Margo and Jonathan were incredibly fortunate to be able to hold their wedding at their family-owned property in Austin, TX. Brodie Homestead, an elegant and rustic estate, allowed the couple to welcome people into an intimate setting that truly was, and felt like, home. Some of the personal touches included favors of gold dusted chocolate truffles shaped like a cameo pin that was inspired by an antique cameo pin belonging to the bride’s grandmother. They also included family members into the ceremony; from Margo: “I’ll never forget hearing my cousin Laura sing during our ceremony. Also my dad’s father of the bride toast at the beginning of the reception, which lasted 20 minutes and ended in a standing ovation from all the guests!” Sarah Doliver Weddings‘ stunning photos of the ceremony, venue, and gorgeous florals by Gypsy Floral + Events will surely be a treasured reminder for the bride and groom of this beautiful wedding. And let’s not forget to mention the gold accents throughout; simple gold and white elegance of the stationery by Paper Place, and the decadently adorned cake by Word of Mouth Bakery. We’re so grateful Margo and Jonathan shared their day with us.
From the bride and bride’s sister:
What made the wedding special and unique?
Margo and Jonathan’s wedding was a labor of love. Being able to host their ceremony and reception at our family-owned property was certainly a highlight, and inspired the underlying theme of the day, which was to make all of the guests feel like they were being welcomed into our home to take part in something very special. We tried to include as many meaningful touches as possible throughout the day, and I really think guests left the party feeling like they had attended something special.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
My mother and I flew to New York from Austin for a weekend of wedding dress shopping with the bride. After our first 3 bridal shop appointments, we hadn’t found a thing we liked! The moment we walked into Wedding Salon of Manhasset for our fourth (and final) appointment, I think we all knew we would find Margo’s dress there! She tried on several stunners, but none compared to the Carolina Herrera she ended up choosing. She was looking for a mermaid silhouette and absolutely loved the idea of exposed boning on the bodice, so this dress hit all her marks! Not to mention, it looked amazing on her. Luckily, they were having a Carolina Herrera trunk show that weekend, so we were able to see this dress, and others, from their Spring 2016 collection!
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
We tried to bring in as many personal touches as possible throughout the day. Since we had a pretty solid vision for the design elements and overall flow of the day from the start of planning, we used a good portion of our planning and brainstorming time to come up with unique and thoughtful ideas for the day. Guests staying at hotels received welcome boxes in their rooms with some unique items. They each had a few bottles of Topo Chico (an Austin staple) with gold bottle openers, cookies shaped like Texas and New York, the bride and groom’s home states, and a few other items. My favorite was a gold dusted chocolate truffle shaped like an antique cameo pin. This probably went over the heads of most guests, but the cameo was inspired by an antique cameo pin belonging to the bride’s grandmother. Margo had the pin affixed to her bouquet for the wedding. Guests were greeted at the entrance with a sign in table covered in a dense candlescape and flowing greenery covering a large iron scales of justice statue, a nod at the couples professions – they are both attorneys – as well as the balancing act of marriage. My favorite DIY element was the table numbers, which were custom made for the wedding using slices of white marble and stands made out of wood from the original barn structure. We also used wooden planks from the original barn structure to suspend greenery and candles over the aisle and the head table during the reception.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
There were so many memorable moments! The dance party was pretty epic. I’ll never forget hearing my cousin Laura sing during our ceremony, though. She arranged a version of the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” that was absolutely stunning. Also my dad’s father of the bride toast at the beginning of the reception, which lasted 20 minutes and ended in a standing ovation from all the guests!
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Margo and Jonathan were introduced by a mutual friend when they were in law school. Four years later, Jon proposed to Margo in their apartment in New York, surrounded by a sea of candles, and then took her to dinner at her favorite restaurant in Manhattan, where they had their first date!
Margo & Jonathan from The Bird & The Bear on Vimeo.
Photographer: Sarah Doliver Weddings // Coordination: Pearl Events Austin // Floral: Gypsy Floral + Events // Paper Goods: Paper Place // Venue: Brodie Homestead // Vintage Lounge Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals // Catering: Word of Mouth Catering // Videographer: The Bird and The Bear Videography // Cake + Desserts: Word of Mouth Bakery // Linen Rentals: La Tavola // Lighting: Intelligent Lighting Design // DJ: Greenbelt DJ // Ceremony Quartet: Terra Vista Strings // China/Glassware Rentals: Marquee Rents // Shuttle Service: Uptown Valet & Transportation // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box