Texas Weddings

Less than 50 people gathered to witness Melanie and Nathan exchange rings and vows at their heartfelt destination wedding in Texas Hill Country. But the sweet, intimate ceremony wasn’t the only heartwarming moment of the evening. Later, after a delicious meal from Cartewheels Catering, a few of the Bride and Groom’s children sang a song as a wedding gift to their newlywed parents. And thankfully Philip Thomas Photography caught it all for us to enjoy in The Vault!

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From Philip Thomas Photography…A charming destination wedding in the hill country of Texas in a small German town called Fredericksburg. Hoffman Haus is an upscale luxury bed and breakfast with a once tobacco barn in the center of the property that has been restored and now called The Great Hall.

The welcome dinner was catered by Cartewheels Catering who served farm to table cuisine under bistro lights and long tables decorated with herbs down the center of the table.

The guests received a welcome farmer’s basket filled with Peach tea, a locally made candle, marinating sauce, and lavender soap from a nearby farm.

The ceremony near a pond on the property with Melanie and Nathan’s closest family and friends, less than 50 people gathered to see them exchange rings and vows. It was heartfelt, sincere, and emotional.

Cartewheels designed another delicious menu for the reception. Dinner and dancing followed inside The Great Hall with pale blush pink and mint green linens with loosely arranged floral in urns and weaved through driftwood, a common thing found in the Texas Hill Country. Watercolored menu cards and place cards by Rachel Nieman at each place setting.

Melanie and Nathan’s love was so apparent as they were surrounded by their children, a few of whom offered a song as their gift to the newlyweds.

Photography: Philip Thomas Photography | Floral Design: Sprout | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Cake: Sophie's Bakery | Stationery: Artful Designs By Rachel Nieman | Catering: CarteWheels Caterers, Inc | Venue: Hoffman Haus | Event Design + Coordination: Two Be Wed | Linen Rentals: Aztec Events

It’s no secret — we’re pretty in love with Pantone’s 2016 colors of the year: Rose Quartz and Serenity. And, we’re not the only ones. Using the rosy pink and pretty purple as inspiration, Chic Fleur Weddings And Events and Something Pretty Floral created a soft and dreamy wedding inspiration at Texas’ Grape Creek Vineyards. Head to The Vault for all the pretty inspiration thanks to photos from Tenth And Grace!

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Photography: Tanya Menoni | Event Design: Chic Fleur Weddings And Events | Floral Design: Something Pretty Floral | Wedding Dress: a&be bridal shop | Cake: Sweet Treets Bakery | Invitations: Bunny And Bear Paper | Bride's Shoes: Betsey Johnson | Jewelry: Shapiro Diamonds | Hair + Makeup: The Styling Stewardess | Venue: Grape Creek Vineyards | Rentals: Birch And Brass Rentals | Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic | Ring Box: The Mrs Box

Typically, flowers are associated with springtime, but this fall inspiration session with the most beautiful autumn blooms will make you think otherwise. Flower Shack Blooms worked absolute floral magic with the stunning flower crown and the lush bouquet. And when set against a naturally beautiful backdrop, lovely lace gown and dramatic hair and makeup, they really pop. See it all from Chandra’s Collection Photography in THE VAULT!

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From Flower Shack Blooms…This was a gorgeous whimsical fall shoot complete with a lush bouquet and floral crown. We went for a bolder look of plum lips with soft romantic hairstyle. We used chocolate and burgundy accents to bring out the fall look in floral choices. Hellerbores, dahlias, amnesia roses and blushing bride proteas are a few goodies that were used. A gorgeous lace gown complete with the ever so lovely Texas light made this a magical set up.

Photography: Chandras Collection Photography | Floral Design: Flower Shack Blooms | Wedding Dress: Beatitude Bridal | Hair And Makeup: Jordan Mae Burns | Venue: Brazos Bend State Park

This darling duo met while studying geology in college, and fell in love during a six week summer field course in the great outdoors. It’s only natural then, that after getting engaged at Enchanted Rock, they return to where they began with an all-organic outdoor engagement shoot, captured effortlessly by Dana Fernandez. Take a peek at the gallery here!

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Over the last several years, Blake and I were based in different countries, I was in Ukraine while Blake was in Uganda. We were blessed to be able to travel a little bit to meet each other and were excited to use our souvenirs from our travels in our engagement pictures. We had a picnic on our favorite Moroccan rug and ate off of our Turkish olive wood platters. Everything from our engagement shoot had significance and we loved getting to tie our memories all together.

Photography: Josh & Dana Fernandez | Flowers: Central Market | Makeup And Hair: Sunkissed And Made Up | Venue: Brazos Bend State Park | Custom Stamps: Antiquaria | Film Lab: The Find Lab

I can’t seem to pinpoint the words to describe how much I adore this sweet day from Brett Heidebrecht. Really, the imagery speaks for itself, and if you’re a color-loving bride (or groom!), drawn to that boho glam goodness, I guarantee you’ll be head over heels in love, just like me. From the artful bouquet by Sweet Magnolia Floral to the decked out tent, it’s the stuff wedding dreams are made of.

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From the Bride… I have so many wonderful memories of Fredericksburg as much of my family lives there. Spring in the Hill Country is always so beautiful, I had always dreamed of being married there. When Tom and I began to plan our wedding, Fredericksburg provided the perfect destination, close enough to home to allow friends and family to be part of the celebration.

We knew immediately after looking at The Lodge Event center it would be the perfect wedding venue for us. Tucked away in the hills outside of Fredericksburg, it offered the intimate setting we were looking for. Along with a perfect ceremony site, we were able to have our bridal party and family stay in their cottages on site there too. It gave us the whole week-end to visit and celebrate with everyone there with us.

Jasper Eisenberg, our wedding planner and Ashlyn Hobbs, our floral designer both understood my vision of “boho-glam” perfectly and ran with it. When rain moved our wedding ceremony under the tent, Jasper quickly created a beautiful circular seating arrangement for our 250 guests under the tent. Standing underneath the beautiful floral chandelier in the Sperry tent, surrounded by our family and friends made it the perfect boho inspired setting. It was even more special as our family friend Gaines West performed the ceremony reflecting our commitment to God and to each other.

Photography: Brett Heidebrecht Photography | Event Planning: Jasper Eisenberg | Floral Design: Sweet Magnolia Floral Studio | Wedding Dress: Watters | Cake: Sophie's Bakery | Invitations: Magnolia Tree Paperie | Catering: CarteWheels Caterers, Inc | DJ: Altared Wedding Productions | Venue: The Lodge At Country Inn Cottages | Tent: Sperry Tents | Calligraphy & Lettering: Lori Sulemeier | Rentals: Whim Hospitality | Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals

So this is what happens when two insanely talented people say I do.  Pure awesomeness.  Think amazing DIY details meets an array of colorful blooms from Maggie Gillespie Designs meets one of the cutest backdrops ever.  And that’s just the beginning.  See it all captured by NBarrett Photography in the full gallery, and then check out the the fab film from Nostalgia Film below!   

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And a little Save the Date sweetness from Red Balloon Photography and Kristi Flango… 

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From the Bride… What happens when an art director marries a museum exhibit fabricator? A creativity explosion (with no off switch).

Projects aside, when planning our wedding, we were going for a feeling and a vibe. We wanted our wedding to be a reflection of our relationship and life together – which is chock full of fun, lots of laughter and never losing sight of the little things.

We found Luckenbach while on a family vacation in Austin (before we were engaged). It’s a magical place that has a “leave your worries at the door” attitude and at its core – it’s all about the music. And since Jason and I are both big music nerds – it was love at first sight.

But unbeknownst to me – it was also where Jason asked my parents for their blessing. And two months later, it found its way into his proposal. Inspired by an old saloon sign at Luckenbach, he constructed 4ft x 4ft western wooden letters that read: “Will you marry me?” Our friends and family held up the letters at GasWorks Park in Seattle and he proposed to me across the lake from a WWII periscope in the MOAHI Museum. I knew at that moment, I had a keeper.

Afterwards, when we first started to discuss where we should have our wedding – I threw out the idea of doing it in Luckenbach and he was immediately on board. We didn’t have a back-up plan, so fortunately we were able to make that happen.

Music has played a large role in our relationship from the beginning, so getting married at music venue made perfect sense. We sprinkled in lots of special song references and music inspired décor and mixed it with a touch of southwestern charm (a nod to Jason’s Native American roots).

Jason and I spent a year and a half slowly making all the decor, signage, stationery, etc. and had a blast doing it. I was the creative brains behind the projects and he was the producer/fabricator/perfector.

Together we hand-sculpted clay longhorn skull magnets for the escort tags and favors, painted vinyl records to use as charger plates, wrapped and dyed dream catchers out of embroidery rings, made feather boutonnieres for the guys, hand-tied arrows for the backs of the ceremony chairs, built and painted table numbers to match the proposal letters, created various wooden signage, designed and assembled fan programs that looked like 7” records, created and glued menus, designed a music soundtrack comprised of special songs from the big day (which also looked like vinyl records)… and the list goes on. But probably the biggest highlight/accomplishment was the giant Lite-Brite arbor that we created that spelled out the words: We Do. It consisted of 1700 vintage Lite-Brite pegs and was turned on (via a remote held by our officiate) after we said our vows.

We packed all of this décor in a crate, including the ‘marry me’ letters from the proposal and shipped it down to Texas. We met the truck in Luckenbach to unload it, just five days before the wedding.

The wedding party and guests stayed at the amazing Hangar Hotel in Fredericksburg, TX. It’s a WWII era themed hotel (which happened to be a perfect tie-in from our periscope proposal) and is on an active runway. We shuttled our guests via a school bus to Luckenbach.

Our ceremony was amazing and so much fun. The Lost Pines performed all the music live, and did it so beautifully. After a few readings from our family members, Jason’s brother played an original song he wrote to us on his flute. Then during our vows, two of the Lost Pines band members stood beside Jason and I and sang a duet “Cause I Love you” by Johnny and June Carter Cash, while Jason and I quietly sang the words to each other. Afterwards, we said our vows (with a few personal lines to each other sprinkled in). Once we were introduced as husband and wife and the Lite Brite was clicked on, we asked our guests to open up a scroll that they picked up on their way to their seat. The band then led everyone in a surprise sing-a-long of “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson. Once everyone got into it, we headed down the aisle.

The cocktail hour was full of fun things to do. We had a live Longhorn for our guests to climb on and get pictures. We had the talented David Harris (host of the daily Luckenbach picker circles) singing with his acoustic guitar. And we had the funny and quirky QuickDraw Photo Booth getting everyone in the laughing mood. Basically, the guests got in the photo booth and he snapped three pictures then “developed them” by hand-sketching them in three minutes and then slid the strip out the photo slot all while being in character as a crazy cowboy. And finally, we also had a mini polaroid guest book where we asked our guests to snap photos of themselves and leave us a little note.

Once cocktail hour was over, we entered the reception to David appropriately singing “Luckenbach, Texas.” Then after an amazing dinner from the Salt Lick BBQ and dessert- we got out on the dance floor and had our first dance. It was to a song that David actually introduced to us when we met him during a wedding planning trip to Luckenbach a year earlier. It gave us both chills when he played it and described our relationship perfectly. So we later approached him to sing it at our wedding and he obliged. It’s a song written by Hank Williams called, “I’m So Happy I Found You.”

After the father and mother dances, The Lost Pines gave all of our guests (none of which were from Texas) a two-step lesson to get them warmed up. We then spent the next three hours singing and dancing the night away. And at one point, Jason even jumped on stage with the band and serenaded me with “Hey Good Lookin’.” A song he has been singing to me since we first met.

We left the reception with a sparkler send-off and hopped into the back of a vintage truck. All in all – it was by far, the best day of our lives. And according to our friends and family, it was a day they will never forget either. A friend of ours even created a hashtag to document the wedding and it took on a life of its own. Someday we hope to get the “band” back together and have a reunion tour. #Lucasbach

Photography: N Barrett Photography | Floral Design: Maggie Gillespie Designs | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Cake: Sophie's Bakery | Stationery: Kristi Flango & Jason Redhawk Lucas | Ceremony Venue: Luckenbach Texas | Reception Venue: Luckenbach Texas | Shoes: Justin Boots | Jewelry: NicoRich | Band: The Lost Pines | Grooms Attire: Trillium Custom Tailoring | Beauty: Jessica Dodge | Belt: Sarah Seven | DIY Decor: Kristi Flango & Jason Redhawk Lucas | Dress Alterations: Cheing Saelee | Groom Shoes: Vans | Grooms Belt: Mount Tabor Park | Groomsmen Shoes: Vans | Longhorn: Tumbleweed | Musician: David Harris | Photo Booth: Quick Draw | Save The Date Video: Kristi Flango & Jason Redhawk Lucas | Save The Date Video: Red Balloon Photography | Video: Nostalgia Film | Wristband Design: Simson Chantha

A good DIY is really the way to this girls heart. But a whole beautiful DIY wedding like this one from Jenny McCann steals my heart, runs away with it, and never gives it back. Handmade, hand grown, and hand painted, the wedding was a true labor of love, and with a floral design from Sprout, you really can’t go wrong.

From the beautiful bride… We wanted our wedding to have a casual, fun backyard party feel! We chose our venue because it was large enough to have our ceremony and reception all in one location without having to move. We didn’t have a huge budget to work with so all the decorations were homemade by our families. My mom hand painted approximately 100 lanterns the wedding colors. The center pieces consisted of glass vases and bottles we thrifted and potted succulents. We bought the succulents from Lowes and had a planting party. My mom also painted and decorated the flower pots. I made the backdrop for the ceremony from different color strips of burlap, lace, and fabric. Another cost cutting method we used was instead of hiring a baker for the wedding cake we bought our cupcakes from Whole Foods. The cupcakes were displayed on tree slices that my dad cut from a trunk that had been cut down in my grandma’s backyard. I gave the bridesmaids a color swatch and they purchased their own dresses from Modcloth, Target, and Franchesca’s Closet.

Since our wedding was also a destination wedding my husband’s parents rented a UHaul and drove all the decorations to the wedding venue. We were incredibly lucky to have supportive family and friends that showed up several days before the wedding to help decorate. The night and weekend truly reflected us and our style since so much of it was homemade.

Photography: Jenny Mccann | Flowers: Sprout | Wedding Dress: Unbridaled | Cupcakes: Whole Foods Market Preston | Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell | Suits: Jos. A. Bank | Bicycle Topper: Panache Bride | Sash: Rosy Posy Designs | location: The Ruff Haus

A bride and groom with this much style deserve a party.  The kind of party where you shut the office door, turn those phones to silent and sit back to soak in hours upon hours of rustic pretty.  Because when Becker Vineyards, The Lodge Event Center and the fabulous stylings of Jordan Payne Events meet, it’s one seriously epic day here at SMP.  See it all captured by Shaun Menary in the full gallery.

From the Bride… Grayson and I met in high school when we were 15. He sat behind me in English class and probably passed me a note that said “Will you be my girlfriend?” I got to marry my high school sweetheart!

When starting our wedding planning process we knew we wanted our wedding to be outside, laid-back, slightly informal and lots of fun! We also knew we loved the idea of a destination wedding. We wanted it to be close enough so that most of our guests wouldn’t have to fly, but far enough for it to feel like a get-away wedding. Fredericksburg was that perfect distance away from our home in Dallas. We had been to Fredericksburg a few times as a family and the first time I went to Becker Vineyards I remember thinking “what a pretty place for a wedding.”

It was special to me to have pieces of old and new incorporated in our wedding. My engagement ring was Grayson’s great grandmother’s wedding ring that has been passed down through the women in the family. I wore my great grandmother’s and grandfather’s wedding bands on my other hand that have also been passed down. I also wore the same purple suede shoes my grandmother wore when she got married. She gave them to me quite a few years ago. I knew right away that I wanted to try and wear them when I got married so they had been sitting in the top of my closet waiting for the day to come. All made for a special touch to the special day.

If I had any advice for future brides it would be to make planning stress free! Don’t stress about every single tiny little detail. One of my favorite parts of the day was just getting to hang out with all of my best friends and not worrying about a thing. Also, when budgeting for your wedding, regardless of what your budget is, make photography a top priority. When your wedding day finally gets here, it literally flashes right by. I love how Shaun captured every moment of my day. A great photographer enables you to be in that moment again, every time you even just glance at a photo!

Photography: Shaun Menary Photography | Florist: Jordan Payne Events | Ceremony Venue: Becker Vineyards | Reception Venue: The Lodge At Country Inn Cottages | Catering: CarteWheels Caterers, Inc | Hair And Makeup: Fairy Godmothers Bridal | Lighting: The Entertainment Company | Bridesmaids' Dress Shop: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Bridesmaids' Gifts: Etsy | Ceremony Quartet: Hill Country Strings | Dessert: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Groom's Bow Tie: Esty | Prep Venue: Country Inn Cabins | Reception Band: Newsboyz | Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Stationer: Southern Fried Paper | Wedding Design/Coordination: Jordan Payne Events | Wedding Dress Shop: Hale Koa phineas Estate

What can I say about The Nichols, other than they seriously rock my world?  It’s like this talented twosome just lives for capturing drop-dead gorgeous weddings, and when they send one of their latest masterpieces our way, it’s akin to Christmas morning.  Need proof?  Check out this darling Fredericksburg gem, an oh-so-fabulous party mixed with some of the loveliest rustic details you will ever see (thank you, Maggie Gillespie Designs).  Get your pretty on right here in the full gallery.

From The Nichols… Kristen’s classic bridal style reminded me of Grace Kelly… such a stunning bride! The neutral palette of greens and whites suited her look so well. And the chevron-patterned table runners brought in just the right touch of modern to the natural decor. We were blown away by this new Texas Hill Country venue! Boot Ranch was a beautiful backdrop for Kristen + Kyle, and although the rain moved the ceremony indoors, nothing could put a damper on this joyful celebration! 

From the bride… Kyle and I had talked about our desire to get married outside, so when we decided on my hometown of Fredericksburg, we knew we wanted to highlight the beauty of the Texas Hill Country. Boot Ranch, located atop a hill with views stretching for miles, was the absolute perfect venue to do just that.

We wanted our wedding to feel comfortable and light, with the focus on bringing our family and close friends together in this beautiful place for a once in a lifetime celebration. We chose to let the beauty of the environment speak for itself, so complementary decor was selected that felt green and organic — we used clear vessels with lots of foliage and big white blooms, adding contemporary accents of chevron runners and succulents in glass, while keeping the color palette very clean and natural with greens, gray and touches of blue.

The night was filled with favorite moments: when rain showed up, our incredible design crew moved the wedding indoors so beautifully you couldn’t tell we hadn’t planned it that way. And for the rest of the night we celebrated with our friends and family, all together in one beautiful place, where we enjoyed delicious food and danced to a wonderful band that had everyone out on the dance floor all night. Altogether, the night was such a perfect one made even better with an unexpected surprise at the end. As Kyle and I made our exit under a happy shower of long sparklers, we found my dad unable to start the 1955 Bel Air convertible we were supposed to leave in. Kyle and I got into the car any way, hoping to get one last good photo. My new husband decided to give the car one more try and turned the key in the ignition — and the engine started right up as if it had been waiting for him, making that a perfect ending to a very special day.

Photography: Nichols Photographers | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Catering: Boot Ranch | Band: The Mott's | Wedding Venue: Boot Ranch | Bridal Boutique: Serendipity Bridal | Classic Car: Street Dreams | Floral and Event Designer: Maggie Gillespie Designs

Dog attendants at a wedding propel said weddings to the top of the heartwarming list. Dogs really just make everything happier, don’t they? So I was already in love with this wedding, thanks to the sweet pooch, when I read bride’s words and fell in love with their story. Sprout, the lady behind the lovely flowers, was the groom’s second grade teacher. Everest Road Photography was a camp counselor with the bride’s sister. The whole day was a memory in the making… one I’m sure the couple and all their guests will look back on forever fondly.

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From the beautiful bride… I fell in love with Fredericksburg through my bridesmaid Cori Dickie by attending the 4th of July parade during college and it became an annual tradition. Her mom always buys us matching american flag shirts at Walmart. Cori and I became friends bonding over DQ Blizzards and had monthly “DQ Dates.” Once Riley and I started dating he came with me for the festivities. We never thought of getting married any where else. The Ruff Haus was the first venue I saw and I was in love. I never dreamed I would get married outside, but it was perfect for Fredericksburg and us. We wanted something casual and inviting – like a big party in our home. Along with it being a wedding we wanted it to be a celebration where everyone was there to have fun. The glow sticks were one of my favorite touches on the dance floor and for the exit. They came about because the venue pretty much didn’t allow throwing anything or any kind of fire – so we made our own light.

Riley and I graduated from the same high school, three years apart. Our parents live a few blocks from each other and did not know each other. It has been so fun to see our families come together and the fun our parents have together and the Christian marriages they have modeled for us. Riley’s mom, I would say the shyest of the group, came up with the idea of performing a surprise dance at the wedding. They took 8 weeks of dance lessons choreographed to “Shake Your Booty.” Unfortunately, the band did not have the right song so they were not very pleased with their performance. I told them don’t worry we will make you perform it at every major holiday from here on out.

Riley sells promotional items for companies so we came up with the idea of making a logo for the wedding and putting it on napkins, cups, koozies, welcome bags, and cookies. I created the look I wanted and the fonts and one of my mom’s sweet friends help me invert the letters and convert the format. We just about cleaned out all of the Targets in Dallas looking for mason jars. We wanted it later on account of the heat and so wanted as much lighting as possible. Riley’s mom is incredible with flowers and she did some of the arrangements on the tables.

When we decided on an outside wedding I knew we had to have our dog, Judge, in it. We got him the weekend that Riley proposed at William Faulkner’s home in Oxford, MS. My brother trains black labs and gave us Judge and his dog Tex is like part of the family. Having them in the wedding was one of the best and most stressful things. Judge spent the entire ceremony trying to get my bridesmaid Abbie to throw her bouquet for him to fetch. My brother even got in wedding planning mode and found and ordered the matching dog collars from a friend. One of our guest books was water color paintings and stories about oxford and the other was photography from Texas Hill Country.

Most of the details happened along the way. I never thought I would have orange as a color and could not have been more pleased. The flowers were done locally by Sprout, owned by Michelle Hodges – who we later put together when Riley’s parents met with her that she was his second grade teacher in Dallas. Also, I was so excited to find out my bonus-sister was a camp counselor with our photographer. The little connections like that made it very special.

For the flowers I had never really heard of Dahlia’s. This spring Southern Living did an article on them and I knew they would be the perfect fit for our wedding.

Programs – we knew it would be hot so thought fans would be a great idea. They were – except for the fact that assembling them is quite a bit harder than we had anticipated. We had a glueing party one night and used rubber cement which did not stick at all. It was a learning process.

My favorite DIY, if you can call it that, is the logs the cakes were on. Riley and I were walking Judge one night and someone had cut down a tree in their yard and the logs hadn’t been picked up yet. We went back home and got his truck and snatched them up. Little did we know they weighed a ton and got his back seat super dirty.

Lavender – my mom befriended the owner of Urban Herbal and we just had to have lavender scented things everywhere. My stepdad came up with the idea of iced down lavender scented towels. He may be more proud of that idea than getting his online certification to be a minister.

Photography: Everest Road Photography | Coordinator: Jasper Eisenberg | Flowers: Sprout | Wedding Dress: Stardust Celebrations | Cakes: The Sweetish Chef | Bridesmaid Dresses: Ryan Seacrest Distinction | Catering: Delicious Details | Groomsmen\'s Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Lavender Products: Urban Herbal

You Texas lovelies really know how to throw a wedding.  Like those drop-dead gorgeous, heartwarming kind of affairs that are chock-full of beautiful details and magical moments every which way you turn. Basically, you Texans rock… and when you throw a group of uber-talented vendors in to the mix (hello Viridian Design Studio, CarteWheels Caterers,  Marquee Event Group and Caroline + Ben Photography), it’s like a literal lesson in just how awesome weddings can be.  See it all in the full gallery.

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Q. Most inspirational tool for deciding your wedding details?

Bride: I probably bought $400 worth of wedding magazines and just ripped out the pictures I liked and I didn’t like. I literally made a book for Tricia of my likes and dislikes and she took it from there. Obviously, anything Martha Stewart. Also, look at interior design magazines for floral and décor inspirations – Elle Décor, Veranda, Architectural Digest.

Q. Favorite Photo?

Bride: I honestly have about a million.

Groom: Us with the storm clouds in the background. It was fun, especially knowing that the storm never hit.

Q. Any DIY projects or Etsy goodies?

Bride: When you have a wedding coordinator like Tricia Hamil, she does it all.

Q. Were there any special additions to your ceremony that made it unique?

Bride: My Uncle Harris read from the same bible that was used when my grandparents got married. This was a total surprise, but obviously a wonderful and very touching surprise.

Q. What was the best moment of your wedding day?

Groom: Right after the Ceremony with our wedding party.

Bride: For me, seeing Philip for the first time. Tie for second – first dance with my father. Tie for second- Pre-wedding festivities – getting ready at my mom’s house with all my wonderful friends and family. We all had so much fun that day, I’m pretty sure I’ve never laughed so hard. It was truly so relaxing and fun. That is my advice to any bride – surround yourself with your best friends and family before the wedding and just have fun. I love all the pictures from mom’s house – opening up Stella Artois in the kitchen – such a classic.

Photographer: Caroline+Ben Photography | Wedding Planner: Viridian Design Studio | Flowers: Viridian Design Studio | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Sophie's Bakery | Invitations: Houston Invitation Service | Jewelry: Past Era | Catering: CarteWheels Caterers, Inc | Make-up: Alyssa Garcia | Hair: Stephen Leleune | Groom's Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Wedding Venue: Crabapple Church | Boots: Lucchese Boots | Rentals: Marquee Event Rentals

Barn weddings are amazing, that pretty much goes without saying.  But when you take a fabulously styled barn wedding and add in two cuties who are sooo in love, it’s palpable, it’s better than anything you could possibly imagine.  Because this is a day that is not only chock-full of pretty details, but a whole lot of heartwarming moments, too.  See every last one captured by Rachel Whyte in the full gallery.  It’s a love-filled beauty.

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From Rachel Whyte… From the moment I met Rachel and Reed, I knew they were going to have a really unique wedding. Rachel is one of the kindest and most sincere brides I’ve ever had the honor of working with. Reed is a college football coach who really wanted to be involved in the wedding planning process. It was so refreshing! Their wedding took place in the historic town of Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country. They rented out the precious Myrtle Cottage for the weekend for their entire wedding party. Rachel threw an awesome surprise wedding “after party” for Reed, and she even got his favorite band to come play! It blew me away how focused they both were on serving each other, their friends and family even though it was their special day.

Rachel and Reed chose the “party barn” at Alegria (between Fredericksburg and Kerrville) for their venue. The barn was built by jewelry designer James Avery as a place to have parties and retreats and it is such a hidden gem! A sketch of the barn was featured on their custom invitation suite, which I LOVED. I also loved the combination of gray dresses and mint green accessories Rachel chose for her bridesmaids.

She used a local grocery store, HEB, as her florist (who knew you could even do that?). Her mom did a majority of the table centerpieces, which were a mixture of vintage and rustic. The couple gave their guests flower seeds for favors which was such a sweet touch. All of the little DIY details were perfect, but the thing that stood out the most to me about their wedding was the pure emotion. Rachel and Reed’s love for each other is rare- it’s passionate and strong without an ounce of selfishness. While I’m a newlywed myself, I’ve been married long enough to know that that’s the kind of love you need to make a marriage last. Take notes, y’all!

Photography: Rachel Whyte Photography | Event Styling: The Bride & Mother of the Bride | Flowers: HEB Blooms | Cake: Sophie's Bakery | Caterer: Calbob's Smoke Shack | DJ: Patrick Kelley | Venue: Alegria Barn | After-Party Band: Eleven Hundred Springs | Month of Coordinator: Viridian Design Studio | Rentals: Pursuing Eden Rentals

Apparently when you combine the charm of Hill Country with some fabulous vintage styling, you get one drop-dead gorgeous wedding. Because that’s precisely what happened in this little ditty whipped up by Crystal at Style & Grace Events. The images from Al Gawlik Photography make it all that much sweeter (if you can believe it), and it’s all sitting pretty right here.

From Style & Grace Events… Rachelle & Matthew’s wedding was a perfect mix of hill country charm and vintage elegance. They were married under a large oak tree filled with hanging mason jars that were full of brightly colored sunflowers, stock, and roses. Two antique doors were placed on either side of the tree and included their initials made out of baby’s breath. Instead of a traditional unity candle the couple planted a small tree using dirt from each of their mom’s homes to represent both sides of their family becoming one. Vintage touches were included throughout the reception including a complete vintage seating area with antique glider, truck, suitcases, and hanging lace spheres. Black lanterns lined the outside walkway and guests were greeted with a welcome sign made from an antique window. The centerpieces were an eclectic mix of vintage bottle and vases filled with a mix of colorful flowers. The dessert table was designed with antique crates, doilies and chalkboards and the ceremony doors were brought inside to serve as the backdrop. The couple wanted to pay tribute to their Hill Country surroundings by only serving local wines and having each guest take home a handmade sachet filled with local lavender, displayed in a vintage baby bathtub. Finally the couple made their grand exit to handmade ribbon wands completed with bells which each guests waved as they left. [dotted]

Wedding Photography: Al Gawlik Photography | Wedding Design + Styling + Coordination: Crystal Marek of Style & Grace Events | Wedding Venue: Kairos Celebration Barn, Fredericksburg, Texas | Floral Design: WOW Factor Designs | Vintage Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals | Desserts: Sophie’s Choice | Hair + Makeup: Belle Mariee | DJ: Christian with Altared Weddings | Invitations + Programs: The Paper Place | Bed & Breakfast: The Hoffman Haus | Wedding Gown: Unbridaled | Groom’s Suit: Vera Wang from Men’s Wearhouse

There are about a million and one reasons that I happen to adore this darling Fredericksburg wedding (I’m looking at you, beautiful blooms from Visual Lyrics and fab paper goods from The Occasional Hello), but I have to say my favorite detail of all is the obvious love these two sweeties have for each other; the kind of love that jumps straight from the computer screen and fills your entire heart.  It’s a love that’s making every moment captured by James Dvorscak Photography pure bliss… and every last gorgeous second planned by Your Wedding, Your Way downright awesome.  Join me in the gallery for so much more.

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From the Bride… Jaime and I love old, European style churches and had toured a few of the Texas Painted Churches in Fredericksburg. Once we got engaged, we decided to try to get married in one of them. Most of the painted churches are in very small towns except for St. Mary’s in Fredericksburg. When we called the church a few days after our engagement, we were told that only members could get married there. A few weeks later, in casual conversation with one of my grad school professors, he mentioned that he was a member of that very church. He very generously offered to “sponsor” us so that we could get married there! We were very lucky and happy to be given such an amazing gift. A few days later, I left for a trip to Asia for a month. Jaime went to Fredericksburg over the Christmas holiday with his Uncle and the two of them picked out the reception and rehearsal dinner venues. I think I may be the only bride in history to have handed over these duties to the groom!

The Tin Star Ranch in Fredericksburg was the ultimate Texas venue for our reception. We had family coming from all over the United States and Mexico and for many this was their first time in the great state of Texas. Our reception was in the Longhorn Palace Saloon, a replica saloon complete with brothel rooms on the second story where many of our guests stayed. There is a Western town in front of the saloon including a replica Alamo. It was quite a treat for our guests!

It was important to Jaime and I to bring aspects of both of our cultures into our wedding day. Fredericksburg is a historic town settled by Germans and being that my family is mostly German, it was the perfect location! We served German fare at the rehearsal dinner, which was in a bier garten at The Fredericksburg Brewing Company. Jaime’s family is of Mexican descent, so we infused many touches of his culture as well. During our ceremony, Jaime’s cousins, Fabiola and Lalo, presented us with the “lasso”, a traditional part of Mexican wedding ceremonies. It resembles a large rosary and is placed around the bride and groom to symbolize unity.

The night we got engaged, Jaime surprised me by gathering our families together at a restaurant near where he proposed. That night, Jaime’s mom gave me a beautiful pair of heirloom earrings. Her father was a jeweler and these earrings have been in the family for many, many years. It was amazing because I absolutely love them and knew that I wanted to wear them on the wedding day as soon as she gave them to me. I wore my mom’s pearls as my “something borrowed” during the ceremony and then changed to these earrings and the monogram necklace Jaime had made for me as my wedding gift during the reception.

I found a shop on Etsy to create a papel picado, a traditional Mexican party decoration, with our names that we hung at the venue. I have always loved the intricacy of this decor and would often make it with my students during my days as a Spanish teacher. I also spent a summer studying in Guanajuato, Mexico, which is near the birthplace of Jose Guadalupe Posada, a famous Mexican artist whose most famous images are associated with the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. I have since collected Day of the Dead figurines and Jaime and I have some of Posada’s art in our house. The bride and groom dolls were given to me at the fiesta-themed bridal shower my bridesmaids’ threw for me a few days before the Day of the Dead. They decorated the shower with papel picado, paper flowers, and sugar skulls. It was absolutely perfect and fit us to a tee!

A mariachi band, a staple at many family parties, played during the cocktail hour, going table by table and taking requests from the crowd. It wouldn’t be an Ortegon party without Mariachi! The Mexican wedding cookies were brought by some of Jaime’s family that came from Mexico just for our day. They even used our wedding logo to decorate the bags. Jaime and I love macarons…they are our favorite dessert. We often bring them home to each other and try out new flavors and varieties in different places when we travel. Having these sweets on the dessert table was a no-brainer. The little details were so special to us. Inspired by my wedding gown, we incorporated lace throughout elements of our day, most prominently in our wedding invitations. I had one guest tell me that she carried the invitation around in her purse for a couple of weeks just to show people how pretty it was. We were thrilled with how our story was told throughout our wedding day and wouldn’t have changed a thing!

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Photography: James Dvorscak Photography | Wedding Planning: Stefanie Yandell of Your Wedding, Your Way | Floral Design: Visual Lyrics | Reception Venue: Tin Star Ranch | Rehearsal Dinner: The Fredericksburg Brewing Company | Invitations: The Occasional Hello | Calligraphy: Blue Eye, Brown Eye | Ribbon Wands: Handmade by Heather 4U | Cinematography: Brian Dooley | Cake + Macarons: Krissy’s Cakes | Guest Tree Poster: Peachwik | Papel Picado: Ay Mujer | Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero | Shoes: Something Bleu | Veil: Alisa Brides | Earrings: Ortegon family heirloom | Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Sung by Dessy Group | Tuxes: JcPenney | Groom’s Boots: Ariat |

This wedding is beyond beautiful; an amazing example of rustic meets elegance with more than its fair share of romance.  But when you peel back the layers upon layers of pretty, at its core is a story of love and family.  A love between a darling bride and her mother, a groom and his Mrs. and a whole host of amazing friends and family.  Planned (+ styled) to perfection by Maggie Gillespie Designs and captured in amazing imagery by Jennifer Lindberg Weddings this, my friends, is the epitome of lovely.  See it all in the full gallery.

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From Maggie Gillespie… When I got the call from Gina, I knew this would be something very special indeed. Her mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer and the bride wanted to make sure she would be able to be at her wedding, yet not incur any of the inevitable stress of putting on a big wedding. Time was of the essence… with little time to plan before the best date, a couple of weeks before Christmas. Gina wanted a warm country setting with an elegant dinner, world class photography, beautiful food and flowers, for a intimate wedding with family. Since it was to be a couple of weeks before Christmas, we carried the rustic yet elegant look to August E’s, with the wedding ceremony under Luckenbach’s 300-year-old live oak tree, dressed in crystal chandeliers and flowers.

Some things are simply beautiful in themselves as was this bride and her family, the groom and his, and it was an honor to do it for them. As an amazing grace to the story, the mother of the bride was in remission shortly before the wedding. And, as if on cue, the blue skies peeked out from the cloud cover for a picture perfect Texas wedding under a sheltering sky. An amazing ensemble cast of vendors and answers to prayers were evident that day.

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Photography: Jennifer Lindberg Weddings | Ceremony Venue: Luckenbach, Texas | Reception Venue: August E’s, Fredericksburg, Texas | Event Planning + Floral Design + Lighting: Maggie Gillespie Designs | Cake: Sophie’s Bakery, Fredericksburg

There are some couples that grace the pages of SMP I feel like I know after just a peek of their wedding. Because they seem to just ooze style and their wedding is packed to the gills with personality. This is just such a wedding, and the two lovebirds gracing the gorgeous images from Jennifer Crenshaw Photography are just such a couple. It only takes a few clicks through this gallery to realize that their day was so them, and really, isn’t that what every couple hopes for? Get to clicking here.

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From Jennifer Crenshaw Photography… This beautiful hill country wedding took place in Fredericksburg, Texas overlooking Enchanted Rock. The Trios Estate is a small village with an old world European style. It created an enchanting and romantic backdrop for such a perfect day. Diane and Kenneth are one of the most loving and truly passionate couples I have ever met. They share a love of adventure and music and had a Texas favorite, Bob Schneider, play at their reception. Guests stayed the weekend in this little slice of heaven and celebrated as their friends and family were married.

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Wedding Photography: Jennifer Crenshaw Photography | Wedding Venue: Trios Estate at Enchanted Rock in Fredericksburg, Texas | Bouquet Floral Design: Bows + Arrows | Reception Floral Design: Blumenhandler Florist | Music: Angelic Strings + Bob Schneider | DJ: Tunes Across Texas

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Bows and Arrows

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We’re all about Mondays here at SMP and no, we’re not totally crazy. Well, maybe a little wedding obsessed, but how can you blame us? Serving up all the pretty five days a week never ever gets old, especially when you’ve got pretty little farm weddings like this one captured perfectly by Sherry Hammonds Photography. It’s DIY done oh-so-right and you can see it all right here in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… My husband and I met and currently live in Fredericksburg, Texas. Shortly after we started dating, he took me to visit his family farm and I knew that if we ever got married that it would HAVE to be there. Fast-forward two years, and we were engaged and looking at the daunting task of creating our dream wedding from scratch in the middle of a field! I am originally from Connecticut, so I knew I wanted something casual and rustic  to reflect my Texan side, but with the quaint New England elegance I grew up with. We decided on a backyard barbeque wedding with as many DIY projects as possible to make it rustic but also soft and romantic. After a year of planning and many many hours of working hard on all of my crafts, I crossed my fingers and hoped it would all come together!

The day of the wedding couldn’t have gone better, even if there were strong winds and looming rain clouds. I had put together a great team of vendors and had so many helping hands from friends and family — I can’t thank them enough. Especially Sherry Hammonds for perfectly capturing memories that will last a lifetime; our good friends who worked tirelessly to make some of the best BBQ I’ve had to date; Christina Lewis from Wedding Warriors who let me sit back and enjoy our day, introduced me to the amazing women at Wow Factor Floral, and who understood my vision and made it come to life (even if the wind wasn’t on our side that day!). And most importantly, thank to our parents, who volunteered their time, energy and funds to make our day possible!

The ceremony was sweet, touching and funny and very much “us.” There was so much love on the farm that day that our hearts were overflowing! The bouquets looked wonderful, the homemade arbor looked amazing, the centerpieces were beautiful beyond my wildest expectations, the food was delicious, and the drinks were plentiful! We had our dream wedding, and I couldn’t have asked for more!

Wedding Photography: Sherry Hammonds Photography / Wedding Venue: The Groom’s Family Farm in Schulenburg, Texas / Wedding Day Coordination: Wedding Warriors / Floral Design: Wow Factor Floral / Appetizers + Desserts: Whole Foods / Wedding Cake: Kountry Bakery / DJ: Essential Elements / Linens: Whim Event Rentals (Formerly DS Events) / Rentals: Marquee Rents / Guest Tree: Spotted Nest / Ink: TJLovePrints / Wedding Dress: Watters “Austin” via Serendipity Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Nina “Elke LS” / Hair + Makeup: Margo Mead (mmcbride4@austin.rr.com) / Groom’s Suit: Men’s Wearhouse

We simply can’t get enough of weddings that include sweet little pups. It doesn’t hurt that every bit of this little number is perfectly rustic and unabashedly chic, from the cowboy boots from Tony Lama to the exquisite images from the lovely Mustard Seed Photography.  The sunlight shining through the trees at the picturesque Hoffman Haus made for the perfect setting for this soft and beautiful wedding from the talents at Elegant Events. Take a gander at even more amazing images in the gallery, right here.

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From the Bride… Austin and I both wanted a rustic country wedding where our guest would be able to just let loose and enjoy themselves. Pinterest was a huge help — I don’t know what brides did before it! ;) For the decor, my mom and I made the mason jars — I hand-painted the blue hearts, my mom outlined the heart with yellow dots and then we both worked together to tie the bows on them. One of my bridesmaids, Erin, helped me do the table runners, rock display and unity candle. I also created the ceremony programs, the card sign for the suitcase, the love sign for Charlie and the signs on the back of our chairs. Maureen and Michelle with Elegant Events did an outstanding job setting everything up for us!

Wedding Photography: Mustard Seed Photography / Wedding Venue: Hoffman Haus in Fredericksburg, Texas / Floral Design: Couture Floral Dezigns / Wedding Coordination: Elegant Events by Maureen / Officiant: Calvin Reynolds (The Father of Groom) / Wedding Cinematography: Dennis Mitchell (830-456-4717) / Catering: Heavenly Gourmet / Wedding Cake: Sophie’s Choice Bakery / Guitar: Kevin McCormick / DJ: PM Productions / Mason Jar Decor, Table Runners, Rock Display, Unity Candle, Programs + Signs: DIY / Chairs: Chic Accents / Sunset Photos Location: Rockhouse Hideaway / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Boots: Tony Lama / Hair + Makeup: Melissa Moss / Men’s Suits: Andrew Fezza

Does it get more romantic than marrying your special someone in the exact same spot where you got engaged? In the case of this bride and groom, yes it does! Due to the groom’s military duties, the couple eloped and shared the most beautiful and intimate ceremony at Trois Estate at Enchanted Rock. The bride glowed with flowers in her hair and a loving twinkle in her eye that makes me positively giddy. Check out the full gallery of photos, courtesy of Mercedes Morgan Photography!

And don’t miss this sweet video from Filming Austin:

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From Mercedes Morgan Photography… Evan and Sarah were supposed to have a June wedding, but unfortunately his military orders were moved up, so they decided to elope in May instead. Trois Estate’s roof-top deck overlooking Enchanted Rock is exactly where Evan proposed to Sarah, so it was chosen as the venue. Officiant Scott Payne wrote and performed a song just for their beautiful ceremony.

Wedding Photography: Mercedes Morgan Photography / Wedding Venue: Trois Estate at Enchanted Rock in Fredericksburg, Texas / Floral Design: Blumenhandler Florist / Wedding Cinematography: Filming Austin / Officiant + Music: Scott Payne of The Knot Tyer / Bride’s Shoes: Kelly & Katie / Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca via Girls in White Dresses / Hair + Makeup: Jay & Co. Hair Studio in Fredericksburg, Texas

We’re no strangers to gorgeous Hill Country weddings around these parts. In fact, we can’t get enough of them! They’re charming and oh-so-pretty without a fussy detail in sight. That’s why we’re going gaga over this next wedding, sent into us by Claire McCormack Photography. It’s everything you’ve come to expect from a country wedding and then some! We’re loving the bright pops of color and how each bridesmaid got to rock the dress of her choice. Click here for even more!

From Leslie Washburne, the Mother of the Bride… What happens when our daughter and her intended live in Cairo, Egypt, the groom’s family lives in Canada, and my husband and I have never formally met the bridegroom or his family? Add to the mix guests coming in from all over the world and a large extended family. You plan a wedding week! Our daughter Sarah was adamant that her wedding needed to be immediate family only (meaning parents and siblings) and very close friends. She wanted everyone to get to know each other in a  relaxed, unhurried setting without all the hubbub generated by that large extended family I just mentioned. But what to do about aunts, uncles, cousins and other friends who want to celebrate with the newly-married couple and join in all the fun. Our solution evolved through many long-distance phone calls and emails. We decided to have a small, intimate garden wedding midweek, just twenty in all, in Fredericksburg Texas, which is where we live. The venue was easy, since I own a small inn, Hoffman Haus. It was a beautiful day, amazingly mild considering it was mid-July in Texas, with blue skies and singing birds. Maggie Gillespie created an incredible bower by the pond in our garden where Sarah and Adam were married, then we moved back inside to the Great Hall, where we enjoyed a delicious four course lunch and toasted the happy couple.

Our next party, for all those who weren’t at the wedding, was a beautiful garden party, held in my mother’s backyard in Dallas the following Saturday. What fun it was planning that! Sarah gave me complete artistic license to do as I pleased, and I was incredibly fortunate to hire Kate and Katey with Stems of Dallas who turned my mother’s home and garden into a riot of flowers. It was stunning! Tim Thobe (of City Café) and I had the best time coming up with a buffet menu that was as old-fashioned as they come. Many of the recipes borrowed from a grandmother or aunt, and they were all southern classics that had guests coming back for second and third helpings. The music was light and jazzy, and the evening was kept cool by huge fans and a small breeze. It was a sweet evening, where all our family and friends could get to know Adam and his charming family. Planning a wedding long-distance and planning two events in two different cities might sound daunting, but with my fabulous assistant (and dear friend) Courtney, it all came together seamlessly. Having Luis of Carmona Weddings help us “day of” was a godsend too, he was amazing. Being the MOB for two parties instead of one was a special treat, and I will always treasure those memories!

Fredericksburg Wedding:
Wedding Photography: Claire McCormack Photography / Wedding Venue: Hoffman Haus in Fredericksburg, Texas / Floral Design: Maggie Gillespie Designs / Catering: My Own Chef / Wedding Invitations: Fredericksburg Paper Goods / Rentals: Class A Rentals / Wedding Dress: J.Crew

Dallas Garden Party:
Photography: Claire McCormack Photography / Venue: Highland Park, The Home of the Bride’ Grandmother in Dallas, Texas / Floral Design: Stems of Dallas / Day-of Coordination: Carmona Weddings / Catering: City Café / Wedding Cake: Dallas Affaires Cake Company / Music: Stoney / Rentals: Ducky-Bob’s