Texas Weddings

Oh, Texas.  You and your weddings just have a way of capturing my heart…. and today’s stunning Austin soiree is certainly no exception. With its breathtaking garden setting, beautiful blooms by Last Petal, charming lace accents and sweet, Southern style, I was head over heels from the get-go.  Yep, there’s just nothing I love more than a fabulous outdoor affair and with BZ Events behind every dazzling moment and Caroline + Ben Photography on hand to capture all of the gorgeous details, I get to spend my ENTIRE Friday soaking it all in.  Join me in the gallery for more!

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From the Bride… Everyone kept asking me what my “theme” was going to be for my wedding. Theme? I didn’t think about it that way. We wanted a beautiful and warm evening celebrating our decision to commit to one another for the rest of our lives. We wanted to eat, drink, dance, and toast with the people that we love. I wanted each detail of the ceremony and reception to be memorable, familiar, comforting, and a reflection of how each guest played a part in supporting our growth as a couple.

Our sign in book was a canvas painting of the limbs of a tree. Our guests “signed in” by leaving their thumbprints, which served as the leaves of the tree. It is now framed and hanging in our bedroom. We also had homemade lawn games. My dad constructed a cornhole game and painted it with our initials. Jack and I both love music, so our wedding favor was a CD for our guest to enjoy on their drive home. Instead of a traditional groom’s cake, Jack elected to have a creme brulee and scotch pairing … heavy on the scotch. 

The best moment of the day was seeing Jack before the ceremony. It was overwhelming, calming, exciting, warm, and beautiful, all in one breath. I also loved our sendoff … in true Texas fashion our guests fired toy cap guns as we ran to our getaway car. My biggest piece of advice is to try to take it all in because your wedding is over in the blink of an eye.

Wedding Photography: Caroline + Ben Photography / Wedding Venue: Austin Museum of Arts: Arthouse Laguna Gloria / Wedding Coordination: BZ Events / Wedding Flowers: Last Petal / Catering: Word of Mouth / Wedding Cake: Stardust Pastry / Rentals: Marquee Rents / DJ: DJ Kit K / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Hair + Makeup: Kacy Franklin + Rhea McCarter / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier via Ultimate Bride / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston via Bella Bridesmaid / Jewelry: Jewel Mint / Music CD Wedding Favors: DIY by the Bride + Groom / Groom’s Attire:  Klein, Epstein and Parker / Wedding Paper Goods: The Creative Parasol

This wedding is filled with so many simple and sweet touches that are important to the bride and groom and also happen to be super stylish and environmentally friendly as well. They used recycled glass jars, succulents instead of flowers that also doubled as favors, and even had some fun appetizers that they dubbed, “his, hers and ours.” Oh, and they had a super cool guest book too! Jennifer Lindberg Weddings captured all the goodness and there’s way more just waiting to inspire you in the gallery, just click right here.

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From the bride… We wanted to have an intimate wedding full of personal touches. My husband and I are both in the field of architecture, so design is very important to us. Although this often means having expensive taste, we both believe in living within our means, and budgeting is also important to us. Our wedding was no exception — we were driven to use everyday materials in thoughtful and clever ways that would not only save us money, but also showcase our personality. We live in New Orleans, and unfortunately there is no glass recycling. I had been collecting a few jars before our engagement because I didn’t want them ending up in a landfill. The wedding was the perfect opportunity to put them to use. I also enlisted a few friends and family to fill out my collection. We grouped the various sizes and shapes and added candles to make simple, and surprisingly beautiful, centerpieces. No two tables were alike! I also hate seeing flowers thrown away after weddings, so rather than use floral arrangements, we opted for individual plants that guests could take home as favors. Getting married at the Wildflower Center meant that we couldn’t compete with the natural beauty of the flowers already there, so we went with succulent plants. They are unusual and relate to the Southwest, so I thought it added nice, rustic charm. We put the succulents in simple silver buckets so that the candle light from the jars would reflect off of them in interesting ways. We designed our own save-the-date cards and printed them from home. My husband has a huge extended family so I figured putting our faces on the cards might help the recipients recognize us! I also made our cake topper out of wooden balls from a craft store and a peanut can.

My husband’s family is from Louisiana, while I was raised in Texas and am also of Taiwanese heritage. We met during college in Austin, so the city has always had a special place in our hearts. We wanted to express this to our guests and had the opportunity to do so with our appetizers. Called “His, Hers, and Ours,” we featured meat-filled pockets (which seems to be a universal food typology) done in three ways. “His” were crawfish beignets (representing Louisiana); “Hers” were asian dumplings (representing my heritage); and “Ours” were pork empanadas (signifying Austin). I found a lady who made handmade lollipops, and she had a Texas-shaped mold — this made the perfect homage to the place we love.

If I could give any advice to brides, it would be to focus on a couple of areas that you really care about, and let everything else go. There isn’t enough time (or money) to worry about every little item, and in the end, people will only remember the things you spent time and energy to make spectacular. Focus on injecting personal touches — it really makes for a memorable experience.

Wedding Photography: Jennifer Lindberg Weddings / Wedding Ceremony: St. Paul Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas / Wedding Reception: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas / Caterer: Austin Catering / DJ: Greenbelt DJ / Wedding Cake: Michelle’s Patisserie / Bouquets + Boutonnieres: Central Market / Lollipop Favors: Ju-C Suckers / Potted Succulent Favors: IKEA / Wedding Dress: Jasmine Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Target / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Priscilla of Boston “Vineyard Collection” / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Shoe-Nami in New Orleans, Louisiana (504-895-1717) / Bridesmaids’ Bracelets: Anthropologie / Groom’s Suit: JoS. A. Bank

It’s been awhile since we’ve laid our eyes on a gorgeous wedding photographed by The Nichols, but today is the day loves and this wedding was completely worth the wait. It’s sweet simplicity with a lovely organic feel all crafted by The Nouveau Romantics. The flowers alone are total heart-palpitaters and then there’s the all white backdrop of Mercury Hall to really set the scene. This is a study in understated elegance wrapped up in Southern charm and we’re giving it two thumbs up. See it all here!

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From the bride… I really had no idea which direction to go when I began planning our wedding. I began pulling images from blogs early and putting together a PowerPoint, which ended up being the best thing I could have done. It was how I found our amazing florist. I showed the PowerPoint to my photographer who suggested that I get in contact with her friend. I am so grateful that Jennifer Nichols put me in touch with Liz Lewis of Nouveau Romantics. The first time I spoke to Liz on the phone, I knew it was going to be a perfect match. She understood exactly the look and feel I was aiming for. Liz has amazing taste, and she did a perfect job achieving what I had in my mind — and beyond.

Mercury Hall was a lovely venue that captures Austin’s easy-going charm. Because I had so many friends recommend it, we booked the venue unseen, and we were so glad we did. The beautiful wood floors and white bead board walls were gorgeous, which made creating a beautiful space so easy. Not to mention I really wanted to get married under a live oak tree, and Mercury had two amazing live oaks — an ideal backdrop for the ceremony. My mom inherited beautiful cake stands from my grandmother and great-grandmother. It was important to me to have something of theirs included, so I did my best to incorporate them. The stands also worked amazingly well with a collection of my mom’s cloches. We had our cakes done by Polkadots Cupcake Factory. They were able to make gorgeous cakes from some images I provided. And they were very yummy! I had seen a photo booth backdrop in a blog that I really liked, which gave me the idea to do a landscape using felt for a backdrop. My fiance proposed while on a trip in Iceland under a waterfall. I thought it would be fun to do a Icelandic landscape — with a geyser, glaciers, Vikings and, of course, a waterfall. The backdrop really turned out to be my favorite project. I got help from a sewing studio in my neighborhood called “Gather Here.” Our guests loved posing in the photo booth, and the playful personal touch made the photos that much more special.

My fiance is from North Carolina, and I am from Texas, so we thought spice rub as a gift would be appropriate. I found a great online fabric manufacturer in Durham, North Carolina, named Spoonflower that produces personalized fabric. I painted the states of North Carolina and Texas and had the fabric made for each. It was so easy, and the fabric with baker’s string was adorable on the little jars. We made a jar of Texas and a jar of North Carolina spice rub for each guest. Luckily, we had eager family to help put these together for us. The entire weekend was amazing. For me, it was great to see all of my favorite people gathered in one of my favorite cities. We were so lucky that people came from all over to celebrate with us, some as far as China! The night really turned out to be beautiful, and all the personal touches made it feel like our very own.

Wedding Photography: The Nichols / Wedding Coordination: Lizze Belle Events / Floral + Event Design: Liz Lewis of The Nouveau Romantics / Venue: Mercury Hall in Austin, Texas / Catering: Kurant Events / Dessert Table: Polkadots Cupcake Factory / Photo Booth Backdrop: DIY with Help from Gather Here (Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts) / Spice Rub Favors: DIY with Custom Fabric from Spoonflower / Wedding Gown: Catherine Deane / Hair: Jean Barton / Makeup: Rae Cosmetics

If Forever Photography Studio was planning on sweeping me off my feet with this breathtaking Austin affair, they most definitely succeeded.  Boasting vibrant red and green hues, a charming Barr Mansion setting and lovely bridesmaid frocks in the sweetest of navy blues, I’ve been COMPLETELY blown away by this darling soiree one pretty, pretty moment at a time.  Plus, with a plethora of dazzling florals by Stems Floral Design, an amazing lace gown and one very stunning bride and groom, there’s an entire day of lovely just waiting to be adored.  Join me in the gallery for more.

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From Jona and Jerry of Forever Photography Studio… Jacob and Caroline’s wedding was at one of our favorite Austin venues: Barr Mansion! There are so many reasons we love this venue — the property is gorgeous in person, but it photographs even better! Take that with a gorgeous wedding party and some amazing vendors and you have a unique, beautiful wedding! When I first met Jacob and Caroline I knew we were going to love photographing them. One major indicator was they LOVE photos, and of course anyone who loves photos is awesome in our eyes. We had such an awesome time with you both at your wedding, and we hope you enjoy your images for years to come!

Wedding Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Hair: Miranda McGuire / Makeup: April Monroe / Flowers: Stems Floral Design / Dress: Jim Hjelm via Serendipity Bridal / Wedding Venue: Barr Mansion

We liken this to a garden party kicked up about a billion notches. And the Bride’s love of all thing delicate and vintage blends seamlessly with the backdrop of Barr Mansion; one of our favorite little spots in Austin. The victorian mansion that had us at hello mixed with the sustainable green design that we whole-heartedly adore and an array of scrumptious florals by Last Petal make for one gorgeous affair and Caroline + Ben Photography were there to capture it all. Now add to that a lovely little film by Brett Hardeman Films and you might as well stick a fork in us because we are DONE. DEAD. DONEZO. See it all here.

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From the bride… I’ve always been a hopeless romantic. You can find me wearing pink and pearls a little too frequently. I love all things delicate … flowers and lace for example. Truth be told, I was in love with the victorian look of Barr Mansion and the classic elegance and the warm glow of the ballroom. When Jason and I were out “venue scouting” the GPS had us take a wrong turn just past the house, and Jason said, “What a cool house”. Little did he know that was where we were headed, but since he liked it, it was done deal. The venue really lends itself to a romantic wedding in the garden, and I was so excited to be getting a wedding I had been dreaming about since I started wedding blog stalking! Also, it was the perfect setting to welcome our guests as they joined us to share in our new journey together. Our officiant sent us questions to answer about each other. What attracted you to them, if you had to describe them, etc. He built this into our ceremony and it was such a special thing to hear those words and to have them shared with our closest friends and family.

I DIY’d the “Mr. & Mrs.” signs for our chairs and the laced votive holders. I also selected the antique glass ware that our centerpieces would be contained in. I put pearls on invitations, floral details on placecards and the welcome table. I’d venture to say it was all “do it yourself” because it was such a personal event, and I tried to put my heart into everything that was selected. I also had some friends with amazing talents (like Lari who created rosettes for my hanger and my rosette garter) that helped along the way.

To the grooms, have an opinion on at least one aspect of the wedding, it’ll show her you’re invested in the event, just as she is. Or you could just say what Jason said to me… “Sweetie, I did pick something for our wedding day, I picked you… and of all the things on our wedding day, you will be the one that will be with me the longest”. I guess I gave him a get-out-of-jail-free card after that. Seriously though, having an opinion will make her feel like you care about the things she cares about. Brides, just know that it’s going to be an amazing day, and no, things won’t go perfectly. When rain threatened, my wonderful photographer told me what great lighting cloudy days were and that it’d make for great pictures (she was right). Surround yourself with people who support you, and that will help you see the bright spots when something minor happens. You’re going to get married that day to your best friend. People will come, share in your joy, laugh, dance, toast the two of you and make it a day to remember. That’s what I remember the most, and the candid pictures show it — we all laughed and had a great time!

Photography: Caroline + Ben Photography / Cinematography: Brett Hardeman Films / Flowers: Melanie Tipton at Last Petal / Event Planning: Rick Rabon at Barr Mansion / Venue: Barr Mansion / Groom’s Attire: Hickey Freeman / Shoes: ZiGi Soho / Dress: Maggie Sottero / Makeup: Kelli Toal of Keep Austin Gorgeous / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Watters / Table Numbers: Mason Rabbit’s Paperie / Personalized Hanger: wisconmon

This Austin wedding is to die for. It’s clean and modern, but romantic and chic. It’s filled with fantastic fashion and gorgeous people. The floral design from Last Petal is beyond amazing. It took place at the fab Barr Mansion, with it’s vintage curb appeal, and modern ballroom. And the couple’s big day – who, by the way, are SO stinking cute – was captured by none other than the talented Forever Photography Studio. And speaking of forever, I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in this perfect wedding’s image gallery. See you there!







Mike and I met when he was relocated from Galveston to Austin after Hurricane Ike. We met while working at the same hospital and we had our first date at Stubb’s music venue and saw a Ben Folds concert. Mike proposed to me in June 2010 on the beach at my family’s summer home on Cape Cod. The proposal was romantic, thoughtful and a complete surprise! We knew almost immediately that we wanted a small and intimate wedding to share with our close friends and family. We are both very close with our families and given they are on different coasts, mine on the East Coast, his on the West Coast, we decided our home city of Austin, Texas made for the perfect place in the middle to have our wedding. Mike and I both have a very traditional and classic style and found that Barr Mansion’s organic and vintage feel made for a perfect venue! We were very fortunate to have family support in planning our wedding and especially my mother and brother who helped in making our vision come to life. We had envisioned the beautiful glass artisan ballroom to be transformed into an environment that felt enchanted and whimsical. We chose to have both our ceremony and reception in the artisan ballroom as we feared our guests, especially those from the Northeast, would melt in the Texas heat! The details were our favorite part as we incorporated personal photos from our travels and engagement session. The table assignment cards were displayed in a box containing the same sand from the beach where Mike proposed. My bridesmaids wore vintage pins on their dresses and I had used family heirlooms as part of my something old, new, borrowed and blue. Mike and I had our first dance to the Ben Folds song, “The Luckiest”, and we did a break out dance to Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite” to display our crazy dance moves and set the tone for a night of dancing! We felt that our wedding was a true reflection of who we are even down to our wedding attire. Overall, we loved every minute of our wedding and will forever cherish the many moments that were captured by our wedding photographers, Jona and Jerry Blackwell!

Photographer: Forever Photography Studio / Floral Designer: Last Petal / Lighting: ILD Lighting / Make-Up: Maris Malone Calderon / Hair: Jen Hoover / Invitation Designer: Wedding Paper Divas / Cake: Barr Mansion / Wedding favors: Cake balls from The Mixing Bowl / Wedding Gown Designer: Siri from Unbridaled / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Groom’s Tie: Burberry / Special Jewelry: Austin Diamond District / DJ: Texas Pro DJ

This charming Allan House wedding by Francis Joseph Photography is filled to the brim with crush-worthy moments, sweeter than sweet details and fabulous blush hues (SWOON), but what I am loving most about this DIY affair is that every.single.moment was completely designed and crafted by the gorgeous bride and groom… and all with the help of their devoted family and friends.  Yep, many a Sunday was spent crafting away… and the result is nothing short of fabulous with their paper goods, lovely florals, darling linens (and more!) combing for one BEYOND gorgeous day.  Click here for even more.

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From the Bride… When I first started down the path of planning our wedding and someone would ask the question “what are your colors?” I would get really nervous, and awkwardly shift from side to side and say “maybe green and blue and red, or yellow, and also purple, or whatever.  I am not really good at this kind of thing.”  Which is not entirely untrue.  But then I just started looking at pictures of weddings and crafts on Etsy and finding little things here and there that caught my eye, and committed them to memory.  For example, I found a wedding that used the multiple floral print napkins that I loved, and Travis and I found our awesome cake topper on Etsy.  Like I said, I am not great at this sort of thing, but I am good at knowing what I do and don’t like.  AND I have the incredible fortune of knowing some really beautiful and talented people who really ARE good at this sort of thing. 

With the help of one of my best friends, my sister-in-law, and my maid of honor’s mother I pieced together all of the little details I liked into kind of a vintage/country chic look with wildflowers and blush, vintage tones.  We started to iron out the details of the tables first.  We borrowed and purchased old and new tea cups, saved bottles and jars, and collected little ceramic birds from craft stores.  I knew I wanted a more wildflower look, meets vintage roses to go inside the assortment of cups and vases for the centerpieces.  We shopped for a variety of floral fabrics and my sister in law and friend’s mom sewed every napkin by hand.  We used that same fabric to make flag garland to hang around the wedding site, and again to make the sewn ceremony programs.  The cake topper also managed to pop up in several other places.  A drawing of it by one of our friends was used on our save the dates that another friend designed and printed for us.  My husband and I took pictures of the cake toppers in various places throughout my parents’ home, and a friend of ours printed the pictures to make into handmade stone coasters as guest gifts.  My maid of honor’s mom helped us choose the flowers, and she designed all of the floral arrangements!  One of my best friends helped design the escort cards, tags for the gifts, thumbprint sign, and table numbers.  We had “Sunday Craft Day” meetings where our friends and family would get together and work on the napkins, burlap table runners, programs, coasters, centerpieces, etc.  It was certainly a “Do It Yourself” venture, however it took a village of people we love to pull it off.  Their fingerprints were all over our wedding, which made it just about the sweetest thing.

Wedding Photography: Francis Joseph Photography / Catering: Whole Foods / Flowers: DIY by Bride’s Friends & Family / Wedding Venue: Allan House / Wedding Dress + Veil: Modern Trousseau via Unbridaled / Bride’s Boots: Old Gringo from Allen’s Boots / Boys’ Suits:  Nordstroms The Rail / String Quartet: Arundel Ensemble / Cake Topper: Buildersstudio

I just love this couple. They took their special day and infused it with pieces of their personality and style. And that style? Well it just happens to be beautiful. All the lovely took place at one and only Barr Mansion, and each moment was captured to perfection by Amelia Tarbet Photography. You’ll want to spend more than a few moments gawking over all the gorgeous – so head on over to the full gallery of images for even more!

From Amelia Tarbet Photography…Louisa is an amazing organic chef from New York (Lucid Food, her book is sold everywhere, including Amazon and Antropology). James is an accomplished musician. James fell in love with Austin nearly 20 years ago when he started to play at SXSW and so it was a simple choice when they went to pick a wedding destination, they chose Austin’s premiere venue; Barr Mansion. The food was all organic and in season, dress was hand-made in San Francisco and the bridesmaids and groomsmen had free-reign to choose what they wanted to wear. Mix of cultures- Louisa is Persian and James is Buddhist. Everything, including cake, flowers and food were done by Barr Mansion. Huppa was done by Stems Floral.

Photography: Amelia Tarbet Photography / Flowers: Butter Bean / Huppa: Stems Floral / Ceremony & Reception Location: Barr Mansion / Wedding Planning: Set The Date Events / Coordinator: Haley East

This crafty and stylish bride planned and designed her entire wedding and DIYed everything from the bunting, table runners, centerpieces, and name cards. You name it, she made it! We’re loving the simplicity of the decor along with the gorgeous pops of red florals that add such a fun contrast. The Life You Love Photography captured each and every detail and special moment to perfection and there’s so much more just waiting for your adoring gaze in the full gallery.

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From The Life You Love Photography…Lindsay and Marshall had a beautiful wedding at the French Legation in Austin, TX on October 1st, 2011. With a beautiful ceremony, surrounded by friends and family, followed by a cocktail hour and fun-filled reception, their whole day was truly a celebration.

Lindsay and Marshall had a bit during their ceremony that they called- “incorporating the Quaker tradition” where they invited guests to share their thoughts and feelings. It was truly beautiful to hear people speak what was on their mind as it came to them and equally amazing to watch Lindsay and Marshall receive all of the love and kind words.

Lindsay planned the entire wedding herself which is especially amazing considering all of the tiny details and and decorations that went on through out the night. From hand making the bunting, table runners, centerpieces, name cards, etc.. everything went off beautifully with out a hitch.

Also special is that Lindsay made a slideshow to show to guests that had interviews from the bride and groom talking about how they met, what they love most about each other and what they are most looking forward to in life. Paired with engagement pictures from The Life You Love Photography as well as old memento photos, this was truly a special treat.

Wedding Photography: The Life You Love Photography / Floral Design: Pollen Flower Art / Getting Ready Location: Eponymous Garden / Ceremony + Reception Location: The French Legation / Wedding Dress: Serendipity Bridal / Alternations: Olga Europe Fashion / Catering + Cakes: Ecstatic Cuisine / Hair: Hair by Joel / Slideshow: Reflect and Record (The Bride)

There are so many gorgeous and well done DIY details in this vintage chic beauty photographed by Jenny DeMarco that I’m not even sure where to begin! I’m absolutely loving the soft color palette of peach, coral and light green. The florals and are beyond gorgeous, the burlap infused seating chart is super charming, but my fave might be all those lovely, antique mis-matched chairs. So, so cute! Check out even more here in our new and improved galleries!

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From Jenny DeMarco…I could try to explain just how much fun this amazing couple is and how much laughter and joy was at their wedding. Erin was so passionate about having beautiful details that kept with her overall look and feel of their rustic country wedding, but also told guests things about her and Jud as a couple. So much of Erin’s inspiration came from her love for Jud and their families, including many an inside joke such as the infamously adorable owl cake, (which was a threat to her mother that she was going to have an owl themed wedding). Their love of music played a big role in their wedding inspiration and was showcased by using photos of the couples favorite artists as decorated table markers.

I loved that during the reception the DJ used a song by the artist of each table as their cue to dismiss. In addition Erin made a mixed CD of some of their very eclectic taste of favorite songs which included everything from Willy Nelson to Celine Dion. The family also used many of their own items for the decoration. All the china used at the dining table is owned by Erin and Jud’s families, and the cookies were all homemade special family recipes. Jud even bought out his 72 Chevy truck to use as the gift table. One of my favorite details with the couples initials that Jud painted when he first started dating Erin. It was nice to see that piece of their history together at the wedding.

Petal Pushers and Your Wedding Your Way did an amazing job with Erin’s color scheme which included peaches, corals, spring greens, all of which Erin found together in a colorful potholder, what a way to stumble upon your wedding colors! Erin also had custom wedding stationery created so that everything from the labels on the cookie jars to the menu’s and programs all coordinated. Overall, not only did the wedding look incredible beautiful, but the details were heartfelt and personal which made for a wonderful celebration.

From the Bride…The overall theme for the wedding was vintage chic. We used our favorite musical artists and turned them not only into tablemarkers. We used all vintage black and white or sepia photos for the table markers to keep the theme. We also used the classic rock theme to incorporate the escort cards which were also used as CD favors. One specific item that was the most meaningful to us was the ‘e + j’ in the side of the truck. Jud painted that in the when he first bought the 72 Chevy truck when we first started dating. I am very thankful that Jenny captured the picture and the way the vintage quilt is hanging over the end of the truck is beautiful. It really had a symbolic meaning to us. What I remember the most about the day of the wedding was walking down the aisle and seeing the look on Juds face. I will never forget it. He couldn’t keep his eyes off me. Even if I turned away he was still watching me. I also had a moment with my father saw me for the first time. We were taking photos and he just walked out of the door and looked at me and we both just started crying. That was also a meaningful moment that I remember.

Wedding Photography: Jenny DeMarco / Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie Yandell of Your Wedding Your Way / Venue: Vista West Ranch / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Wedding Cake: Krissy Cakes / Hair + Make-up Artist: Beauty Mark Agency / Catering: Gourmet Gals & Guys / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Reception Stationery: Inviting Pear / China: Actual Family Heirlooms / Place Cards/Mixed CDs for Guests: The Bride / Wedding Dress: Serendipity / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Ceremony Music: Serenade String / Reception Music: Bryne Rock, DJ / Lighting Design: FILO

Oh, I just love this wedding so much! It’s so fun and bright and cheery that I want to bottle it up so I can look at the gorgeous images by Cory Ryan Photography any old time I want to. From the colorful backdrop to the groomsmen’s neckties, this wedding is overflowing with spunk and creativity. And you can see even more right here in our new and improved galleries!

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From Cory Ryan Photography…Being invited to shoot a wedding for these two uber creative Pump Project artists was quite an honor. Upon arriving at Star Hill Ranch and seeing all of their amazing DIY details, I was over the moon! The couple’s favors were hand-made animal paintings that did double duty as table seating cards. The groom wore a leather Texas belt buckle and an old timey bow tie. He hand made boutonnieres for himself and the groomsmen (guys can be crafty too!) – made with a branch, succulent air plant and buttons in shades of opalescent pink and purple. These looked great paired with the vintage looking fuschia ties and the bridesmaids deep lavender purple dresses. The bride wore a lovely and classic strapless dress delicately ornamented with just a touch of sequenced flowers and leaves.

For the ceremony, Joelle constructed a hanging wall of multicolored yarn poms that were so original and provided a perfect photo backdrop. Brightly colored lanterns set the stage for venue. And in the romantic little white chapel, guests escaped the heat with ice cold A/C and decorated their own fans, got their programs, signed the thumbprint tree with ink, and sat catching up in comfort.

After the ceremony, guests moved to another one of the cool outcrop of amazing old-timey-Texas looking buildings on the estate of Star Hill Ranch. Kids were invited to have fun at the arts and crafts table, which every parent loved!! Appetizers were served buffet style, while the Whiskey Shivers sung their down home songs in perfect harmony. Influenced by everything from Johnny Cash to Jolie Holland, this high energy roaring string band has to be seen to be believed. After taking the couple around the property for some photos – who can resist and old broken down truck and tractor? The couple waltzed in the street al fresco. One of my favorite moments from the day is when the couple practiced their dance inside a room of stained glass. Perfect light and a perfect moment.

Later guests moved over to dining hall for dinner catered by Pink Avocado. Joelle constructed the singularly most amazing centerpieces I may have ever seen. Spray painted horses & dinosaurs in pastel candy colors were surrounded with table numbers and frames with nested birds atop and both real and fake pom flowers inter dispersed. Other super creative touches were stones with guest names written on them in silver at each table setting and a handmade cake complete with wooden personalized figurines on top and fondant version of their cat and dog on the second tier was amazingly cute!

Dinner closed with cleverly personalized toasts, including Jason’s sweet toast to Joelle about finally finding the perfect woman. Then guests were invited out to the dirt road for the first dance a la two step and more dancing and music played by the band.

Wedding Photography: Cory Ryan Photography / Venue: Star Hill Ranch / Band: Whiskey Shivers / Bar + Catering: Pink Avocado / Floral Design: Arthouse Design Austin / Wedding Cake: Sheila Marie Fleming / Bride + Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Centerpieces: DIY / Kid’s Art Station: Abrakadoodle / Decor: DIY / Wreaths + Ring Bearer’s Pillow: Mother of the Groom /  Thumbprint Tree: Family Friend / Fans: Oriental Trading Co. / Sashes + Hair Flowers: ProjectU / Ties + Bow Ties: Divine Domestication / Bridesmaid Jewelry: Rachael Adamiak Jewelry + Limbo Jewelry / Hair: Aveda

We’re totally loving this sweet and simple DIY wedding with gorgeous florals by Verbena Floral Design and pretty as can be images by Sara & Rocky Photography. The venue is super unique and natural and this outdoor loving couple knew just how to work it and used all the trees and landscaping to their advantage. Pay close attention people, because there are tons of cute DIY projects within this post! Click here for even more.

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From Sara & Rocky Photography…Abby & Matt’s wedding was at Barr Mansion in Austin, Texas.  It was such a laid-back day, and from the words of Abby: “I wanted to keep it simple, and cute with personal touches everywhere.”  She also said, “We are big outdoors people, so we love that we were surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees.” They used lots of mercury glass, succulents, and light and fresh colors. 

Wedding Photography: Sara & Rocky Photography / Floral Design: Verbena Floral Design / Ceremony + Reception Location: Barr Mansion / Invitations: Pepper Glen Design / Wedding Dress: Signature Bridal / Make-up + Hair: Keep Austin Gorgeous / Cake + Catering: Barr Mansion

What do you get when you mix together pinatas, pizza and pretty Jimmy Choos? Give up? You get a super festive yet fancy fete filled to the brim with gorgeous details and tons of fun. This creative couple chose to ditch their current city of NYC and headed to Austin for a Tex-Mex inspired day. And the results are nothing short of amazing. Matthew Moore Photography snapped away late into the evening to capture all the goodies and you can click here to see even more.

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From the Bride…Glenn and I got engaged at the end of December and we immediately knew we wanted to have our wedding in the fall. That meant I had to find a venue pretty quickly, if we were going to have it in 9-10 months. I started looking non-stop for possible venues in the northeast, near our home in Brooklyn. I’m an art director at Allure magazine, and Glenn works in creative services for J. Crew, so we are both pretty picky when it comes to aesthetics. After almost a month, we still hadn’t found a place that we could afford that was really “us”. At that point, we considered having the wedding in Texas, where I am from. Almost immediately, I found the Barr Mansion, in Austin, on another “real wedding” blog post, and we fell in love. I enlisted my parents to pay the site a visit (and take a million photos) and we put a deposit down at the beginning of February.

When we decided on Austin as our destination, I immediately knew that we had to stay at the Hotel San Jose. It is just such a well designed place, where every detail is considered. Even though I grew up in Texas, most of our friends and family live elsewhere, so almost everyone who attended was from out of town. I was really touched that SO many of our friends made the trip from New York (almost 70 of them!). A lot of our friends stayed at the San Jose, which turned out to be the perfect meeting place in the evening for drinks and during the day, for lounging by the pool and getting ready. Everyone loved Austin—it’s almost like a little New York in Texas, but with BBQ and friendly people! In the morning before the ceremony, Glenn and his close friends went to a shooting range nearby and had the best time. Very fun for a bunch of New York City boys!

Almost everything was bought or sourced online—I just didn’t have the time to physically go shopping for things and being so far away, it just made more sense to find our vendors through various websites. My co-workers must have thought I was crazy… every day, it was another package coming for me! My thank-you cards, rehearsal dinner dress, vintage postage stamps… everything! I ordered my dress from Net-A-Porter about 5 days after Glenn proposed. I loved it at first sight, and they offer free returns, so I figured why not? It turned out to be a perfect fit and required no alterations or fittings. I also bought my shoes from Net-A-Porter; the sash and veil were from BHLDN.com. My necklace was something I found at a thrift store for $5 years ago and just happened to work perfectly.

Glenn wanted something special for the men in the family and his friends to wear, so he commissioned custom-made ties from C. Chauchat. Curie is a friend of ours, who makes the most beautiful ties by hand. She layers a semi-transparent fabric over a solid fabric to create new patterns and colors. Family members wore a light colored tie and close friends wore a darker tie with shades of green and blue.

I am a graphic designer, so I knew from the beginning that I wanted to design our invitations. I had heard it is hard designing for yourself, but I had no idea! It took longer than I expected, but we couldn’t be more happy with the results. We had them printed with Anne Noonan at Soho Letterpress in New York. She did an absolutely incredible job… all the pieces are extra extra thick, for an amazing feel. I wanted a really heavy, sturdy outer envelope, so she used a cover weight paper and cut them all out by hand! Also, the liners were a specific pantone color that she printed especially for us. Overall, amazing.

We went a little crazy with custom-made stamps… I used them to stamp the escort cards, welcome bags, favor bags, thank you tags and matchbooks. All the stamps I designed and then ordered through rubberstamps.net. I stamped table numbers on small manila tags, and then typed the names on the reverse side, using an antique typewriter Glenn found. We tied these to votives using bakers twine. At the table, there were books of matches that I stamped using a copper ink pad. My mom made all the candied pecans for the favors. We packaged them in little muslin bags that we stamped with a little logo I designed with a pecan tree. The bags were tied shut with a stamped “thank-you” manila tag.

Glenn found most of the jars for the centerpieces during one of his shopping trips to the yearly Brimfield Antique show. The rest we scavenged ourselves at Dead Horse Bay here in Brooklyn. I designed and printed the table numbers to match the escort cards and matches. The rodeo lights and Confetti System pinatas were also Glenn’s touch and really helped to personalize the space. We found the Mexican paper banners while we were visiting my parents in San Antonio. Having grown up in south Texas, I really wanted that sort of TexMex flavor reflected in the decor. In addition to the decorative piñatas, we also had a colorful one for the kids. We thought it would be fun to kick off the party and of course all the adults got really into it!

The barn at Barr Mansion recently went through a renovation and as they were building, they added in a great pizza oven in the back. I really wanted to include pizza in the menu somehow… Glenn had the brilliant idea to have pizza come out later in the evening, to keep the dance party going! We also had little to-go pizza boxes, so guests could take slices back on the buses with them. Also, we can’t say enough good things about Matthew and Katie Moore. As soon as I saw their work, I knew we would mesh well. I love his eye and use of color and lighting. We were so excited to work with them, and they were so amazing in helping us feel comfortable and relaxed on the day.

Venue + Catering: Barr Mansion / Wedding Photography: Matthew Moore Photography / Floral Design: Stem Floral Designs / Invitations: The Bride / Invitation Printing: Soho Letterpress /  Wedding Dress: Adam via Net-A-Porter / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Veil + Sash: BHLDN / Bridesmaid + Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew / Suit: Yves Saint Laurent / Groom + Groomsmen Ties: C. Chauchat

To help carry you through your lunch hour, the next wedding on our little parade of pretty by Phenom Photographers will be sure to give you a much better boost than that cookie you are reaching for (although we fully endorse cookie consumption). It’s a sweet as can be farm fête that will be sure to activate your oooh and ahhhs, and really what’s better than that? Don’t forget, there is so much more pretty in the full gallery of images!

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From the Bride…We wanted a wedding where country chic met city classics. Bringing together these two atmospheres – the rustic and urban, the family and the friends, the traditional and the irreverent, the old and the new – was behind everything we did.

We chose a time and place that brought together our families. We were married on the 30th anniversary of the bride’s parent’s wedding, on land which the groom’s grandfather had acquired in a poker match, and had been worked by four generations of his family.

We started by constructing a chapel on the family farm under a grand oak tree draped with Spanish moss. Vintage window’s and stained glass recovered from Canton’s First Friday Trade Show was suspended from the branches to create space and focus. The small group of family members were seated along an isle of white muslin in chairs collected from the farm house and local antique shops. White paper lanterns swung gently in the breeze and white paper parasols bobbed on ladies’ shoulders. The bridal procession was played on a vintage Victrola.

Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero via LuLu’s Bridal Boutique / Bridesmaid + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Ties: Thomas Pink / Floral Design: Jennifer Pavlovich Designs / Wedding Cake: Black Flour / Music: Bride + Groom / Invitations: Michael’s (design by Bride and Groom) / Hair + Make-up: WET Salon / Wedding Photography: Phenom Photographers / Jewelry: Groom’s Mother via Etsy / Transportation: Lone Star Limousine + Austin Pedicab

Holy Moly Texas, do you produce some stunning weddings or what? This one came our way straight from Austin, and although we’re Keeping Austin Weird, there is nothing strange in site. It’s gorgeous. Straight up. BZ Events helped the bride plan a chevron chic affair – which seemed to be a blast for all in attendance (which included 25 children, friends, and family). Captured by Ashley Garmon Photographers, this fête is fantastic. You’ll definitely want to check out the gallery to see more!

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From BZ events…When we first began planning Ali + Chris’s wedding two things were very important.  One, Ali wanted everyone to feel like family.  Two, the wedding was one month away!  As luck would have it, the stage was already set for a beautiful event with Laguna Gloria providing the perfect backdrop.

“Happy Tears Hankies” were needed as a trio of tutued flower girls lead the way before Ali was escorted down the aisle by her mother.  Guests kept their hankies on hand for the special touches and romantic details that honored both families.  Tied to Ali’s bouquet was her grandmother’s wedding ring and a Texas charm, a nod to finding love in the heart of Texas.  Chris’ two sons, Ethan and Oliver, were his best men, and Ethan carefully delivered both rings to his dad.  Ali’s sister, Christine, serenaded the couple with a stunning rendition of Songbird by Christine McVie.

Ali’s chic style inspired textural centerpieces with custom vase wraps and a color palette of mustard and charcoal.  Cards noting five fun facts about the bride + groom adorned each guest’s place setting while the 25 children in attendance were encouraged to play I Spy with disposable cameras.  Guests were treated to a buffet of the couple’s favorite treats as Ali + Chris danced the night away under the stars.

Wedding Photography: Ashley Garmon Photographers / Venue: AMOA Laguna Gloria / Event Planning + Design: BZ events / Floral Design: unexpected elements / Caterer: Primizie Catering / Officiant: Judge Jon Wisser / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Linens + Rentals: Marquee Event Group / Ceremony Music: Hill Country Strings / Reception Music: Groovelabs / Cake: Polkadots / Dessert Buffet: Bake Sale / Hair: Shannon of Ritual Salon / Make-up: Angela of LucieMarie

These cuties met in New York City while working for an ad agency and when it came time to plan their big day they decided that a travel theme wedding would be perfect since she’s from Texas and he’s from New York. They infused a bit of each others home states and places they’ve traveled together into the decor with pretty custom map centerpieces. And it really wouldn’t be a Texas wedding without the bridesmaids in super chic cowgirl boots! She-N-He Photography and Design captured each and every special moment and detail to perfection and there’s much more where this came from in the full gallery.

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From She-N-He Photography and Design…Katie and Kieran met in New York City while working as copywriters for an ad agency. Katie is from Houston while Kieran is from New York. To celebrate the great distance they crossed to come together  they created a lavish destination affair.

Their centerpieces and table numbers were custom designed maps of locales that the couple hold dear to them including Manhattan, Mexico and Austin. They also included nods to their host city of Austin with charming cowboy boots, BBQ, and Tabasco sauce party favors. Their awesome wedding color combo of turquoise and pink was in every detail including bridesmaid’s dresses, flowers and a four tiered pink gradient wedding cake by Simon Lee Bakery.

Kieran mentioned during their engagement session that Katie requests or plays “Boot Scoot Boogie” everywhere they go in New York…hmmm, sounds familiar. With the Matt Wilson band at the helm there was not a still moment on their dance floor. It was an amazing Sunday evening with the most perfect sunset. A day any couple would proudly relive again and again.

Wedding Photography: She-N-He Photography and Design / Venue: Vista West Ranch / Coordination: Lizze Belle Event Planning / Bridal Dress: Galina Signature / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bridesmaid Footwear: Cavendar’s Boot City / Hair + Make-up: Erica Gray / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Michael Kors / Officiant: Chaplain Larry Todd / Caterer: Gourmet Gals & Guys / Wedding Cake: Simon Lee Bakery / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Lighting: FILO Productions / Ceremony Music: Musical Discovery Chamber Players / Reception Music: Matt Wilson Band / Custom Map: Snappy Map

Kristi Wright just made my day. Take a look at the gorgeous images she captured below, and she’ll be sure to make yours too. This wedding is the absolute perfect mix of casual outdoor reception and uber elegant details. Pops of yellow against the grey and black details along with a cake I am absolutely smitten with makes for the prettiest of parties if you ask me, and you can see more in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Kristi Wright Photography… Erica + Michael were married in a beautiful intimate, outdoor ceremony, in October, at the Allan House, in Austin, Texas. Erica + Michael are the sweetest couple!  Touches of yellow and gray accented the day including fun paper poms lining the aisle. Pearl Events Austin did a fantastic job of coordinating the event and making sure the day went smoothly. With Becky Navarro (Pearl) in charge, Erica + Michael never had to worry over a thing! The food by Austin Catering was so good – a mix of Louisiana (where the bride is from) and Texas favorites. Michael + Erica made their get away in a pedicab with a sweet “just married” sign attached!

Wedding Photography: Kristi Wright Photography / Floral Design, Wedding Signs & Paper Poms: Marcie Lynn Walker / Event Planning: Becky Navarro of Pearl Events Austin / Event Design: The Bride / Ceremony + Reception Location: Allan House / Catering: Austin Catering / Wedding Cake: Polkadots / Lighting: ILD Lighting / Music: Texas Pro DJ / Invitations: Alexis Wilson / Bride’s Shoes: Gianni Bini / Wedding Dress: San Patrick via Blush Bridal

I have the best job ever. But if I could think of one thing that could make it even better it would be this: on-site wedding reporting. Not just getting the prettiest ever images sent to my inbox, but getting to actually attend these fantastic fetes. That so would have come in handy with this Austin wedding. I’m dying to smell those flowers, to eat that delish food, to dance the night away at this affair, planned and designed by BZ Events. And to hang out with this couple and share this special, special day with them. It would have been amazing. Luckily, Diana M. Lott Photography was there snapping away at every little moment, so we’ve got a gallery chock full of her work to make us feel like we really were there. Meet you there!

From BZ Events … When we first spoke with Emily about her wedding vision, here’s how she summed up her dream day —  a fun, destination Austin wedding, an exciting venue, an amazing band + an atmosphere where no one would wait for a drink or a nibble! And thanks to our amazing team of vendors, that was  just how the day unfolded.

Their color palette embraced all of the natural Spring tones and included lots of bright blues, pinks, fresh greens and soft whites. Blue thistle, pink peonies, phaeleonopsis orchids, tulips and loads of hydrangea graced the ceremony and reception decor. Emily’s bridesmaids selected their own blue dresses to round out the Spring soiree.

In the spirit of a “rocking party” reception, we planned their menu to be completely portable, leaving guests plenty of time to mix, mingle and dance. The options were almost as plentiful (and just as tasty) as a Thanksgiving feast.

Guests enjoyed a delicious raw bar, complete with oysters on the half shell, broiled shrimp and fresh crab claws. A decadent carving station, a made-to-order taco/tostada bar and Chinese Chicken Salad, served in branded take out boxes, rounded out the selections.

Paired with classic lime and Prickly Pear margaritas, the menu was a huge hit … Then, of course, there was wedding cake + a late night slider snack! No guest went hungry at this wedding.

Guests dined and danced under the stars at the gorgeous Wild Onion Ranch to the sounds of one of Austin’s best bands, the Memphis Train Revue. Longhorns roamed the ranch, providing plenty of picture-perfect photo opportunities for Emily and John’s family and friends. A surprise fireworks show (and sparklers) ended the night in style, as the newlyweds drove off in their royal blue convertible.

Photography: Diana M. Lott Photography / Event Planning + Design: Cortney Zieky, BZ events / Flowers: Westbank Floral Market / Ceremony + Reception Venue: Wild Onion Ranch / Caterer: 2Dine4 / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Linens: Marquee Event Group / Band: Memphis Train Revue / Ceremony musicians: Hill Country Strings / Hair: Rachel McDaniel / Makeup: Rhea McCarter / Officiant: Jim Gentil

Black and white and fabulous all over, I can’t think of a better way to start this fresh new week than with this sophisticated stunner by Forever Photography Studio. Perfectly timeless with classic details tucked away in each glamourous corner, it’s a fabulous example of why we just get giddy at the sight of a beautiful ballroom fête. Lucky for all of us, the gallery is full with even more glam so be sure to stop on by!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Forever Photography Studio…This wedding was so classic and chic! I really loved the black and soft cream colors and mixed with an amazing room, it made for beautiful pictures. Lara and Garson were so wonderful to be around. You can really feel the love between them, and we are so happy for the newlyweds! We hope you all enjoy their classy wedding at the Texas Federation of Women’s Club’s Mansion!

Wedding Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Wedding Cake: Stardust Pastry / Band: Matchmaker Band + TX Pro DJ / Floral Design: Bouquets of Austin / Caterer: Royal Fig Catering / Wedding Dress: The Princess Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Dolce Vita / Jewelry: Tiffany’s & Co. + Kristin Morris / Venue: The Mansion / Hair & Makeup: Maris Malone Calderon

Oh my goodness, SMPers, do we have a fabulous holiday treat for you this wonderful Thanksgiving morning.  Yes, this darling Austin affair by Tamir Kalifa Photography is not only filled to the brim with the loveliest of details (including beautiful florals by Pollen Floral Art, gorgeous invitations designed by the cute as can be bride and one very awesome wedding gown), but it’s the sweetest marriage of two adorable high school sweethearts that actually met in the sixth grade!  Yes, my heart just melted, too.  So, join me in the gallery for all of the pretty and then stay tuned for a seriously charming film by Crooked Tie Studios below!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

One last bundle of gorgeous before you head off into your holiday… This amazing film by Crooked Tie Studios will leave you crying some very happy tears.  Enjoy!

From the Bride... Jacob and I met in sixth grade. We were in some of the same classes, but the only spark between us was the one from a match Jacob tried to light on his friend’s arm cast during science. I rolled my eyes at the disruptive behavior and we went our separate ways. Jacob went on to a different high school and we didn’t meet again until a mutual friend “introduced” us when we were sixteen years old.

Finally, we hit it off! He asked me out, and I drove him around (because he didn’t even have his license yet). He taught me about history and archaeology. And I taught him about old movies and musicals. He taught me to let loose. And I taught him dedication and hard work. We dated through high school, through four years of long-distance college years, through getting first jobs (me), and through the first years of grad school (Jacob). And after eight years of dating, we got married!

We wanted to keep the wedding small and budget friendly. We made our dream day come true for $10,000. There were four words I kept in mind during the whole planning process: fun, sweet, casual, quirky.

So, we had both the ceremony and reception on the second story of a downtown Austin restaurant. I used patterned paper as the backdrop to all printed materials and the colors of the wedding were red-orange and chartreuse. The bouquets and boutonnieres were made from ranunculus and succulents. I picked three patterned fabrics in coordinating colors and my mom made beautiful napkins for the day out of them. I wore a short dress and flats, and my bridesmaids wore different colors. Jacob and his groomsmen didn’t wear ties. We hired a folk band to play and a photojournalism student to capture the day. It couldn’t have been a more perfect summer wedding for us.

Wedding Photography: Tamir Kalifa Photography / Wedding Videography: Crooked Tie Studios / Floral Design: Pollen Floral Art / Ceremony + Reception Location: Parkside Restaurant on 6th Street / Invitations + Planning: The Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Bruno Magli / Wedding Dress: After Six / Lace Bolero: Alex Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate