Texas Weddings

When tragedy hits a family, sometimes the core can be shaken. But after the shockwaves settle, that core has the opportunity to get stronger, ten-fold. And that’s exactly what happened since Amy DeYoung and her husband said “I do” 11 years prior, prompting them to host the ultimate vow renewal celebration. Anne Marie Photography captured the day in gorgeous fashion, and all waiting right over here.

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From the Bride… When it came time to decide what we wanted the overall feel of the day to be and to choose our vendors, it was really fun. As a photographer in the wedding industry, I feel privileged to see all kinds of talent at the events that I cover and work with truly wonderful people. I had a vision for how I wanted this day to come together, but I only sought out the best in their field to make it happen. That is where it all came alive and we could not have been more thrilled with how it turned out! It will go down as one of the best days of my life!

Our story: We were young when we married in 2002. Both of us knew within the first week of meeting that we had found “the one”. While we eagerly stepped forward into our lives together, the true weight of marriage evaded us. We were excited about what was to come. Eleven years together brought multiple moves across the country, 2 baby boys, starting a business, job changes, travels and a goldmine of laughter.

It wasn’t until 2012 and the loss of Paul’s sister that we realized exactly how fragile and fleeting life truly is. Ellen was a bright light that shined in our lives and her loss effected each of us deeply. The loss rippled over into other areas of our lives and eventually threatened our marriage. We were suddenly in a place where we had to fight within our marriage to survive and keep our family as one. Through all of this, God showed us what true agape love, grace and forgiveness can and will do. Our marriage is stronger than it has ever been and it is because we chose to sail through the storm with one another.

When you have walked through fire together and can honestly say that you would do it all over again to get to where you now are… you know you’re with the right person. This is why we chose to have a ceremony to recommit our lives to one another; celebrate a fresh start; a new beginning. We’ve been through the fire and we’ve seen the beauty that comes after the ashes settle. It’s so much better than before and without a doubt worth celebrating!

Photography: Anne Marie Photography | Videography: Pretty Sweet Weddings | Flowers: The Tuscan Rose | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Cake/cupcakes: Sweet Traditions | Furniture: Revive Vintage Rentals | Gold Chairs: DPC Media | Makeup By Alyssa Garcia: Alyssa Garcia | The Vineyards Restaurant: Oak Valley Vineyard | Video: Pretty Sweet Weddings | Vintage Dishes: Parties By Design, Charlene

This couple is adorable in ways I didn’t know were possible.  They’re fabulously stylish (seriously… look at them), literally glow in front of the camera and the true love they are feeling for one another?  It’s palpable.  This, my loves, is engagement session perfection happening right here, right now on SMP.  See it all captured by May Carlson in the full gallery.

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From May Carlson Fine Art Photography… I met Ilianna and Andy last year when I was photographing their friend’s wedding. We all realized we shared the same passion for art and film photography, so naturally I was thrilled when they announced their engagement and asked me to be a part of the journey!

We knew their engagement session would be a perfect way to show off their love, excitement, and individual style! Ilianna loved all the natural bohemian styled photos we went through for inspiration. We wanted to give their engagement shoot a little more warmth and rich color. One of Ilianna’s favorite colors is orange, so I knew the orange ranunculus would be a perfect fit amongst some large white dahlias and wax flowers. The orange hues worked as a beautiful compliment to Ilianna’s soft gray and purple gown. Their engagement session was photographed 100% on film and was shot at the beautiful Phil Hardberger Park in San Antonio on a recent fall afternoon.

They met in high school and reconnected in college at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. They carried on a three-and-a-half year long courtship before Andy asked Ilianna to be his wife on September 29th, 2013.

I am so honored that they asked me to capture all the priceless moments as they unite in marriage on March 8th, 2014 outside of their hometown in Comfort, Texas. They plan on moving to Kansas shortly after their wedding where Andy plans to attend grad school.

Photography: May Carlson Fine Art Photography | Floral Design: May Carlson Fine Art Photography | Hair and Make-up: Twyst

Even though I’ve seen about a million and one fabulous Texas weddings (it’s an estimate), I still can’t seem to get over just how crazy awesome they are.  It’s like you lovelies out there in Texas know something the rest of us don’t… a secret “amazing wedding” potion, if you will.  And when it comes to being floored by some serious Lone Star State pretty, this San Antonio beauty is most definitely hitting the nail on the head.  It’s the stellar stylings of Style.Inspired meets amazing party products from Oh Goodie Designs meets one glorious image after another captured by Al Gawlik.  See them all right here.

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From Oh Goodie Designs… This wedding was envisoined for a native Texas couple with love for the outdoors yet sophisticated taste. The marriage of rustic and natural elements as well as chic, preppy taste came together beautifully just as the Bride and Groom. It took place at The Texas Heritage Museum along the banks of the San Antonio River and historic Brackenridge Park.

The guests were welcomed with Lemonade bar service in quilted Mason jars and striped straws as they signed in at the table using a state of Texas puzzle, in pieces, as they were a special piece of the couple’s lives. They then took a seat at the ceremony site on limestone benches on a grassy knoll that overlooked the San Antonio River. They were able to grab a quilt if the air was too chilly and watched as the precious flower girls, beautiful Bridesmaids and Groomsmen took their place. The Bride was preceeded with a pennent banner handmade to read “Here Comes the Bride.”  After the service the pennant banner was turned around to read “Just Married” and the happy couple made their way to the reception area.

The reception area was softly lit to reflect the natural scenery there as well as the glass building in view. Round tables welcomed the guests and as they took their seats in dark cherry wood Chiavari chairs. Servers passed h’ors d’ourves as well as an open bar that was available. Style elements used on the tables were deer antlers intermixed with orange roses, blue hydrangea, dusty miller and baby’s breath in Mason jars which sat upon cuts of wood and navy and white gingham table runners. The Mason jars were wrapped in burlap and lace and added that special touch of down South as did the custom printed kaft silverware bags that greeted each guest at their seat. Included was a navy striped straw with guest’s name as well as knife, fork and spoon. The bag read “R+M dinner is served.”

After dinner the couple cut thier sweet fig (a family favorite) infused vanilla bean cake with thick Buttercream frosting. The Groom’s cake was Dark chocolate with blood oranges. All desserts had a special meaning as family recipes were pulled to make the  carrot cake mini bundt cakes, sand tarts and spice cake mini cupcakes. Wooden plates and forks stamped “i do” in navy were used to serve the guests. Antique lampshades were draped with lace and burlap and lit to enhance the lighting in the large oak trees that surrounded the cake and dessert table.

The Bride and Groom danced the night away under the stars on a cobblestone and brick dance floor that wrapped around a large oak tree draped with lights. Guests enjoyed games such as dominos, checkers, a custom designed corn hole bean bag toss and bottle ring toss. No one seemed to mind the Texas style cold front that made it’s way in unexpectedly during the night. The Bride wore a mink stole when needed and patchwork quilts were made available for guests to cuddle by the heaters. Guests sent the happy couple away by waving custom made burlap flags with the couple’s initials, R+M, which was the theme throughout the event. They drove away in a family owned antique Ford Model T.

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Photography: Al Gawlik Photography | Event Design + Styling: Style.Inspired | Floral Design: Eden’s Echo | Venue: Texas Heritage Museum at The Witte Musuem | Lighting: Event Ignition | Cakes: 2tarts | Sweet Desserts from Family Recipes: Debbie’s Cookies, Aunt of the Bride | Custom Printed Party Products: Oh Goodie Designs | Graphic Design + Invitation Suite: Harper Gray Designs | Pie Pop favors: Tiny Pies | Chalkboard Art, Bride Groom Chair Signs, Just Married Sign + Here Comes the Bride + Just Married Pennent: Mika Beverly of PartyCreative | Lemonade Bar: The Lemonade Co. | Catering: Rosemary’s Catering | Rentals: Illusions | Wedding dress: Julian Gold Bridal Suite | Bridesmaids Attire: Bella Bridesmaid | Custom Design Boots for the Bride: Lucchese Boots

You’d be hard pressed to take a look at these two and not just smile. A big ol’ smile that seems to take over your face. Because these two? They are simply adorable, and their wedding captured by Meegan Weaver Photography is equally so. With traditional touches but with a whimsical flair planned by Country Sugar Events, it’s a day that is all them, and what is better than that? Add some fabulous florals from Fresh Urban Flowers, and ladies and gents, this one is a winner. See it all here.

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From the Bride… San Antonio, Texas was not our first decision when deciding on a location to have our dream wedding. Matt was there finishing up his first year of medical school, and I was living in College Station. We always thought we would get married closer to home in Dallas. However, after traveling back and forth to see him, we began exploring our soon-to-be first home and started to fall in love with the style and history of the city.

Soon enough, it was decided: San Antonio would be the place that held a special place in our hearts forever. It would be the city where we planned our wedding. An adventure where we tasted cakes, found my wedding dress, picked our party favors and finally saying our “I do’s.” We decided on a February wedding simply because Matt loves the colder weather and I knew that in South Texas, anything after that date was up for the heat!

I’ve always envisioned all parts of my wedding to be more whimsical and playful. We wanted to have fun with every part of the wedding including the photos and the reception. Our main goal was for our guests to have a genuinely good time. We also wanted to choose a location that would allow our guests to be surrounded by the city that we fell in love with; so, where else would we look other than downtown San Antonio on the Riverwalk?

After searching for our downtown destinations, we found two spots that would inspire our entire wedding and reception. The San Fernando Cathedral and Boudros’ event space both had a beautiful vintage feel with a mission style and Spanish flare. Once finding these, our inspiration became clear. We started pulling things that were very Anthropologie-esque with Spanish touches. I began to fall in love with succulents and touches of pinks and oranges.

Details after that became easy. Anything simple, whimsical and fun became a must for our wedding. We chose sunglasses and desserts to be our favors and our only requirement was for everyone to enjoy a prickly pear margarita and to dance the night away! I am so glad we chose February; the day was absolutely beautiful and was definitely the best day of our lives!

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Wedding Photography: Meegan Weaver Photography | Wedding Planning: Country Sugar Events | Ceremony Venue: San Fernando Cathedral  | Reception Venue: Boudros | Wedding Cinematography: Alamo HD | Floral Design: Fresh Urban Flowers  | Catering: Boudros | Wedding Cake: Sandee’s Sweets | Dinner Music: Lucas Jack | DJ: Spacecraft Entertainment | Wedding Dress: Martina Liana | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bride’s Jewelry: Kendra Scott | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale | Hair + Makeup: Madame Hair and Makeup

On a day in which we celebrate the birth of our great country, it seems only fitting that we also share the love story of these two San Antonio sweeties; a love story that started with a letter from a soldier in Afghanistan to the President of the United States.  It’s the kind of straight-from-a-movie fairytale that will make you weak in the knees and it all culminated with one breathtakingly romantic wedding that will kick off your 4th of July celebrations in the loveliest of ways.  Promise me you’ll read the entire heartwarming story below (it’s awesome) and then jump in the gallery for all of the pretty captured by Kurtis Kronk Photography.  It’s a holiday must-see.

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From the bride… I love our story. It’s truly like a fairytale to me. I haven’t found a great way to explain it quickly other than Bart was deployed to Afghanistan and decided to write President Bush a letter. I was on the receiving end of that letter, and we continued to correspond for several months, ultimately leading to us meeting a month after he returned home.

Once we started dating, it did not take us long to decide we wanted to get married. One year after Bart returned home from Afghanistan, we were engaged. I knew I wanted to get married in Texas and sort of had this vision of warm, rustic elegance with a touch of vintage romance. I wanted the room to be inviting, exude love, and allow for lots of celebration and dancing. We landed on San Antonio because we both love the Riverwalk, and Bart had lived there for awhile during his time with the Air Force. I like that because I wanted Bart to have a connection to the place as well, and being from Indiana, that was his main Texas tie until he met me. We also wanted a place where all of our guests enjoy their trip and have plenty to do at their own pleasure. Where better than the Riverwalk?

It was important to me that our story be connected to some of the wedding details. From the correspondence at the very beginning to the long distance relationship throughout our courtship, it seemed appropriate to host the reception at the Historic Sunset Station and to use vintage post cards for seating. We chose the old-fashioned Rolls Royce to pull in that vintage romance vibe. I chose ivory, cream, yellow, and brown as the colors because they are happy and warm, and they bring the perfect blend of fancy and casual.

We were thrilled with our choice of vendors. In the thick of all the decision-making, I was a bit stressed. When it came to choosing photographers, I knew I wanted to make the right choice since the photos last forever and help you re-live your day (trust me brides-to-be, you will be dying to do so). I couldn’t be more pleased with my final decision, Kurtis Kronk Photography. He was very prompt in responding to all of my inquiries from the get-go. That doesn’t happen with all your vendors, and when you’re juggling so much, a quick response is a bride’s dream. Kurtis takes his job seriously, but he also takes your day and your vision equally seriously. He made an effort to capture my style and vision, and his pictures are breathtakingly vivid. He almost feels like your brother by the time your wedding arrives. I was very comfortable around him and knew I could trust him to take care of his job. It was one less thing I had to worry about, which was awesome. His assistant, MT, is the icing on the cake. She is there to help with anything that comes up, and there will be something. From helping the MOB into her dress to cleaning up spills and dress fixes, she stays calm and happy to assist. Along with all my bridesmaids and my mother, I was relieved to have her around and enjoyed her. It’s like they go beyond photography duty but don’t get in the way of anything. They realize it is an all hands on deck type of thing, but keep it all about you and your man. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the ease of payments, picture review, and contract. It’s all online, you get a payment reminder, and it’s user-friendly. It was the most convenient process I had with any vendor. And one final thing, you can be honest with Kurtis on your preferences and worries, and he will gladly work with you. Best choice!

Teresa at TPC was awesome. She is such a sweet and pleasant person. She stays on top of her duties and responds quickly. She kept me updated just the right amount and knew exactly what I was envisioning. I felt like she understood what I wanted and was determined to make it work. She was flexible in making adjustments to stay in budget and still create the florals I dreamed of. I was impressed with her recreation of photos I pinned or sent to her.

It was great to meet Natalie Hart from Country Sugar, and it was a pleasure to work with her. She has good taste and I appreciated her work with the band and the transportation vendors.

Frank at Event Ignition was a great guy who was more than willing to work with me to stay on budget and get the exact chandeliers I wanted. I was grateful for that since chandeliers were a major part of my vision that I didn’t want to sacrifice.

Alamo HD had great service, great communication, great quality and a great price. They were reliable and customer friendly and I would use them again.

We knew we wanted all of our friends and family to have an awesome time, so we really wanted a great band. The Pictures were awesome. They sang everything and were right on. I told them I wanted people on the dance floor the whole night, and they sure delivered. We had a ball.

It was the best day of our lives, and celebrating that with our loved ones was icing on the cake.

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Wedding Photography: Kurtis Kronk Photography | Ceremony Venue: Immaculate Heart of Mary | Reception Venue: Sunset Station | Floral Design: TPC Florist | Event Planning: Country Sugar | Ceremony Music: Monte Vista Strings | Reception Lighting: Event Ignition | Catering + Linens:  The RK Group | Hair + Makeup: Twirl Hair Salon | Transportation: Al Briseno Rolls Royce | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Monique Lhuillier | Wedding Dress: Rivini Bridal via Stanley Korshack in Dallas, Texas | Shoes:  Butter | Groom’s Attire:  Calvin Klein | Band: The Pictures

You know what I absolutely adore about Texas weddings?  Lone Star State brides have some serious style. It’s a style that this stunning San Antonio bride most certainly possesses, and it’s shining bright in every moment of her wedding weekend.  From the Day Before session with her handsome beau right down to the uber-gorgeous nuptials, there’s not a single second that won’t leave you completely breathless.  See it all captured by Dana Ann Photography right here.  You’re going to love it.

And a sweet film from Dana Ann for even more lovely…

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From Dana Ann… We feel as though we gained a family in San Antonio after Emma and Tinu’s wedding weekend!

Tinu proposed to Emma seven days after they met in Paris when she was on vacation. Three years later, here they are saying “I do” with all of their loved ones as witnesses.

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Photography + Cinematography: Dana Ann Photography | Ceremony Venue: Cornerstone Chapel, San Antonio, Texas | Reception Venue: Maggiano’s | Floral Design + Cake: Lidia Portan | Dress: Gigi’s Closet | Shoes: Glint, Nordstrom | Hair: Debbie Matei | Makeup: Lori Sanciuc

Prepare to be inspired, SMPers, because this San Antonio wedding is one breathtaking soiree. Captured to perfection by Mint Photography and filled with the most gorgeous purple hues, it’s swoon-worthy from start to finish. Add one of the most fabulous ceremony set ups I ever did see and one oh-so-cute flower girl, and it’s safe to say this gallery is a must see. See it all right here.

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From Mint Photography… This gorgeous couple’s wedding took place at one of the newest and most breathtaking venues in San Antonio, Eilan Resort and Spa.  The newlyweds shared an intimate and unique wedding featuring a spiral ceremony which took place on a a tuscan style terrace overlooking a stunning backdrop of the gorgeous Texas Hill Country. Every detail was well thought out, with rich-hued table settings, adorned with exquisite crystal and the most sublime flower arrangements creating a truly artful backdrop. This was a night to remember as guests celebrated the lovely couple in an intimate, knock your socks off affair! 

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Wedding Photography: Mint Photography | Wedding Venue: Eilan Hotel and Spa in San Antonio, Texas | Floral Design: The Tuscan Rose | Catering: Sustenio | Wedding Dress: Beatitude | Groom’s Attire: Nordstrom | Rings: Tiffany & Co. | Makeup: Make Up by Alyssa

I’m not usually one to play favorites, but from the moment this wedding hit my inbox I knew we were in for something wildly special. It’s modern and stylish yet playful and whimsical all rolled into one. Starting with a bold black and white palette, this creative couple layered on purple and gold, stripes and sparkle, all of which added up to one uber fabulous day. But the best part yet? The vendors who made it all happen. Timeless Beginnings planned the day from inside out, and Taylor Lord was there to perfectly capture. Join me for a swoon-sesh in the gallery plus a viewing of Pop Video’s wedding day film below.

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From the bride…Taylor and I met in middle school and started dating when we were in the 8th grade. 10 years later he proposed in Central Park while we were in New York, one of our favorite cities. Even after being together for so long the proposal was still a huge surprise to me! Every part of our wedding; the planning, the showers, the parties was wonderful and Taylor and I both enjoyed every minute of it thanks to all of our family and friends.

We live in Austin, but knew we wanted to get married in San Antonio where we both grew up. Taylor has a studio art degree from the University of Texas and is beyond creative. He was with me every step of the planning process so our wedding turned out to be the perfect blend of our styles, feminine and traditional mixed in with some modern and whimsical elements. We chose a basic black and white color palette with shades of purples and gold. We wanted to be very involved in the development of our dream wedding so we ended up doing several projects ourselves. The menus, programs, and escort cards we designed and printed and the striped ribbon on the bouquets and the tablecloths that were at the reception we found and had a family friend help sew for us.  Taylor and a friend made and printed the table numbers and  “Mr. and Mrs.” plaques for the head table. We spent a lot of time researching vendors and ended up with the best team. Audrey, our wedding planner, was amazing every step of the way. She made sure our vision came to life. One of the toughest decisions was finding a photographer. Because Taylor graduated with a specialty in photography, this was one area he was very picky about! Taylor Lord was the first photographer we both agreed on and not only are her photographs gorgeous, but she is the sweetest person and we had so much fun having her be a part of our day!

On the day of the wedding I was more at peace than I had ever been. I was so excited before our first look that when I finally saw him so many emotions swept over me. I will never forget that moment we were able to share together; there are no words to describe it. Our ceremony was incredible. We knew from the beginning we wanted to write our own vows. While I was nervous about trying to fit 10 years of emotions and feelings into words, it turned out to be one of the best parts of our wedding. It was so intimate and perfectly summed up our love for each other. We wanted our wedding to be personal to represent us. Taylor’s sister read a poem that Taylor had shared with me one Valentine’s Day. We also had a candlelit ceremony. We did the traditional unity candle and then my sister and his brother lit candles that were then passed on to our wedding parties and eventually spread throughout the church. When every guest held a lit candle, Taylor’s dad said a prayer to bless our marriage.

The reception was where our personalities really came out! As guest arrived they had signature margaritas. The head table was covered in a striped fabric and had a purple ombre centerpiece that ran down the of the entire length of the table. We mixed long rectangular tables with round tables and kept the all white centerpieces low and lighting intimate with candles.  We had a cake and macaroon table that were covered with a gold sequence linen, focal points in the room. We also had a photo booth for our guest, which was a huge hit! For the father daughter dance my dad surprised me by playing a slideshow of me growing up, that he and my mom created. At the end of the night Taylor and I exited down a spiral staircase as our guests threw gold fluterfetti over us. Our wedding was perfect and we were so blessed to be surrounded by all those we love.

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Wedding Photography: Taylor Lord Photography | Wedding Planning: Audrey Eichelberger of Timeless Beginnings| Floral Design: DeVinnie’s Paradise | Ceremony Location: Grace Lutheran Church | Reception Location: Westin Riverwalk Hotel | Wedding Cinematography: Pop Video | Officiant: Reverend Mark Roye | Ceremony Music: Allegretto Music | Reception Band: The Pictures | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Wedding Dress: Rivini | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Groom’s Tux: Vera Wang | Bride’s Earrings: Kenneth Jay Lane | Groom’s Shoes: Gucci | Groom’s Pin: BHLDN | Makeup: Maris Marone Calderon | Cake: Terrace Cakes | Macaroons: Walton’s Fancy and Staple

The vivid colors alone are enough to suck you right in to this wedding. They’re also enough to send you into all out spring fever. From the rich red hues of the florals by Central Market to the understated elegance of the details crafted by Mayhar Design and right on through to the images so beautifully shot by Christine Sargologos, this is one of those weddings where the gallery is a complete and total must.

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From Mayhar Design…Stacey came to us a few months before her wedding – she had just gotten engaged over the summer and was getting married in a few months. She wanted the wedding to be beautiful and elegant, but simple. The venue and date were secured, and she needed help with the details. “I have the venue, the photographer, the dress the caterer. I still need everything else, though!”

We absolutely love to plan the details. It’s in the details that a venue’s natural beauty can come to life. After visiting the Weston Centre’s patio and gardens, we knew a simple elegance would be striking amidst the lush green landscaping and the charming Spanish influence of the San Antonio Riverwalk.

Bright red and pink hues were selected to with compliment the dusty blue Maid of Honor’s dress. Gold would be a central theme to accent the gold chiavari chairs at the reception and ceremony. Keeping with the natural beauty of the outdoor space, we selected azaleas and potted them in terra cotta pots painted gold. For the ceremony space, oversized bougainvillea in baskets flanked the altar space.

The dessert bar featured one of San Antonio’s favorite bakeries – Kate’s Frosting. Not only were the cupcakes beautiful, they were equally delectable with a variety of flavors including Carrot Cake and Red Velvet.

The San Antonio river snakes through downtown San Antonio, giving tourists and enjoyable trip along colorful river barges. Stacey made her grand entrance on one of these barges – both wedding guests and tourists were snapping photos. The exit was equally unique with the newlyweds exiting via pedicab to their hotel a few blocks away.

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Photography: Christine Sargologos | Planning, Styling and Coordination: Mayhar Design | Venue: Weston Centre | Flowers: Central Market | Caterer: True Flavors | Cupcakes: Kate’s Frosting | Wedding Dress: Kitty Chen | Maid of Honor Dress: JCrew | Hotel: Hotel Valencia | Ring Pillow: Mayhar Design

The genius who came up with upside down umbrellas suspended over a reception needs an award or at least a big, fat cookie. The result is always pure magic. And those little parasols add just the right touch of whimsy to an already glamorous affair. Now enter Southwest School of Art transformed into a secret garden and strung with a sea of the aforementioned and shazam, you have yourselves a mighty good looking party. The only thing that could possibly add to the day? The yummy images of Perez Photography. I think they deserve a big, fat cookie too. See so much more right here in the full gallery.

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From the Bride… From the moment I saw Tony, I knew this was the man I was going to marry. We have been head over heels for each other since our first date of seeing Cinderella at the ballet in Palm Beach in March of 2009. For our wedding, we wanted an intimate gathering of our closest friends and family. We dreamt of an ethereal, outdoor wedding in the springtime. I envisioned us having a Secret Garden full of hundreds of flowers, garden roses and succulents to be exact, and parasols hanging from the trees. Our team of experts took this idea and turned it into a reality I will never forget. I bubble up with joy just thinking about how spectacularly we transformed the Southwest School of Art into being our very own Secret Garden space. The whole night was magical, full of our own special details that made it truly our own.

I will never forget the laughter from our guests as our minister told a joke or the love we felt the entire night from our family and friends. Most importantly, I will never forget the look on Tony’s face when I came out from under our arch to walk down the aisle and meet him at the altar. The dinner space, where we dined on grits and quail and the most delicious macarons we have ever tasted, took our breath away. Our florists made us a wall covered in moss that opened its doors into our dining area where we were met with parasols, lit and hanging from the trees, and the most beautiful flower arrangements I have ever seen. I remember how cozy and light the atmosphere was. From there, we were surprised with a slideshow that the best man and our families made for us. We laughed over baby pictures and got teary seeing us grow as a couple over the past three years. Oh, and we danced! We danced until we thought our feet would fall off. 

We commissioned an artist to create our crest and artistry for our save the dates and invitations. The artistry and the crest personalized our wedding: from our cocktail napkins, to the coasters, to the dinner menu and to our playing cards we gave to our guests. Tony and I designed the guys’ wedding shoes that Stubbs & Wootton made for us. We wanted these personal touches to make our day extra special. The whole weekend came off without a flaw and we felt so blessed to be surrounded by our loved ones and the best team of vendors we could have ever asked for on the most beautiful day of our lives!

Wedding Photography: Perez Photography / Event Planning & Design: The French Connection / Floral Design: Mandarin Flower Co. / Wedding Venue: Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas / Wedding Catering: Don Strange / Wedding Stationery: Happy Menocal / Wedding Dress + Shoes: Oscar de la Renta / Bride’s Jewelry: House of Lavande / Bride’s Watch: From Bride’s Grandmother / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale / Bridesmaids’ Earrings: Kendra Scott / Groomsmen’s Shoes: Stubbs & Wootton / Bride’s Rings: Diamond in the Rough / Groom’s Ring: Tiffany & Co.

What would you do if you were told that you had just won the wedding of your dreams crafted by a hand selected group of vendors in the San Antonio and Austin area? I think I would jump for joy and then shout out quite a few hip hip hoorays for all the world to hear. And when the product of such jubilation is this dear wedding from Anne Marie Photography? Well, it just leaves me speechless. Find the full wedding at The Studio at Fischer and all of the dynamite vendors in the gallery right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Anne Marie Photography… It all started with a wild idea: let’s give away a wedding, crafted by a hand selected group of vendors from the Austin/San Antonio area! Our little contest became huge, attracting over 10,000 fans on Facebook. We called it Entwined. Voted on by the public, Annie and Tyler from Houston, Texas, won the wedding they never thought they would have. The couple was able to choose from two fully styled weddings that were both documented in the inspiration shoot. Boho or glam? Annie and Tyler chose glam!

What was the inspiration? The glam color palette consisted of black, nude, ivory, cream, white and just a hint of blush pink. Black lace and custom silhouettes of the bride and groom graced the small details of the day. Not only was style an important factor for the vendors planning the wedding, but guest experience was just as well. Annie and Tyler’s guests were all coming from cities hours away, and they wanted them to feel welcome and thoroughly enjoy themselves. Guest activities like a custom photo booth, an interactive piano man for entertainment and desserts to please any sweet tooth out there made the night such an enjoyable one for their guests.

The ceremony was held outdoors in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Greeted by a serenade of strings and entertained by the sounds of a Scottish bagpiper, the guests watched Annie and Tyler begin the first day of the rest of their lives. Post-ceremony, while the wedding party took photos in the Texas wildflowers, guests were treated to the sounds of a contemporary string trio and a lemonade bar, all while enjoying the amazing Texas Hill Country views poolside. After dinner, guests enjoyed the piano man and danced for hours. This was definitely a group that wanted to dance all night long. The sweetest moment of the reception? Annie shared a dance with all of her brothers. Her father passed away when she was little, and it was an amazing way to not only remember him but pay tribute and recognize those important men in her life. The most amazing part of the reception? Annie’s sister joined the piano man to belt out a couple songs for her! Everyone’s jaws dropped (if they weren’t too busy on the dance floor!). The night came to a close with an adorable exit into a vintage Auburn and Annie tossing her bouquet into the crowd as she got into the car. Annie and Tyler enjoyed the wedding they never could have dreamed of.

Wedding Photography: Anne Marie Photography / Wedding Venue: The Studio at Fischer in Canyon Lake, Texas / Design + Planning: Country Sugar Events / Floral Design: Statue of Design / Officiant: Scott Payne of The Knot Tyer / Wedding Cinematography: Elite Cinematic Weddings / Catering: Sullivan Street Catering / Wedding Cake + Desserts: 2Tarts Bakery and Catering / Pie Favors: Tiny Pies / Lemonade: The Lemonade Co. / Bar Service: Texas Hill Country Events / Wedding Stationery: Lilly & Louise / Bagpiper: Hylton Cruickshank / Strings: James Anderson / Piano Man: Russell Boyd / Cocktail Accessories + Dessert Table Design: Oh Goodie Designs + Style.Inspired / Ceremony Chairs: Hill Country Event Rentals / Tables + Chairs: Liv by Design Events / Photo Booth: Booth 66 / Lighting: Event Ignition / Ice Sculpture: Full Spectrum Ice Sculptures / Rentals: Whim Event Rentals / Shuttle: Hill Country Excursions / Accommodations: Blanco Luxury Suites / Wedding Dress: {Beautiful} You (Now Closed) / Bride’s Jewelry: Shetler Wade Jewelers / Hair: Twirl Salon / Makeup: Lizbeth Stephens / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid / Flower Girl Basket + Ring Bearer Pillow: Jesse Ciani / Wedding Planning & Design: Country Sugar

Timeless, traditional and purely Texan – this elegant affair captured by Archetype Studio has SMP Texas written all over it. From the minute we laid eyes on the carefully curated details and stunning San Antonio setting we just knew we needed to get this wedding up in the lights ASAP, and we couldn’t be more excited that it’s finally time to share the goodness with the wedding-loving masses. See so much more here!

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From the Bride…Although we live in the Northeast, we decided to have a destination wedding in San Antonio because it’s my hometown and has a truly special and unique character. Our wedding began with a Catholic ceremony at San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio’s Main Plaza followed by a reception at Hotel Contessa on the Riverwalk. We incorporated San Antonio’s vibe into our wedding with a Mexican folk music group at our ceremony and an all-female mariachi band and Mexican wedding cookies at our reception. To add to our wedding theme, we decided to have our reception at a Spanish-themed hotel. We fell in love with Hotel Contessa’s Spanish food and charm and Riverwalk location and thought it would be the perfect place to celebrate our special day.

Rehearsal Dinner Location: Paloma Blanca Mexican Restaurant, San Antonio, TX / Ceremony Location: San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio, TX / Reception Location: Hotel Contessa, San Antonio, TX / Wedding Consultant: Katherine Lopez, Sweet August Events / Caterer: Hotel Contessa / Flowers: Fresh Urban Flowers / Makeup & Hair: Suzie Bassett / Wedding Gown Designer: Luna Novias / Shoes: Ivanka Trump / Bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride Dresses: Ann Taylor / Rings: Cartier / Bride’s Jewelry: Bailey, Banks & Biddle / Photographer: Archetype Studio / Videographer: Weiss Eubanks / Music & Entertainment: Los Inocentes (ceremony); All-female mariachi group and DJ (reception) / Officiate: Father Edvin Rodriguez /Umbrella: Bella Umbrella

In our eyes, you can never go wrong with a vintage garden inspired wedding. One stuffed to the gills with the prettiest mismatched china and loads of blooms in every shade of pink under the sun. Peony Events crafted just such an affair and it’s the kind of gem we could stare at all live long day. The images by Bonnie Berry Photography, the row of impossibly good looking cakes, the sweetest little flower girls slurping down their pink lemonade faster than you can bat an eyelash; it all makes for an inspiring Southern shindig. One that you can get cozy with right here in the full gallery.

From Peony Events… Mia and Jeff, two successful young attorneys from Washington DC (she’s originally from Texas and he’s from Kansas), chose to return to San Antonio for their intimate nuptials. Their compatibility and love for each other were obvious from our first communication with them, and it  was a great pleasure to help them create this very special wedding.

For the decor, Mia’s inspiration was “Vintage Southern Garden.” We wanted everything to feel romantic, feminine and lush. Our goal was to create the look of an effortless, yet opulent and personal soiree. We began by selecting the venue: The Koehler House. The house is a beautiful stone mansion near downtown San Antonio, resplendent with gorgeous original details, including huge chandeliers, intricately-carved mantels and staircases, and conveniently, paint hues in the wedding colors! The rolling lawn of the grounds provided the perfect setting for the outdoor ceremony. We swagged several yards of linen from the branches of a huge oak tree to make the wedding arch and adorned the aisle with flower-filled mason jars hanging from shepherds’ hooks. The bride’s dress was made by Melissa Sweet, and the groom wore a custom navy suit. The bridesmaids wore ethereal Amsale gowns in blush chiffon, and the groomsmen sported crisp, white shirts, gray slacks, suspenders and matching Converse sneakers. We designed a unique bouquet for each bridesmaid and wrapped it with lace. The men wore boutonnieres of peach spray roses, wrapped in burlap ribbon.

During the cocktail hour, guests strolled the lovely veranda as the South Texas Jazz Ensemble provided music, while enjoying Southern-inspired hors d’oeuvres such as shrimp and grits shooters by Spice of Life Catering. To create the romantic, vintage ambiance for the reception inside, we covered farm tables with white linen hemstitch runners and custom white linen tablecloths, then set places with breathtaking vintage china and silver from Sisters Vintage Party in Fredericksburg. We used their beautiful milk glass, crystal, and silver vases as inspiration for the centerpieces and created unique floral arrangements of varying sizes and shapes using peonies, garden roses, spray roses and ranunculus in shades of cream, blush, peach and coral. Hundreds of candles lit the tables, mantels and windowsills. As Mia and Jeff are foodies, they wanted something beyond your average catering fare. They served gourmet comfort foods such as fried green tomatoes, and mac n’ cheese with green chiles and lobster. Mia surprised Jeff with his favorite brisket from Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas. For dessert, the couple chose cookies, brownies and miniature cherry pies, as well as three gorgeous wedding cakes by Cathy Young in shades of blush and white. Sweet details like refreshing pink lemonade served from a vintage silver platter and personalized accents in Tiffany blue, including chalkboard signs, handmade table numbers and even the cake table, made this wedding feel extra-special. A sparkler send-off and vintage Bentley departure ended this gorgeous evening on a high note.

Photography: Bonnie Berry Photography / Wedding Venue: The Koehler House in San Antonio, Texas / Event Planning + Floral Design: Peony Events / Vintage Rentals: Sisters Vintage Party / Catering: Spice of Life / Brisket: Kreuz Market / Wedding Cakes: Cakes by Cathy Young / Music: South Texas Jazz / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet “Mila” / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale

It’s a good thing I’ve already had my wedding, because if I hadn’t, I might have stolen each and every detail from this one courtesy of The Life You Love Photography. I’m not lying. Every inch of this beauty at The Guenther House is filled with personal touches and perfectly graceful elements thanks to the planning by Country Sugar and the couple’s amazing DIY projects that simply make my heart sing. These two lovelies are so head-over-heels for each other, their happiness and true joy just jump right off of the screen. Take a looksy through our gallery and you’ll see what I mean.

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From The Life You Love Photography… I believe that every single wedding artist involved with this wedding would echo my words over and over — Lucia and James were such a breath of fresh air. Both sweet, soft-spoken, brimming with sincerity and possessing hearts as deep as the Atlantic. Aesthetic and details were a high priority for both, but not for the “show” or “production.” Each detail was chosen for one of two reasons: because it represented them as a couple or to enhance their guests’ experience. Their venue search took them throughout San Antonio, all over the Texas Hill County, up and around Austin and everywhere in between. They eventually chose The Guenther House and never looked back. Filled with San Antonio charm and a Victorian vibe, these two indie-lovers found their true match. Against the backdrop of this quaint venue, their deliberate decor, food and ambiance choices stood visible and strong. The majority of everything you see is DIY … with love.

Photography: The Life You Love Photography / Wedding Venue: The Guenther House in San Antonio, Texas / Event Design + Planning: Country Sugar / Floral Design: Eden’s Echo / Wedding Invitations: DIY by the Bride & Groom / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman / Getting Ready Location: Hotel Havana

My goodness. Eclectic Images Photography, we big time heart you. We just can’t get over the way you captured this San Antonio affair – perfectly. The images all feel like a big, romantic party and we can’t help but feel like we were there, having a grand old time. Dancing with the Mariachi Band, toasting with the beautiful couple. Care to join the party?

July 4, 2011 we decided to take a relaxing sun soaked week in Puerto Rico.  From the moment we landed it rained, let’s just say we didn’t have a ton of beach time but we definitely became very familiar with Old San Juan, the historic fortresses and the mojitos. On the last day we were visiting yet another fortress, Castillo San Cristóbal, and we walked up to the top grassy area to look over onto the cliffs and watch all the iguanas run around.  There was no one around and Brett oh so cleverly got down on one knee….after that for the sun came out!  For our last day and a half the weather was gorgeous. Clearly, I knew that my ring was magical! 

Because we were already embarked on a 10 year journey, we wanted our day to be “just a party” – a simple celebration of us and the continuation of our adventure together. With that said, we wanted flowers to be colorful and be the colors of spring. We wanted all the formalities to be swept aside and to have a simple ceremony and a reception that was good food, good people and good conversation. So we omitted much of the traditional and really only observed the cutting of the cakes and a short portion dedicated to toasts. Since I was from Texas and many of our guests were traveling to Lone Star State for the first time, I wanted to have a little bit of Texas. So we had some traditional cuisine of south Texas and of course the most amazing mariachi band one could find, including a dancer!

Wedding Photography: Heather Banks of Eclectic Images Photography / Wedding Coordinator: Maria Morgan / Ceremony + Reception Location: Club Giraud / Floral Design: RTC Florists / Cake Design: Cakes by Cathy Young / Groom’s Cake: Sweet Designs / Wedding Stationary: J Papers / Hair: Michael Riviera / Makeup: Rachelle Bell / Transportation: San Antonio River Barge / Band or DJ: Sonja Gary Strings, The Klocks, Las Coronelas / Wedding Gown Designer: Amy Kuschel via Gabriella New York Bridal Salon / Headpiece: Vintage comb from Treasures570 / Jewelry: Van Busch Jewelers NYC and vintage / Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dress: Thread Designs / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Groom’s Tie: Paul Smith / Groomsmen Attire: Brooks Brothers

Punches of purple, stylish maids lined up in a row, a steal-worthy ceremony backdrop and a million and one personalized details sprinkled every where you look – these high school sweethearts can walk away from their big day knowing it was the prettiest of days. Not to mention the most memorable, and Anne Marie Photography snapped up every last bit of it. From the sweet succulent bouquets to the movies after dinner, you can catch every must see detail here!

From the Bride… Sean and I are high school sweethearts who have had the distinct pleasure of growing together in our lives for the past eight years. We know each other inside and out and knew that we wanted the wedding to reflect who were are as a couple and who we are as individuals. When we started planning, we knew that we wanted the wedding to be relaxed, fun and above all else, very “us.” We tried to take the things that we enjoyed doing and put them into a fun night for everyone we love. The vision started as a comfortable, delicious dinner party with family and friends, something we enjoy immensely. We wanted our guests to be comfortable, and we wanted it to feel easy, not forced. Our guests sat outside under string lights at long, family-style’tables of 15. They enjoyed a delicious, elegant, seated dinner that worked nicely with the “family” feel of the table setting. The centerpieces were made of long wooden boxes planted with herbs, flowers and succulents and surrounded by a moss table runner and plenty of candles. The whole setting created a beautiful, easy meal to share with people you love — exactly what we dreamed.

I am a very hands-on person, and I loved creating many of the pieces at the wedding. After a very good friend took our idea and dreamed up a beautiful, unique invitation for us, I was able to take it and use elements throughout other pieces to create a feeling of unity. The menus and programs, along with the beautiful wall art above the dessert table and the pinwheel frame that hung behind us at the ceremony, all worked together to create a cohesive look. It was also important to bring my love of vintage, culturally dynamic, creative, natural elements together with Sean’s clear aesthetic of modern, clean design paired with an industrial touch. One of my favorite things about the night was definitely the beautiful pinwheel frame that hung behind us during the ceremony. I created the frame after my amazing wedding planner dreamed up the idea. It was different than anything I had ever seen and really created an interesting and wonderful backdrop for us.

During the reception, we really wanted it to be natural and fun. A typical Saturday night for us is sitting together and watching movies — new and old. We thought it would be a nice touch to bring that to our guests. So, during the reception, we played a loop of classic movie clips. We set up “booths” where people could sit and enjoy it and we had a wonderful, classic popcorn machine with salts and mix-ins. As self proclaimed foodies, we knew that all the food served at the wedding had to be delicious, unique and memorable. Our guests enjoyed a delicious seated dinner that featured steak au poivre, roasted fingerling potatoes, champagne-scented shrimp and scrumptious portabella mushrooms and roasted vegetables wrapped in puff pastry. Before dinner, the hors d’oeuvres included lobster mac and cheese, fried artichokes and bacon-wrapped chicken bites. The reception continued the culinary delights with a nitrogen ice cream bar, popcorn machine, candy/dessert bar and a coffee/hot chocolate bar. The food was all anyone talked about the next day! We were thrilled with the way the night turned out. I think we very much succeeded in letting people know our style and personalities. The vendors we chose were key to the success of everything. We could not have done it without the incredible talent of all of the people that made our day perfect.

Wedding Photography: Anne Marie Photography / Wedding Venue: Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas / Wedding Planning: Brandi Dunagan of Country Sugar Events / Bouquets: Flair Floral with The RK Group / Centerpieces: DIY by Family Members / Catering, Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream + Popcorn: Rosemary’s Catering with The RK Group / Wedding Cakes: Polkadots Cupcake Factory / Desserts: 2Tarts Bakery & Catering / Wedding Invitations: Margaret Mitchell (A Friend + Graphic Designer) / Menus + Programs: Designed by the Bride / Linens: Cover That Up! / Rentals: Illusions Rentals and Design with The RK Group / String Quartet: Monte Vista Strings / DJ: Cutting Edge Entertainment / Photo Booth: Bluefire Photography / Wedding Dress: The Bride’s Grandmother’s

Grab a scoop and some ice cream and get ready to dig into to the sweetness of this wedding by Loft Photographie LLC. This home spun day is filled with interactive elements like providing attendees with “guest libs” and witty guest book ideas.  Promise me, you’ll want to head over to the full gallery on this one and be sure to note the adorable DIY ice cream cups!.

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From the bride… When Michael and I started looking at venues, we knew we wanted our wedding to be a blend of modern and whimsical. Given we were on a tight budget, we did all the decorations, invitations, escort cards, programs…etc ourselves, giving us a great opportunity to show our personality! We wanted our guests to have fun, but also to walk out of our wedding feeling appreciated and like they knew us even better than before.

On each table, we left a thank you card written by us, and on the back was either a fun I Spy game or a Mad lib game (we called them “guest libs”). Our table numbers were all numbers that had significance to us (date of our first date, zip code of where we met…etc) and each table card explained that number! Michael and I decided to combine our two last names, and our table had scrabble tiles spelling out our new last name! As a wedding gift, Michael made a canvas with our vows printed in the middle and surrounded by words that held a special meaning to us.

Michael made his boutonniere out of legos, his favorite childhood toy, and mounted a Mario Kart figurine on them, since Michael competes in a Mario Kart league with most of his groomsmen.

Probably my two favorite details about the reception were our ice cream cups and “guest games.” We had gelato instead of cake because Michael and I love going and getting Paciugo (a gelato store) for our dates. Paciguo normally doesn’t cater, but since we begged (and they have been such a big part of our love story) we were able to serve Paciugo gelato (10 different flavors!). We made the ice cream cups ourselves and they said “get the SCOOP” on one side and had a fun fact about us on the other. It was so much fun to watch our guests compare facts and try to find all 16!

Instead of a traditional guestbook, Michael and I had 6 cocktail tables with a game on each one for each person to write on. I have grown up playing games, and Michael shares my love for games, whether it’s just the two of us, or with big groups of friends. We had “clues for a successful marriage” for the game of clue, “building blocks for a strong marriage” for jenga, “ways to keep electricity in your marriage” for power grid, “a trump card for overcoming conflict” for playing cards, “resources for a great marriage” for settlers of catan, and “words of wisdom” for scrabble. Our favorite part about coming home has been reading through our guests’ advice on each game!

One of the very special aspects of the whole wedding was our ceremony. Our community of friends and family are incredibly important to us and so as part of our ceremony, we asked our immediate family and close circle of friends to take a vow of support with us. Most importantly, we asked my father to become ordained to marry us. Hearing my father perform the ceremony we wrote ourselves is something that I will never forget-one of the most beautiful moments in my entire life.

Venue: The Gardens at West Green / Photographer: Loft Photographie LLC  / Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm from PreOwnedWeddingDresses / Bridesmaid/Best Woman Dresses: David’s Bridal / Rings: J Green Jewelers / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Groomsmen pants/shirts: J.Crew / Groomsmen ties: JC Penney / Flowers: HEB / Caterer: At Your Service / Ice Cream Bar: Paciguo Gelato 

Settle in my lovely Texans, because this pretty fete needs your full focus. It’s prettiness defined, Texas style, and I have a feeling you’ll be favoriting a few (if not all) the images by the lovelies at Hidden Key Designs. From the lovely maids all lined up in a row to the gorgeous ceremony to the cocktail hour lounge to the picture perfect reception, this adorable duo had one adorable wedding. It’s a detailed-filled day if we ever did see one, and you can see it all in the full gallery of images!

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From Hidden Key Designs… Sarah and Bryan were married April 14, 2012, at half past four in the afternoon at Riven Rock Ranch in Comfort, Texas. The bride’s dress was Watters made out of lace and silk chiffon, and her ver veil  was floor length and the lace matched the lace on her dress. The bride’s bouquet was a vintage-inspired floral arrangement that was tied together with lace from her mother’s wedding gown, and on it, hung pictures of her grandparents and cousin who had passed away. The groomsmen wore khaki slacks with white shirts monogrammed at the cuff. Their accessories included vintage suspenders and different handmade vintage bow ties. Bryan also wore his grandfather’s Marine Corps pin in memory of him. The ceremony took place under a gazebo adorned in beautiful blush, cream, ivory and peach flowers, and the aisle chairs were adorned with peach and ivory roses in mason jars tied with a peach ribbon. The reception took place at five o’clock in the evening at the Terrace Grill at Riven Rock Ranch. The menu included appetizers, crab cakes, tamales and a Tuscan artisan station with breads, crackers, bruschetta, venison sausage, olives, dip and fresh fruit. After dinner, the bride and groom were led into the reception hall by trumpets and had their first dance as husband and wife to “Rose of My Heart” by Thryd Time Out. The reception décor was all vintage-inspired, with textured lines and chair covers. There were two vintage seating areas close to the dance floor. The bride’s cake was a stunning ivory, seven-tiered “chandelier” cake that was gravity defying. After dancing and singing the night away, Sarah and Bryan were led out by trumpets with all their guests lined up with ribbons and flower petals and left in a limo to begin their life and husband and wife.

Wedding Photography: Barbara Butts of Hidden Key Designs / Wedding Venue: Riven Rock Ranch in Comfort, Texas / Wedding Coordination: Tricia Hamil of Viridian Design Studio / Floral Design: Viridian Design Studio / Wedding Cinematography: Jeremiah Reed Gray + Allan Peck of Jeremiah Reed Films / Wedding Cake: Jen the Cookie Chick /Band: The Walton Stout Band / Wedding Dress: Watters / Bride’s Jewelry: Anthropologie / Makeup: Jennifer Kelderman of Mary Kay Cosmetics

After poring over all the pretty in this Texas fete, you would never know the Bride isn’t much of a planner – or so she claims. But one look at this gorgeous wedding captured by Taylor Lord Photography and you would have to agree that she planned her little heart out for this party! It’s Texas perfection from the burlap-wrapped bouquets to the mason jar escort cards, and it’s all sitting pretty in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… I was never the girl who thought about her wedding, much less planned anything out more than a month in advance. Unless you’re talking about going to see Joshua in Colorado when we were still long-distance dating — that I loved and had to plan. But I do have very distinct taste, so my wedding followed. I didn’t let my wedding rule me over, I just enjoyed the process and went with it. I had no idea what the wedding process looked like, so, I called my friends who love everything about weddings. I wanted a beautiful wedding, but I wanted to stay within a reasonable budget too. So the process began…

River Rock Ranch is more than I could have hoped for in a venue. It had immediate bridal and groom cottages for us to stay in and get ready. It’s like a blend between Texas Rustic and New Mexico Rustic. Rebecca of A Grand Occasion was really the glue to everything I wanted my wedding to look like. She is so extremely creative and talented. She came up with so many concepts, such as the mason jar, wagon wheel chandelier that hung over my cake, the sign-in table supported by an antique door and wood chips for our guests to sign at the sign in table. I wanted many of the pieces that I found for my wedding to go into my home and secondly, I wanted to be a part of the planning process, mainly to form as many memories as possible. As much time as we spend planning our big days, we should enjoy them and make them personal and fun, not stressful.

Josh loves cigars, so that’s why we had a cigar roller. We also went around to a few cigar shops and eBay and ordered cigar boxes. They became part of our centerpieces here and there around the wedding. I wore some sassy turquoise velvet heels that I found on a shopping whim at Marshalls. I always hated the way a veil looked on me until one day, I tried on my mom’s and it matched my dress exactly. I had no plans to do that, it just worked. It was very special to me. My grandma, Betty Lou, passed away from cancer when I was only four years old. I wore a stunning diamond ring that she had given my mom, that my mom gave to me. It was my way of having her there on the day.

Wedding Photography: Taylor Lord Photography / Wedding Venue: River Rock Ranch in San Antonio, Texas / Floral Design + Styling: Rebecca Kaiser Pierro of A Grand Occasion / Wedding Cinematography: Tomas Chavana of Infinity Video & Photo / Wedding Invitations: The Happy Envelope / Wedding Cake + Dessert Bar: Linda Stansbury of Sweet Traditions / Cigar Roller: Cigar Rollers / Photo Booth: Photo Loco / DJ: Chris Koval of Future Sounds / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals / Bride’s Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bari Jay / Bride’s Earrings: Stella & Dot / Bridesmaids’ Towel Wraps: The Flower Fairy Shop / Bridesmaids’ Earrings: Love Pie Designs

We can’t think of a more thoughtful interpretation of Vintage glamour. From getting ready with her maids while watching Father of the Bride (total movie perfection) to all of the lovely DIY elements tucked away into the day. We’re talking homemade cookies, hot cocoa favors, lovely little owl trinkets that pay homage to the Bride’s grandmother and a million other gorgeous details all captured by The Nichols. Not only is this wedding beautiful but it has a whole lot of heart. That’s our favorite detail of all. See the full day right here.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

Stephanie + Brett’s San Antonio Wedding Short Film from The Wedding Theater on Vimeo.

From the Bride… Being a professed SMP follower for the past few years, I already had a wedding portfolio full of photos of my dream day. After Brett and I got engaged, I shared my vision with him, and we collaborated to make it our perfect day. With our “vintage glamour” vision in mind, we set out to find the perfect vendors for each aspect of our wedding day. We wanted a celebration that would not be forgotten and wonderful pictures to relive it through for years to come. My mom has always wished that she had better wedding photos, and because of this, I knew this was where I needed to begin. I found the Nichols on SMP and immediately knew that they were the right fit for us. Our next order of business was to find a band that would make our wedding an unforgettable party. We found the Ice House Band online and knew that they would pull everything together for us.

Our wedding day was an absolute dream come true. My girls and I began the day getting ready at my house while watching Father of the Bride and just enjoying each other’s company. This was such a sweet time for me to spend with my closest friends. But, I have to admit, my most favorite moment of our day was our “first look” session before the wedding took place. It was such an intimate moment to see my groom and to have some time to whisper sweet nothings to each other. I highly recommend this time for any brides who are considering when to take photos! From photos, we moved to the church for the ceremony to take place. Our close family friend presided over our ceremony, which made it so very special for us.

Our reception was a “vintage glamour” feel with DIY elements incorporated through out the design. Brett and I both love cookies, so of course we had to have our “Love is Sweet” cookie table. Family and friends provided cookies, which I thought was a perfect DIY to include everyone who offered to help on the wedding day. I made the guest favors, hot chocolate cones, and ordered the cute tags off of Etsy. My sister and I made the table numbers (I have a slight obsession with glass glitter!) and my wonderful stationery company that created our programs and place cards designed a background for me to put the table numbers on. I also incorporated little owl ornaments into many of our flower arrangements as my late grandmother collected little owl trinkets. So many guests commented on how cute the owls looked peeping through the flowers and I loved knowing that my grandmother was a part of our day. Though I knew the vision for my wedding day, I have to give so much credit to my floral designer, Steven Pizzini, and my wedding planner, Melody Agee, for making my vision come to life. They did such an incredible job and I am so thankful that Brett and I were able to have the wedding of our dreams!

Wedding Photography: The Nichols / Wedding Venue: Southwest School of Art / Floral Design: Steven Pizzini of Pizzini Designs / Wedding Coordination: Melody Agee of San Antonio Wedding & Event Consultants / Wedding Cinematography: The Wedding Theater / Catering: Absolutely Delicious Catering / Band: Ice House Band / Save-the-Dates: Half-Orange Photography / Wedding Invitations: Laura Vandergriff of By Invitation Only / Wedding Dress: Customized Monique Lhuillier via Julian Gold / Bride’s Belt: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bill Levkoff via Houston Bridal Gallery