It was a generous gift from Erica, and I have never felt more beautiful wearing any other dress in my entire life. That’s exactly how it should feel and I will never forget the moment I stepped into it on my wedding day.

The venue was fairly new, and I heard about it from one of my clients. The Vineyards at Chappel Lodge is so beautiful that we really only needed to complement the already-growing wildflowers and lush landscaping. We felt very at ease and peaceful in a space that didn’t require heavy décor. We incorporated metal sculpture my husband hand-made, along with birdcages, vintage books, succulents and orchids. Each table was named after an Austin landmark or venue we personally enjoyed or had history with, one of which was the capitol building, where Lucas proposed to me on the Texas star in the rotunda. The biggest selling points for us was the ceremony space with two amazing oak trees creating an arbor over the altar and the onsite cottage which slept 28 people overnight. My husband and I were thrilled because most of our bridal party and some extra VIP’s got to stay up late and continue the festivities. We played various games including the giant Jenga® Lucas and I had made for our guest book. We read aloud the well wishes as we stacked them up time and time again. I’m proud to say I didn’t end up going to sleep until 8 a.m. that morning. I just didn’t want our magical day to end! 

The Austin vibe was found in delicate touches throughout our wedding. We used the famous Amy’s Ice Cream to provide dessert, we had local food trailer Mmmpananda show up to hand out late night snacks, and our flowers were locally sourced, the majority coming from East Austin Succulents and used by our impeccable florist Carly from Margot Blair Floral. We designed our table cards and programs to incorporate the ever changing Austin skyline. We decided to have both the amazing DJ Chief and The Motts Band, both local acts, play alternating sets. A little bit of dance music and a little bit of live music was the perfect combination. I’ll never forget the last song the band played at my wedding: “I’ll Stop the World and Melt with You” by Modern English. My husband looked at me on the dance floor and thanked me for throwing an amazing wedding. At that very moment, I knew that together, we had.

Wedding Photography: Apryl Ann Photography / Wedding Venue: The Vineyards at Chappel Lodge in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: Keri Wootton of Leave the Details to Me / Floral Design: Margot Blair Floral / Flower Source: East Austin Succulents / Catering: Culinary Delights / Favors + Late Night Snacks: Mmmpanadas / Dessert: Amy’s Ice Creams / Wedding Invitations: Sarah Coffman of Minus Five / Programs: Nuptial Necessities / Entertainment: The Motts / DJ: DJ Chief / Wedding Dress: Enzoani “Mila” via Blush Bridal Lounge / Dress Alterations: Deborah Birch / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Brickhouse Bridal

If The Bird & The Bear were planning on seriously brightening our Friday morning with this sweet, sweet engagement session, then they have most definitely succeeded, because this is the kind of e-shoot that will conjure up only the happiest of feelings and leave a smile on your face from here ’till we meet again on Monday.  Yep – it’s just.that.good.  And the uber-chic bride-to-be and her dashing (and SO in love) beau?  Adorbs.  Click here for every last heartwarming moment and then stay tuned for an equally as awesome film from The Bird & The Bear below.

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

From the Bride-to-Be… Will and I were tossing around some ideas for a engagement shoot one day, and Will was actually the one that came up with the idea to set up a fake house in the woods. I thought it had a lot of potential, so we started running with it from there. Some of the props were actually decorations from my house at school, so it really represents my taste. We made a day of finding the rest of the items at thrift and antique shops and had a lot of fun together. The whole set is likely what our future home will look like (minus the walls being trees part), since we both love fun, vintage style. Caryn and Bryan are so talented, and we had a blast shooting with them!

Photography + Cinematography: The Bird & The Bear — Photography & Films / Location: Austin, Texas / Set Design: The Bride-to-Be

Mercury Hall always lends a bright, shiny spot of goodness to the pages of SMP. Its vintage white interior and pretty parties are the stuff that wedding dreams are made of; especially when that pretty party is awash with adorable DIY details, a dessert table to satisfy any sweet tooth and images by Kelly Christine Photo. A fine mix and one that does this Austin sweet spot so much justice. See it all right here.

From the Bride… When we first started talking about what we wanted our wedding to look like, we agreed immediately that we wanted to have a fun and laid-back party, and everything just seemed to fall into place. I bought the first dress I tried on, booked the first venue I saw and trusted Etsy vendors and local businesses the whole way through. We never tried to fit into a mold or a theme; we just picked what we liked and went with it. What we came up with was a simple, intimate party with all of our favorite people there, dancing to our favorite music and eating our favorite foods. I was also adamant about having my hands in all parts of the planning process and spent many late nights sewing bunting banners, making dessert plates and designing programs. This made the day feel so special because there was a touch of us in everything. If I can offer one piece of advice to anyone planning a wedding, it is to hire a coordinator if you can. My event planner Amanda was crucial in the planning process, and she took care of all the logistical things and even did things I didn’t think of myself. I can only imagine how stressful it is to corral vendors and act as a coordinator while you’re getting your makeup done and having your picture taken. The bottom line, however, is that this day is a party. Do what YOU want, don’t compromise your vision and absorb everything because it really is over so quickly.

Wedding Photography: Kelly Christine Photo / Wedding Venue: Mercury Hall in Austin, Texas / Wedding Planning: Amanda Abbott of Boho Bride (amandaabbottevents@gmail.com) / Floral Design: Sally Todd / Decorations: DIY by the Bride / Officiant: Steven Ross / Catering: Whole Foods / Desserts: Hey Cupcake!, Tiff’s Treats + Iffy’s Sweets and Treats / Wedding Stationery: Minted / Band: The Eggmen / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Bolero: AlexBridal /  Bride’s Veil: LovelyEverAfter / Hair: Blo Bar /  Makeup: Gertie Murray of GertieGlam / Groom’s Attire: Express

Mercury Hall is just pure magic. Plan and simple. I’ve never seen a wedding come out of that pretty place I didn’t adore. And I am adding this one captured by Caroline + Ben Photography to my very long list. The flowers, the ceremony setting, and the oh-so in love couple are enough to make me want to let out a squeal this morning, so you know the full gallery is simply a must see. And you can see it all right here.

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From the Bride…We wanted a mix of both our personalities. A Native Texas introvert meets transplant New York extroverted girl. Seth is very low key and laid back and a big wedding was not something he wanted. He imaged more of a backyard party with some friends hanging out drinking beers. I always dreamed of my wedding just being one big party. Since we both hate being the center of attention, we had a very small ceremony right before the reception with just immediate family. Everything we did was DIY. We spent a lot of time in antique shops, vintage fairs, and on Etsy to find our decor. We made a lot of our decorations, from refinishing our cake table to make it look vintage, to hand making 120 mason jar candles for the favors.

As a surprise for Seth, I arranged to have his favorite musician play at the reception, Slaid Cleaves. Everything about the day was perfect, from the weather to the desserts to the party. There was a dance party inside and a backyard party outside, a perfect mix of both of us.

Photography: Caroline + Ben Photography / Flowers: Flora Fetish / Reception Location: Mercury Hall / Desserts: Cakeism / Dress: Unbridaled

I have always been a believer in a gray and yellow color palette, but this wedding from Shauna Autry Photography has just made me a die hard fan of these lovely hues. It was the moment I saw those beautiful yellow blooms from Verbena Floral Design, perfectly paired with succulents and dusty miller leaves (my favorite) that I knew we were going to have the forever kind of love. And the best part of this entire fest? The couple’s impressively choreographed dancing to “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” that I would have paid to see. Find every moment of this wedding in our gallery, right here.

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From Shauna Autry Photography… Abby and Andy’s wedding was the perfect convergence of French countryside and the bright, fresh, fun feel of Austin. This wedding featured lemons, bicycles, yellows and grays, with a lot of love and a huge amount of heart. Abby and Andy put this entire wedding together with a little (okay, a whole lot of) help from their friends. From eclectic table settings to little detailed touches, all the way to break-down, the couple’s friends and family pitched in and created the most beautiful wedding. Abby’s father performed the heartfelt ceremony, where the secret vows were hilariously similar. The couple’s dogs escorted the ring bearers down the aisle, all wearing bows and tuxes. The most climatic part of the entire celebration was when Abby disappeared before the first dance, only to arrive in her Dirty Dancing attire to dance for the first time to a perfectly-choreographed Time of My Life/”no one puts baby in a corner” homage. It was spectacular. It was an amazing homegrown wedding masterminded by the bride and beautifully executed by all those who love her.

Wedding Photography: Shauna Autry Photography / Second Shooter: Matt Wetzler / Wedding Venue: Le San Michele in Buda, Texas / Bouquets + Boutonnieres: Verbena Floral Design / Other Flowers: Austin Flower Co. / Decor: DIY / Wedding Cinematography: Scott Schroen / Catering: Matt’s El Rancho / Wedding Cake: Rose Potter / Guitarist: David Rosen / DJ: Ryan Williams / Wedding Dress: Unknown Designer / Hair + Makeup: Mandy Silver of Vanity Salon & Day Spa / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew

I’m not sure if it’s the chevron or the sunny yellow accents or even the cheese bar (YUM!), but this adorable Austin wedding featuring the cutest couple by Jenny DeMarco Photography + Crooked Tie Studios has my heart beating overtime! I have to tell you from the get-go that I couldn’t possibly fit every sweet detail into this post, so you’ve got to promise you’ll visit the full gallery…Okay? The Vista on Steward Hill set the stage perfectly for this FUN fête and The Byrd Collective + Liv By Design added loads and loads of pretty! See the rest here.

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From Jenny DeMarco Photography… Emily and Dan’s wedding was bright, cheerful with a little sense of humor – a perfect reflection of their personalities. The color palette consisted of bright yellow, coral and turquoise. We loved the yellow chevron table runners, the matching yellow metal chairs and the vintage china with gold accents. There were touches of playful humor around the wedding, and one of my favorites was the cut outs of the retro “Mr.” and “Mrs.” at the bride and groom’s place settings.

An important aspect which tied the wedding together was the signage that the amazing team at Liv by Design pulled together. The signage possessed a look that was fun, colorful and a bit retro. For the ceremony, each guest received a bell with a small tag attached that read “When they kiss, ring the bell!” This was a surprise from the bride’s mother to the couple, and it was so sweet to hear all the bells chiming during the kiss. Another significant piece of signage were the bar signs. One read “It’s Cocktail Time” and the other was “Slaiente!” which means “Cheers!” in Gaelic. This was a nod to the groom’s Irish background. The postcard escort cards were from places significant to the bride and groom, such as where they first met and their favorite bar, and featured a back story for each place. The postcards were created with the table number in the “stamp” area and name/table assignment in the space where addresses go.

Emily wanted her flowers to be bright and cheerful, just like her personality. Using different shades of yellow, coral and ivory, The Byrd Collective created intricate arrangements of peonies, garden roses, tulips, hydrangea, ranunculus, scabiosa, craspedia, veronica, Queen Anne’s lace and scented geranium. Emily carried a lush and romantic bouquet of coral charm peonies, yellow garden roses, white ranunculus, Queen Anne’s lace and scented geranium tied with lace from her mother’s bridal veil. The bride also walked down the aisle wearing her grandmother’s diamond studs.

Wedding Photography: Jenny DeMarco Photography / Wedding Venue: The Vista on Seward Hill in Austin, Texas / Floral Design: The Byrd Collective / Event Coordination + Signage: Liv By Design / Wedding Cinematography: Crooked Tie Studios / Catering + Wedding Cake: Word of Mouth / Wedding Invitations: The Inviting Pear / Save-the-Dates: LilyGene / Music: Milk Drive Band / Farm Tables + Chairs: The Good Life Event Furnishings / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Earrings: From Her Grandmother / Hair: West End Salon / Makeup: Rochelle Rae Cosmetics / Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank / Groomsmen’s Attire: Their Own Black Suits / Men’s Ties: The Tie Bar

Why is it that everything in Texas just seems so effortlessly pretty and fresh? Your weddings are some of the loveliest we’ve seen and this one is certainly no exception. Sent into us by the super talented Caroline + Ben Photography, this wedding is the epitome of casual elegance. Each and every detail was carefully crafted by the bride, her mom and the wedding party and we’re loving every.single.inch from the to-die-for florals to the yummy dessert table! See even more here.

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From the Bride… I just wanted the wedding to feel fun and very “us,” which meant lots of Texas elements, gold, good food and great music. I believe we went in wanting a sort of Brooks-Brothers-meets-hipster-cowboy look and ended up with a gold-plated, hipster, redneck dance party. Mostly just wanted the theme to be “fun” and, um, GOLD. In terms of design elements, we tried to repeat the flags with the Texas shape and heart from our invites throughout the decor, including in the cake topper, favors, and photo booth logo. My mom dyed or dipped all the colored or gold mason jars. I promised my bridesmaids only ONE day of crafting, when we made the flag signs, cake topper, cupcake flags and hand-tied the programs. My grandmother and aunt made me all the homemade candy that was on the dessert bar, including the delicious fudge. My brother helped set up the photo booth, and I spent one boring night watching television and making that glorious fringed background.

My advice to other brides is to take it easy on everyone around you — being flexible and easygoing with your fiance, wedding party, family and vendors makes everyone much more happy and excited to celebrate. Trust the people around you (re: what to wear, what forks to rent, how much ice to get, what goes in their speech), and they’re sure to make choices that make your event special. The only exception to this is when it comes to bills — treat quotes and invoices like business transactions and you’re less likely to get overcharged! And if your parents are paying, let them go crazy with the guest list (most won’t show up, but almost all will send gifts.) It’s their event too.

Wedding Photography: Caroline + Ben Photography / Wedding Venue: The Allan House in Austin, Texas / Event Design + Planning: 36th Street Events / Floral Design: Posey Floral and Event Design / Wedding Cinematography: SilverTree Videography / Wedding Invitations, Website + Save-the-Dates: DIY by the Bride / DJ: Byrne Rock / Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau via Unbridaled / Bride’s Shoes: DSW / Bride’s Necklace + Earrings: Givenchy via Nordstrom / Bride’s Engagement + Wedding Rings: Dean Frederick / Bride’s Other Ring: Vintage from Her Paternal Grandmother / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BCBG, Anthropologie, H&M / Groom’s Wedding Ring: Bailey Banks & Biddle

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Cupid has arrived and left me feeling lovestruck over this wedding by Luke and Cat Photography. The yellow rose in Texas has never looked more beautiful than in the bouquets and arrangements by The Silver Vase which added gray touches to the day. Can we talk about the photo outside the state capital? I am beaming with Texas pride! There are so many must see details in the full gallery!

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From Luke and Cat Photography… Lydia and Brandon’s downtown Austin wedding was a Texan’s dream! The bride and groom met while in college at Baylor University, and both are Texas natives. They chose to travel to Austin to be married and selected a historic downtown gem, Central Christian Church, for the ceremony. The church’s fourth century-inspired Italian architecture and handsome ironwork served as a lovely backdrop for their touching marriage ceremony. Lydia has a timeless and classic style. She wore an elegant lace Allure Couture gown with a cut-out back. Her blonde hair was pinned into a stylish twist, and an antique hairpin held a birdcage veil. The bridesmaids wore gray chevron-print maxi dresses. The groom and groomsmen were dressed in classic gray tuxedos. As the sun poured in the stained glass windows of the church, Lydia’s mom escorted her down the aisle. Family and friends fanned themselves with the multi-functional fan programs while Lydia and Brandon said their vows, prayed together and were read special letters from their parents.

After they said, “I do,” in true Texas fashion, the bride and groom requested portraits in downtown Austin at sunset in front of the state capitol. The flowers for the day featured bouquets and arrangements with the yellow and gray color palette of the day – most featuring the famed “yellow rose of Texas.” At sunset the couple gathered with friends and family for dinner and dancing at the ballroom of The Austin Club. Personal details that meant something to the couple were mainstays at the reception: Lydia’s buttercream cake was accented with yellow roses and flanked by a family heirloom: Brandon’s grandparents’ original bride and groom cake topper from many decades ago. Brandon’s cake was a nod to their alma mater where they first met: an exact replica of the Baylor bear. Lydia’s mother made the hand-etched vases with the couple’s initials that held the arrangements at the reception. The signature cocktail of the night was a Texas favorite (and the groom’s choice): Shiner Bock. As a parting gift, guests were given bags of caramel popcorn, made by Lydia’s mother, to take home as favors.

Lydia and Brandon had a day filled with laughter and happy times. Their first dance song, “You Are The Sunshine of My Life,” was a perfect fit for their sunny day!

Wedding Photography: Luke and Cat Photography / Ceremony: Central Christian Church in Austin, Texas / Reception: The Austin Club in Austin, Texas / Floral Design: The Silver Vase / Officiant: Brady Herbet / Wedding Stationery + Favors: Donna Rodgers (Mother of the Bride) / Music: Stafford Jones / Wedding Dress: Allure Couture via Bridal Boutique Lewisville / Bride’s Shoes: Seychelles / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Armani Exchange

It’s the full effect. Everything from the flowers and styling by Sweet Sunday Events, the incredible Essense of Australia dress and the pretty Pen & Ink stationary all fuse together to make this Austin wedding a true beauty. There are so many more touching images by Caroline Joy Photography in the full gallery here.

And be sure to check out the wedding video from the always-amazing Lizama Videography:

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From Caroline Joy Photography… There’s something so sweetly simple about a ranch wedding in the Texas Hill Country. The charming and cozy 1860’s Ranch House at Teravista set the comfortable, inviting tone for this wedding. My very favorite thing about this wedding is how the traditional Texas decor is softened by the pastel color palette, the delicate china and the understated florals. As a lifelong Texan, I love seeing a true-to-its-roots Texas wedding that feels classy and feminine.

Wedding Photography: Caroline Joy Photography / Wedding Venue: The Ranch House at Teravista in Austin, Texas / Floral Design, Styling + Vintage Rentals: Sweet Sunday Events / Wedding Cinematography: Lizama Videography / Wedding Stationery: Pen & Ink / Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia “D1319” Cloud 9 Bridal / Hair + Makeup: Green Alley Salon / Nails: Peace Love Nails

Is there anything this couple can’t do? They held their wedding in their own backyard, designed the invitations, made cupcake stands and the sweetheart table, created their own guest favors, and the list goes on! A groomsman even brewed a custom wedding ale for their special day. Every little detail is so unique, and what a fitting theme for their wedding: “Yay Love”. Yay love is right, and three cheers for this amazing DIY couple! See all of the amazingness right here in the full gallery of photos, thanks to Park Bench Photography.

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From the Bride… Dawson and I got married on May 26, 2012, in Austin, Texas. We met in 2006 as we were both in a wedding together. He was my assigned groomsmen, and as we left the church in the recessional we danced the tango all the way out. Several years went by and we lost touch, then in 2010, we reconnected and started dating. We got married on our two-year anniversary — the day after my birthday.

Our inspiration for the decorations, event and really our engagement was “Yay Love.” The night of our engagement, we had a small chalkboard framed where people could write us notes to use in our photo booth. Some of our friends wrote “yay love,” and it just stuck with us as we started to plan our wedding. The color scheme was a little harder to come up with but we chose muted shades of red, yellow and blue. Dawson designed the invitations and programs. We knew we wanted to have the reception in our backyard because shortly after our engagement we were given the house as a gift from his grandparents. We wanted to share our excitement with our loved ones and immediately start entertaining people. The summer before our wedding Dawson built the detached garage/barn/workshop, and it was the perfect setting for our dance floor and desserts. We had a 30’x40’ tent set up in the backyard, which housed most of the seating for dinner. Some additional seating was behind the tent in the crushed granite part of the backyard. Each table was dressed with a white tablecloth, colored fabric runner and burlap. Small wood chunks were cut by Dawson to hold our “yay” flags, flowers in mason jars, small succulents in tiny mason jars for favors and regular mason jars for drinks (Our friend and groomsman Danny made us a special brew called Williams Wedding Ale).  The flags were very multipurpose and we used them in our programs, table centerpieces and as our send-off decorations. For the dessert table, Dawson made the cupcake stands from pieces of wood he had in the garage. We made the banners out of our engagement pictures and wedding photos from family members on both sides. The guest book was another Pinterest idea we came across. We both have a love for airstream trailers and hope to have one in the backyard one day as a guest house. Dawson, being very talented and handy, also made the table we used for our sweetheart table, which was dressed with my grandmother’s handmade tablecloth. He also made the terrace-type fence behind our table for me the first Valentine’s Day we were together in 2010.

Our officiant is a good friend of ours and the youth pastor at our church. Our ceremony included a reading of Philippians 1:9-11, communion, a time of prayer, vows and a short message of the gospel.  Our chapel had a small balcony seating section and as we turned to face the audience as a married couple it was really fun to look up and see all of our friends cheering for us. After the ceremony, we had a short receiving line before taking pictures and heading to the backyard. We didn’t want pictures to last too long, but we also wanted to allow our guests plenty of time to get settled into the backyard. We didn’t do a lot of formalities at our reception — we stuck to the basics of being introduced as married and first dance. We really wanted a relaxed environment for everyone to cut loose and enjoy themselves. Several guests changed into street clothes before the dancing began. Our DJ was an iPod, which gave us the freedom to be surprised by what song came on next and enjoy the spontaneous dance-offs that occurred.

Wedding Photography: Park Bench Photography / Ceremony: Shelton Chapel at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas / Reception: The Home of the Bride and Groom in Austin, Texas / Event Planning: Blue Box Events / Floral Design: Jack + Sandy Brown / Appetizer: DIY by the Bride & Groom / Meal Catering: P. Terry’s / Desserts: Rachel Spies / Wedding Invitations: Dawson Williams (The Groom) / Tent & Rentals: Miscellaneous Rentals + Star of Texas Tents and Events / Yay Flags + Fabric Runners: DIY / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Seychelles via DSW / Hair + Makeup: Laura Koch Wyrtzen

There’s no better cure for a case of the the Monday’s than a bright yellow, happy-as-can-be e-session dripping with gorgeous Texas sunshine and the absolute cutest bride and groom-to-be!  The Bird & The Bear sent over these gorgeous images (there’s a whole lot more right here) and a short film that will keep you smiling all afternoon!

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From The Bird & The Bear… Brooke and Chris are two extremely beautifully-hearted people. They love their dog and the Austin sunshine. Our goal was to create something simple and focused on their fun personalities!

Photography: The Bird & The Bear | Photography & Films / Location: Austin, Texas / Red Dress: Ruche

Everything’s bigger, brighter and more beautiful in Texas with this colorful wedding by Cory Ryan Photography. I am all about a couple who throws the rule book out the window and says the “rainbow of colors” are their colors. These Texans know how to throw a great party complete with koozies, a cigar bar and so much more which can be found in the full gallery here.

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Sarah & Zach’s Wedding | Wedding Videography at One World Theatre, Austin, Texas from Nostalgia Film on Vimeo.

From Cory Ryan Photography… Sarah and Zach had a stunning wedding with a rainbow of unique details (Sarah even jokes that “the rainbow of colors” were their wedding colors — ha!). There was quite literally ombre all over every detail — from their heart-shaped chevron print programs and the ruffled ombre wedding cake, to the bouquets of bridesmaids’ flowers that ran from white to shades of pink and red. The tabletop flowers by Cherry Lane Floral were incredibly unique, presented in the shape of hearts in white, square boxes. Sarah was not scared of the “wow factor” and chose to walk down the aisle in a blush pink dress with a pink stone cocktail-inspired necklace that literally stopped you in your tracks. Oh how I love her style! Sarah and Zach really had a vision, and it came together perfectly. They also treated their guests to yummy “Orange Blossom” signature cocktails and koozies inspired by some of our engagement photos. Their mouth-watering dessert table by Word of Mouth featured cute little penguin cupcakes, homemade almond joys and praline panna cotta, all whipped up into one beautiful display table — YUMMY! The Grooves got everyone tearing up the dance floor, and the couple was even surprised with a visit from ELVIS later in the evening (as an homage to the Vegas elopement that never happened!) Bobalu rolled cigars for the guests and then presented the couple with a sealed box of custom-labeled wedding day cigars. After the late night dance party in the upstairs space wound down, the couple left in a gorgeous, red Rolls Royce through a line of loved ones with sparklers to wish them well!

Wedding Photography: Cory Ryan Photography / Wedding Venue: One World Theatre in Austin, Texas / Floral Design: Cherry Lane Floral / Catering: Word of Mouth Catering / Band: The Grooves / Cigar Rolling: Bobalu Cigar Co./ Wedding Dress: Palazzo via Melange Bridal / Bride’s Necklace: Doloris Petunia / Bride’s Shoes: Pour La Victoire / Videographer: Nostalgia Film