Allie and Tim’s Austin wedding weekend was a “celebration of family, friendship and love.” Held at The Contemporary Austin Laguna Gloria, the ceremony capitalized on the the lush gardens of the location with graphic white florals by Wild Poppy and pops of green in the tablescape accents. Keeping the color palette simple created an edited elegance that we’re totally loving and you can see all the details in these images by Julie Wilhite Photography.
What made the wedding special and unique?
Tim and I are both from Kansas, and most of our guests traveled from the chilly Midwest so we wanted to make the weekend feel like a fun vacation. From the welcome party at a hip East Austin watering hole on Friday, to the champagne toast during the ceremony, and Rainey Street brunch for the Sunday farewell, everything was a celebration of family, friendship and love.
We especially cherish the ceremony & reception venue, Laguna Gloria. Not only is it one of the most stunning wedding venues in Austin, but it’s also a museum and sculpture garden that we can enjoy anytime we want.
Because of the naturally beautiful setting, we wanted to keep the décor and florals to a minimum, opting for a white, cream and green color palette with natural wood elements and romantic lighting. And having just our siblings as the wedding party made the ceremony feel intimate and special.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
I knew I wanted a simple gown with unexpected details, but I truly had no idea how many options there could be! After dragging my mom, sister, future mother-in-law and future sister-in-law to five bridal shops in one day (I do not recommend this), I finally found the perfect THEIA gown from Unbridaled in Austin – an ivory crepe mermaid gown with Chantilly lace long sleeves and back.
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
We enjoyed adding little touches of Austin where we could as a nod to our adopted home. The welcome bags included local favorites, including iced coffee from High Brew, Tito’s vodka and Topo Chico sparkling water, along with a personalized cup, bottle opener and weekend events schedule.
For the reception food, we knew we didn’t want the typical rubber chicken wedding food – especially because Austin is known for having an excellent food scene. Local Asian-fusion restaurant Peached Tortilla was the one and only catering tasting we went to, and we couldn’t have been more pleased. Our guests were raving about the wasabi mashed potatoes for weeks!
Because neither of us are big cake people, we opted for an ice cream sandwich cart from Baked Bear as dessert, and then surprised our guests with late-night Torchy’s tacos (an Austin fave) to end the night.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
Having dated for 8 years before we got married, Tim and I were no strangers to each other’s family and friends. But having them all together in one place to celebrate us was overwhelmingly moving. The entire day (and weekend) was everything we wanted and more.
To end the night, everyone remaining on the dance floor joined in an all-ages passionate sing-along of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” followed by a sparkler send-off. It was magical.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
Tim and I met through my sister, Morgan, in 2010 in Lawrence, Kan. I had just graduated with my bachelor’s degree and Tim had completed his first year of law school (he and Morgan were in the same KU Law class). Most of our eight-year relationship was long-distance (KC>Lawrence, KC>Singapore, Austin>KC) as we pursued graduate degrees and career passions. Tim moved to Austin in 2016 and proposed in July 2018 at his alma matter, the University of San Diego, overlooking San Diego Bay on a weekend trip to California.
Photography: Julie Wilhite Photography // Wedding Coordination: Lovely Day Events – Clarissa Melendez // Florist: Wild Poppy // Getting Ready Venue: The LINE Hotel // Venue: The Contemporary Austin Laguna Gloria // Hair & Makeup: Katy Reddell // Bridal Gown: Lauren by Theia // Bridal Boutique: Unbridaled // Bridesmaids: Show Me Your Mumu // Grooms Suit: Knot Standard // Groomsman Suit: The Black Tux // Ceremony Music: Terra Vista Strings // DJ: DJ Gatsby // Officiant: Rev. Sheryl at Short & Sweet Weddings // Rentals: Whim // Lighting: Ilios // Dessert: Baked Bear