Cara and Cameron love traveling, music and trying new food and aptly sought inspiration for their destination wedding day from a William Shakespeare quote that reads “If music be the food of love, play on.” They planned an entire weekend of events in Austin, TX for their friends and family including a Bluegrass BBQ, a stunning ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral and a ballroom reception at Four Seasons Hotel Austin. Wedding coordination was by CAKE Event Company, romantic florals were by Color Theory Collective and calligraphy by Jen Krause Calligraphy. Allie Lindsey Photography was on hand to capture all the details in these inspiring film images.
What made the wedding special and unique?
What really made our wedding special was that it wasn’t just the celebration on the wedding day, but an entire weekend of special events. We started off with group walk/run around Lady Bird Lake on Friday morning and in the evening, hosted a Bluegrass BBQ equipped with the best local BBQ from Leroy and Lewis and musical entertainment from a local Austin Bluegrass band, Steel Betty. The day after the wedding we hosted a Gospel Brunch at a cool office space where we enjoyed some Sunday gospel tunes and Austin’s famous Breakfast Tacos.
We currently live in Southern California and looked at many venues in our area, however nothing really felt like “us.” While visiting Austin, our home away from home, my brother suggested we visit St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Four Seasons on a whim. We had to laugh because as soon as we stepped foot into the church and the hotel, we knew that Austin was the place for us. Our friends and family are scattered throughout the United States, so it was also the perfect central meeting ground for all of our guests!
What I feel is most unique about our wedding weekend was that although there were over 180 guests, it still felt very intimate and personal. I loved being able to look around and see people who didn’t know each other one day earlier dancing together on the dance floor, laughing with each other and making those lasting memories that stick with you forever.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
Growing up, I never had a true vision for my wedding dress. I teetered from lace to mermaid gowns to princess and A-line so when it came to actually try on dresses, I felt like I was all over the place! I scheduled appointments at a few different stores in Los Angeles, and when we got to Monique Lhullier, my mom, sister and I picked out a few dresses and headed into the fitting room. And then, there it was! It was like a match made in wedding Heaven…this beautiful dress hanging in the perfect lighting left behind by the previous soon-to-be bride trying on dresses. The instant I tried it on, I cried. I knew it was the dress for me. It was whimsical, romantic and elegant. The floral lace bodice that ran into a silk tulle skirt was stunning. It fit perfectly with my personality and romance of the day.
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
We love traveling, music and trying new food, and sought inspiration from a William Shakespeare quote that read “If music be the food of love, play on.” Throughout the weekend, we made sure that music was very much the constant theme and focus of our wedding festivities, whether it was the Bluegrass band at our welcome party, Drywater Band at our wedding, the playlist at our rehearsal dinner or the Gospel band at our brunch. Some other personal touches we added were a traditional Irish bagpiper that guided us from cocktail hour into our reception, our invitation suite I designed with my mom and sister, our sweet niece and nephews walking down the aisle, the “First Look” I got to have with my dad before we headed to the church, His and Her’s cocktails, a handwritten seating chart, handwritten name tiles and romantic floral arrangements of different flower, shapes and sizes.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
The most memorable part of the day was walking down the aisle to my groom. I was so excited to see Cameron for the first time and he looked so handsome (and excited) on the altar and the second we locked eyes, we both started crying. In that moment, I knew we would be together forever and there was no better feeling in the world!
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
We met through mutual friends and started dating shortly after. We would take weekly dates on the Santa Monica bluffs where we would pack a picnic and watch the sunset. Cameron and I have explored the world together and gone to many different countries to taste exotic foods. We love going to concerts and experiencing new things together.
During our Europe trip in 2016, our first stop was Paris, France. We started the day off with sightseeing and then had our first Afternoon Tea! After Tea, we walked over to the Pon de Bir-Hakeim, which has a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower. As the sun was setting, Cameron got down on one knee and proposed. Little did I know, he also reached out to an American photographer living in Paris who captured everything on film! The next day, we flew to Barcelona to meet up with some of our friends from back home who had already known about the engagement! It was so special to be able to celebrate such an exciting time with both Cameron and some of our closest friends.
Photography: Allie Lindsey Photography // Coordinator: CAKE Event Company // Florist: Color Theory Collective // Calligraphy: Jen Krause Calligraphy // Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Austin // Videographer: Photohouse Films // Makeup: Makeup by Adrienn // Lighting: PSAV // Linens: La Tavola Linen // Welcome Party & Brunch Rentals: Premiere Event Rentals // Band: The Drywater Band // Welcome Party Band: Steel Betty Band // Photo Booth: Moviewhip // Church: St. Mary’s Cathedral
Patricia and Rick’s wedding is classic in the hue of light blue. The Chicago wed at The Armour House just days before moving their very Windy-City-rooted-lives to North Carolina . The bride describes the day as “a beautiful send-off for our adventures ahead as newlyweds.” Classic white rose-centric florals by Life in Bloom adorn the outdoor ceremony and are especially gorgeous climbing the steps of the venue’s grand staircase leading to the traditional ballroom reception. The white rose theme is carried into the piece de resistance—a spectacular three-tiered cake that mimics rose petals opening up. Lucky for us, Maria Harte Photography was on hand to capture the cake, the roses and the gorgeous couple and all their joy.
What made the wedding special and unique?
Rick and I made the decision to live together before we got married, so we often wondered “would our lives really change that much when we get married?” We put a lot of effort to make our wedding special and unique, but I think what made our wedding most special was the timing. We got married two days before we picked up our entire lives in Chicago and moved 800 miles away to North Carolina. I lived in Illinois my entire life, and Rick’s only time out of state was the 4 years he spent in Baltimore for college – this was a big change for us. Our wedding was truly a celebration of not just getting married, but it was a beautiful send-off for our adventures ahead as newlyweds.
Tell us more about the gown and where/how you found it.
Once we got engaged (and let’s be serious, before the proposal as well), I was on the hunt for the perfect wedding dress. I envisioned a timeless dress that I, and any potential future daughters, could look back on years later and continue to say “wow this is stunning.” My buzzwords for the perfect dress were lace, sweetheart neckline, and mermaid style. I was absolutely willing to try on different styles for some fun, but I was pretty set on what I wanted. I looked online to try to narrow down the dresses I loved, then called stores in the area to see if they carried it. I first tried on a dress I had been absolutely obsessing over but when I put it on, I thought “oh yikes, not how I thought it would be.” I went back to the drawing board to find another dress that met my criteria, and again called the shop. I went to The Crystal Bride in Geneva, IL to try on a different dress that I had fallen in love with online. However, I again put it on and thought “oh gosh, is this not the style I really want?” My posse wouldn’t let me feel defeated, and they hit the floors looking for my dress. This shop had so many amazing gowns so I was feeling pretty good about it. Sure enough, the next dress that I tried on was THE dress. What made it even more special to me was that my sister, Annie, picked it out! My dress was the Moriah gown by Soterro & Midgley, and I absolutely love it!
What were some touches made to your wedding to make it personal?
There were so many subtle touches to our wedding that made it personal to us but not too obvious to our guests. Chicago holds such a special place in our hearts. We both grew up in the suburbs, but our entire lives as Rick and Patti was in the city. Our relationship started there, our first place together was there, we got engaged there, the list goes on as to why this place is so dear to us. Rick would be starting residency in North Carolina, and our big move was happening just two days after our wedding. To signify our transition from our lives in Chicago to our new married life in North Carolina, Rick got me a pearl necklace and earrings because “every southern belle needs her pearls.” We also always said we would get a dog once we are settled and in a good place to have a fur child, so I got Rick french bulldog cuff links as a promise for Rick’s dream dog – and now we are proud parents of our frenchie, Kevin. Another subtle touch that was so special to us but may not have been too obvious to guests was that I walked down the aisle with my mom to a harpist playing my dad’s favorite song. My dad passed away 7 years ago, and it was so important for me to feel his presence there as I walked down the aisle.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
Without a doubt, the most memorable part of the day was walking down the grand staircase with my brand new husband to all of our guests as we were announced as Mr. and Mrs! It was truly overwhelming to see all of the love and support we had from our family and friends, and it was so incredibly special to look into a room full of all of the people that we hold so dear to our hearts.
Tell us how you met and how you became engaged.
I was attending the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana when Rick made a special trip from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to watch his brother, George, play football against U of I. His family set up camp at the stadium parking lot to tailgate before the game started; I had plans for my usual pre-game shenanigans at my sorority-fraternity block party until my friend (and Rick’s longtime friend) Casey suggested a switch-up in the plan to attend some tailgate instead. Surprise! I was on my way to meeting my future husband, but that’s not to say “the rest is history” quite yet. We exchanged pleasantries, played some games, and socialized with everyone else at the tailgate. We went to different areas of the stadium to our assigned seats to watch the game, and that was the end of that – what a blunt and disappointing ending to the day they first met… Luckily the story turns around. Several years later, we were lucky enough to get a second chance. We re-met again at a mutual friend’s surprise birthday party. And now THIS time, the rest officially became history. Everything came full circle when Rick’s mom later found a photo from the day they first met at that tailgate. It wasn’t until that photo reappeared that we realized it was actually love at *second* sight.
For a LITTLE while, I would drop some not-so-subtle hints that I would be pretty happy to be engaged. We got plenty of save-the-dates in the mail, and I’d “jokingly” say how I can’t wait to send ours out. The day we got engaged, we had our annual plans to go to the Auto Show for his brother’s birthday. It was completely normal for our family to be there at our place before we headed out, so I didn’t think anything of us being together. Rick pulled me aside to show me yet another save the date that came in the mail. As I pulled it out of the envelope, I realized it’s OURS! He created a save-the-date with all of his favorite pictures of us. I turned around to find him down on one knee, with our family surrounding us. I expressed the ugliest cry and managed to say “yes!”
Photography: Maria Harte Photography // Floral: Life in Bloom // Stationery: Shine Wedding Invitations // Venue: The Armour House // Dress: Sottero and Midgley // Hair: Three One Two Bridal // Makeup: Joey Claeyssen // Video: Delack Media Group // Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box
With a love for European travels and soft elements, Shannon and Matthew wanted their wedding day to reflect something close to Shannon’s heart while also incorporating Matthew’s love for clean, modern touches. Nestled in the foothills of the Colorado mountains, Crooked Willow Farms provided a beautiful backdrop for the day. NuBlu Events and BellaLu Floral Design carefully curated their soft, muted color palette with neutral hues and the slightest hint of blush. Their sweet King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Oliver, has brought so much joy to their lives and having him join them on their wedding day meant the world. Check out all the beautiful details in these fine art film images captured by photographer, Katherine Ridgely.
What made your wedding special and unique?
We had a beautiful wedding venue, Crooked Willow Farms. With my love of horses and Matthew’s love of the mountains, the location couldn’t have been more perfect. BellaLu Floral created the most gorgeous arrangements that were both natural to the venue and modern.
Tell us about your gown.
I had always imagined having a gown that was classic yet a little less traditional. My wedding gown was partially customized as I was able to modify certain elements to make it truly my own. I absolutely loved the lace detailing on the train!
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
To make our wedding day uniquely ours, we added a few personal touches like handwritten seating cards, custom made card holders, wax-stamps, and gold foil touches on our invitation suites.
What was the most memorable part of your wedding day?
The most memorable part of our wedding day was our first look. I was so excited to see Matthew! Just having that quiet moment to ourselves was so special before we shared our vows with our friends and family.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Matthew and I met via a dating app called Bumble. Our first date was at a coffee shop here in Denver, Colorado and it was at that time Matthew asked me out on a second date to watch the Banff Film Festival screening later that evening.
I absolutely love horses and thought Matthew was going to propose over the Christmas holiday when were were visiting his family in Ohio. It would have been the perfect setting. Well, on December 10th 2017, Matthew had suggested having a “date day” – this certainly wasn’t uncommon for Matthew! We began our day with church, followed by visiting my favorite coffee shop and park. Soon after, Matthew had mentioned wanting to visit a friend and that this friend of his was more than happy to let us visit with his horses. We absolutely had to go! We pulled up to the beautiful property and walked around the back of the barn where I was greeted by a warm fire, cozy blankets, flowers, and twinkle lights beautifully arranged. Matthew dropped to one knee for the sweetest proposal and moments later, my sweet dog, Oliver, came running out of the barn. The barn door continued opening and I immediately noticed that inside were our closest friends and family members. The day couldn’t have been more perfect!
Photography: Katherine Ridgely // Event Planning and Design: NuBlu Events // Floral Design: BellaLu Floral Design // Venue: Crooked Willow Farms // Film Lab: PhotoVision Prints // Bridal Boutique: Emma and Grace Bridal Studio // Makeup: Makeup By Heather // Hair: Phia Alchemy Salon and Spa // Grooms Attire: Suit Supply // Bow Ties: Huckle Berry Bow Co // Rentals: Event Rents // Dessert Table: Cocoa Bites // Bridesmaids Gowns: Adrianna Papell / Revolve / LuLus / Bridesmaids Social // Cake: Sweet Ride Bakeshop // Catering: Footers Catering and Events // DJ: Skyline Productions
Darcy and Brad’s adorable backyard wedding took place at the bride’s family home. The couple enlisted Moody Blooms to design and transform the home into a venue filled with big, vibrant blooms and lots of love. Florist Cargo-Creative made all of Darcy’s floral dreams come including the photo backdrop wall of blooms and greenery dripping from an industrial light installation. Other personalized details include the couple’s favorite foods and a series of darling cakes by Society Sweets. You can check it all out in these happy images of the day captured by Kelsey and Michael Cowley.
What made the wedding special and unique?
What made our wedding special and unique is that it was in my own family’s home. I had this idea and I was nervous about how it would turn out. I didn’t want it to look like a house with some decor, I wanted it to look like a venue. It was so fun to design every detail and pick every item of food for the whole event because we didn’t have any venue restrictions. It also just made it so special to have such an important day in my own family’s home.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I got my gown from The Perfect Dress in Holladay, UT. I always imagined wearing a really tight dress. When I finally went to pick my dress I didn’t feel very “bridal” in any of the tight dresses! I tried on this dress, with its massive tulle skirt, and I knew it was THE one. It looked completely different on top at the bridal store and I wanted to change it to add a fluttery-lace-sleeve. The process of adding the sleeves took about 4 months, but my seamstress, Lydia, was incredible. She made it exactly how I’d envisioned it.
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
Most of the personal touches were in the design and things I hand-picked. The X and O on the barn doors were something I really wanted and my amazing florist made it HAPPEN. So amazing. The wood wall with flowers was something I had dreamed up for a photo booth backdrop and it turned out even better than I imagined. My absolute favorite touch was the dessert room. I have been obsessed with the hanging light bulb fixture with greenery dripping from it forEVER. This was my one dream, to have the hanging light and my three amazing custom wedding cakes made by my own mom through her company, Society Sweets. It turned out even better than I hoped.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
I think the most memorable part of the day for me was the dinner. It was our favorite foods, our closest friends and family, Brad’s and my song choices, and exactly what we’d envisioned. It was so cool to all be at the one huge table together and celebrating such a big day. My favorite part of the dinner was the toasts. I love the pictures from the dinner and all of the memories they hold for us. It was so intimate and stunning.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Brad and I met in 2014 when we were both freshman at BYU in Provo, UT. We had a class together and became friends. Brad asked me on a “date”, but didn’t call it a date, so I brought a couple of my girlfriends, ha! From then on we were pretty established as “just friends”. We both went on service missions for our church after our freshman year of school. Brad went to Brazil for two years, and I went to Alabama for 18 months. We stayed in touch here and there, and reconnected the Halloween after we both got home at a party. We talked for a long time and I just felt a spark with him. More time passed and after NYE, Brad asked last minute if I could pick him up from the airport. We talked the whole way home, and the next night we kissed!! The rest was history and we got married 6 months later.
Brad + Darcy from Ben and Bluebird on Vimeo.
// Photography: Kelsey and Michael Cowley // Wedding Coordinator: Moody Blooms // Florist: Cargo-Creative // Stationery and Desserts: Society Sweets // Venue: Bride’s family home // HMUA: Swell Beauty // Videography: Ben Thompson // DJ: Hayden Davis // Rentals: Archive Rentals // Catering: Tender Greens
Marissa and Mason’s wedding day at The Pavilion at Mixon Farms is overflowing with vibrant, happy details. The bride and groom— self-described as “very bubbly and happy people”—wanted the wedding to be a reflection of their personalities. Planner Swanky Soiree Events helped the couple infuse joyous vibes throughout celebration at the orange grove—from the big, bold florals by Oh Darling Events to fresh orange favors and the result is delightful. Lucky for us, the couple enlisted the skills of Everence Photography to capture all the moments of their big day in these lovely images.
What made the wedding special and unique?
There were so many things that felt so special and unique during our big day. The little details were very important to us. We wanted our personalities and favorite things to be incorporated to our special day. Since we were getting married at an orange grove out of season, it only felt fitting to incorporate the oranges in our décor! They were the perfect addition and we even used them as our party favors with customized thank you tags pinned to them at each table setting. Not to mention – they smelled amazing.
The florals were a huge part of the day. The groom and I are very bubbly and happy people. We wanted the flowers to be bright and vibrant, just like our personalities. Plus, once I got my eyes on coral peonies and hot pink ranunculus, I fell in love and wanted them everywhere on the big day! Our florist then took creative control to create all the florals that were at the wedding. It was better than I could have ever imagined. I wanted to ensure all the little details came together. Every piece of décor was though out. Down to our pink glasses we had for the bridal party and the fun unique ones for our guests, to our bar sign that was on a copper tray! I made our signature drink match our theme with a pink margarita on the rocks with a copper straw. We had colored sugar and salts that matched our colors that our guests could choose from and it was such a fun detail! The groom also loves Corona, so the groom and all the groomsman wore Corona socks on our big day.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
We found my gown at Something Blue Bridal, a beautiful boutique in our town. I tried on about 15 dresses, which were all gorgeous, but I just did not feel like I had found “the one.” We almost gave up thinking today was not the day I would find my dress. I decided to skim the rack one more time, and one dress caught my eye. It was not anything I envisioned myself in, but I figured there was no harm in trying just one more. The moment I put it on and saw myself in the dressing room, I started to tear up and could not stop smiling. I walked out to my bridesmaids, mom and grandma, and instantly everyone cried and loved it. We knew in that moment I had found the dress!
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
Both of our fathers passed away before our big day, so incorporating the most important men in our life into our wedding was at the top of the list. My maid of honor gifted me a charm that could be tied to my bouquet with my father’s photo and the quote “With you every step of the way”. It was one of my favorite details of the entire wedding. To incorporate the groom’s father, I found the last birthday card he had given to the groom, and had the message transferred to a handkerchief that the groom could carry with him the entire day. To incorporate our copper theme, and as a nod to our special day, I picked out a copper wedding band, so every time I look at it, it takes me back to all the details, and the day I married the most amazing man. We had custom signage made by a local calligraphist who incorporated our copper theme into the lettering, and we painted our easels copper. It was so subtle but so perfect. We also had custom napkins made that were handed out during cocktail hour and throughout the night. We also line danced at our wedding as a cute nod to how we met!
What was the most memorable part of the day?
The most memorable part of the day for the groom and I was our last dance. As all our guests were lining up for our sparkler send off, we had one last slow dance with no one around. We were able to talk about our big day, all our favorite moments, and really soak in everything we just experienced. It was the sweetest thing full of love and we cherish that moment so much. We recommend every bride and groom to do it!
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
We grew up in the same town with mutual friends and saw each other around for a few years but never really spoke until one special Saturday night. We both loved to line dance, and we were at our local country bar line dancing one night! That’s the first night the groom approached me and asked me to dance – from that moment on we were smitten and inseparable. Now here we are 4 years later, married!
Photography: Everence Photography // Planner: Swanky Soiree Events // Florals: Oh Darling Events // Venue: The Pavilion at Mixon Farms // Hair & Makeup: Krystal Hall // Makeup: Amy Shaw Makeup Artist // Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero // Tuxes: Something Blue Bridal Boutique // Videography: Brandon Paul Photography & Films // Cake: Cakes by Ron // DJ: TLS Entertainment // Goblets/Rentals: The Copper Acorn // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box