Texas Weddings

I just don’t even know where to start on this one. This modern meets traditional meets fabulous meets wedding branding at its best Austin wedding by Jennifer Lindberg Weddings is to die for. I think I shall start at the monogrammed ghost chairs for the bride and groom – seriously to die for. Or how about the monograms that popped up on pillows, windows, the cake, napkins, beverages tags, etc? To die for. Or the adorable escort/table number idea – see where I am going here? It’s all amazing and the gallery is packed full of all the branding goodness.

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From the Bride… Our wedding was sort of Anthropologie meets Jonathan Adler. Antique charming pieces mixed with a modern pattern and punches of color.  It started with a cocktail reception in the garden with the music of “Bob Willis and His Texas Playboys” playing in the background, which created an old-timey 40’s kind of feel. In a way I wanted the reception to feel like you stepped back in time. A little Texan, a little modern, a little old-southern, a little Italian, but all very charming.

Since I’m a designer, I did the invitations myself. It was convenient that both of our initials are “J” so I started there. Being a visual person, I wanted to tell our story in pictures. Each “J” is made up of icons that represent each of us and then the theme was carried out throughout the wedding. They were printed at a local shop that I regularly work with on an antique letterpress.

During the cocktail hour, the guest picked up little escort cards/boxes, which matched the picture of the table they were at. Continuing the theme from the invitations, we chose 12 icons (one for each table) that represented us as a couple and labeled the tables this way. Each card on the table stanchion told a bit of a story on the back of why that picture was significant. In lieu of the new trend of wedding slide shows, we did a photo wall of old family photos, and photos of Jack and I traveling (and some from our engagement session with Jenn). The photos were all black and white in antique white frames.

Our first dance was to Nellie McKay’s “I Wanna Get Married,” which, again, is very 40’s in style and the message of the song is very housewife-ey. I’m not very wife-ly, so I loved the irony of this, but the song is still just pretty. My dad and I danced to Ben Folds’ “Gracie.”  When I heard the line “didn’t really want to make you be anything you didn’t want to be,” I knew it was the right song.  We’re not very traditional people so what was important to us were those more unique touches.

One of the most important things to us was getting our dog down the aisle. She’s our baby, but she’s terrified of large crowds and public spaces. We did a lot of training ahead of time including multiple visits, so she could get used to the scents of the space. In the end, she was still the wild card, but she did surprisingly very well.

The last personal element was the vows. I didn’t want to recite anything, so it was important to me that we write our own. I’m nervous in front of a crowd, so I was regretting this choice once the day actually came. The morning of the wedding, I was still fine-tuning what I was going to say. Ultimately, my whole message came together in the dressing room with my bridesmaid friends helping me right before the ceremony.

The most memorable part of our ceremony was unplanned.  I walk down the aisle, I look at Jack and he’s crying.  I hug my mom, and she’s crying. I was about to lose it altogether, when Scott the officiant starts… “We’re all here to celebrate the relationship of Jack and Jeanine.”  Right at that moment, a car in the distance slammed on its breaks letting out a very large screech. Everyone laughed and it broke the tension.

I knew I wanted Jenn to photograph my wedding long before I ever thought I’d have a wedding. She’s known my business partner/graphic designer Trina for a long time. One day I was on a plane with Trina while she was working on Jenn’s website. This was the first time I saw her images and I was stunned. I never considered anyone else from that moment on.

Wedding Photography: Jennifer Lindberg Weddings / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Mercury Hall / Floral Design: Flora & Fauna / Wedding Coordination: Mariska Nicholson (mariskamn@mac.com) / Wedding Cake: Coco Paloma Desserts / Rentals: Austin’s World of Rentals / DJ: Todd Meador, Friend of the Bride & Groom / Ceremony Music: Julia Cory / Wedding Dress: Manuel Mota via Balina Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Veil: Balina Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: Ann Taylor / Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Paper Goods: Jeanine Donofrio of State & Madison Design Co. / Catering: 34th Street Cafe

Okay two things: 1. The colors in this photo shoot by The Life You Love Photography are enough to make this Friday on Style Me Pretty Texas just fabulous, and 2. This is such a fun idea for those of you out there looking to do something a bit different for your engagement shoot. While we are on the topic of engagement shoots, have I voiced my opinion on how awesome I think they are? Not only is it a fab excuse to get a few extra photos of you and your hubby/wife to be, it’s also a grrrrreat time to get to know your photographer. Now that I got my little ol’ opinion out of the way, care to join me in the full gallery of carnival fun?

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From The Life You Love Photography… Our goal for this photo shoot was to capture the fun and light hearted spirit of the carnival and our models, Erin and Matt. The whimsical nature of the fair combined with the bright colors and pretty lights of the event made the carnival a perfect location for the shoot. Erin’s southern-chic lady like style fit in perfectly with our vision and Matt’s look was a great compliment that tied everything together. We spent time walking the fair grounds, playing games, and ended the night as the sun set in a grassy field by the ferris wheel.

Photography: The Life You Love Photography / Hair & Makeup: Lovely Day Hair & Makeup / Location: Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo / Dress: Lilly Pulitzer

One reason we absolutely adore J. Cogliandro – his photographs are always so vibrant, so lively, and so beautiful, you almost forget that they are just images. You feel like you are there, experiencing it all with the bride and groom. That is why we have dubbed today a Joe Cogliandro day on the LBB Blog. (Cue excitement!) First up, we have an Indian wedding extraordinaire in the great state of Texas. You may remember this gorgeous couple from their engagement shoot, which we featured last February. If you think back to what I just said about Joe’s vibrant photography, you’ll see that this fête is the perfect match for his style – bright colors, happy faces, and pure emotion flow through this wedding. Check out our gallery for more of this affair, and then come back this afternoon – we’ve got more J. Cogliandro Photography!

Get your J. Cogliandro on in the gallery while you wait for more!

From the groom … I proposed on a mundane Wednesday when I knew no one would be expecting it. Aarti thought I was still at work but I had decorated her place with candles and pictures of us over the last eight years. When she walked in I was already down on one knee. Of course, she thought I was a robber! After I convinced her to come inside I asked her to marry me and she said yes. We sat down and had some champagne. She was completely shocked and confused. “Why today?  What’s going on?  I have to work tomorrow!” Little did she know, I had arranged the next few days off for her, as well as a dinner and night out on the town.

From the bride … Planning for an Indian Wedding is not easy!  Multiple events, large guest counts, lots of traditions, and as we found out – lots of opinions! After many, lets call them “spirited”, debates we finally made it happen. People would tell me not to stress about picking a wedding venue. They would say when you saw the right place you would just know.  That is exactly how I felt about Lakeway Resort and Villa del Lago. I knew the minute we saw both of these places that this is where I wanted to get married.

Purav and I wanted to keep our wedding simple and elegant while still incorporating our Indian heritage in a modern way. On Friday evening we had our Sangeet. This is a very festive, traditional event full with color and energy. To emphasize this we used a very vibrant swatch of colors and textures for the linens and bathed the ceiling in colorful saris and inverted parasols. This was the perfect casual night before the big day!

The wedding was perfect. I constantly stressed about the weather – it was supposed to rain. I had been so anxious for so long. But on the day, everything was different. I had pictured my wedding day and I always thought that I would be full of emotion and nerves as I walked down the aisle. But as we were driving to the ceremony site, I was the calmest I have ever been. I remember looking around just thinking that everything felt so right. I was trying to let the moment soak in – this was the day I was getting married!

Our photographer, Joe, captured the wedding perfectly. I felt like I was reliving the excitement when I saw our pictures. We had so much fun celebrating with all our friends and family.  I smile just thinking about it!  It was the perfect ending to the most amazing weekend of my life.

Photography: J. Cogliandro Photography / Cinematography: A n A Video Productions / Floral:  Amy Bodle of Merveille Events, LLC / Event Design & Planning: Gina Whittington of CLINK / Event Design, Sangeet: Saman Ansari – Saffron Affairs / Location: Lakeway Resort and Spa / Ceremony Location: Villa Del Lago / Catering: Claypit Restaurant and Catering / Stationery: Jayesh Shah / Hair and Makeup: Saman Ansari of Studio Sila / Sangeet and Reception Dress: Shehnaai Couture / Wedding Dress: Maharani Fashions, NJ / Cake: Austin Cake Balls / Live Cigar Roller: Bobalou Cigar Co.

This next wedding is so effortlessly cool, kinda like the congregation of Airstream trailers on the Texas ranch where this adorable couple got hitched. Captured beautifully by Matthew Moore Photography, this intimate, super-duper budget friendly wedding proves that with a little creativity and effort, you can have a gorgeous wedding with tons of style. See it all here in the gallery!

See entire image gallery here!

Nathan and I wanted a small, intimate wedding with our closest friends and family. We wanted it to be fun and relaxing, and we didn’t want to worry later that we hadn’t had a chance to talk to everyone at our wedding. We settled on a morning brunch wedding. After looking at countless venues, we found Three Points Ranch, about 45 minutes outside of Austin in the Hill Country. It’s a cattle ranch that also hosts weddings on the weekends. The ranch is comprised of several airstream trailers, a barn with an antique kitchen inside, and an East African-inspired pavilion.

We had a small budget to work with ($5000), and we were really honest with our vendors about that. Having a morning wedding helped keep costs down. Our photographer, Matthew Moore, gave us a great deal in exchange for being able to use us in his portfolio. Sally from Three Points Ranch gave us a discount for having a morning wedding. Erin from Rosehip Flora created the bouquets and bud vase arrangements with vases I provided, but I made the centerpieces myself. Our caterer worked with us to create a menu that would be both delicious and cost-effective (waffles, omelettes, and mimosas). Nathan’s father, who is a minister, performed the ceremony. My father, who was once a jeweler, made our wedding bands. Instead of having a stacked cake, I chose individual cakes, which are less expensive, and set them on vintage cake stands. The morning of the wedding, we topped them with wildflowers. My mother, who is Brazilian, made some wonderful Brazilian sweets as well. I wore a flowy organza dress that I got on sale at JCrew and golden kitten heels (also on sale). The pearls and bracelet were my mother’s. My awesome hairstylist, Katie, was also the wife of my photographer.

Despite having an October wedding, I chose coral and tangerine as my color scheme. It’s Texas, so you never get to see autumn anyway, and I wanted bright colors. I made many of the decorations myself. To create paper garlands,  I punched out circles from double-sided paper (by Smock) and sewed them together. I planted succulents in old sewing machine drawers from various flea markets, and used these as my centerpieces.  I also made paper medallions that hung in various parts of the ranch. For favors, I designed post-cards in coral and blue with quotes on the front, and wrote a thank-you note on the back to each guest for attending. I also filled small, white boxes with home-made Brazilian truffles and stamped them with an airstream stamp from the Paper Source. I did purchase the chevron-patterned placemats from The Stationary Studio online.  For the most part, the ranch was so beautiful that it really didn’t need too much.

Photography: Matthew Moore Photography / Flowers: Rosehip Flora / Reception and Ceremony Location: Three Points Ranch / Invitations: Bride / Shoes and Dress: J.Crew / Caterer: Traveling Bistro / Cakes: Upper Crust Bakery

I love this couple. Not only is their wedding just beautiful, they also seem like loads of fun. So much fun in fact, that they stopped at a carnival while driving to take photos in the lovely city of Austin. Any bride that wins a bean bag toss in her wedding gown is OK in my book! My party hat is off to this duo and their vintage meets romantic meets super fun wedding by Three Apples Events. For even more, check out the full gallery!

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From Three Apples Events… Lesley and Paul’s wedding inspiration was vintage romance from start to finish.  The fashion was a big part of their day. The top of Lesley’s stunning dress was covered in lace and beading with removable lace cap sleeves to wear for the ceremony.  The bottom of the dress was exposed tulle.  She wore a birdcage veil for the ceremony with a feathered pin to hold it in place.  For the reception, she changed to a larger floral piece. To customize it, she completely changed the corset back to one with a zipper and added her grandmother’s wedding dress buttons from her 1935 wedding. Lesley’s grandmother recently passed at age 100, so it was really special to her.  For her garter, she had her seamstress create one from lace off of her mom’s wedding dress.  Her mother-in law lent her her lucky sixpence, and Lesley placed it in her shoe for the walk down the aisle. She did have one modern piece – blue sparkly shoes… her “something blue.”  Her bridesmaids wore navy blue dresses with black lace at the top and pretty vintage feather fascinators that included the wedding colors of peach and white.  Paul and his groomsmen all wore coats with tails, striped pants, vests, cravat ties and top hats – a nod both to the vintage style as well as Paul’s British background.

After a beautiful Catholic ceremony, the newlyweds headed out in a 1960’s white Bentley to take photos around Austin. They happened to drive past a carnival and decided to go play! Some of their favorite pictures of the day are of them playing carnival games in the middle of downtown Austin in full wedding attire!!  Lesley won the bean bag toss, but who’s counting?  Definitely something they will never forget!

The reception décor was a continuation of the sweet vintage look with a romantic feel.  Lesley and Paul have traveled all over the world together and wanted to incorporate that love for travel into every piece of the décor.  Instead of a traditional guest book, we set up a mailbox with stacks of postcards – they asked their friends traveling to Austin to bring postcards from their hometowns – and had everyone leave them a postcard for when they returned from their honeymoon in the Maldives! To tie in the past and both of their families, we set up photos of their parents’ weddings next to the mailbox. And to keep in with the travel theme, for the guest favors, everyone got a luggage tag saying “Enjoy the Journey”…one of their favorite mottos.

For the table numbers, we gave each table the name of a city that they’ve traveled to together (along with a photo taken while they were there), from Prague to Tokyo, Cozumel to Budapest.  For the centerpieces, instead of doing a standard large piece, we decided to collect various mismatched vases from thrift stores all over Austin, along with tin cans and mason jars. For each table, I tied raffia on some of the vases and cases, and set clusters of soft, romantic peach and white flowers like roses, tulips, calla lilies, and freesia.  Every table also had an ivory lace topper and lots of candles. The head table was really amazing with a long lace runner down the length of the table covered in vases, cans, and jars of white and peach flowers and interspersed votive candles.

The evening started with a live performance by Jeffrey David Goldford singing during the cocktail hour and the dinner as well as the couple’s first dance (“Arms of a Woman” by Amos Lee – so sweet!).  He’s an old friend and flew in from Chicago to perform for their wedding day! Later in the evening when Lesley, Paul and their guests were ready to really get down, the DJ took over.  The entire night, pretty much everyone was on the dance floor!

Instead of a traditional cake, they opted for cupcakes!  Yum!  Scattered around the cupcake display were homemade “Love” tags, and the cake topper was the topper from Lesley’s parents’ wedding cake in 1970.

Since they had so many friends come into Austin from all over, they wanted to make sure to get a lot of fun pictures with everyone. The photographer set up a photo booth-style area and took lots of fun group shots.  Let’s just say the top hats saw their fair share of photos!

At the end of the night, instead of an exit in a limo, Lesley and Paul decided to make a thoroughly Austin exit and rode off in a pedicab!  What a fabulous day!

Wedding Photography: Jake Holt Photography / Event Design & Planning: Three Apples Events / Wedding Ceremony Flowers: Central Market / Wedding Reception Flowers: Three Apples Events / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Austin Catholic Parish / Wedding Reception Location: Palm Door / Hair: Urban Betty / Makeup: Rochelle Rae / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Shoes: Nine West / Bridesmaid Dresses: Eliza J / Cupcakes: Cakemix Austin / Bentley: Antique Limousines / Band: Jeffrey David Goldford / DJ: Erik with ATX DJ

Now THIS is a Style Me Pretty wedding. Aside from being ALL about the pretty, the drop dead gorgeous bride (who looks like a celebrity that I just can’t pinpoint) designed a day that was literally overflowing with SMP style details. The Keep Warm tags that we did for Libby’s Nashville wedding, the anthropology meets garden inspired design, the printed handkerchief invitations. The everything, really. But what I love most is the thought, the romance, the elegance behind each and every one of those details. And who better to photographs such gorgeousness than The Nichols. Oh and guess what. We’re just getting started. You can click here to see so much more.

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When our wedding coordinator, Beth at 36th Street Events, asked Kyle and me to choose just 3 words to describe how we wanted our wedding to be, we toyed around with beautiful, classy, unique, quirky, elegant, rustic, antique, joyful, and romantic. But we just couldn’t get the following three words out of our head: magical, whimsical, and happy. These words were the driving force behind our decisions. And, as it turned out, we ended up with a touch of everything!!

After we were engaged, someone told me that “the invitation sets the tone.” I took that very seriously. I scoured the internet and local paper shops for an invitation that would not only set the tone, but would also be something I loved to look at for years to come. I was so bored by everything I saw- nothing was whimsical, and nothing made me feel happy. Just when I was about to give up hope and order traditional invites, I found these dolls from Lucky Luxe. It was love. And that set everything in motion. We invited our guests to the wedding with a handkerchief that read “dinner, dancing, and merriment to follow” (whimsy) and a return postcard that mentioned being there “with bells on.” The responses never ceased to make us laugh.

We then completely customized our wedding ceremony. I think we spent just as much time molding our ceremony as we did on reception details. We were married outside at our beautiful venue, Laguna Gloria. Lili, our flower-dog, gave everyone a good chuckle when she hurried down the aisle with a huge pink peony attached to her collar. My sister read “Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog,” my grandfather spoke from the heart, and Kyle’s dad ended the ceremony with 3 wishes for our future. It was heartwarming, perfect, and completely meaningful to us. After the ceremony, we stole away for a private 3 minutes to exchange personal vows. I highly recommend this. It was a very sweet moment between us—lots of happy tears.

Our flowers were out of this world – the Posey girls (as I like to call them) used vintage milk pitchers, mason jars, mercury glass, lanterns, and antique wine glasses to show off their combinations of light pink peonies, hydrangeas, dusty miller, wax flowers, and astilbes. The overall effect was an “Anthropologie inspired garden party.”  Can we say whimsical?  My bouquet was wrapped with lace from my mom’s veil and she let me borrow a beautiful vintage cameo that my dad had given her. The bridesmaid’s petite bouquets were wrapped in twine with pearl accents. I loved merging the rustic elements with classic touches.

We had family style seating underneath a large oak tree. It was so romantic and my favorite part of the night was looking out over all of our guests chatting over candlelight. It felt like a huge thanksgiving dinner! We reserved one table for our wedding party and set the table with a mix-match of antique dishes my mom and I picked up at the Round Top antique fair. We set little notes at each table… we couldn’t tell our guests enough how much we love them.

At the end of the night, we quite literally skipped away to the sound of all of our friends ringing bells. We both feel that it was the absolute happiest day of our lives. We were overwhelmed by how loved we felt and how full of love we were! After 8 months of planning and gushing over Style Me Pretty posts, we pulled off our very own fairy-tale wedding. It was magical. It was whimsical. It was happy. And it was also a dash of everything else we could have ever wanted.

Wedding Photography: The Nichols / Wedding Venue: AMOA – Laguna Gloria / Wedding Coordinators: 36th Street Events / Floral & Event Design: Posey Floral & Event Design / Cupcakes: Hey Cupcake! / Calligraphy: Bailey Amon of Amon Design Studio / Hair: Sasha Lemay of Lemay Studio / Event Rentals: Marquee Event Group / Wedding Invitations: Lucky Luxe / Custom Place Cards: Paper Place / Ceremony Music: Strings Attached / Reception Band: The Original Recipe Band / Wedding Dress: La Sposa via Alexa Gavela Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale

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This interior designer by day bride takes DIY to another level. How so you ask? Well she not only designed the bridesmaid dresses, boutonnieres and so much more but she also designer her own gown. Yes, her own gown. How amazing is that? I am just in awe of all she was able to accomplish, and still make it such a fabulous party at the end of the day. My party hat is off to this couple for sure! For even more inspiring images from stella alesi/photography be sure to check out the full gallery.

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From the Bride… When we started planning, we agreed wholeheartedly on one thing: we wanted a party. We wanted great food and all of our friends, and we wanted to dance. At some point during all of it we would actually get married, but we wanted to CELEBRATE our love. Like throw your hands up in the air, get down with your bad self and celebrate, because we are in love.

We live in Houston but decided a wedding in Austin would be part destination, part totally affordable weekend getaway. We also thought, from a planning aspect, it would be a blast to make periodic trips westward together, sort of punctuation points in our 18-month engagement. Sometimes things don’t go according to plans, but in this case, we couldn’t have gotten off to a better start… Austin is where it’s at.

So much of the mood was determined when we chose our wedding venue. Green Pastures is beautiful and romantic and Victorian. It has vintage wallpaper and charm oozing around every corner, a teeny little bar tucked secretly under the eaves upstairs, wraparound porches with blue painted ceilings, resident albino peacocks that patrol the grounds and giant live oak trees wrapped in lights, which we were married under. As if it could be any more magical, GP happens to also have an incredible menu, talented chefs and wonderful staff, so that didn’t hurt either.

When not a starry-eyed bride, I am an interior designer and have access to millions of fabrics, which is where I started after we settled on Green Pastures. I wanted the style and colors of the wedding to match the style of the home, yet still be current and not look like a trip back in time. I settled on a palette of neutral tones, so we would compliment the atmosphere: ivory, pearl, gold, tea rose, brownish-grays, soft, muted pink undertones and black. I did some online research for garments but didn’t fall in love with anything. Also, it seems like things are out of whack these days with regard to price and quality, so it was easier for me to just have everything made custom to be exactly what I had in mind. I designed my gown first, made of a gorgeous off-white silk and tremendously comfortable (for all-intensive dancing purposes) before moving on to the other parts. For the maids, it had to be chevron stripes! Which don’t even exist, for the most part, but I found a beautiful gray/brown fabric with ivory stripes and my seamstress turned it into some of the most adorable and flattering dresses I’ve seen yet. I loved how all of the dresses were formal, yet sort of casual because of the fabrics.

I made the boutonnières for the men from vintage ribbon I bought at Liberty of London, and modeled the pieces after old medals and awards. In the centers, I added a compass button, as a memorial to my grandpa, who couldn’t be there. I’m from Kansas, and he always gave me compasses when I returned home, so I could always find my way. I made floral rosettes for the mothers, Brad’s nanna and the house party from leftover silk from my gown, so they would be able to keep them after the big day, sort of a part of me. I added vintage buttons from a collection I inherited from both of my late grandmothers. We all had a bit that was old that day!

Not long after deciding upon GP, I launched a massive eBay search for vintage birdcages. Brad liked to joke that birdcages were the perfect wedding metaphor, but I wanted a collection to use in our exterior decor. Petal Pushers, our florist, filled the birdcages with moss and flowers, and then hung them from the branches of the oaks under which we were married.

I also collected the vases for each table-assorted sizes in groupings of 5-7 containers per table. This wasn’t expensive, as vases ranged from 25¢ to $2, but I underestimated how long it would take to source, sort, and then spray paint all these containers. 5-7 containers per table x 45+ tables x spray painting = not my best idea. They ultimately looked lovely and exactly how I planned, but it was a labor of love to complete.

The day before the wedding, I had to run over to Michaels to pick up ribbon for our cakes. Do you know what else they sell at Michaels, especially the week before Halloween? GLOWSTICKS, that’s what. Part of me thought I was crazy, but part of me knew that glowsticks would be absolutely perfect for our dance party. They were 15 for a dollar (!!!!) so I limited myself and walked out of Michaels with $30 worth of awesome…. Or 450 glowsticks.

The reception was always designed with a dance party in mind. I had been hearing (via blogs, mind you) about a guy in Los Angeles called The Flashdance, aka Michael Antonia, who is part wedding DJ, part musical mash-up genius. DJ Mike had never been to Austin before but was game to travel, and our lives were changed forever. After the formality of first dances, somebody hit the lights and the dancing began in a frenzy. I’ve never seen so many adults dancing for such extended periods of time. Glowsticks were everywhere, on every guest, and I’ve never been so happy.

I’m writing this from our honeymoon, and our six month anniversary is tomorrow. We have been so thrilled to re-live these details, and will always feel like our wedding was the hands-down best time we have ever had! It was a wonderful time, including all the planning that went into the event, and I hope every bride has an experience as happy and exciting as mine!

Wedding Photography: stella alesi/photography / Wedding Coordination & Design: The Bride / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Green Pastures / Catering & Wedding Cake: Green Pastures / Floral Design: Petal Pushers / Ceremony Music: Will Taylor & Strings Attached / Wiring & Equipment: SoundCheck Austin / Linens: Austin Party Central / Wedding Invitations: Dauphine Press via Katie & Co. (Custom Design by the Bride) / Wedding & Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Kim Couture (Custom Design by the Bride) / Neck Ties, Bow Ties & Vests: Quiltworks (Custom Design by the Bride) / Flower Girl Dresses: Quiltworks (Custom Design by the Bride) / Groom’s Ring: Titanium Knights (Custom Design by the Bride) / Wedding Veil: A Busy Mother (Custom Design by the Bride) / Clothing Labels: Name Maker (Custom Design by the Bride) / Invitation Stamps: Zazzle (Custom Design by the Bride) / Wedding Cake Topper: Melabo / Bride’s Ring: Custom, The Groom / Save The Dates & Wedding Programs: DIY, The Bride / Ribbon Boutonnieres: DIY, The Bride / Silk Fabric Flowers: DIY, The Bride / Flower Girl & Bridesmaid Hair Accessories: DIY, The Bride / Flower Girl Baskets: DIY, The Bride / Ring Bearer Box: Vintage / Bridesmaid Bracelets: DIY, The Bride / Moustache on a Stick: DIY, The Bride / Shoe Basket: DIY, The Bride / Guest Book: DIY, The Bride

As much as I gush day after day about the big day’s design, I am a huge sucker for the ceremony. It’s where the magic happens.  This darling duo celebrated with two and started their day off with a traditional (and emotional) Vietnamese ceremony. The images from Table4Photography just tell the story so perfectly – these two love each other so much! So much so, they take the plunge literally at the end of the night and jump in the pool! So brave! Would you do that? See even more in the full gallery!

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Our wedding was amazing!  We put a lot of time and effort into every detail and were blown away by how it all came together.  We made all the centerpieces, programs, menus, table numbers, and placecards by hand.  We splurged on a few items that were really important to us:  invitations, the venue, food, alcohol, chairs, and lighting. We started the day with a traditional Vietnamese ceremony at Daniel’s Uncle’s home.  It was probably the most emotional part of the day but we managed to lighten it up with some Street Fighter moves :)

Afterwards it was a whirlwind of getting hair/makeup done and getting dressed!  I got each of my bridesmaids a personalized hanger that made for some cute pictures :)  Daniel got me a beautiful bracelet for a wedding gift and I gave him a watch as well as a notebook I started writing for my future husband 10 years ago.  It made him cry :)  He did a fabulous job personalizing his own outfit as well!  He ordered his shoes online and designed them himself – they are embroidered with our wedding date.  I don’t think a lot of guys can pull sneakers off with a suit but he did it well!! I think our photographer did an amazing job with our first look!  He snapped photos from outside a window while his assistant was inside taking up-close pictures.  One of my favorite series of the day, it was a nice intimate moment.

Our ceremony was short & sweet.  One of my friends timed it – 17 minutes from the moment all the processionals started to when the last bridesmaid/groomsman walked down the aisle.  Our goal was to make it pretty but fun.  Rachel (our day of coordinator) and our florist did an amazing job putting some simple details into the ceremony decor – we didn’t spend a lot here because we knew it would be so short.  But the aisle decorations and backdrop looked expensive to me!  They did an amazing job!  We had a DJ for the music and chose contemporary music performed by the Vitamin String Quartet.  It really gave the ceremony a light and fun feel – the groomsmen walked/danced in to a string version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, the bridesmaids (and our beloved dog Ralphie) walked in to the string version of Jackson 5’s “I’ll be There”, the bride walked with both her parents to the string version of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”, and the recessional music was a string version Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”.

We made our own placecards with cards purchased from the Michael’s Dollar spot and had personalized napkins in our wedding colors for the cocktail reception.  I don’t have pictures of it – but we had 3 beverage containers on the balcony with themed drinks.  One was a simple water with lemons, another was lemonade, and the third was “Joanne’s Special Drink”… a mix of sprite and pineapple juice (named after the bride’s sister’s specialty drink from childhood).

Our reception was special because of all the details we put into it.  We carefully chose the buffet menu to satisfy our Asian families – we knew the seafood station would be a huge hit with them!  We made all the table numbers by painting frames from Ikea with scrapbook paper backing and painted address numbers from Walmart.  All our centerpieces were created by us – we spent a few weekends perfecting the trees with crystals!  Lighting was also important to us – we had simple white uplights to highlight the concrete columns and had the lighting company hang crystal candle votives that we purchased ourselves.

I surprised Daniel by purchasing a Houston Rocket’s garter… it’s his favorite team (as evidenced by his groom’s cake) and I wanted to do something special for him :)  He topped that by surprising me with a serenade, backed by his groomsmen!  Then he was iced by my boss… haha. Our DJ did a great job reading the crowd – the dance floor was PACKED all night.  One of my co-workers challenged Daniel to a mini-dance off where they “walked it out”.  haha.

Once the dancing was done, we exited to sparklers and left in a golf cart…. then we came back.  Lakeway Resort has an AMAZING pool and we had joked about how fun it would be to jump in after the reception.  We made a last minute decision to do it – take a look at the pictures, I think it was totally worth it :)  The best part was that some of our friends jumped in with us!  The girls were fully clothed in their nice wedding attire but took the leap with us… it was incredible! Our wonderful day-of-coordinator, Rachel, helped us pull everything together.  Our goal was to have a beautiful and FUN wedding that wouldn’t cost us an arm & a leg… it was a lot of work but I think we pulled it off nicely!

Photography: Table4Photography / Cakes: Simon Lee Bakery / Vases: DFW Vases / Flowers: Bouquets of Austin / Event Planning: Buon Affare Events / Ceremony Location: Lakeway Resort & Spa / Reception Location: Lakeway Resort & Spa / Lighting: D&H Lighting / DJ: Greenbelt DJ / Invitations: The Pink Tulip / Dress: White One

Welcome to Style Me Pretty Texas! We have the perfect wedding to get the party started, so get ready to soak up some serious detail goodness with the perfect amount of Texas style all wrapped up into one gorgeous and personal post.  Sounds pretty fabulous right? Add the fact that Suzi of  Q Weddings was there grab all the moments in a way only she can, and this is one Austin affair you’ll be bookmarking for sure. For even more fabulous, be sure to check out the full gallery of images.

click here for the full gallery of images!

My biggest goal with our wedding was to be sure that when our guests arrived, they could tell it was our wedding. I wanted our wedding to reflect our taste and our personalities without question. This desire affected every decision I made when it came to decor and feel. Ryan and I are not overly fancy, and we really don’t enjoy being the center of attention, so we wanted to create a laid back yet refined event that would let us feel comfortable to celebrate our special day with our close friends and family. I had about 6 months to plan our wedding, and as soon as I begin, I immediately decided there would be no theme or specific color. Rather I aimed to evoke feelings that represented Ryan and myself. I wanted to evoke a casual elegance with modern decor and vintage touches. We didn’t want to do anything over the top or too trendy, as we wanted the event to feel timeless, something we could look at 30 years from now that would still feel current.

The wedding was outside and on a Friday. No one was wearing tuxedos, and I selected a rather simple dress to keep that casual feel we wanted. I asked my vendors to use any and all shades of white, greens & browns to keep everything natural & to blend with the breathtaking surroundings of the Winfield Inn. As you can see, the live oak trees, famous here in Texas and beloved by both Ryan and myself, and the garden provided almost all the decor necessary. We wanted to let that natural beauty shine through, not compete with it. While our wedding was the Friday of Halloween weekend, we opted to not do a black & orange themed wedding. Instead, I had our florist add a few orange dahlias throughout the reception just as an homage to the holiday. In addition, the only decor at the ceremony was white & fairytale pumpkins my mother and wedding planner so graciously hauled from a local farm and stored (inside so they didn’t rot) for a month. Reception decor included arrangements that made of vegetables, succulents and flowers. I have always loved succulents since I was a child and remember loving a jade plant my grandmother had. When I first met Ryan, the only plant he owned was a small aloe, and because they are native to Texas as well, we decided to emphasize them in our arrangements.

Like every wedding, ours had a few memorable moments of course. One special moment for us was the first look just before the ceremony. I gave Ryan his gift – a chrome pig statue he had wanted but would never buy himself. Ryan is a type 1 diabetic (and I am gluten intolerant – what a couple), and insulin used to be made from pigs, so Ryan always jokes he is part pig and feels a special fondness for them. I loved the photos that the pig produced, and he even made an appearance at the ceremony. Another moment everyone enjoyed came as the guests arrived to the ceremony. In the spirit of the Halloween season, we had one friend show up in costume. He was dressed as Gingy from Shrek, and I loved seeing his big brown head in the seats as I walked down the aisle. It really helped break the ice for Ryan and I to see our friend in costume right before the biggest moment of our lives. Thank you for letting us share our wedding with you.

Photography:  Q Weddings / Flowers: Rose Hip Flora / Event Planning: Lindsey Watts of Lilleypad Events / Venue: The Winfield Inn / Invitations: Salt and Pepper Letterpress / Calligraphy: Letter Me Happy / Cupcakes and dessert bar: Black Bird Bakery / Music:  Matt Wilson Band / Film Work: Richard Photo

Well folks – another day, another venue I fall head over heels in love with. Oh Barr Mansion, you had me at your gorgeous wrap around porches. I also adore how the bridesmaid dress are just the perfect shade of lovely to match the fabulous painted ceiling.  There is just so much go love about every image by Urban Grey Photography, I could go on all day. I’ll spare you the lengthy paragraphs, but be sure to check out the full gallery for more!

click here for the full wedding gallery!

We met in October 2008 at a swing-dancing event in West Austin and David proposed there year later. I never had a clear picture of what I wanted for a wedding as far as styles go (even after creating an internet survey it still took me six months to pick colors) but I did know I wanted a wedding that was about us as a couple. What we needed: An indoor/outdoor reception venue for fickle Texas weather, a large dance floor, GOOD Vegetarian food (read: not a pasta buffet), and beautiful memories. What we wanted: Highlight David’s artistic talents, add my love of musical theater, incorporate David’s beer-making hobby, make a photo booth AND throw a really fun party!

Despite family illness, freak fires, moving into a new home and a broken hand, we succeeded in checking everything off the list. We added to David’s family history by being the 4th generation to get married at First Presbyterian in Georgetown, TX. The Barr Mansion was the loveliest reception venue. They served a real menu of vegetarian food that tasted so fantastic even my carnivorous brother was impressed. Barn version 2.0 is even more integrated into the natural than the first and someone else did all the worrying for me on the big day (thanks Rick!). David used his talents to draw and design our invites, program and thank-you cards based on a musical theater theme, which we also carried into the ceremony music. Our guests were treated to 5 different home-brews that they drank out of beer stein favors. Magan brought in James Dvorscak to coax people out of their shells for the photo booth, and best of all, the dance floor was never empty.

As for memories, I can’t stop looking at the pictures! Is it acceptable to put giant photos of yourself in every room in your house? I cannot believe how fortunate we were to snag Magan Blasig as our photographer and a big thanks to my mother for magically picking her out of the haystack of a vendor list that we started with.

Photography: Urban Grey Photography / Flowers: Abby of Stem Floral / Ceremony Location: First Presbyterian Church / Reception Location: The Barr Mansion / Graphic Design: David Stump (the groom), davidwstump@gmail.com / Hair: Danielle Barr, daniellembarr@gmail.com / Makeup: Kandy Glass, kandyglass@gmail.com / DJ: Full Circle Media /Venue and Catering: The Barr Mansion / Magan’s Assistant: James Dvorscak

Here at the Little Black Book Blog, we really love a good Texas wedding. Sometimes they are quirky and unique, sometimes they have a sexy latin flair, and sometimes, they are absolutely lovely. Like this one, seen through the lens of Christina Carroll Photography. From the adorable Save the Dates, dreamed up by The Inviting Pear, the lucky guests knew to expect an insanely fun and beautiful wedding. And boy did this bride and her pilot groom deliver. CLINK, the helpful designers AND planners, have more from this wedding on their blog, so don’t hesitate to get over there!

Check out the to-die-for custom birdcage veil from Tigerlilly!

Visit our gallery for even more!

From The Inviting Pear … Anna and Ryan met on spring break in Mexico. Just when they thought they should try living in the same zip code, Anna got a job in New York and Ryan deployed again. Despite the odds and more than 68,743 miles traveled, love conquered all. After years of courtship, and never having lived in the same city, they tied the knot in Austin. They chose a “Flight of Fancy” theme due to their endless moving and traveling around, plus Ryan being a pilot.

I designed a paper airplane logo using their orange and navy colors with accents of green. The airplane on the sticker, save the date, and accommodations card branded their wedding with the “Flight of Fancy” theme. For the reception collateral, everything coordinated in an eclectic way. I created five different geometric designs in their colors. This created a fun look for each piece, including “sweets” signs, menu, escort cards and table cards.

From CLINK … Anna came to us with Villa Antonia as her venue and a fun, bold color palette of navy, orange, and taupe with accents of wasabi. She wanted to incorporate rich, organic, vintage, and chic design elements that worked well within her venue.

The ceremony took place atop a cliff with an amazing panoramic view of the Texas Hill Country. After a beautiful ceremony officiated by a family friend, the couple recessed to The Beatle’s, “All You Need Is Love.” Following a military tradition, Anna and Ryan passed through the Arch of Swords where they were required to kiss before permission was granted to pass through each sword.

Guests enjoyed a champagne reception, then made their way to dine under the stars and a blanket of white paper lanterns. After dinner, guests moved indoors to enjoy the live band and dancing. As the evening heated up, Anna changed into a stunning second dress and danced the night away. The couple departed the reception under a shower of orange paper airplanes and rode off in a classic blue Mustang.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Villa Antonia / Catering & Rentals: Sterling Affairs Catering & Event Planning / Cake: Michelle’s Patisserie / Furniture Rental: Mancino Iron / Linens: BBJ Linen / Lighting: ILIOS Lighting / Hair & Makeup: Rochelle Rae / Ceremony & Cocktail Music: Divisi Strings / Entertainment: The Grooves / Officiant: David Danielson / Florist: Visual Lyrics / Photographer: Christina Carroll Photography / Transportation: Transportation Consultants / Wedding Coordination: CLINK / Wedding Stationery: The Inviting Pear / Wedding Dress: Marisa / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Veil: Handmade by Tigerlilly / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Spring has sprung, and we have the perfect soiree for the occasion! I’m absolutely swooning over this Austin wedding today, particularly those amazing florals from Verbena Floral Design. Nothing declares spring’s arrival better than the gorgeous, fresh blooms this wedding boasts. How can you not love the crisp green and white palette? Take some time to stop and smell the roses today, and make sure you start with this beautiful wedding. Don’t forget to check out the gallery for more!

If you’re craving more amazing blooms on this spring day, make sure to check out LuAnn’s blog!

From LuAnn … Sharonna and Derek were married on October 16, 2010 on the lawn of the Four Seasons overlooking Ladybird Lake in Austin, TX. The gorgeous day was perfect for an outdoor ceremony. The trees were draped with strands of satin ribbons and white cymbidium orchids, and accented with elegant crystal chandeliers from Z Gallerie.  The bride carried a bouquet of hydrangea, ranunculus, roses and herbal greenery. After the romantic ceremony, the reception was held inside the ballroom. It was filled with crystal details and lush floral arrangements (some re-purposed from the ceremony) to create an elegant and eye-catching ambiance for guests. The bride and groom provided Texas welcome gifts to all their guests and created a luxurious and relaxed weekend for all to enjoy.

From the bride … Derek and I dated for almost 4 years before he popped the question. We went to Lake Tahoe for my birthday weekend and I would be lying if I didn’t say I thought this could be “the weekend.” At this point in our relationship, any time we were going to dinner, for a sunset walk, or did anything romantic, I thought it could be the moment. It became quite comical and of course an inside joke between my girlfriends and I. Derek proposed toward the end of the weekend after I had dismissed the idea of our big moment. Who proposes at the end of a long weekend vacation? Well Derek did. Our last night we had a sunset dinner and then took a walk along shore of Lake Tahoe. We stopped at a pier and that is when he gave me the best surprise of my life. I was stunned and of course said yes!

When we started planning our wedding, we went for an Old Hollywood/Modern feel. Black satin, champagne, diamonds, and a pop of eggplant. I wanted glamorous decor in a garden setting. Our altar was a space between two live oak trees that angled slightly away from each other. We used a neutral color pallet outside and hung mini crystal chandeliers, ivory ribbon, and orchids from the trees. It gave a romantic and whimsical feel to our ceremony. LuAnn at Verbena Floral Design was able to make my dream wedding come true! She was a delight to work with, always listened, always came prepared, gave great ideas that helped us stay within budget, and was accommodating on every level. Her staff did a phenomenal job setting up and every guest commented on how beautiful our floral arrangements were.

Photographer: Shannon Cunningham Photography / Floral and Event Design: Verbena Floral Design / Cake: Four Seasons Hotel Austin / Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Austin / Candelabras and Chandeliers: Z Gallerie / Bride’s Dress: Rosa Clara / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Vera Wang & Jenny Yoo / Invitations: The Bride / Make – Up Artist:  Sara Barney for Little Wex Beauty / Hair Stylist: Emily Kleinsorge for Lucy Skyrocket

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Is it just me or is there always something spectacular about an Austin wedding?  They are the perfect blend of the traditional and the extraordinary.  Take this French-inspired garden fete by Brett Buchanan Wedding Photojournalism, for example.  Would you ever expect this dashing groom to be rocking out on an electric guitar by the end of the night (with his son on the drums)?  Yeah, me neither but that’s just one of the incredible surprises that happened at this elegant meets awesome affair.   You can see more uber-sweet and unexpected details in the full gallery!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

Trent and I met three and half years ago.  It was complete fate, if you believe in those things.  It was a Friday night downtown in Austin.  We walked passed Darwin’s Pub and I heard this amazing sound coming from inside.  Much to my surprise, Trent was the one creating that amazing sound!  I stayed the whole night and we walked up to each other after he finished and the rest is history!

The day started early with a low key brunch with my bridesmaids at a Barton Springs residence near Zilker Park.  After spending the afternoon in preparation we headed by bus to the Barr Mansion.  Trent and I  saw each other for the first time that day near the remains of the Artisan Ballroom. A peaceful, calm feeling came over me when I saw him…I had been a nervous wreck all day until I saw his face.  He grounds me.

Cocktails were served under the pecan tree before the ceremony and the guest were escorted to their seats in the garden right before sunset.  The ceremony was short and sweet as we both wanted.  We both wrote our vows to each other and Trent sealed the deal with a coin toss!

Wedding Photography: Brett Buchanan Wedding Photojournalism / Wedding Venue + Catering: Barr Mansion / Flowers: Westbank Florist / Invitations, Programs + Menus: Lucky Luxe / Wedding Dress: Elizabeth Filmore / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Jewelry: Gypsy / Entertainment: Mike Milligan and the Alter Boys

We love, love, love when brides tell us they used Style Me Pretty to inspire their wedding day. It’s just what our helpful hearts long to hear. So when the bride of this lovely Christmas affair by Chip Gillespie said she stopped by SMP daily to help create her modern winter wedding, we may have blushed. OK, we definitely did. And to top it off, the talented ladies of Petal Pushers dominated the floral design – which of course had us oohing and ahhing. So we are blushing, oohing and ahhing – and you can see why by checking out the full gallery of darling images.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From the Bride…Sal proposed by the Christmas tree in our living room on December 6th, 2009, so a December wedding just made sense as Christmas will forever be a special time for us. We had so much fun planning our wedding. I must admit, I stalked Style Me Pretty every.single.day. In the beginning, it was great for inspiration and ideas, and by the end of the planning stages, I found myself still going to this site every day just to see beautiful images and keep my excitement going. I knew I didn’t want a red or green wedding, so keeping a simple color palette of white, silver and black suited us well. With that in mind, we began making plans for our modern winter wedding. We sent out fun, homemade Save the Date’s that said, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!”

The girls at Paper Place helped me design an invitation that used bold, blocky font.  I loved how they turned out and they really helped set the tone for the rest of the details. We kept the modern vibe going with all-white flowers. Petal Pushers gave us beautiful, simple white arrangements with wintry touches like snow-flocked branches, dusty miller and mercury glass. My only request to them: anemones with black centers, my obsession. I added 2 of my grandmother’s sparkly brooches to the wrap on my bouquet to have a little piece of her with me. My bridesmaids looked amazing in sleek black dresses from White House Black Market. They all wore black tights in different patterns and textures and accessorized with fun black and silver jewelry. We danced all night long, only taking breaks to hop in the photobooth, which was a huge hit.  I was so lucky to have the most amazing friends and talented vendors helping me. I couldn’t have done it without them! It really was the most wonderful night of our lives!

Photography: Chip Gillespie / Cinematography: McKenzie Miller Films / Flowers: Petal Pushers / DJ: Byrne Rock / Ceremony Musicians: Divisi Strings / Cakes: Michelle’s Patisserie / Photobooth: Max Photography / Ceremony and Reception Location: The Mansion at Judges Hill / Invitations: Paper Place / Dress: La Sposa Fanal bought at Alexia Gavela / Bridesmaid dresses: White House Black Market / Makeup: Maris Malone Calderon / Hair: Corrine Kimbro at Jackson Ruiz

Kids, I think I need to make a trip to Austin, Texas ASAP. We see some of the most darling weddings from that fabulous city in the Lone Star State, and this Austin wedding by She-N-He Photography keeps that trend going strong. Complete with a lovely lawn wedding and a reception held in an old whitewashed church, this wedding has sweet written all over it. And speaking of sweet, the bride’s talented sister, Leah Proctor of Zinnia and Co., did all the gorgeous florals for the affair. What a lucky (and lovely) bride! For more of this darling Austin wedding, be sure to check out the full gallery.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From the Bride…Dylan and I met and fell in love in Austin, my hometown, while I was in school at St.Edwards, and he was preparing to go to school in North Carolina. Spending the first two years of our relationship so far apart was difficult, but it was also rewarding because it allowed us to get to know each other in such a deep way. When we got engaged, we knew the wedding had to be in Austin because it’s such a special place for us as a couple. We fell in love with the first venue we looked at. Mercury Hall is a little whitewashed chapel built in the early 1900s. We used the lawn for our ceremony—a secular service we wrote ourselves that was officiated by a family friend. Afterwards, we had an intimate reception inside the hall. We just did a buffet-style dinner followed by lots of dancing.

We were fortunate to find amazing vendors who we could trust to interpret our vision for the day. Every single vendor we worked with blew us away and made our wedding day so beautiful. My incredibly talented sister, Leah, did all our flowers. They were so colorful and beautiful, we were able to forgo other decorations and keep the space really simple. Our wedding coordinator, Tessa, kept everything running smoothly so that Dylan and I (and our families) were able to stay present and enjoy every moment. More than anything, we were so touched by the outpouring of love from our family and friends as they gathered to celebrate the start or our new life together.

Photography: She-N-He / Flowers: Leah Proctor of Zinnia and Co. (bride’s sister) / Planner: Tessa Dorrell / Catering: Pascal’s Catering Company / Cake: Blue Note Bakery / Music: Warren Hood / Venue: Mercury Hall / Stationery: Birdy Blue Design / Hair: George Oberg / Jewelry: Claude Morady / Officiant: Mark Cohen

I have so much admiration for brides and their families these days. Not only do they seem to have impeccable taste, but they also seem to be masters of DIY projects and design. Not 100% sure how that happened, but I am forever grateful for the crafty brides and weddings like this darling Mercury Hall Austin affair by Nessa K Photography. They make my days ever so lovely, and the full gallery of this wedding is sure to make your day lovely as well.

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I am a wedding photographer (visit me here), so I am lucky to have seen plenty of weddings and have had plenty of time to become addicted to way too many wedding blogs (I’m becoming better at my job by reading all of those…right?). Initially, it was pretty overwhelming. There were so many things that I wanted to do. But, I’d just like to say that with the help of some amazing people (MOM!), my wedding turned out way better than I had imagined. Dru proposed to me July of 2009, so I had over a year to figure out what DIY details I wanted to accomplish. Armed with many great ideas and inspirations, my mom and I set out on a grand wedding-planning mission. My two main things were that I wanted to get married outside and in the  fall. Austin has so many great outdoor wedding venues, it was hard to choose. But, Mercury Hall won my heart with its beautiful, outdoors-y charm right within a mile or two of downtown Austin.

I also, obviously, needed an awesome photographer- and I am so lucky that I found Nessa K. Let’s just say that she is amazingly talented and so great to work with. My wedding day-of coordinator (though she did so much more work than just day-of), Lindsey Watts of Lilleypad Events, made the day run SO smoothly. There are no words to describe how awesome she and her team were and I definitely couldn’t have pulled it all off without her. A few DIY details include: flower arrangements by my mom, ring embroidery hoop by the Groom’s grandmother, napkins and muslin table cloths sewed by my mom, guest favors (flower bombs) made by my parents and I- muslin bags included (the Gocco printer was my friend), paper goods (table assignments, save the dates, invites, programs, signs) by me, wooden bean bag toss by my grandfather, bean bags sewn by my mom, “celebrate” and bunting by me and my mom.

There were a few minor issues, but they really did not matter to me in the grand scheme of things. The weather was ALMOST a problem- it started pouring down rain the morning before, on our rehearsal. I also had a bit of a panic attack when my mom and I brought all of our flowers back to the hotel room to arrange them the day before. You should have seen our room- it was like a greenhouse. Not sure if I would recommend arranging your own flowers in a hotel room…especially in a hotel room (though awesome it was) with very limited floor space. But, let’s forget about that stuff, shall we? Because it turned out amazingly and I had such a good time, and so did our guests. My main tip would be to make your ceremony personal- pick out your own music (it doesn’t have to be the traditional “Here Comes the Bride”- I had a bluegrass band play), have people who are important to you participate in the ceremony (my brother and aunt did readings, and my cousins sang a song by Cat Power, my uncle was the minister), and don’t worry about the traditional details- do what you want! Everyone kept telling Dru and I how our ceremony was so “us.” Also, have a photo booth with props. People love that- and the photos are hilarious.

Photography: Nessa K Photography / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Mercury Hall / Day-of Coordinator: Lindsey Watts of Lilleypad Events plan@lilleypadevents.com / Band (ceremony and cocktail hour): Shotgun Party / DJ (dinner and reception: Byrne Rock / Food: Hoover’s Cooking / Pies & cocktail food: Feast Gourmand / Flowers: Austin Flower Company (arranged by my supermom) / Dress: custom made by Shirin Askari / Groom’s clothes: J.Crew / Boutenniere + Hair pin: Emersonmade / Paper Poms: Pom Love / Hair & Makeup: Consuelo at Salon by Milk + Honey / Hotel: Hotel San Jose (getting ready) / Hotel: Saint Cecilia (first look)

For all those newly engaged folks planning a fun-in-the-sun summertime wedding this photo shoot from She-n-He Photography and Design and Three Apples Events has sunny inspiration with your names written all over it!  We all love a vintage-inspired wedding ’round these parts but vintage with a twist gets us every time!  This super design team took good ol’ 1950s style and paired it with clean lines and pops of yellow for a modern take on a classic theme.  There are plenty of beautiful details to get your wedding gears turning and the full gallery is packed with even more inspiration!

Click here for more inspiration in the full gallery!

Three Apples Events and She-n-He Photography and Design collaborated on this shoot in Austin, TX.  The inspiration behind the shoot was Palm Springs in the 1950s but brought to today. We wanted to have a background of clean lines in whites but then incorporate dramatic pops of various shades of yellow throughout to tie everything together to give a beautiful fresh feel with elements of the romantic and lush.

Finding the perfect venue was easy – nestled up above Lake Travis, Hacienda del Lago is an entirely outdoor venue with a rentable house on the property. Beautiful in its simplicity, it was the exact setting we needed. Since we were bringing such bright colors and fiercely stylized pieces together, we needed a venue understated in its beauty to not compete with the shots.

Nailing the style for the bride and groom was of utmost importance to give the shoot the right feel.  Each of the bride’s three dresses was specifically chosen to match the ambience and décor.  A mid-calf A-line with a feathered headband and lace bolero for portrait-style pictures of the couple. A shorter cocktail-style strapless dress with a custom yellow-ribboned birdcage veil for the photos with the tablescape.  And finally a dramatic billowing floor length gown for the ceremony site.  As for the groom, no detail was overlooked.  He was decked out from his custom fedora to the brocade-backed vest down to the cuffs of his pants.

Our tablescape was the opportunity to really showcase our modern-meets-vintage yellow and white theme.  Using all milk-white glassware for the flowers, we wanted to play with depth and height down the center of the table so the bursts of yellow all hit your eye in a different place from the tallest tulips down to the pin-cushion protea as the name-card holders. With so much yellow popping down the table, we kept the chairs and linens white to provide a crisp, clean background.  The china was all white too, except for a lemon tinted glass salad plate peeking out between two white plates to add one more dimension of yellow.

Aiming for an overall summery, light feel, we also wanted to add some fun and unique outdoor elements.  A cluster of clothes-pinned hanging yellow and white fabric and a striped beach umbrella gave us inspiration for some unique light-hearted pictures of the couple.  Even the cake and candy display combined modern with vintage.  We had the modern looking petit fours in yellow and deep chocolate browns contrasting with a very vintage three tiered cake sitting on a lace runner.  Yellow candy in white glass pieces interspersed with clusters of yellow flowers again brought the two feels together.

Photographer: She-n-He Photography and Design / Coordinator: Three Apples Events / Florals: Wow Factor Floral / Hair + Make-up: Keep Austin Gorgeous / Styling: Shannon Yarbrough / Catering: Austin Catering / Rentals: Premier Party Central / Petit Fours: Paige’s Bake House / Wedding Cake: Wicked Cakes / Venue: Hacienda del Lago / Groom’s outfit: Nordstrom / Bride’s outfits: Dresses by Linda Asaf, Blush Bridal, Bella Saison / Accessories: Tracy Tenpenny / Headpieces: Millistar, Blush Bridal

For anyone that has ever visited Austin, you know that it can provide one of THE most gorgeous backdrops for a wedding. So much so, that I’d venture to say we’ve saved the very best wedding for last today. Designed by Sarah Miller of Caplan Miller Events, with flowers by Petal Pushers and photography by Kate Mefford, this little number is luxe done so so right. With a sense of intimacy and style tucked into each and every corner. So if you’re anything like us, you’ll definitely want to click on the gallery to see a bit more.

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Melissa Waldrop wanted her wedding to be an unforgettable party and wanted to forget all the traditions.  There was no cake cutting, father-daughter dance or big send-off for this bride.  Instead, we held a very intimate ceremony at a historic home on Barton Creek, where guests all gathered around the couple in a circle.  Guests enjoyed fine cigars and scotch during the cocktail hour, where the topic of discussion was “what is up with those swans?”  Afterwards guests dined on the lawn under vintage chandeliers hanging from the oak trees.  DJ Chicken George got everyone shaking on the dance floor and once all had worked up their appetites again we served Chick-fil-A, the bride’s favorite!

Wedding Coordinator:  Sarah Miller, Caplan Miller Events / Photo: Kate Mefford / Flowers: Petal Pushers / Decor: Townsley Designs / Catering: Word of Mouth / Lighting: First In Last Out / Rentals: Marquee Rents / Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller / Reception dress: J. Mendel / Matron of Honor Dress: Rachel Pally / Menswear: their own suits with Hermes ties

The Nichols never cease to amaze me with their portfolio of crazy gorgeous weddings and honestly, they always manage to shoot the COOLEST couples with picture perfect style and the dreamiest of details. But this Austin wedding literally stopped me dead in my tracks as soon as I spotted the Bride and her lovely red lipstick. She is a total knock-out and the wedding? Beautiful vintage details and over the top romance all styled beautifully by Brock + Co. Events. We have a feeling you are totally going to DIE for this wedding, book mark it and pore over it time and again and maybe even head over to Sephora and snag some red lipstick of your very own. Don’t worry, there are even more images to devour in the gallery.

see all the gorgeous bits and pieces of this wedding in the gallery!

When Riley and I first started planning our wedding, we knew we wanted something small and intimate. We wanted it to feel like a really special dinner party, as opposed to a typical wedding. The image that instantly came to mind was a garden party in 1950’s France. So I set out to bring that image to life. Through my research, I stumbled upon this very site- and it was so inspiring! I found that there were so many other couples out there who were like us- who wanted to be creative but simple, fun yet elegant, and so much more. After looking through the wedding photos, I had so many ideas I barely knew what to do with myself!

I was traveling a lot throughout the planning phase, and I slowly started collecting items that fit our vision. I spent many weekends at antique stores, with particular focus on handkerchiefs, post cards, and tea cups. I even found my veil at a little thrift shop- from the ’50s and in perfect condition! The wonderful people at Kid Icarus in Toronto, Canada made us custom screen printed invitations using the handkerchiefs and post cards I collected. They were so perfect! We had the idea early on to give tea cup and saucer sets to our guests as favors. Everyone loved them and they looked lovely on the tables. Plus, I like the extra personal touch of picking a few up in every city Riley and I traveled to.

Our vendors were all absolutely incredible. Chateau Bellevue is a breathtakingly beautiful historic building in downtown Austin, and it really felt like we were able to have a bit of France in Texas. The food was delicious, and the service could not have gone more smoothly. Our flowers were done by Amy Bodle at Merveille Events and she was so amazing. She truly captured the spirit I was hoping for. As soon as I told her what I had in mind, she just got it. And on top of that, she’s an absolute sweetheart. For our cake, we sent Krissy at Krissy’s Cakes a few photos for inspiration and she knocked it out of the park! We probably couldn’t have made it though the last couple weeks leading up to the wedding without Becky Brock from Brock + Co. Events. She was so on top of it- it’s really due to her that our wedding turned out to be the dream day that it was. She allowed us to relax and enjoy ourselves and the company of all the people we love. And last but not least, Jennifer and CJ Nichols were our fantastic photographers. It makes us so unbelievably happy to look at these photos and see our big day reflected in such a beautiful way. They are so lovely to work with and it’s pretty easy to see how wonderfully talented they are. Our wedding truly was the best day of both of our lives. The entire day felt like a dream. We can’t thank our vendors enough, as well as our amazing guests who laughed and cried with us and made it an experience we’ll never forget.

Photography: The Nichols / Venue: Chateau Bellevue / Coordinator: Becky Brock with Brock + Co. Events / Florist: Merveille / Cake: Krissy Cake’s / Macaroons: Stardust Pastry / Lighting: Ilios / Ceremony Music: Hill Country Strings

Nothing is nearer or dearer to our hearts than a sweet southern wedding. And when we (Abby and I) refer to the south … we’re talking Texas! We’re talking charm and sincerity and that all-encompassing friendship that (we) Texans are famous for! Our LBB’s featured cinematographer, today is Elite Video Productions … Todd and Kim’s Barr Mansion wedding!

Todd & Kim’s wedding took place at one of Austin’s wedding “jewels.” Despite a minor setback (the Mansion’s reception building, the Artisan Ballroom, was lost to a tragic fire after being struck by lighting earlier this year), the staff at Barr Mansion erected an indoor tent, decorated with rustic charm. Todd and Kim definitely had a great attitude about the whole situation and even chose to have their photographer grab some modern portraits in front of the charred remains of the ballroom – awesome!!! Shot entirely on DSLRs, this highlights clip was definitely exciting to shoot and edit! –Elite Video Productions

Todd & Kim – Barr Mansion from elitevp on Vimeo.

Remember ~ capturing those oh-so-special toasts should be your priority! There is simply no better way to re-live the day completely than by watching your wedding film ~ over and over and over (and over) again! A huge SMP congratulations to Kim and Todd!!

To see more of Elite Video Productions’ films, please visit their website and SMP vendor portfolio page!