Chandler + Ben's Private Ranch Wedding | Austin Wedding Full Service Planner

Chandler & Ben had the perfect summer wedding at Chandler’s family’s private ranch in Wimberley, The Chandler Ranch. The bride & groom to be both have demanding jobs outside of Texas and didn’t have a lot of time to dedicate to wedding planning, but they knew hosting a wedding at the ranch wouldn’t be easy and wanted a full service planner. The bride’s mother Kelly heard about us from some friends and the rest is history!

They used the ranch and family as inspiration for everything, having custom watercolors of the ranch and a monogram made by MESH by Alex, incorporating the bride’s Texas roots with cowboy boots, colorful wildflowers, and the couple’s beloved cat (who goes by different names depending on who you ask)! Everywhere you looked the couple put their personal stamp on the day, which paired with the location, made everyone feel at home.

It was a relaxing wedding day at the ranch. The guys started with some shooting and then retreated to an AirBnB just down the street to give the girls some space to get beautiful. Parents and grandparents leisurely enjoyed family time and the Texas sun.

The amazing team at LUX Beauty got the girls looking natural and fresh for the late summer wedding as they celebrated Chandler alongside her parents.

Once the guys returned, it was time for the photos to begin. The guys looked classic in black with light blue accents, while Chandler looked beautiful in her Ines Di Santo gown surrounded by her bridesmaids who were also in white. Since the colorful floral was such a big detail, white became the primary color to not take any of the impact away from the decor. Disch Events made the flowers come to life and captured the vision both Chandler & Kelly shared. Bright summer colors were a must, but we wanted the flowers to look natural and wildflower like but also elegant. Bouquets were tied off in multi colored ribbons, which you will see tied into the overall decor later :)

After wedding party and immediate family photos, the couple shared the sweetest first look and photos over the ranch before it was time to walk down the aisle 🩷

The ceremony was held directly behind the house, with a backdrop of the wide open hill country. Chandler & Ben stood in front of a wooden cross adorned with their colorful blooms at the end of the white aisle. During the planning process there was talk of digging up the family’s fire pit as it was right in the ceremony location, but Crissalane with Disch Events thought to incorporate it into the ceremony with a floral installation and it was the best addition to the decor.

Terra Vista Strings played as guests arrived under one of the many trees with hanging lanterns, and then transitioned into the official ceremony start. As Chandler walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, her mother and grandmother joined together in a warm embrace and it was quite possibly one of our favorite pictures of the entire evening. It shows the love and happiness that weddings bring and we are all for it!

As the ceremony ended the wedding party went back inside the house for some intimate congrats to the happy couple. Having Chandler surrounded by her immediate family in her grandparent’s ranch was so touching. Guest’s enjoyed the photo bus along with cocktails and appetizers from Root Cellar Catering as a few more photos were taken.

Together with Chandler & her mother we designed the perfect summer ranch wedding. The festoon light & greenery lined clear top tent veiled the white velvet covered tables and the most gorgeous colorful florals from Disch Events. The white tables, chairs, dance floor and bar just popped against the natural greenery and the extra touches of gold, pink, and blue from the napkins, runners, and tableware. It all came together with a white dance floor with their monogram in front of the fern lined white stage facade where the band would bring on the party after sunset.

As golden hour approached it was just too beautiful to pass up. There were so many beautiful weddings photos but nothing makes a prettier backdrop than a hill country sunset!

As the summer sun set the guests were welcomed into the twinkling tent for the wedding dinner and reception. Root Cellar Catering had stations of comfort foods for everyone to enjoy as Intenstiy Band kept everyone dancing and enjoying the evening. Chandler and Ben dazzled everyone with their special dances before dinner and then wrapped up the formal events with cutting their Simon Lee cake before it was time to dance the night away!

Guests spent the gorgeous evening crammed onto the dance floor loving every minute of Intensity’s set and using the photo bus under the star-less sky. Even though the floor was packed, guests were all over the ranch, enjoying the lounge sets around the tent, the bar, and just outside the ranch house for those who wanted to chat. The pictures of party under the tent are some of our favorites. The greenery and lights across the top just give a warm and romantic vibe, while the party on the dance floor gives the fun vibe they so wanted for their celebration.

The guests kept dancing, and dancing, took a small break to eat a late night snack, but then they went right back to dancing. The beautiful white dance floor was covered in dirt by the end of the evening, but that just showed that this was the night they wanted.

In true Texas tradition, the night wrapped up with a sparkler send off for the happy couple!!

It was a pleasure being part of your day, here’s to happily ever after Chandler & Ben 🩷

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Caterer & Bartenders: Root Cellar Catering Co

Photography: Sarah Slover Brown

Videography: Waterloo Films

Floral & Lighting: Disch Events

Band: Intensity Band

Rentals: Premiere Events

Specialty Linens: BBJ La Tavola

Lounge Sets: Bee Lavish

Ceremony Musicians: Terra Vista Strings

Cake: Simon Lee Bakery

Beauty: LUX Beauty & Bridal

Photo Bus: The Photo Bus

Valet Parking: Uptown Valet

Invitations & Watercolors: MESH by Alex

Day of Signage: Jen Krause Paper Co

Bridal Gown: Ines Di Santo from Stanley Korshak Bridal

Ma Maison Winter Soiree | Austin Wedding Designer + Planner

In early January we were asked to co-plan the Ma Maison Winter Soiree with one of our best wedding planner friends, Jennifer of Altar Ego Weddings. We were 100% on board but the kicker was we had about 2.5 weeks to get it together, but that didn’t stop us. Ma Maison is one of our favorite venues and with 6 different areas to showcase and design, we got right to work.

With the help of 52 vendors and gorgeous wedding courtesy of Mother Nature, we pulled it off and can’t wait to share it with you! While we did have five photographers participate in the open house, the photos in this post are from only three of them, and they took photos of all the areas, not just the one they are listed under. They are all amazing photographers and we want to make sure they get the credit deserved, so the photos posted are mixed throughout by Mylah Renae, Mercedes Morgan, and Riley Glenn.

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Cast of Vendors Participating in All Areas

Co-Planner & Designer: Melanie of Something to Celebrate

Co-Planner & Designer: Jennifer of Altar Ego Wedding

Stationer: 26 Pressed

Venue: Ma Maison

Videographer: Adam Grumbo Films

Videographer: Waterloo Films

The Chapel

Stop one on this virtual open house is the chapel. A later addition to the venue, it debuted in 2020 and is used for plenty of Plan A ceremonies but is also one of the prettiest Plan B sites in Austin. Blush Bridal showcased two beautiful gowns to welcome you to the chapel, and then once inside you were serenaded by Sienna Strings (playing some Taylor Swift at times) and the beyond gorgeous altar florals from Luis of Jo.An Floral. He made the chapel come to life, and his signature heart shaped bouquet was the show stopper. After your trip down the aisle you could stop for a quick photo with the pink floral backdrop from Oh Happy Day, one of Austin’s many amazing female owned event companies.

Cast of Chapel Vendors

Bridal Gowns: Blush Bridal Lounge

Florist: Jo.An Floral Design

Musicians: Sienna String Quartet

Photo Booth: Oh Happy Day Booth

The Trellis

Next on our tour is the Trellis, quite possibly the busiest area of the venue. Used when guests first arrive, for cocktail hour, and then again during the reception when guests need to step away from the music, it has the most traffic hands down. We decided to make this area a bit more “manly” for the event, using a lounge set from Panacea Collective for our inspiration. By bringing in darker colors and different fabrics in hopes we could make all the groom’s feel a bit more comfortable. Peached Tortilla has some delicious appetizers and drinks to go along with a fun interactive cocktail reception food display from Aphrodite Oysters. The interactive options didn’t end with oysters, we had abia tobacconist on hand to hand roll cigars by the fire pit!

Cast of Trellis Vendors

Catering & Bartending: Peached Tortilla Catering

Cigar Roller: Abia Tobacconist

Florist: Wild Bunches Floral

Lounge Set: Panacea Collective

Photographer: J Bell

Rentals: Premiere Events

Specialty Caterer: Aphrodite Oysters

The Grove

Just down from the trellis is Ma Maison’s most popular ceremony spot, the grove. With its dramatic doors and greenery all around you, its no surprise that its the favorite. Vestals Catering was there to welcome everyone with a glass of champagne from Ma Maison’s adorable champagne cart to enjoy as you enjoyed the afternoon. Live Oak Music was on hand to provide a lovely soundtrack as couples were able to visit with additional vendors or as you watched the incredibly talented team at Vogue Vignette hand sketch an art print of you and your special someone.

Cast of Grove Vendors

Bartending: Vestals Catering

Beer Burros: Hill Country Jennies

Florist: Wild Bunches Floral

Live Artist: Vogue Vignette

Musicians: Live Oak Music

Photographer: Mercedes Morgan

Rentals: Premiere Events

Transportation: Rickshaw Rides

The Lake View

Located along the shores of the Lake Moise was our Sweet Spot. Desserts galore took over with five sweet vendors and a coffee cart to go with all that sugar! Michelle’s Patisseries, Mad Cake & Co, and Sugar Shaker Bakery had delicious cake for us to eat and swoon over, while Sugar Shaker, Sweet Treets, and Churro Burro had the fun sized desserts that we love to see on wedding nights. Even Creature Coffee wanted in on the sweet theme with a chocolate covered strawberry latte!!

Pop & Drop set the scene with their fun balloons that went along with the super fun linens from Nuage Designs and the incredible tables and lounge set from Panacea. We had so much fun designing this space with fun colors and textures, with the pink cowboy boot pillow that just had to be included. Photographer Riley Glenn fit right in with her fun and bright personality, making the Lake View the area guests loved to relax and enjoy on this gorgeous day.

Cast of Lake View Vendors

Baker: Mad Cake & Co

Baker: Michelle’s Patisserie

Baker: Sugar Shaker Bakery

Baker: Sweet Treets Bakery

Balloon Garland: Pop & Drop

Coffee Cart: Creature Coffee

Dessert: Churro Burro

Linens: Nuage Designs

Lounge Set, Cocktail Tables & Bar Stools: Panacea Collective

Photographer: Riley Glenn

The Great Hall

Every Ma Maison wedding uses the Great Hall so showing how it would make a beautiful reception space was a must. Unique Design and Events set the backdrop with their beyond gorgeous draping along the back wall and down the sides. The Great Hall has so many different options when it comes to draping, we decided on a nice ivory with a criss cross pattern along the back wall and curtains along the side.

The room was set much like a typical reception, with the DJ up front behind Ma Maison’s white facade and up on their stage for a bit of extra impact. Ma Maison’s black and white dance floor took front and center in a diamond shape with a head table and rounds behind set for an intimate reception. Premier Entertainment paired up with Sienna Strings for a DJ and electric violin duo which always puts a smile on our faces.

We went with an elegant yet neutral design for the tables with a gorgeous floral pattern linen that we just fell in love with. Keeping with the classic elegant feeling we stayed with ivory plates with a scalloped edge, and ivory pearl flatware to add just a little bit more. Wild Bunches provided some color with a springtime palette of pink, coral, and yellow that tied in with the menu and place cards from 26 Pressed.

Vestals Catering had some delicious stations for guests to sample and Alba Artisan Bakery had a gorgeous cake displayed in its signature Ma Maison location, and so many beautiful mini desserts that were almost too pretty to eat. We also used the bridal suite and groom’s ready room to showcase some additional vendors like hair and makeup, babysitting, mobile massage and ATX Classic Cars welcomed guests with one of their vintage getaway cars as they arrived.

Cast of Great Hall Vendors

Baker: Alba Artisan Bakery

Babysitting: Jovie Care

Catering & Bartending: Vestals Catering

DJ: Premier Entertainment

Draping: Unique Design & Events

Florist: Wild Bunches Floral

Hair & Makeup: Mistique Makeup

Ice Sculpture: Full Spectrum Ice

Lodging: The Liney Moon

Lodging: Sleep Inn Dripping Springs

Massage: Live Love Relax

Musician: Sienna String Quartet

Photographer: Mylah Renae

Rentals: Premiere Events

Transportation: Your Day Charters

Vintage Car: ATX Classic Cars

The Green Cathedral

You might be wondering, what is the Green Cathedral, well, its what most people call “the birdcage” and to us its the pièce de résistance of Ma Maison! With its minty green color and open lawn visible as you enter, we really wanted to show it off. While it is often used for ceremonies, we changed things up a bit and had it set for an intimate rehearsal dinner for 18 guests. The table was set with spring in mind, with soft velvet linens, whimsical pastel florals, and quite possibly one of my favorite place settings ever. Clear ghost chairs and oatmeal colored linens kept a neutral background to make the tabletop to tableside florals from Sixpence just set the tone. Place settings with amber, sage green, pale pink, and a touch of blue coordinated perfectly to make the table of our dreams.

On the lawn Urban Cowboy served fancy versions of comfort food as appetizers along with an agua fresca that was the talk of the day. We continued the pastel colors and soft velvets with a lounge set that just made you want to sit down and relax and scattered cocktails for guests to place their drinks as they took pictures with the softest and cutest alpacas from Sundance Hill Farm. Mother Nature also didn’t want to be left out of this area, and she brought the bees along to enjoy the florals (but luckily leave the guests alone)!

Cast of Green Cathedral Vendors

Alpacas: Sundance Hill Farm

Catering & Bartending: Urban Cowboy

Florist: Sixpence Floral Design

Lounge Set & Ghost Chairs: Panacea Collective

Photographer: John Winters Photography

Rentals: Premiere Events

It was a beautiful event and we so enjoyed co-planning with Jennifer and showing off all that Karen’s beautiful venue can provide. Working with so many amazing vendors is always a pleasure and honor and we can’t wait to work with them again!

Chelsi + Justin's Sunset Coffee Building Wedding | Houston Wedding Designer + Planner

It might be winter right now, but that doesn’t mean we cant look ahead to the spring and summer we know is quickly approaching, and Chelsi & Justin’s wedding is just the one to bring us some happy vibes. We were hired just a couple months out to help Chelsi and her mother bring all the details together and help with the overall design. Chelsi most certainly had a vision, but it was a bit too wide and was a little overwhelming, but we were so excited to help.

They had chosen the Sunset Coffee Building in Houston, which is an office building by day and event venue by night (and weekends of course). It has 4 stories of space; two ground level crushed gravel areas plus what could be best described as a huge empty concrete basement, the main level industrial space, a 3rd level of offices (and staging areas for the couple) and a rooftop ceremony location that is just amazing. Having so many spaces to design, and the industrial feel mixed with Chelsi’s whimsical florals was just something out of our dreams and we had so much fun working with them to bring their summer wedding to life!

They got ready at the Hotel ICON to go right along with Chelsi’s vision. I am pretty sure she was just as excited about getting photos taken in this beautiful hotel as she was at the wedding. The clawfoot tub, tiled floor, arches, and touches of green were all part of the overall feeling.

She choose to have a small wedding party but wanted to include her close friends in the experience as well. To keep the excitement to a minimum, they joined her later in the afternoon for a first look that was hands down the best we have ever seen. Since they hadn’t been with her all morning the reaction was so much better and we will never tire of seeing these pictures. She also included a first look with Justin’s mother, and her face when she walked in the door is just priceless.

We can’t forget Justin in all this, and much like Chelsi, he had some beautiful moments as well. There wasn’t a dry eye during his first look with his parents, or when his mother gave him a wedding day gift to complete his look for the day.

After Chelsi had a final group prayer with her girls, everyone was off to the ceremony to get these two lovebirds married!

As guests arrived at the Sunset Coffee Building they went up to the rooftop for the evening ceremony. Not going to lie, it was HOT (it was late June) but they had some cover while waiting and had fans and water to help keep them cool.

Flora + Fauna did an amazing job with the florals, giving Chelsi that whimsical feel while still keeping it elegant and bringing in the springs tones she wanted, especially orange. The circular arch overlooking the skyline surrounded by ghost chairs was the perfect modern vision Chelsi had been dreaming of.

Religion and family was a very important part of their day, so they add some extra elements like communion to their ceremony, and made sure parents and family were included. Their friends Albert and Candace Rogers provided the music that played as they became husband and wife.

Cocktail hour was on the ground level patio with fans and Scoop Ice Cream in custom bowls so everyone could cool down and enjoy a the beautiful summer day.

While guests enjoyed their ice cream the bride and groom took the opportunity to take photos in the many areas around the building. Photographer Phylicia Willis was flown in from Washington DC and braved the heat to get some of the most beautiful portraits ever. Just going to apologize up front for the amount we are sharing because we just couldn’t narrow it down. Not only was she amazing, but Chelsi and Justin are just the cutest couple ever and the love they share together just shines through.

The dinner and dancing portion of the celebration was inside the main level’s event space. Very industrial with an open ceiling, exposed wall elements, and a very unfinished floor meshed perfectly with the soft decor. With rentals coming from four different companies it was a lot to pull together, but the end result speaks for itself. Even with all the beautiful centerpieces and place settings, Chelsi’s favorite piece was the floral chandelier over the dance floor, and we have to agree that it was perfection.

Once portraits were done it was time to get this night going! The reception started off with the special dances and we were loving them. Chelsi and her dad had so much fun on the dance floor and Justin’s mom had to fight back the tears during their dance. As a delicious buffet dinner got underway the happy couple danced to each table for a fun group shot that we know they will always treasure. As the guests enjoyed their time visiting and celebrating Chelsi and Justin took some time to sit back at their sweethearts table and take it all in.

After dinner close friends of the couple gave a toast and the bride and groom said a few words of thanks to everyone, but especially their families. Then it was time for the cake cutting, which Chelsi’s mom was very much looking forward to. She has so many memories of welcoming guests into her home and serving them and she wanted to do the same for this special day. She brought along a cute apron and all the supplies needed so she could cut and serve all the guests the wedding cake for her daughter. Cutting a wedding cake isn’t the prettiest (or easiest) thing, but she was ready for the challenge.

I bet you know what is coming, its dancing time! The DJs of The Signature Eventx know how to keep a party going, they were on the dance floor right along with all the guests. As the night went on Chelsi changed into her party dress and blue shoes and it was all fun from that point on.

As the guests went outside to grab their sparklers, the new Mr & Mrs Williams took some time for photos under their neon sign, and their private last dance. They said goodbye to their guests through a sparkler tunnel and took off into the night into a departure car rented just to match everything else!

It was a pleasure being part of your day, and we wish you a happily ever after Chelsi & Justin!!

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Venue: Sunset Coffee Building

Caterer: Cayden’s Cuisine

Photography: Phylicia Willis Media

Videography: The Winning Brand

Floral: Flora + Fauna

DJ: The Signature Eventx

Rentals: Premiere Events + What’s the Occasion + Hostess Haven

Chairs: Elegant Chairs & More

Ceremony Musicians: Candace & Albert Rogers

Cake: Cakes by Gina

Beauty: Simple Beauty Artistry

Bridal Hair: Nyoka Gregory Beauty

Guestbook Phone: After the Tone

Ice Cream Cart: Scoop Craft Creamery (now Cosmic Ice Cream Co)

Hotel: Hotel ICON

Bridal Gown: Essense of Australia

Groom’s Suit: Hawes & Curtis

Amelia + Conor's Vintage Villas Wedding | Austin Wedding Coordinator

Weddings are an industry where we understandably don’t get a lot of repeat business, but we do love it when our bride’s refer us to their friends! In 2020 we had the honor of planning Sydney & Jake’s Ma Maison wedding, and in 2023 we had the pleasure of coordinating her maid of honor and best friend Amelia’s wedding. These two ladies are some of the happiest and most loving ones you will ever met, and its so clear why they are besties.

Amelia and Conor stayed close to home and choose to celebrate their wedding celebration at Vintage Villas on Lake Travis. With its gorgeous lake views and green lawns full of springtime flowers, it was an easy decision! They opted to rent out the full property to ensure there would be no other wedding that evening, and also to have all the space to use for getting ready and photos, which was a very smart decision.

Amelia also took bridal portraits on property a few weeks before the big day, and they were gorgeous. Not only do bridals give you an opportunity to do a hair and makeup trial, and see your bouquet ahead of time, but it gives you another chance to wear your beautiful wedding gown, and free up some time on wedding day since those photos are already done. Amelia was able to get a full hour of photos of her bubbly and loving self, and she and her family will treasure those forever!

Amelia spent the morning getting ready (and drinking bubbles) with her mother and seven of her closest friends in the bridal suite. As was no surprise to anyone, the room was filled with laughter and smiles! Her bridesmaids spent the morning in light blue robes to match the wedding colors, while Amelia looked every bit the spring bride in her long floral robe. The team from Bonita Brides got the girls photo ready before they took advantage of the beautiful April weather they took pictures outside, and the ones of Amelia and Sydney together were some of our favorites. We love when you can see those friendships that shape the couple. After photos Amelia’s dance partner from her time working on cruise ships showed up and completed the bridal party as the Petal Pal.

Don’t worry, the guys had plenty of fun too! They used the smaller Travis ballroom to meet up, helped each other tie the perfect bow tie, captured the day via selfies, and threw some money on the ground!!

Amelia and Conor opted to do a first look and private vow reading prior to ceremony start, but they added our favorite element at the end, their dogs!! Their fur babies, Daisy (a corgi) and Winston (a schnauzer) were dressed to the nines in matching bride and groom outfits, and for us it was love at first sight!

They couple wanted to enjoy their cocktail reception so they did as many photos as possible before the ceremony under the ceremony gazebo. We loved the ones of Amelia with her parents, they were just the sweetest and her dad just wanted everything to be beautiful for his little girl.

Terra Vista Strings welcomed guests and serenaded them until it was time for the ceremony to begin. We got to help Jake and Sydney down the aisle again 3 years later, as Sydney walked down as the Matron of Honor and Jake entered with Parker, their son and ring bearer. Petal Pal Alphie helped flower girl Angelina overcome her stage fright and made everyone smile. Amelia walked down the aisle to Conor on the arms of both her mother and father with the biggest smile on her face. It was a touching and beautiful ceremony that wrapped up with some of the best dips we’ve ever seen.

Holly Marie Photography captured the details that Amelia had put so much thought in during the planning. With her mix of light blue, white, and greenery it was a classic and beautiful spring affair. Lemon Leaf Florist did an amazing job with the centerpieces and hanging greenery & wisteria chandeliers that all tied together with the white linens and blue napkins from Peerless Event Rentals. Their cake from Sweet Treets stood out with their custom neon sign and drew everyone in for the reception.

When the bride is a dancer you know there are going to be some photo worthy moments during the reception. Conor and Amelia started it off right with a dance that showed off Amelia’s mermaid dress during the spins. After a delicious dual entree plated meal the couple cut their cake and had some heartfelt toasts by both sets of parents, the best man, and the matron of honor. Before the party could start they did the traditional parent dances and also added in a mother/daughter dance from one of their favorite songs from “Mama Mia”.

After all the formalities it was time to dance and Amelia was ready with her white and sparkly dance outfit and a flash mob with the wedding party. The Matt Wilson Band kept the dance floor packed and singing along until the end of the night!

As the guests went outside to grab their sparklers, Amelia quickly changed into outfit #4 of the day before her private last dance with her hubby! We see a lot of these dances, and they are always one of our favorite parts of the night, but with her flapper like dress and all the exit spins and lifts, this one went right up to favorites!

With one last farewell through all their guests under a canopy of sparklers they were off with the biggest smiles and one last dip to wrap up their perfect day!

Here is to happily ever after Mr & Mrs Gleason 💙

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Venue and Caterer: Vintage Villas

Photography: Holly Marie Photography

Videography: JTR Productions

Floral: Lemon Leaf Florist

Rentals: Peerless Events

Band: Matt Wilson Band

Ceremony Musicians: Terra Vista Strings

Cake: Sweet Treets Bakery

Beauty: Bonita Brides

Kate + Victor's Camp Lucy Wedding | Austin Wedding Designer + Full Service Planner

One year ago today Kate & Victor, quite possibly two of the sweetest people in the universe, got married in a beautifully elegant Camp Lucy wedding. After working with Kate for over a year, it was a bittersweet weekend because she really is the sweetest and we knew we would miss her. When we first “met” it was via zoom as she was teaching in Thailand and we didn’t get to meet in person until many months later when we also got to meet her mother and incredible grandmother too. We didn’t get to meet Victor until the wedding weekend, as he was occupied serving in the Navy, but the moment we met him we could tell they were the perfect pair!

We got the honor of not only helping plan every element of their wedding, but also their rehearsal dinner and post wedding brunch, all held at Camp Lucy. We truly felt like part of their family after spending the three day holiday weekend with them, and even more so when we were behind them on our way back into Austin after the brunch on Sunday :)

Kate went with classic, timeless, and elegance for her wedding day. White flowers and greenery were accented with touches of bridal blue and gold. Her letterpress invitations with a custom monogram and blue floral envelope inserts were gorgeous, and just felt so bridal!

She spent the wedding morning in the bridal suite at Sacred Oaks with her besties and sister, getting beautiful by the blush ‘n bangs team. Later in the day mom joined in to help get Kate into her stunning Monique Lhuillier gown and baby blue Badgley Mischka shoes along with her little sister.

Once Kate was ready she had a first look with her dad and little brother. Her dad was full of many emotions during the day, we could find him smiling, laughing, or crying at any point in time. The ceremony site at Sacred Oaks was the perfect backdrop for all the pre-ceremony photos by one of our favorite photographers, Anastasia Strate.

Victor looked so handsome in his Naval dress uniform, and seeing the many different ones was a nice bonus for the day. Family was very important to both of them, so having plenty of time to capture these memories was a must. You could see the love they share with their loved ones, and we especially loved the candid moments with their grandparents.

Kate and Victor chose to do what we loving call “a no look first look”, but in true Kate spirit she cheated a little and got a peek at Victor as they held hands around the bell tower at Sacred Oaks. But lets take a moment to talk about the beauty that was Kate and her bouquet. The mix of white roses, ranunculus, peonies, and hydrangeas complimented the floral lace of her dress perfectly, and the piece of her grandmother’s wedding gown wrapped around the stems was her “something borrowed.”

As guests arrived they were greeted with pre-ceremony champagne before taking their seats under the canopy of oaks on a beautiful almost summer day. The ceremony took place in front of a breathtaking arch of greenery, white florals, and floating glass orbs by Bouquets of Austin, at the end of the candle and aisle lined aisle. The love these two share was evident in their eyes as they said “I do” in front of their closest family and friends.

Camp Lucy has so many beautiful spots for photos and Anastasia didn’t want to miss anything. After getting shots at the altar, the bell tower, and golden hour in the field, the couple was surprised with a blue 1972 Cutlass Supreme convertible from ATX Classic Cars. Kate’s dad wanted to surprise them with a fun car for the end of the night and this blue convertible fit the bill. Not only did they get to use it in the evening, but ATX Classic Cars brought it out earlier just for sunlight photo shoot.

After all the pictures were done and guests were enjoying cocktail hour, Kate and Victor got a chance to sit down and enjoy private dining in the bridal suite. We wanted to give Kate a little surprise of our own and had a keepsake plate/fork set along with 2 Taiwanese pineapple cakes waiting for them. She had previously mentioned a traditional round pineapple cake that is shared between the bride & groom and we wanted to try and get one for her. But with only a brief mention of it, we had little to go by, but Judy Lee of Simon Lee Bakery helped us find a close alternative.

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the beautiful Sacred Oaks lawn as the couple took photos. With lawn games, lounge sets, food and drinks, and good company, it flew by! Kate really wanted her adorable dachshund Stella to be at the wedding but decided in the end she might not have been well behaved, so we did the next best thing and had her there in spirit. Keepsake cups and cocktail napkins with Stella’s likeness made guests smile all night long.

Details, details, details. They say details make the day, and this one had so many. Kate’s vision was so much fun to bring to life and we knew it would be a wedding we would love for years to come. With the focus on white, greenery, and candles, we were able to add in touches of gold, bridal blue, velvet, and glassware. Bouquets of Austin delivered with so many flowers you could smell them from outside, and candlelight to provide a romantic glow. The greenery chandelier with hanging glass orbs provided the perfect overhead to the shiny white dance floor that centered the reception. Warm wooden tables and oatmeal velvet lines accented with pale sage napkins on the gold beaded glass chargers with vintage carousel glasses gave each guests an elegant setting for their upcoming meal.

Touches of blue came in with hand deckled menu cards, vintage blue glasses on the head table, a beautiful velvet lounge set, and a velvet linen to showcase the elegant white cake from Simon Lee.

A sword ceremony welcomed the happy couple into the reception before sharing their first dance. After a dual entree plated meal from the amazing chefs at Camp Lucy, they were honored by toasts from the maid of honor (Kate’s sister), the best man (Victor’s brother), Kate’s mother, and Victor’s grandfather. They shared touching dances with their parents and then it was time to party!

Matchmaker Band brought the party with their fun energy and got everyone up and dancing. Kate and Victor stayed together most of the night, but at times we caught Victor being quite the gentleman and dancing with his sisters in law.

The party had to take a slight pause for cake and bouquet toss. The cake cutting was extra special with the military sword cutting, and the bouquet toss was one for the books when the mother of the bride caught the bouquet!!

The night had to come to an end, but Kate and Victor didn’t let that dampen their spirits. Keeping together they enjoyed the night as a pair, and took full advantage of their private last dance before they were whisked away for their happily ever after. They ran through a shower of rose petals before one last surprise from Kate’s dad, driving through a sparkling fountain display from Big Dog Pyro.

It was truly and honor and pleasure working with you both and being part of your day! Happy First Anniversary Mr & Mrs Sands 🤍

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Venue and Caterer: Camp Lucy

Photography: Anastasia Strate

Floral: Bouquets of Austin

Rentals: Premiere Events and Whim Hospitality

Lounge Sets: Bee Lavish Vintage Rental

Dancefloor: Mike’s Dance Floors

Band: Matchmaker Band

Lighting: Altared Weddings

Ceremony Musicians: Terra Vista Strings

Cake: Simon Lee Bakery

Stationery & Day of Signage: Jen Krause Paper Co

Beauty: Blush ‘n Bangs

Pyro: Big Dog Pyro

Departure Car: ATX Classic Cars

Jennifer + Eric's Commodore Perry Estate Wedding | Austin Wedding Planner

Most of our blogs start right away talking about the couple, for a very good reason of course, they are the stars of the event, but we are gonna go a little crazy and change it up a bit today. Jennifer & Eric chose the Commodore Perry Estate to hold their wedding celebration, it was the first time we got to work there, and it was also the first time we got to work with their amazing photographer Sarah Doliver, and it was the perfect pairing!

Commodore Perry Estate describes itself as “a treasured Austin landmark, re-envisioned with modern glamour” and I could think of no better way to say that myself. Set on 10 acres in the heart of Austin, it gives that relaxed and comfortable Austin vibe while you are surrounded by glam and design elements everywhere you turn. Words can not do it justice, so just enjoy the pictures!!

Jennifer & Eric were one of the many couples impacted by COVID but they didn’t let that get in the way of them becoming husband and wife. They kept their original wedding date in April of 2021 and got married on the stage of ACL in front of their immediate families only. However, Jennifer’s mother Sharon, wanted her daughter to have the beautiful wedding with family and friends that was originally planned, and one year later they had their big day!

Since they had already celebrated their one year anniversary by the time of their “wedding day”, they kept the wedding low key and simple so they could truly sit back and enjoy the day. With no “formal” wedding party Jennifer got ready with her mom and a few friends in her suite, and both spent most of the pre-ceremony time with their parents and siblings on the beautiful grounds of the estate.

They also decided for a first look so that they could fully be part of the cocktail reception, which was a huge priority for them. They wanted to be present and with guests as often as possible; they wanted to be part of the day, not have the day be all about them.

With their first look and all formal photos with family out of the way, Jennifer & Eric were able to take photos all over the picturesque grounds and still have time to relax in the mansion before the ceremony began. They even had their officiant (who is also one of the bride’s best friends) bring them pre-ceremony cocktails as they waited!

Under the glorious spring sun, the sunken garden was ready for Jennifer & Eric to say “I do”. Sixpence Floral Design used pastel shades of pink, purple, and ivory roses, ranunculus, and tulips accompanied by lilac, astilbe, and sweet peas; a perfect combination for a sunny garden wedding. It paired perfectly with the existing pink garden rose bushes surrounding the sunken gardens. The free standing altar piece made a beautiful backdrop for their touching and heartfelt ceremony full of love and laughter.

Cocktail hour on the chapel terrace was a lively event. Their photo guest book was a huge hit, with guests taking pictures of themselves, of friends, and even our assistant Jean helping out and snapping quite a few photos herself :) The decor was simple with all the natural beauty around, just a few small centerpieces, and the pièce de résistance (the champagne fountain) front and center. Jennifer sabered that bottle of bubbles like a pro, with all her guests looking on and Eric loving the show more than anyone else! 🍾

After overlooking the beautiful tent during cocktail hour, they guests were finally able to go sit down and get out of the hot April heat for dinner and toasts as the sun set and painted the perfect backdrop. They couple opted to use the included ivory linens and chairs from the venue, and accompany them with spring centerpieces from Sixpence and custom menu cards, place cards, and table numbers from Pink Champagne Designs. Can we just take a moment to stare in awe at those tulips, we were in love 🌷

Commodore Perry served a plated meal of a chopped wedge salad and gulf snapper and everyone had time to visit and chat while enjoying their dinner. It was then time for toasts, and they were in for some good stories and heartfelt emotions. Not only did the father of the bride give toasts to the happy couple, but also close friends, some from childhood, and laughter filled the tent for sure!

When dinner and toasts were wrapping up, the couple was able to sneak off for beyond gorgeous golden hour photos. But they couldn’t start until a high five with their officiant! Once again the estate had endless beautiful backdrops, and they are some of our favorites of the entire day.

After an evening watching the sun set on their beautiful tent as they enjoyed dinner and toasts, it was time to move the party over to the chapel. Set for drinks and dancing, they kicked off the last part of the wedding with their first dance and dances with their parents and then opened up the dance floor for A LOT of fun. To keep people fully energized, after an hour or so of dancing, they cut their cake and served it along with additional desserts to give their guests the sugar rush needed for hours of dancing.

They might have been a smaller crowd, but they made up for it with their personalities. Love and Happiness band turned the chapel into an intimate dance party and they did not disappoint. With fun glow accessories, an open bar, and killer music, even the moms got in on the fun.

Congrats Jennifer & Eric, and thanks for letting us be part of your celebration!

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Venue: The Commodore Perry Estate

Floral: Sixpence Floral Design

Photography: Sarah Doliver

Videography: Film Through Linds

Cake: The Commodore Perry Estate

Ceremony Musicians: Musical Discovery Chamber Players of Austin

Band: Love and Happiness

Rentals: Premiere Events + Table Manners

Invites & Day of Signage: Pink Champagne Designs

Amy + Brian's Bell Tower on 34th Wedding | Houston Wedding Planner

The Bell Tower on 34th is one of our favorite venues in Houston for a few reasons. Not only was the old stomping grounds of one of our Houston planners, but it also has beauty everywhere you look. Amy and Brian used that to their advantage when planning their wedding at this gorgeous venue. The building itself is a staple in the Houston area, but add in its signature Waterwall, plus multiple ceremony and reception locations (that all look right out of Europe) and you just can’t go wrong.

The couple spent the morning leisurely getting ready surrounded by close friends and family, one of our favorite parts of the day. Starting this special day with loved ones is a must in our book! It keeps you calm, on a day that is full of emotions, plus it makes for great photos once your photographer arrives. Those special moments of getting dressed, or the little details that not everyone sees, are all a big part of your day. The day is timed down to the minute, so for couples who are structured like us, they love that they day flows like clock work. That is how we knew we would love Brian, who loves clock work so much, he even had cufflinks made of the gears of a clock!

Once everyone was dressed and ready, it was time to get some pictures marked off that to-do list. They opted not to have a first look, saving that for the walk down the aisle, but they still got plenty of photos in to help save time during the wedding itself. They did the serious photos, but they also each had fun, doing a unique photo with each member of their wedding party, and we are sure those are photos they will always treasure.

It was time for these two to finally say “I do” in the beautiful Campanille Chapel. With its towering ceiling and windows to let in the Texas sun, it gives you elements of the outdoors while enjoying the luxuries of indoor venues. As string musicians serenaded Amy down the aisle, Brian was fully focused on his bride, while we love the look of love on Brian’s mom’s face as she watched her son marry the love of his life. When the heartfelt ceremony was over, Amy and Brian were able to share some bubbles and their second kiss as husband and wife with their wedding party before heading out for more photos.

We know wedding days aren’t all about pictures, but they are certainly important and Amy and Brian wanted to take full advantage of all the spots The Bell Tower has to offer. With the guidance of Nate Messara they were able to capture so many once in a lifetime photos that will live forever in their minds, but also, be on the walls of their future home for generations to come.

The details, oh, how we love the details. When you can fit something special and personal into your wedding day it makes it even more special, and they chose to incorporate their love of traveling throughout their day. Their guest book globe was such a fun idea, but Brian’s grooms cake might be one of our favorites of all time! Not only was it beyond amazing and realistic looking, with its worn suitcase and globe with markers, but it was also super delicious and was a cookie cake!! Kelly Q’s Cakes delivered just what they wanted for Brian and for Amy and her classic and elegant tiered cake.

But we can’t just look at those details, there were so many great parts! The Carillon Ballroom, with its grand staircase, towering ceilings, and classic warm tones, just set the perfect backdrop for their day. The Secret Floral Garden accented everything with varied height centerpieces with ivory, blush, and burgundy florals along with glass and gold with warm candlelight to set the mood. To bring a bit of blue to the day, they opted with bright blue menu cards and cocktail napkins, which was just the perfect amount.

As the cocktail hour ended, guests were welcomed into the ballroom for their plated meal and all the formal activities that followed. The newlyweds entered down the grand staircase and then the festivities began. First dance over the Texas star, toasts from the Maid of Honor and Best Man, parent dances that always bring tears to at least someone’s eyes, and of course lots of kisses.

As the sunset on this beautiful day, it was time for the guests to kick back and enjoy the music of Ice House Band and celebrate the new couple. There was lots of dancing and singing before wishing the couple farewell under a shower of gold and white confetti!

Here is to forever Mr & Mrs Gravesmill ❤️

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Venue: The Bell Tower on 34th Street

Floral: The Secret Floral Garden

Photography: Nate Messarra Photography

Videography: Jen Creates

Cake: Kelly Q’s Cakes

Band: Ice House Band

Hair & Makeup: Primp and Blow

Kelly + Wes' Allan House Wedding | Austin Designer + Full Service Wedding Planner

We say this all the time, but we always mean it, we just get to work with the sweetest couples!! Kelly and Wes were another one of those wonderful couples that we had the honor and pleasure of planning their wedding celebration. Like many of our brides & grooms, they live in Houston but Kelly travels to Austin frequently for work and they always enjoyed their visits to the vibrant downtown area. They selected The Allan House, an intimate and historic manor right in the heart of downtown, which just so happens to be one of our favorite Austin venues!

The ladies spent wedding morning getting beautiful at a nearby rental house, and then headed over to The Allan House to get into their dresses and start the pre-ceremony photos with the always wonderful Julie Wilhite Photography. Kelly and her father did the cutest first look, giving us vibes of many games of peek-a-boo played in their past. The guys arrived a bit later fully dressed and ready to toast the soon to be Mr and Mrs Wray!

The Allan House is a staple of Austin wedding venues, and Kelly and Wes used it as the background to their many pre-ceremony photos. The decided to forgo a first look and do photos with immediate family and wedding party early. We always suggest taking some photos prior to your ceremony, it not only saves you time after but also gives you some time to get comfortable in front of the camera.

With photos done it was time for guests to arrive and the ceremony, the ladies had time to freshen up and Kelly got the put the final touches on her wedding day look. With the help of her mom, she put on her veil and was ready to walk down the aisle. But before the ceremony started, Julie Wilhite captured the beautiful florals under the clear top tent.

Once it was time for the ceremony to begin Kelly walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, while being serenaded by the music of the Musical Discovery Chamber Players of Austin. They wanted to focus of the wedding to be “keeping the main thing the main thing” and you can tell they stayed true to that. We love these photos as well because they show just how in love these two, the way Wes looks at his bride just makes us weak in the knees ❤️

As guests enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres from Royal Fig Catering, the wedding party went back to the front of The Allan House for more breathtaking photographs in front of the historic house. There were so many amazing ones of Kelly and Wes it was hard to narrow it down!! These two experienced love at first sight, after being setup by a mutual friend to attend a birthday party where they were the only single guests there, and they were so happy to be husband and wife.

Their wedding had so many beautifully classic elements that it will never go out of style. White hydrangea, roses, and ranunculus accented with eucalyptus from The Last Petal Floral Studio paired with white linens and gold charges from Premier Events made their dreams come to reality. One of our favorite elements was the simple green wreath in the window. It might have been a small detail, but its those little details that make the biggest impact!

After all the formal pictures were taken, and guests had time to mingle, it was time to get the reception under way. The happy couple started it off with a heartfelt kiss under the stars and then dinner service began. Guests enjoyed a plated salad followed by Royal Fig’s delicious farm to table family style meal. We love family style so guests can choose what they want yet they don’t have to worry about walking around with a plate of food.

No wedding would be complete with traditional elements, and this one was no exception. Guests were treated to heartfelt toasts from the best man, maid of honor, and the father of the bride as dinner was wrapping up. Followed by the dances where the love between Kelly and Wes, and their parents, was on full display. You can’t forget dessert! Not only did they have the cake, but also a s’mores bar which always brings the fun.

The sun had set, the guests were full, and drinks were in hand, that means its time to celebrate! Love and Happiness came ready to entertain and the guests were ready to dance, and not just the young crowd!!

Hours of celebrating later, it was time to send the newlyweds off in style, but first…their private last dance. This is by far our favorite new wedding tradition of the past 10 years. Having that time at the end, with just the two of you, is a moment that you will not forget and gives you the chance to enjoy this amazing day.

Once the dance was over the new Mr & Mrs made their grand exit through the sound of maracas to their own decorated pedicab to whisk them away on the streets of Austin.

It was truly and honor and pleasure being part of your day Mr and Mrs Wray!

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Venue: The Allan House

Photography: Julie Wilhite Photography

Floral: Last Petal Floral Studio

Caterer: Royal Fig Catering

Cake: Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop

Band: Love and Happiness

Ceremony Musicians: Musical Discovery Chamber Players of Austin

Lighting: Ilios Productions

Rentals: Premiere Events Austin

Hair: Erica Rae

Makeup: Nisa Nicole

Departure: Metrocycle Pedicabs

Sara + Andre's Carriage House Wedding | Houston Designer + Full Service Wedding Planner

Sara and Andre were one of the best kind of couples we can work with; busy, hard working, and trusting! They attended a friend’s wedding in August of 2020 that we had the pleasure of planning (Tina and Henry), so when it was their time FINALLY (more on that later) they knew who to turn to and to trust us to do our job. Both Sara and Andre are busy doctors and didn’t have spare time to plan their wedding. They knew they needed extra help so we were ready to help plan out their wedding design and all their vendors!!

When we joined to help Sara and Andre they had secured a venue months prior but then life got in the way, and these two wonderful people had already waited a very long time to get married so this date was not going to pass by without some rings on their fingers. They had selected The Carriage House for their elegant yet laid back affair that they waited 1,660 days for! Thats right, a little over 4 years and 6 months!! It was the perfect venue to celebrate their fall wedding, with rich wooden tones to accent the slate and blush, and their signature red door was the inspiration for the red and burgundy florals.

They decided to do a first look so they were able to enjoy the cocktail hour with their family and friends, so Kristen Giles was able to capture some meaningful photos that not only captured the beauty of the day but also the fun personalities of couple and their friends. These two know how to have a good time, and their friends do as well. Traditional wedding photos were not going to cut it, they were happy and wanted to world to know. And before all you Aggies and Longhorns ask, this Texas wedding was one for the Florida Gators. Sara and Andre met at the University of Florida in Gainesville and ended up in Texas, but the Gator’s came out to Texas to celebrate their union!

After the had their fun taking pictures with family and friends, it was time to walk down the aisle in the beautiful sunlight filled chapel. In true Andre fashion, he got a round of applause as he walked down the aisle :) But don’t you worry, Sara still upstaged him on the arm of her father. To make their ceremony unique they added two great ideas that we hope to see more of in the future. They wanted their fur babies, Bella and Maggie, to be part of the day, but unlike most weddings where they enter before the bride, this time they entered after! Sara didn’t want everyone to see her girls but her, so they made their way down the aisle to greet both their mom and dad! After the dogs made everyone smile and the ceremony resumed, Officiant Jennifer Luu handed the wedding rings to the wedding party who then passed them to all the guests as a way of including each and every person into the blessing of the rings.

As the guests enjoyed the beautiful fall weather outside under the canopy of trees and lights, The Posh Affair and E Johnston Designs were inside handling the final touches. Sara and Andre opted for a head table down the middle of the room so they would be surrounded by the guests, and with tall centerpieces to draw focus to the ceiling beams and twinkling chandeliers. To soften the look they used slate velvet linens with touches of burgundy, blush, gold, and candlelight. We especially loved the extra touches on the head table of vintage blush and cornflower glasses and hand written place cards by Jen Krause Paper Co.

One of Sara’s favorite elements was the dessert display from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Since a wedding cake was not a high priority for the couple, they opted to do a bundt cake wedding cake with multiple flavors of bundtinis. The Carriage House has a farmhouse style buffet table that is just perfect for storing all the cakes in drawers and cabinets.

After a relaxing cocktail hour everyone gathered inside to get the party started! They started with first dance leading into dinner, then the toasts, parent dances, and cake cutting. Once those formalities were done it was time to let their hair down and enjoy the night. We knew the couple were fun, but we underestimated just how much. This wedding was ready to dance, and dance the did! DJ Alton from J&A Entertainment got everyone on the floor and kept them there until the night ended. After hours of dancing (and sweating) it was time to end the celebration with a private last dance for the newly wed couple and then wishing them off under the glow of sparklers.

It was such a pleasure making your long awaited day everything you dreamed of Sara and Andre!

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Venue: The Carriage House

Photography: Kristen Giles

Floral: E Johnston Designs

Caterer: The Posh Affair

Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes The Woodlands

DJ + Photo Booth: J&A Entertainment

Rentals: Premiere Events Austin

Invites + Signage: Jen Krause Paper Co

Officiant: Jennifer Luu

Beauty: Hey Lovely Makeup

Transportation: A&H Premium

Hotel: Embassy Suites The Woodlands

Bridal Gown: Martina Liana Bridal from Brickhouse Bridal

Bridesmaid’s Dresses: BHLDN

Groom’s Suit: Suit Supply

Groomsmen Suits: Men’s Warehouse

Bambina Bear Baby Shower | Austin Full Service Event Planner

We might talk about weddings a lot, but that doesn’t mean thats all we do. We love ALL celebrations and had so much fun planning this baby shower. Terri reached out not quite two months before for help planning this shower for her sister Dominique. This wasn’t Dom’s first baby, but it was her first baby girl, and Terri wanted to throw a “sprinkle” the second time around. However, that was not meant to be, and it turned into a “torrential rain” but in the best possible way!

Terri had selected a venue, the Archer Hotel, but nothing else, and was in need of some event expertise to pull it all together. The family had been loving calling the baby “Bambina Bear” and that became the idea behind it all! We tied in the bear theme with cookies and gummy bears, and went with a natural glam look with limited shades of pink to compliment the venue and not be “too girly”

This might have been about showering Bambina and Dominique with love, but Terri wanted to make sure their close friends and family felt it too. Guests were given delicious gummy bear favors from sugarfina, along with little bottles of champagne and even personalized bluetooth clip speakers! They had a lovely brunch buffet from the Archer under their existing “hey baby” sign with the most adorable Texas shaped waffle EVER and of course mimosas to sip on the entire event too!

You can’t have a celebration without cake, and their cake and display did not disappoint!! The hot air balloon table was a show stopper, and the perfect place for the funfetti cake, macarons, and cuter than anything bear cookies from Word of Mouth Bakery. To top off all that sweet goodness, they also had individual parfaits available on the buffet!

It was a beautiful celebration, and we just loved working with Terri so much, we can’t wait for the next one!!

Thank you Terri, for letting us celebrate Dominique and her Bambina 💕

Cast of Austin Vendors

Venue & Catering: Archer Hotel Austin

Baker: Word of Mouth Bakery

DJ: Greenbelt DJ

Floral: Christie Turner Floral Design

Balloon Artist: Big Pop’n Balloons

Photographer: The Mill Photography Studio

Rentals: Premiere Events and Loot Rentals

Draping: Encore Global

Favors: sugarfina

Meg + Chris' Lakeside Country Club Wedding | Houston Wedding Planner

Meg and Chris might look a tiny bit familiar to you, and if so, it’s because we had the honor of coordinating her sister Haley’s wedding the same year. Having that connection just made us love Meg even more, which is easy to do since she is one of the most positive and graceful people you will ever meet. Like so many 2020 brides, COVID thew lots of changes her way, but she never let them get her down. In the end they had to change the date, the reception venue, having a small private ceremony months before the celebration with everyone else, and making all the social distancing and safety modification, but it didn’t stop either of them from smiling and celebrating to the fullest.

Meg and Chris decided they didn’t want to wait until social distancing protocols were lifted before getting married, so they had a small ceremony for family in July of 2020 at the beautiful Christ Church Cathedral. It might have been a little crowd, but it was not short on emotion or beauty. They still treated it like a special day with beautiful florals and their photographer and videographer and even a cake for their post ceremony dinner.

Meg got ready with her sister and mother and shared so many sweet moments. One of our favorites traditions was their granny’s penny that they put in their shoe on wedding day, and it was even cuter that they brought it over in a ziploc bag!! Tina with Agape House Studios used both the gorgeous outdoor area plus the incredible stained glass to document the day.

Meg walked down the aisle on the arm of her dad and left hand in hand with Chris, and to make sure these two lovebirds felt celebrated, they were wished off under a sea of confetti. Confetti will pop up again with these two, and we think its pretty safe to say that Meg likes it a bit more than Chris!!

Five months later it was time to celebrate with family AND friends!! They decided to skip the ceremony and just hold the reception at the beautiful and classic Lakeside Country Club with a gorgeous pastel color scheme with just a pop of a darker fuchsia. Just because the wedding took place in December doesn’t mean that you have to do dark winter colors, especially not in Texas! While there are quite a few not so great things about getting married during a pandemic, there are a few little pluses, and Meg and Chris got to experience one of them. TWO CELEBRATIONS! That means they got two first looks, two special moments and days, and a big one for all the brides, Meg got to wear her wedding dress twice!!

Inside the elegant ballroom they played up the simplicity with ivory linens and napkins, beautiful gold rimmed glass chargers, and class centerpieces that will never go out of style. F. Dellit Designs used high and low centerpieces of hydrangea, roses, ranunculus in shades of white, ivory, pink, and fuchsia with pops of pale blue and dark greenery. The gold candlesticks with pale blue taper candles complimented the chargers and just pulled the entire look together.

Cakes by Gina once again wowed us all with her beautiful and delicious masterpieces. The wedding cake fit the simple elegance theme with its four tiers of swiss dots and it gave the groom’s cake a chance to shine. Chris’ two tier cake looked like a night full of skies and even had the silhouette of trees so you felt like you were in the forest enjoying the night sky!

After Meg and Chris got their private big reveal (one of our favorite things to do) everyone was able to join in on the long waited reception. There were toasts, and first dances, and parent dances, and private dances, and everything in between. However, there was one thing missing, Meg’s sister was exposed to covid at the last minute and wasn’t able to attend. It was heartbreaking to not have her sister there, but they made sure she was still able to give her toast, even if it was via iPad!!

The departure was once again amazing thanks to another round of confetti. We know it might not be a popular option among venues, we know its a little bit messy, but it is 100% worth it. The looks on their faces, both for totally different reasons, is a moment that needs to be captured for all time!!

It was an honor being part of your happily ever after Mr & Mrs Shatto!

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Wedding Ceremony

Photography: Agape House Studio

Church: Christ Church Cathedral

Post Ceremony Dinner: Brennan’s of Houston

Floral: F. Dellit Designs

Videographer: Wedding Films by Mia

Cake: Cakes by Gina

Beauty: The Bridal Suite

Wedding Reception

Photography: Agape House Studio

Venue: Lakeside Country Club

Floral: F. Dellit Designs

Videographer: Wedding Films by Mia

Cake: Cakes by Gina

Band: Doppelganger Band

Photobooth: Goldline Entertainment

Beauty: Blush and Company

Your Wedding Guestbook - Think Outside the "Book"

Guest books are a staple of weddings, its the best way to remember who was there to celebrate with you as you reminisce on your 50th anniversary. Luck for you, they are no longer just a book full of lines for your guests to write down their name! They can be fun or traditional, and reflect your personality or fit your wedding theme. So scroll down and get some ideas for your upcoming celebration!!

AN ACTUAL GUESTBOOK

Yes, you can still find traditional guestbooks, just like the ones your parents had. Or you can find some that look traditional on the outside, but once you open it up there will be a fun surprise! Below are just a few of the things we have seen:

• Want a traditional guestbook but still want to make it fit your wedding theme or decor? Put the book on a beautifully decorated table that make it work, like the Eiffel Tower for one of our Paris themed wedding. Or print out and frame a text message from your first date and place it next to your guest book, that way all your guests will see it!

• Get a custom made guestbook on Etsy! You can get covers in wood, linen, velvet, suede, leather, the list goes on and on! Inside you will find blank pages so your guests can write messages along with their names, giving a more personal feel.

• Turn your engagement photos or photos of your dating years into a book with plenty of empty space, and have your guests sign. The guests love looking at all the photos, plus you have the best coffee table book EVER! And for some extra fun, be sure to sign it yourself so you remember how you felt that day!

Photo by Agape House Studios

Photo by The Bird & The Bear

Photo by Anastasia Strate

Photo by Debra Gulbas

Photos by Eye Wander Photo

NEW HOME DECOR

Turn your guestbook into something you can keep and display in your home as decor or artwork! There so SO MANY ideas for this, and sometimes the item fits your wedding decor and sometimes it doesn’t, and either one is fine!

• A fingerprint tree made by your guests.

• A wooden sign that could also double as your welcome sign. They can be painted, like the Texas flag below, or they can be kept as a plain wood with your names and wedding date in the middle and your guests sign around.

• A custom made sign from Etsy to reflect your personalities. This is a great way to bring in a loved item to your wedding without affecting the overall day, or to bring your beloved animals into your day!

• A large framed sign that will make quite the impact in your home. Jason and Dixie chose to join their two states together, but you could do anything. However, we do think the two states is very cute, especially since we all know putting Texas on anything makes it the best!

• A globe, or any item, that fits your wedding theme, or you just love and want to keep in your home. Just make sure the item is large enough for all of your guests to sign, and big enough so you can read it!

• A framed engagement photo where your guests sign the photo mat. Such a classic option that you will always treasure.

Photo by Agape House Studios

Photo by Julie Wilhite

Photo by Lisa Woods

Photo by The Bird & The Bear

Photo by Gaby Caskey

Photo by Nicole Young

UNIQUE IDEAS

The sky is the limit when it comes to this, just make sure it is something they can sign!! Be creative and find something that really goes with your personality as a couple! Two recent favorites we have seen:

• The El Arroyo big book of signs for an Austin wedding where about 90% of the guests were from Houston. They not only got to write a message to the couple inside the book, but got to get a good laugh and experience the amazingness that is the El Arroyo sign!

• Vintage postcards for the guests to leave the couple an adventure idea for their bucket list.

Photo by AL Gawlik

Photo by Jessica Frey

POLAROID OR PHOTO BOOTH GUEST BOOK

We hear some people talk about this being overdone, but we always say, you do you and thats all that matters. Plus, depending on your crowd it can be such a huge hit and so much fun!

• POLAROID: Bring your own polaroids along with a blank guestbook (look at Etsy), some pens (we recommend THESE, and they have lots of color options) and some scrapbook double sided tape dispensers (like THESE, there are lots of options of brand), and lots of extra film and some batteries too. Make a cute sign with instructions, have your bridesmaids start before the ceremony so the book isn’t blank, and the guests take it from there. Some will take nice pics, some silly. Some will just write their names, some will write short funny messages, some will write longer or heartfelt wishes. With it being a portable camera you will get all sorts of backdrops around your venue as well. However, don’t be surprised if your cameras don’t make it home with you, often times we see only one of two by the end of the night. So we always suggest starting with at least two for that reason, no matter your guest count!

• PHOTO BOOTH: Don’t think your guests are the DIY type? Let a photo booth company do the work for you. They can provide the backdrop, or you can do a custom one with the help of your planner and florist, and then the attendant will deal with the lighting and photo taking! Make sure your package includes 2 prints per person, so they can keep one and then they can put the second in your guestbook! Bring all the same supplies as the polaroid option, or sometimes the photo booth company can even supply those too!

Photos by AL Gawlik

Photos by AL Gawlik

Included Photographers:

Agape House Studios
AL Gawlik
Anastasia Strate
Debra Gulbas
Eye Wander Photo
Gaby Caskey
Jessica Frey
Julie Wilhite
Lisa Woods
Nicole Young
The Bird & The Bear

Tatum + Pearce's Houston Country Club Wedding | Houston Wedding Designer & Planner

Tatum and Pearce were a super fun and sweet couple, and we loved working with them! Not only were they a pleasure spending time with, they hold a special place in 2020 history by having one of the BIG weddings before quarantine started, with over 200 guests! They wanted a beautiful and classic celebration of their love, so the Memorial Drive United Methodist Church and the Houston Country Club was an easy choice.

Tatum was able to get ready with her 17 best gals, including her twin sister ❤️ After getting beautiful thanks to the teams at Shine Salon Houston and Jennifer Aronston Makeup, the ladies slipped into gorgeous and sleek navy blue dresses before Tatum was helped into her timeless Vera Wang gown. The guys didn’t disappoint either, they looked dapper in black and white, but had some fun hidden with suspenders that looked like Mexican serape blankets!

The time was finally here for Tatum to walk down the aisle to Pearce, and she was so happy to take that final walk on the arm of her father. Holding her bouquet of white roses, white anemone, and eucalyptus, she made her way to her groom with her cathedral length veil in tow, making the most stunning photos. We love all wedding ceremonies, indoor, outdoor, summer, winter, garden, lakeside; but there is just something about a bride walking down the aisle of a grand church that makes our hearts happy.

As Tatum and Pearce said “I do” the Houston Country Club was wrapping up the touches on the beyond beautiful reception that Tatum had been dreaming about. She had a vision in mind, but like so many brides, just wasn’t sure how to bring it to life, so with the help of her amazing vendor team, it became a reality. This design was very much a team effort, we worked with Martha with the Houston Country Club on the breathtaking florals, and The Blooming Gallery found rental linens so perfect that Tatum wanted to turn them into pillows for her house!!

She mixed modern clear acrylic ghost chairs, classic silver chiavari chairs, silver and white textured linens, silver velvet lounge sets, elegant white wooden bars, simple white bridesmaids bouquets as centerpieces, and show-stopping tall florals on beautiful glass vases. But if you ask us, the pièce de résistance was the greenery chandelier dripping with candlelight. It was front and center for the dances and toasts, and even surrounded by all the stunning decor, it just got your attention.

The couple also selected Cakes by Gina for their classic yet whimsical white sugar floral wedding cake. Tatum and Pearce also love their dogs, Ellie and Colt, so much, and they wanted to make sure they were part of the special day too. They made their appearance on custom cocktail napkins, on Pearce’s groom cake, and they were part of their engagement shoot as well!

With the ceremony and photos over, it was time to get the party started! Tatum made her gown a little more reception friendly by removing the lace top to reveal the classic button down strapless one that fit her decor perfectly. As guests were enjoying the cocktail reception and reception station dinner, the Houston Country Club made sure that not only Tatum and Pearce got a private meal so they could enjoy the evening, but also that their parents got a private meal as well. Its those little details that make the difference between a good venue and caterer and a great one!

As the reception started, the newlyweds shared their first dance under their halo of greenery and candles, where they also later danced with their parents and shared toasts with all the guests. One of our favorite photos of the evening was the joy that Tatum and her sister shared as Pearce danced with his mother. Seeing her share in Tatum’s joy is one of those many magical moments that weddings are known for.

After the formal dances and toasts, it was time to cut the cake and bring out the desserts. Two cakes weren’t enough for this crowd, and there is no better late night snack than cinnamon milk shooters with donut holes!! It gave everyone the boost they needed to dance to the music of The Doppelganger Band and enough dance floor props to keep everyone going all night.

After hours of fun, it was time to wish the new Mr and Mrs farewell. As the guests gathered outside with rose petals to toss at the happy couple, Tatum and Pearce shared a private last dance surrounded by a sea of white confetti. Donning a white fur shawl to keep warm, Tatum and her new Mister were showered by roses before the drove away in the light of sparklers. It was a dream night for a dream couple!

It was a joy and a pleasure being part of your happy day Mr & Mrs Martens!

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Photography: Nancy Aidee Photography

Church: Memorial Drive United Methodist Church

Reception Venue and Caterer: Houston Country Club

Floral: Martha with Houston Country Club

Rentals: Blooming Gallery

Band: Doppelganger Band

Lighting: GTX Production

Cake: Cakes by Gina

Stationary: Katie and Co Houston

Hair: Shine Salon Houston

Makeup: Jennifer Aronson Makeup

Wedding Dress: Vera Wang from Casa de Novia Bridal Couture

Transportation: Sam’s Limousine

Departure Car: Monarch British Limousines

Audra + Stephen's Ma Maison Wedding | Austin Wedding Designer & Full Service Planner→

Audra and Stephen’s wedding weekend was a bit of a different one for us for two reasons. The first being that is was a second marriage for them both, showing us that you can find love after loss and heartbreak. But the second reason was because our “planner” was the groom! Stephen was so great to work with, he had the perfect balance of knowing what he wanted and also trusting us to know what was right. He was also just a funny and down to earth guy, having left a life in the high stress corporate financial world to become a math tutor, in order to enjoy himself and have time for family and friends.

Family and friends were the theme of the weekend. They both had family all over the country and with COVID many of them had never been able to meet each other in person, so the wedding weekend was going to be very special. Stephen wanted a laid back and comfortable event (two words that 100% described this happy couple) but also wanted a beautiful wedding for his bride to be, and one that would make his guests feel special, especially since they were all flying in from out of state.

We helped plan all elements of the weekend, from the hotel room block, to the rehearsal dinner, to sending out invites and getting the RSVPs, to the wedding, Stephen never had to worry. As guests arrived in Austin on Thursday and Friday, they all stayed at The LINE to experience a bit of Austin downtown life, before heading into the beautiful Texas Hill Country for the rehearsal dinner.

Every guest was invited to the rehearsal at The Texas Hill Country Olive Co for a delicious buffet from local favorite The Salt Lick. Stephen had very few requirements for the weekend, but one was that the rehearsal had to be authentic Austin BBQ, so The Salt Lick was the perfect fit. The private room with its two long wooden tables doesnt need much decor (very much like Stephen being a man of little words) so Stems Floral brought in some bud vases with lavender, olive branches, and assorted white florals to run down the center of the table, and it was just what he didn’t even know he wanted!

After a wonderful evening spent with newly introduced family and friends, it was time for the wedding at one of our favorite venues, Ma Maison. This was the only vendor that Stephen and Audra selected without our help, and it was no easy task. Audra wanted water at her wedding, she wasn’t too specific as to what form, it could be on a lake, on the gulf, have a beautiful water feature, just as long as it had water. With that being her only request, Stephen made sure she was going to get that. They looked at over 100 venues before finding Ma Maison, where they found the beautiful water that Audra wanted along with the comfortable yet elegant atmosphere they wanted for their guests.

Both Audra and Stephen had been married before, and both marriages ended differently. Stephen’s was ended mutually, but Audra’s was ended not too long ago when her husband of many years passed away. Audra is one of eight children, and while her first wedding was beautiful and happy, she never really got the wedding she maybe had always dreamt about as a little girl. With them both being so lucky to find love again, but especially Stephen just so incredibly happy to have found Audra, he wanted to give her whatever she wanted.

Ma Maison happen to have a date open just two months away, so we got a call along with four pictures; her ivory lace dress, the rust bridesmaids dresses (picked out by the bride’s daughter), and two bouquet ideas, and got right to work! Stems Floral took our design board of warm fall tones and added their own little twists, which including custom dying florals to match the colors Audra wanted. We wanted warm, comforting colors and florals that looked elegant but also liked you picked some from the side of the road. And greenery, lots and lots of greenery. The end result was breathtaking. The names of the florals alone just make you feel warm and fuzzy; peachy juliet garden roses, golden caramel antique garden roses, dusty blush quicksand roses, peach ranunculus, terracotta sweet peas, burgundy dahlias, chocolate queen anne’s lace, dark pink astrantia, ivory astilbe. It just screams fall!!

Audra is a beautician by trade, so the bridal suite was packed all morning with all her friends and co-workers making everyone beautiful for pre-ceremony photos. The wedding party was made up entirely of family, with the maid of honor being Audra’s daughter, and other bridesmaids included one of Audra’s sisters, Audra’s daughter in law, and Stephen’s two daughters. The groomsmen were lead by Stephen’s brother as best man, Audra’s son, Audra’s brother-in-law, and Stephen’s two son-in-laws.

We carried the warm fall tones onto the Trellis for cocktail and inside the Great Hall for dinner. We drew inspiration from velvet and greenery, but added in lots of metals, textures, and pops of color to make it unique. We mixed ivory florals with touches of burgundy, orange, and blush, with dark and light wood, lots of candles, copper, gold, bronze, mirrors, crystal, ivory ceramic, black textured ceramic, leather, with oatmeal, orange, rust, gray, and hunter green velvet; it truly represented the unique tastes of Audra and Stephen, and made for a comfortably beautiful party as well!

They chose to get married at The Grove, one of the four ceremony locations at Ma Maison, because they loved all the natural greenery found there. Audra made the touching decision to have her late husband’s mother walk her down the aisle as the music of Terra Vista Strings filled the air. And while all eyes should be on the bride, it was hard to not pay attention to Stephen’s many reactions to seeing his bride walking towards him. Al Gawlik captured his many expressions, and they are some of my favorite photos of the entire wedding. As the ceremony ended, nothing could stop these two from smiling, they were on top of the moon with joy!

After the ceremony as guests enjoyed delicious appetizers from Crave Catering, including the groom’s favorite mini chicken and waffles, Audra and Stephen took so many beautiful photos where you could really see their love for each other shine. Since the fountain was such a big reason they chose Ma Maison, we had to make sure to capture it for their forever memories.

The rest of the night was spent visiting with all their newly joined family and friends in the Great Hall. Josh Giles of Exodus Sound Co played keyboard and crooned the guests as they enjoyed a plated dinner of grilled flank steak, pecan crusted chicken, or stuffed acorn squash. They wanted a laid back reception where people could enjoy themselves but also still hold a conversation, so we utilized the trellis with additional lounge sets and kept the music on the quieter side. A lot of the traditional wedding events were skipped, like parent dances and bouquet toss, but there was no way Stephen was going to skip the wedding cake. Their three flavors of cake from Simon Lee Bakery (orange with strawberries, pina colada, and white with lemon) was served with Bluebell’s homemade vanilla ice cream so everyone could experience that Texas treasure.

After a quick dress change, Audra and Stephen finally got to use the photo booth from Oh Happy Day with their custom backdrop, before heading out for some late night photos at the Green Cathedral (often called the birdcage). It was the perfect ending to their perfect day.

It was a pleasure being part of this new start, cheers to many more years Mr & Mrs Turner!!

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

WEDDING

Photography: Al Gawlik Photography

Venue: Ma Maison

Caterer: Crave Catering

Floral: Stems Floral

Rentals: Premiere Events and Bee Lavish Vintage Rental

DJ: Exodus Sound Co and Josh Giles Music

Ceremony Musicians: Terra Vista Strings

Videography: Mason Jar Films

Cake: Simon Lee Bakery

Photo Booth: Oh Happy Day Booth

Signage: Jen Krause Paper Co

Hotel: The LINE Austin

REHEARSAL DINNER

Photography: Al Gawlik Photography

Venue & Bar: Texas Hill Country Olive Co

Caterer: The Salt Lick

Floral: Stems Floral

Rentals: Premiere Events

Brittany + Peter's Hotel Saint Cecilia Wedding | Austin Wedding Coordinator →

If there was ever a perfect example of a “yin to my yang”, it is Brittany and Peter, and it was such a joy to be part of their day. Brittany is 100% emotion, loves some dramatic flair, and just wants to have a great time. Peter is her grounding force, bringing her back to the daily grind, but still always making sure she is having a great time. The love they share can be seen across the room, and it was just what we needed in the middle of a pandemic.

With COVID still around, they knew they couldn’t have the big celebration they wanted, but they were SO ready to be married. With just a little over a month to spare, they called us to help with an intimate celebration at Hotel Saint Cecilia. It was the perfect choice for their celebration with tons of character for Brittany’s large personality and the ability to have everyone all in one place, so they could spend the entire weekend with their friends and family.

The guys spent the weekend in Suite 1, with its prime location right at the entrance to the property and right next to the ceremony and cocktail location. While the ladies spent the weekend just around the corner in Suite 4, where the wedding dinner would take place. Having all the space of Suite 4 was a huge plus for Brittany and her ladies. With four bridesmaids, two moms, and two grandmothers all getting ready together, they were able to spread out (inside and outside in the beautiful late November temperatures) and always find a nice comfy chair as well. That was very important for Brittany, as her grandmother Evelyn, was the guest of honor. During all of the planning, Evelyn was always considered and at times was given more priority than the bride herself. She is the most important person in Brittany’s life, and she wanted the day to be enjoyable for them both.

The team at Jessica Roop Beauty came prepared with every item necessary to make the ladies look gorgeous and they did a great job. Brittany looked every part the beautiful bride, but her sister stole the show a *tiny* bit with gold glitter in the part of her bright red hair and braids!

Once everyone was dressed and beautiful, it was finally time to get started, and Brittany was ready for her photo shoot. As mentioned before, this bride has quite the personality and wanted her pictures to capture that fun.

Rob with Rob August Photography was up to the challenge, and Hotel Saint Cecilia was a great help with its countless fun, funky, and unique spots. Gypsy Floral made beautiful bouquets with burgundy, blush, and ivory roses accented with ranunculus, blue thistle, astilbe, viburnum berries, and eucalyptus, which looked great against the navy blue of the guys and the bridesmaids. Brittany did a touching first look with her father, before everyone gathered for family and wedding party photos on the iconic striped patio of the hotel. It was a family affair, so there was lots of kissing, and hugging, and of course, some dramatic flair from Brittany.

The time finally came for the “i dos” on the hotel lawn. The guests were serenaded by a string quartet from Terra Vista Strings as the wedding party made their way along the winding path around the lawn. Channeling her dramatic flair, she took inspiration from “Crazy, Rich, Asians” and selected “Can’t Help Falling In Love” for the ceremony music. Once everyone was in place, and after a long pause to keep Peter on his toes, Brittany finally got to walk down the aisle to the man of her dreams.

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the terrace as Brittany and Peter got their very own little photo shoot. And no wedding at Hotel Saint Cecilia is complete without photos at the SOUL sign at the pool!

The lawn of Suite 4 was transformed during the ceremony & cocktail hour and ready for dinner under the stars. Tables were set with white linens, gold and brass candlesticks, warm fall florals, and Hotel Saint Cecilia’s red chairs. Guests were able to choose their entree in advance, and each place setting had a custom made menu serving as a place card. The semi-naked cake from Sweet Treets Bakery had a place of honor on the patio, where the lights reflected on the windows.

After cocktail hour, guests took their seat in anticipation for the entrance of the new Mr & Mrs. Reggio and then enjoyed a delicious dinner of roasted chicken or beef tenderloin. Brittany couldn’t wait to start dancing but was getting frustrated with her wedding gown, and asked us to cut off the bottom of her gown. Yes, you read that correctly, she asked us to CUT HER DRESS! In 15 years of wedding planning it was a first, but we are here for you, so Melanie got some scissors and got to cutting the under-layer ONLY.

Once the “tailoring” was done, Brittany went back outside for a quick dancing test drive, and then the toasts began. With such a small and intimate crowd, the toasts were able to be long and touching, and very emotional. While everyone was crying, the tears kept flowing with the first dance and parent dances, but then it was time to have some fun! Brittany made sure to have “You Are My Sunshine” play so she could share a special dance with her guest of honor, Grandma Evelyn.

With the sun down, the hotel becomes even moodier, and Brittany and Peter just had to sneak away for more photos, especially of her wedding boots!

The night had to eventually come to an end with Brittany & Peter running through a sparkler send-off and sneaking back behind their guests (who were busy playing Harry Potter with their sparklers) to their honeymoon suite right on property.

Here’s to forever Brittany & Peter!!

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Photography: Rob August Photography

Venue & Caterer: Hotel Saint Cecilia

Floral: Gypsy Floral

Ceremony Musicians: Terra Vista Strings

Cake: Sweet Treets Bakery

Beauty: Jessica Roop Beauty

Hotel & Rehearsal Dinner: Hotel Magdalena

Lizzy + Carson's Junior League of Houston Wedding Reception | Houston Wedding Coordinator→

We had the pleasure of helping Lizzy and Carson navigate planning a wedding during a pandemic along with Lizzy’s mother Barbe. They were one of our dream families; classic and elegant style, incredibly kind, but also fun loving. Those traits became important as they made the difficult decision to postpone their celebration from early August of 2020 to late March of 2021. However, they didn’t let that stop them from starting their life together as planned. They decided to hold a very intimate ceremony and reception on their original wedding day in their backyard. This made their wedding reception seven months later so much more relaxed and fun since they got the nerves out of the way.

Once the wedding weekend was finally here, Lizzy was ready to enjoy it with her ladies. They started with private class at Pure Barre, and then had a refreshing poolside lunch at the St. Regis Houston knowing that all the details were taken care of. Later that evening the ladies met up with the rest of the family and wedding party for a welcome dinner of gold ole Texas food, hospitality, and dancing at Goode Company Armadillo Palace!

Early the next morning the ladies were up and ready to get the wedding day finally going! Luckily all they had to do was take the elevator down to a getting ready room in the St. Regis where coffee and the talented ladies of Hey Lovely were waiting for hair and makeup time. I don’t know about you, but seeing Lizzy in her fuzzy slippers and pajama set makes me think that everything I wear should have fluffy feathers on it, I’d smile all day!!

After a full morning of beauty it was time to take off the fluff (as cute as it was) and put on her gorgeous Amsale wedding gown. Its simple and elegant front with a bit of fun in the back went perfectly with Lizzy’s personality, and she looked so beautiful. After her big reveal to her bridal party, it was time to head over to the Junior League for photos and to celebrate!!

With everyone together at The Junior League of Houston, Lizzy and Carson were ready to do their first look. Although this was just a reception, this was still the first time Carson was seeing Lizzy in this wedding dress, so it was still a special moment and you could still feel the love and excitement.

With the first look done, they could truly relax and enjoy each other on this day that they had waited seven months for, and they did. You could see the joy and love they share in all their photos, their smiles were radiant!

The Junior League of Houston certainly has a gorgeous outdoor area, but we can’t skip over the beauty that you will find inside. With its elegant touches of gold and blue, it was the perfect backdrop for Lizzy and Carson’s vision. The Secret Floral Garden used a combination of tall, unique, and modern centerpieces mixed together with bud vases, traditional vases, and tall and skinny vases, all in varied forms of glass. To keep all that variety looking cohesive, they stuck to primarily white calla lilies, tulips, hydrangeas, adding in some white roses and other forms of greenery, plus plenty of candlelight, for a super classic and clean feel. To accentuate the florals they stayed with simple silk linens and napkins, and gold rimmed glass chargers to bring add a formal setting but not too much clutter with additional plates and flatware. Anchoring the room was a six tier smooth white cake by Cakes by Gina on a beautiful textured velvet linen where Lizzy was able to place her white calla lily bouquet.

The guests enjoyed a cocktail reception on the Blue Stone Patio, where they snacked on hors d’oeuvres including mini quesadillas and bruschetta, and then were welcomed into the room for dinner and dancing. After being introduced to “Another One Bites the Dust” the new Mr & Mrs May shared their first dance to “Come and Get Your Love” before guests enjoyed dinner. The Junior League provided delicious stations like caesar salad with crab cakes, a risotto martini bar, a southern fare biscuit bar and carved to order beef tenderloin. Eager to get to the dancing part of the evening, the happy couple cut the cake, had the always sentimental dances with their parents, and then, it was time to party!!!

The Royal Duke’s Band kept everyone dancing as the sparkly hats and headbands came out!! This group came to celebrate, and celebrate they did!! The shoes came off and there was so much dancing and singing. Now, they did have to pause for a little bit so Lizzy could toss her bouquet, and also make sure to eat a late night corn dog, because weddings have their priorities after all! After 2 hours of non-stop dancing, the night had to come to an end, but Lizzy and Carson got one more special private dance before they were whisked away to their happily ever after.

It was finally time to say goodbye, and the happy couple was wished off under cloud of white rose petals as they drove away with one of our favorite signs ever “Just Married…7 Months Ago”

Happy Forever Mr & Mrs May!

Wedding Hashtag: #ItsGonnaBeMay

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Photography: Hannah Mayson Photo

Venue & Caterer: Junior League of Houston

Floral: The Secret Floral Garden

Band: Royal Dukes Band

Cake: Cakes by Gina

Dance floor: Mike’s Dance Floor and Party Rentals

Beauty: Hey Lovely

Dress: Amsale at Neiman Marcus Bridal

Hotel: St. Regis Houston

Rehearsal Dinner: Goode Company Armadillo Palace

Dogs in Wedding - Why and How to Include Them In Your Special Day→

We are pet people at Something to Celebrate. While we love ALL weddings, we won’t lie, a wedding with a dog is just something special! You might be wondering why & how should you incorporate your fur baby into your wedding, especially if you can’t have them there in person. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS

This is the easiest way to incorporate your pets because you can take them near your house and they require the shortest time commitment. Use these photos on your save the dates, or print off and frame as many as you want and display them at your ceremony and reception for everyone to enjoy!

Photo by Nancy Aidee

YOUR ATTIRE

This one is for the guys! Have some fun but keep it classy with socks (either just with your dog breed, or even custom ones with your exact pet) and cuff links like Mike. If your wedding is a bit more on the casual side, go crazy with your tie! In this day and age of so many custom clothing options, you can almost do anything, just make sure it fits the formality level of your celebration.

Photos by Laurentina Photography

SIGNS, STICKERS, AND MORE!

There are so many options when it comes to signage and paper products, so use your imagination and have fun! We have seen lots of creative ideas in the past, and while we would love to share them all, it would take awhile, so below are just a few recent ones.

• Custom stamps, SO SO cute! If you have stamps, that means you can always include your pets on your invites as well.

• Make COVID precautions a bit more fun with custom stickers to indicate how comfortable your guests are with social distancing. Hopefully this particular use will be gone soon, but stickers are here to stay!

• Were you planning on doing assigned tables for your guests? If so, it will be one sign that you know everyone will be looking at, so of course you need your furry friends to be front and center on that sign!

• This is a big day, it’s the official start of a new family, so why not document it with an adorable sign with ALL your family members. You could easily make a sign that you also use as a guest book and have your friends and family sign. Or you could be like Kady & Nathan and just show off your newest piece of artwork for everyone to enjoy!

• Turn their adorable faces into photo booth props, and then they really be part of the celebration!!

Photo by Laurentina Photography

Photos by Gaby Caskey

Photo by Julie Wilhite

Photo by John Winters

Photo by Agape House Studio

YOUR BAR (AND BONUS FAVORS)!!

There are so many fun ways to include your pets into your bar and that is probably why we see this the most! Even if you are having a formal wedding, the bar is always a fun place, so you can use this area to bring in a little bit of whimsy into the evening.

• Have cups made with an illustrated version of your four legged friend and your new married name on the back. Keep them at the bar so they can used during the wedding, but order extra because guests will want to take one (or more) home as a favor!

• Sure, you could make a signature drink named after you or your fiance, but naming it after your pet is way more fun! It could be as simple as giving a traditional drink a new name for the night (like Kasey & Ed did with their margarita “The Willie” and old fashioned “The Carter”). Or turn your pet’s name into the drink, like Tina and Henry did with their “Zoey-Rita”!

• If thinking of drink names is too much, or you aren’t doing a signature cocktail, we’ve still got you covered! You can name your bars! Haley & Tyler named their three bars after their three dogs, Cash, Credit, and Debit (Tyler is an accountant if you are curious).

• If you are going to take the time to name your drinks after you dogs (or cats, anyone, maybe, one day..), you better have a sign made!! It can be a be on acrylic or printed and in a frame. The picture can look like a computer graphic, can be hand painted, can be a custom watercolor, again, the possibilities are endless.

• Last but not least, what is a bar without koozies and beverage napkins! Skip the monogram and opt for furry face instead!

Photos by Claire Casner

Photo by Jessica Frey

Photo by Julie Wilhite

Photo by Agape House Studio

Photos by AL Gawlik & Agape House Studio

Photo by AL Gawlik

Photo by Julie Wilhite

Photos by Julie Wilhite

Photo by Nancy Aidee

Photos by Laurentina Photography

CAKE

Before you start to doubt us, yes,, you can include your dogs on the wedding cake and not just the groom’s cake! Traditionally the groom’s cake is the more “fun” one, but you can fit your furry friends into anything you want. Actually incorporate them into the cake, like Haley & Tyler’s cake eating trio), or make them a topper (in plastic, metal, or icing form). If you still want just a traditional wedding cake with a hint of your loyal companion, grab an extra beverage napkin and display it on the cake table for a beautiful (and still elegant) photo!

Photo by Agape House Studio, Cake by Cakes by Gina

Photos by Eye Wander, Cake by Simon Lee Bakery

Photo by Julie Wilhite, Cake by Cakes by Gina

Photos by Nancy Aidee, Cake by Cakes by Gina

INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR CEREMONY

Don’t know anyone to be a ring bearer or flower girl? No worries, your pet is up to the task! But the task they are ready for is looking adorable in photos and making your guests smile. Having proper wedding etiquette is not. They might stop to literally smell (or eat) the roses, chase a squirrel, or decide to jump on that beautiful new white gown they have never seen their mom in. So whenever you have your beloved animal at your wedding, they need their very own companion. Companies like The Pet Gal can even board them when you are gone during wedding weekend and your honeymoon. On wedding day they will bring them to your ceremony just in time for photos, stay with them during the ceremony (because as much as we love them, they don’t love us enough to sit through a 20 minute ceremony), help with with post-ceremony pictures, and then take them back home. Weddings are loud and full of strangers, and that can stress your dog. So let them stay just to spend time with the two people they love most in the world, and then let them go back home for a nap!

Photos by Laurentina Photography & Inked Fingers

Who needs a ring box when you have a dog!

Photos by John Winters

Ruthie + Samson might not have been the best behaved while walking down the aisle :)

Photos by Angela King

Summer came down the aisle AFTER the bride. Meredith & Yanni wanted to see how cute she would be, and she did not disappoint!!

Photo by Claire Casner

Cassie needed to rest after her walk down the aisle.

Photos by Angela King

Heidi & Chloe might be polar opposites when it comes to size, but together they are perfection!

Photos by Josh & Dana Fernandez

Scout had everyone laughing all throughout the ceremony, and it was clearly exhausting!

Photo by Inked Fingers

We just aren’t sure who is cuter, Tucker or the actual ring bearers!!

Photo by The Silhouette Studio

Oliver stole the show from his mom, but since she is a veterinarian, she was just fine with that!

PHOTO TIME!!

How many days of your life are spent with a professional photographer following you like a shadow? Probably not many, so take advantage!! You are both dressed to the nines, so get your furry friend the cutest bow tie, or a flower collar, and you will treasure these pictures FOREVER!!

Photo by AL Gawlik

Photos by AL Gawlik

Photos by Angela King

Photo by The Silhouette Studio

Photos by Claire Casner

Photo by Laurentina Photography

Photo by Josh & Dana Fernandez

Photos by Inked Fingers

KISSES

Last but not least, include them for the kisses. Yours or theirs, they don’t care. They just love kisses!!

Photos by Claire Casner

Photo by The Silhouette Studio

Photos by AL Gawlik

Included Photographers:

Agape House Studio
AL Gawlik Photography
Angela King Photography
Claire Casner Photography
Eye Wander Photo
Gaby Caskey Photography
Jessica Frey Photography
John Winters Photography
Josh & Dana Fernandez
Julie Wilhite Photography
Inked Fingers
Laurentina Photography
Nancy Aidee Photography
The Silhouette Studio Photography

Kasey + Ed's Ma Maison Wedding | Dripping Springs Wedding Coordinator→

Kasey and Ed will always hold a special place in the heart of our planner Melanie, as their time with Something to Celebrate was short but so very sweet. They didn’t join us like most of our couples, many months before their big day. They found us during the worst week of 2020, the one where COVID shut everything down. Their wedding was scheduled to happen in just 7 weeks and they were working with another full service planning company. However, when all of these additional stresses were put on their plate, they realized they were no longer happy with their current planning situation and quickly found us and the rest is history!

We quickly got to know each other via email (no in person, this was the height of the shut down) and found a new date 3 months away, so their original date of April 25th became July 25th. That should be plenty of time to just move a wedding, but it became clear that lots of details had been missed and the design was not 100% was Kasey really wanted. With an amazing floral plan from Flora Fetish, we went back and started from the beginning. Keep in mind we moved from a beautiful spring April day, to the heat of the Texas summer, with an outdoor ceremony planned, so some big changes. But luck was on our side once again, and Kasey was the very first bride to use the not 100% finished Ma Maison chapel. All her vendors knew the stress she had been under (we felt it too) and since she and Ed are just about the nicest people ever, we all became fast friends. There were many happy moments & tears shed between Kasey and her vendor team on wedding day.

Left Photo: Kasey with Hattie & Molly of Flora Fetish, Michelle of Ma Maison, Melanie of Something to Celebrate

Right Photo: Kasey & Ed with Jessica of Jessica Frey Photography

With the date reschedule, Kasey and Ed took it in stride and decided to have a bit of fun with it. They sent out new invites with "let’s try this again…”, kept some of their personalized items with the original date, or just crossed it out and put the new date (like in Ed’s custom suit), and fully embraced the new normal of masks with beautiful Mr & Mrs masks and custom disposable masks for all their guests.

After three quick months, and lots of guest count changes (so many that each text to Melanie would be accompanied by a GIF or meme of “another bites the dust”) it was FINALLY wedding weekend! With many friends and family coming in from out of state, they gathered at Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark for a quick rehearsal and had a delicious dinner at La Condesa.

Wedding day started early for the ladies, heading into Dripping Springs for hair and makeup at Ma Maison. Their bridal suite was the perfect size for Kasey and her ladies to spend the day together getting beautiful and spoiling the bride. But don’t think we forgot about Ed and his guys either, not at all! They have their own grooms den, with corn hole, roping steers, horseshoe, bocce ball, and space to just sit and watch some tv and enjoy the AC on a hot summer day.

Once Kasey got into her beyond gorgeous Miss Hayley Paige dress, the emotions started to run high. She had a replica of a note written by her late father sewn into her dress, and his presence was felt during the fist look with her mother and the toast given by her sister later in the evening. It was a touching moment, and it’s those moments that make us love what we do even more.

Happier moments were up next, with the first look at Ma Maison’s iconic Green Cathedral for Kasey & Ed, followed by family and wedding party portraits. Typically this time is all about the couple, but their ring bearer and flower girl were totally stealing the show! These two had never met each other, but became the best of friends, and we expect an email in 20 years to be planning their wedding!!

It was finally time to walk down the aisle, and the brand new chapel looked beautiful! Flora Fetish’s design of gold, greenery and blush tones paired perfectly with the chapel, and the draping from Unique Design and Events provided a touch of softness for a romantic vibe. In true form, their ceremony was full of love and laughter, and was everything they had been waiting for.

With most of their pictures done, they had time to enjoy their cocktail hour with their guests and wedding party. Thank goodness because who wouldn’t want to spend time with the beer burros and enjoy the delicious hors d’oeuvres from Crave Catering (ceviche cups, chicken & waffles, and mini lamb chops, yes please)!! As the guest entered the Great Hall to find their seats for dinner and dancing, the happy couple took a few golden hour photos before the true party began!!

Can we take a moment to just ooh and aah at the decor for a second. This wedding was truly a team effort between Kasey and her decor team composed of Something to Celebrate, Flora Fetish, and Marquee Event Rentals, and it turned out amazing. There were so many different elements, with almost each table being unique, but together it was perfection. Gold, greenery, blush, and geometric shapes were the original inspiration and you can see how it all came together, with the star piece being the overhead greenery on the head table!!

Guests had beautiful textured napkins from BBJ Linen with a square dinner plate & triangular salad plate from Marquee. While the head table had a gold and glass starburst charger, a delicate gold scalloped dinner plate, a classic white satin napkin, and then the cutest gold “dottie” plate from Marquee that you have ever seen! Pair those place settings with the mix of peach cafe dahlias, so many roses (early grey, garden rose koko, lavender, celestial spray rose, vendela, and quicksand), roma pink astrantia, purple acacia, blushing protea, eight types of greenery, and my personal favorite, grass bunny tails, and you were transported to a modern garden.

Now was time to enjoy all the work of the past year and celebrate!! They made their grand entrance down the stairs and as their closest family and friends cheered on and then watched their first dance as husband and wife. Guests then enjoyed a plated meal of a seasonal strawberry salad and a duo entree of seared salmon and beef medallions from Crave Catering as they listened to heartfelt toasts from the best man, matron of honor (and sister of the bride), mother of the bride, and the bride & groom themselves!

You can’t have a wedding without wedding cake, and with two cakes from Simon Lee Bakery, we had that covered. The wedding cake looked so modern and elegant with its swirl design on the acrylic stand and on the BBJ linen that matched the napkins. Ed’s UT Tower cake was the perfect groom’s cake for this UT couple and is always a crowd pleaser, especially since it was their chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling!!

After all the formal events were over, it was time to kick back and enjoy the music of the Royal Duke’s band. The dance floor was full the rest of the night with smiles and foam glow sticks! As the sun set the covered trellis became a popular hang out as well, especially with Ed’s whiskey bar and the fire pit.

Sadly the night had to come to end, Crave Catering provided to-go breakfast tacos for the bus ride back to Austin, as the guests lined up to send the couple off under a canopy of sparklers. We had one last surprise for the new Mr & Mrs before they rode off in style in a black 1937 Cadillac; a private last dance, what a way to end the night!

Congrats Kasey & Ed, it was truly an honor and pleasure getting to know you and being part of your celebration!! Happy ALMOST 1 year anniversary and we can’t wait to meet Baby Girl Powers so very soon!!

Wedding Hashtag: #MoorePowersToYou

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Planner: Something to Celebrate

Venue: Ma Maison

Photographer: Jessica Frey Photography

Catering: Crave Catering

Florist: Flora Fetish

Band: Royal Dukes Band

Cake: Simon Lee Bakery

Makeup: Houston Puryear Makeup Artistry

Hair: Miranda McGuire

Rentals: Marquee Event Rentals & BBJ Linen

Draping: Unique Design and Events

Beer Burros: Sweet Magnolia Events

Transportation: LuxLimo

Departure Car: 4 Leaf Limo

Gown: Miss Hayley Paige

Jenna + Joe's Hotel Galvez Wedding | Houston Wedding Designer & Full Service Planner→

Jenna and Joe might not have had the smoothest path to the altar thanks to our best friend covid, but with some patience, laughter, and our help through it all, they finally made it. It took three tries before the date finally stuck, and in the end their final date was exactly one year from their original choice. It was clearly meant to be an April affair! Their wedding weekend was all about celebrating their favorite things; their family, their friends, their ADORABLE dog Scout, Jenna’s love of NOLA, Joe’s love of baseball, having fun, and of course, each other.

The couple selected Galveston, and the Hotel Galvez, to get some of the feeling of New Orleans while still staying close to Houston. Since everyone was coming from out of town they made it a weekend celebration and held their welcome reception in the beautiful conservatory at the nearby Bryan Museum. In order to fully enjoy the events, they also had us assist with the planning of the welcome reception and had Dana of Dana & Josh Fernandez Photography there to capture all the memories.

Guests dined on mini cold canapés, chicken and sausage gumbo shooters, Brazilian chicken, bistro filet, lemon rice, and assorted mini desserts as they enjoyed an open microphone for toasts. One of the best toasts came from the father of the groom, who had a wonderful surprise for his son and new daughter. Joe’s best friend was not able to make it to the wedding, but that just didn’t sit well for his dad, so he had a life size cardboard cut out made and presented it to the couple at the welcome reception. If that doesn’t set the scene for a fun wedding, I don’t know what does!!

Wedding day finally came and they were ready to walk down that aisle! They decided to forgo a traditional wedding party and instead focused on their parents and siblings, and the cutest wedding party member EVER, their dog Scout!! Hang in there when you get to the photos, because I might have posted a few too many of him, but there was so much happiness that even Scout was smiling. It was just too cute!!!

Jenna got ready in her sleek Sarah Seven gown with her mother by her side, while Joe spent the morning with his buddies before putting on his stylist suit from Suit Supply. With her bridal gown belt, and his colored jacket, these two made quite the couple, and their pictures with the white Hotel Galvez in the background really made their outfits stand out even more!

After a touching first look, it was time to finally get married, and not surprisingly, Scout stole the show. Jenna looked beautiful walking down the aisle with an elegant bouquet of white peonies by Last Petal Floral Studio, but even her eyes were on Scout. As they were FINALLY pronounced husband and wife, their closest family and friends cheered with approval, and Scout joined in with an affectionate howl as well :) And now, it was time to party!

The happy couple was welcomed into the Terrace Ballroom with music from IN10CITY after guests had spent the past hour feasting on a crab claws, oysters on the half shell, and shrimp, all served with mini bottles of hot sauce; and six other hot passed hors d’oeuvres like lamb, beef, brie, and even more shrimp! Guests dined on a delicious plated dinner of surf and turf, while sitting at tables with mis-matched linens from EB Inc Event Rentals (one of our favorite current trends) and centerpieces of candles, mixed greenery, roses, hydrangea, ranunculus, and succulents from Last Petal. After the meal was over and guests had time to chat with the happy couple, then the dancing kicked off with the couple’s first dance and the parent dances.

You can’t have a wedding without wedding cake, and Jenna’s cake did not disappoint! The always amazing Cakes by Gina blended Jenna’s love of NOLA into her cake by combining it with a King’s Cake and matching macarons. Isn’t it a thing of beauty! But don’t you worry, Joe was covered too. His love of baseball was incorporated with a custom built concession stand and vanilla ice cream, served in little baseball hats, with his favorite ice cream topping, Dutch Treat Twinkle Nut Crunch. If you thought those baseballs were just for decor, well, that might have been the intention, but with this lively crowd, it turned into a game of toss between Joe’s parents.

After all those formalities, it was finally time kick off their shoes and have some fun!! The guests packed the dance floor, wearing the custom Mardi Gras beads from the wedding, and danced and danced and danced. They also broke out into song with “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” and enjoyed the photo booth by Lucky Shots when they needed a breather. To make sure their guests had enough energy to last the entire night, the Texas staple Whataburger was brought in for a late night snack, but with enough time to eat it before the final nod to NOLA to wrap up the evening.

The band members of IN10CITY lead the guests to the hotel bar for an unofficial after party in a Second Line to “When The Saints Go Marching In” with Jenna and Joe leading the way. It was the perfect end to a wedding that was 100% worth the wait!!

Congrats Jenna + Joe, it was an honor and pleasure being part of your celebration!

Wedding Hashtags: #CalhounDat

Cast of Houston Wedding Vendors

Wedding Reception

Planner: Something to Celebrate

Venue & Catering : Hotel Galvez

Photographer: Josh & Dana Fernandez

Florist: Last Petal Floral Studio

Band: Intensity Bands

Cake: Cakes by Gina

Hair/Makeup: Blush and Co.

Rentals: EB Inc Events

Lighting: GTX Productions

Photo Booth: Lucky Shots Photo Booths

Late Night Snack: Whataburger

Gown: Sarah Seven from Lovely Bride

Suit: Suit Supply

Welcome Dinner

Venue The Bryan Museum

Catering: Chopin Mon Ami

Photographer: Josh & Dana Fernandez

Florist: Island Flowers

Transportation: Clear Lake & Galveston Shuttle

Mallary + Ryan's Camp Lucy Wedding | Dripping Springs Wedding Designer & Full Service Planner→

This sweet couple and their families have a special place in my heart. We started working on their wedding 13 months before the wedding date and helped with every step, starting with finding the perfect venue for their desired “woodland goddess” feel. Our worlds were turned upside down when COVID triggered the government to prohibit Louisiana travel to Texas, then prohibited Austin weddings completely. Add in to the mix a hurricane and limited flexibility due to the groom’s residency, we faced a reschedule and possible complete cancellation or reschedule to a 3rd date - it was hurdle after hurdle. As event planners, we excel at expecting the unexpected and trouble-shooting every obstacle with grace and swift efficiency. But COVID. This sweet family was heart-broken and my heart broke with them, as we shared tears over the phone - I’ve never felt so helpless to help a client! But after a lot of tears and reworked plans, and negotiations with the amazing vendor team who worked so hard to navigate the constantly-evolving event plans, we threw an amazing, well-deserved celebration that ended up being our first #COVIDwedding. Mallary and Ryan’s love and happiness was just what we all needed. Their celebration brought us joy and hope, and it’s such a privilege to revisit it with you through these images - I know you’ll agree that their joy is contagious.

The NOLA natives decided to make Austin their wedding destination and selected one of our favorites, Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs. Camp Lucy is great for destination weddings since it has resort amenities such as rooms, cabins, a restaurant, fire pits, alpacas, and a beautiful pool, plus it’s hidden in the hill country and can provide peace, quiet, and golden hour photos like no other.

However, these two wanted their guests to see all of Austin, so they had rooms at the Fairmont Austin downtown and held lots of events for their guests and wedding party during their weekend. They had daytime pool lounging and then nighttime drinks at the Fairmont, hung out at the local favorite Barton Springs Pool, lunch at Iron Works BBQ, and watched (and smelled) the bats on the South Congress bridge. That was just Wednesday and Thursday!! Friday saw a bridal luncheon at the South Congress Hotel with drag queens as performers, and wrapped with a rehearsal dinner at Colorado Lease with Southern Flair food, and sweet and savory treats from Taco Sweets.

The ceremony was held at Sacred Oaks under a canopy of greenery accented by candles and beautiful white blooms from Stems Floral. Guests were serenaded by Ibison Guitar Duo as family and wedding party made their entrance, ending with three of the most adorable flower girls ever, the couple’s grandmothers!! A violinist joined in as Mallary entered on the arm of her father, and she joined Ryan under the arch of hanging candles, roses, and greenery before being announced as husband and wife!

The happy couple was off for bell ringing and golden hour photos, and it was clear this new husband was smitten, carrying his wife in the hill country sunset. They then met up with their closest 22 friends for wedding party photos and a fun game of flip cup before enjoying some time alone for their own private dining. The guests were very well taken care of while all this was happening, with delicious passed hors d’oeuvres from Whim Hospitality and three bars PLUS a rolling whiskey cart to keep them hydrated in the summer heat.

And this party was just getting started! Guests came inside to hanging greenery and beautiful lighting, plus four themed dinner stations (BBQ, American, Cajun, & Asian, YUM)! Spacecraft Entertainment had the dancing covered and there was a live painter to truly capture these once in a lifetime moments. For anyone that wanted to enjoy the beautiful clear night sky there was a Star Guide, and in addition to the traditional cake cutting, the bride invited 11 of her single friends to participate in the New Orleans cake pull. Remember when I mentioned this being a celebration, well, when I said there was dancing, I really meant it. They danced, and danced some more!!

The Austin Knights Brass Band wrapped up the evening leading the guests outside with another NOLA tradition, the always fun Second Line Parade, for some surprises from Big Dog Pyro. The happy couple went off in style with a fireworks show and a departure STANDING in a beautiful white jeep with sparkler fountains leading the path. The joy on their faces was everything we all needed to remind us that love will get us through it all!

Congrats Dr & Mrs Wolfe!!

Wedding Hashtags: #joiningthewolfepack #wolfeidotaketwo

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Wedding Planner: Something to Celebrate

Venue : Camp Lucy, Sacred Oaks

Catering & Rentals: Whim Hospitality

Florist: Stems Floral Design

Photographer: Eye Wander

Videographer: Adam Grumbo Films

Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Music: Ibison Guitar Duo

Ceremony Violinist: Musical Discovery

Brass Trio: Austin Knights Brass Band

Reception Music: Spacecraft Entertainment

Cake: Simon Lee Bakery

Hair/Makeup: Adore

Gown: Enzoani

Stationer: The Inviting Pear

Lighting: Disch Events

Pyrotechnics: Big Dog Pyro

Live Painter: Rachel Walter

Star Guide: Chris Sawran

Transportation: Transportation Consultants

Departure Jeep: Tim Waters Photography

Hotel: Fairmont Austin

Rehearsal Dinner: Colorado Lease

Rehearsal Dinner Dessert: Taco Sweets

Rehearsal Dinner Photo Booth: Oh Happy Day

Bridal Lunch: South Congress Hotel

Bridal Lunch Entertainment: Nick is Noodles