by kailey | Oct 26, 2021 | Wedding
Totally Chic Outdoor Mae’s Ridge Wedding
Donkeys, a candy-throwing flower girl, and a vibrant smoke bomb exit. These were the special ingredients used to bring this one-of-a-kind Texas celebration to life. With the help of wedding planner Taylor Bible Weddings, Laura and Karl planned a COVID-conscious day filled with a few tears and a whole lot of love. From the modern wedding venue to the personalized ceremony readings, every detail radiated unconventionality.
With jaw-dropping views, vaulted ceilings, and an open industrial feel, Mae’s Ridge—a newly-built, chic Austin wedding venue—proved to be the perfect space for this intimate celebration. The Flower Girl created anasymmetrical, floral ceremony backdrop that framed the venue’s natural outdoor beauty in a way we can’t stop thinking about. Keep scrolling for intentionality-infused details—captured by photographer Elisa Lopez Photography—that are sure to kickstart your creative wedding planning.
More From The Photographer On This Mae’s Ridge Wedding
Laura and Karl had their wedding at Mae’s Ridge—a modern, chic new wedding venue in the Texas Hill country. Situated in 28 acres, this sophisticated venue was perfect with dreamy backdrops! There were a lot of things that made this wedding stand out like the flowers, bride’s dress, bridesmaids dresses, donkeys, and smoke bombs. The list goes on!
The Couple:
Laura and Karl
The Wedding:
Austin, Texas
Hosting A COVID Conscious Wedding
We are most proud of how we tried to make the day safe for our guests. It was a tough decision to reduce our guest count but we knew it was the right thing to do to keep our family and friends safe. The ceremony was outdoors, masks were encouraged, and the reception venue had wide-open garage doors to allow for airflow. The tables and decor were spread out enough that the space didn’t feel empty even with our lower guest count.
Little Details That Made For A Memorable Day
The entire ceremony was filled with memorable moments. The weather was sunny and perfect to sit outside. Our flower girls threw out Halloween candy instead of flower petals. Our officiant read our own personal storythat made it so much more meaningful. The backdrop to the ceremony was an incredible view of the beautiful Texas hills framed by golden arches. No detail was short of amazing.
The Couple’s Wedding Planning Tips
I’d suggest couples start by doing a little bit of planning each week rather than trying to tackle it all at once. We split the responsibilities so the bride wasn’t tasked with all the planning and vendor hunting. We also created a wedding email account so we could both be in the loop with vendor updates.
The Importance Of Personalized Ceremony Readings
Our officiant read our personal love story instead of reciting traditional readings. During a brief interview a few weeks before the wedding, she asked us questions about how we met and our relationship style. She then turned our answers into a perfect summary of our love story. We were blown away by how she captured us. We have a copy of that story that we plan to read each year on our anniversary.
A Venue Unlike Any other
We had a whirlwind weekend touring about a dozen different venues in the Texas Hill Country. Mae’s Ridgewas a newer venue that wasn’t just another rustic barn and the views were amazing. Of course, having open Saturday dates that worked with our schedules was a big part of the decision process too.
The whole process was easy and relaxed! Elisa Lopez Photography sent us a questionnaire beforehand asking about our bridal party and our list of must-have poses and photos. She was open to our suggestions and knew that finding the best natural light was key to these outdoor shots. She kept a close eye on sunset so we could get those amazing golden hour shots that we love so much.
Congratulations Laura and Karl on their stunning Mae’s Ridge wedding. And big thanks to photographer Elisa Lopez Photography for capturing special moments that’ll have couples everywhere searching for special ways to set their weddings apart.
, Texas
Hosting A COVID Conscious Wedding
We are most proud of how we tried to make the day safe for our guests. It was a tough decision to reduce our guest count but we knew it was the right thing to do to keep our family and friends safe. The ceremony was outdoors, masks were encouraged, and the reception venue had wide-open garage doors to allow for airflow. The tables and decor were spread out enough that the space didn’t feel empty even with our lower guest count.
Little Details That Made For A Memorable Day
The entire ceremony was filled with memorable moments. The weather was sunny and perfect to sit outside. Our flower girls threw out Halloween candy instead of flower petals. Our officiant read our own personal story that made it so much more meaningful. The backdrop to the ceremony was an incredible view of the beautiful Texas hills framed by golden arches. No detail was short of amazing.
The Couple’s Wedding Planning Tips
I’d suggest couples start by doing a little bit of planning each week rather than trying to tackle it all at once. We split the responsibilities so the bride wasn’t tasked with all the planning and vendor hunting. We also created a wedding email account so we could both be in the loop with vendor updates.
The Importance Of Personalized Ceremony Readings
Our officiant read our personal love story instead of reciting traditional readings. During a brief interview a few weeks before the wedding, she asked us questions about how we met and our relationship style. She then turned our answers into a perfect summary of our love story. We were blown away by how she captured us. We have a copy of that story that we plan to read each year on our anniversary.
A Venue Unlike Any other
We had a whirlwind weekend touring about a dozen different venues in the Texas Hill Country. Mae’s Ridge was a newer venue that wasn’t just another rustic barn and the views were amazing. Of course, having open Saturday dates that worked with our schedules was a big part of the decision process too.
The whole process was easy and relaxed! Elisa Lopez Photography sent us a questionnaire beforehand asking about our bridal party and our list of must-have poses and photos. She was open to our suggestions and knew that finding the best natural light was key to these outdoor shots. She kept a close eye on sunset so we could get those amazing golden hour shots that we love so much.
Congratulations Laura and Karl on their stunning Mae’s Ridge wedding. And big thanks to photographer Elisa Lopez Photography for capturing special moments that’ll have couples everywhere searching for special ways to set their weddings apart.
Every couple is different and every wedding should be too. If you’re in search of ways to incorporate and personalize details from online wedding inspiration, kickstart your planning by checking out our guide on how to use wedding inspiration.
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by olivia | Oct 24, 2021 | Wedding
Luscious greenery, DIY bouquets and boutonnieres, and a quaint backyard reception—we can’t think of a better COVID-conscious wedding than Stephanie and Stephen’s. Although it wasn’t their first choice of venue, this smaller celebration proved that shifting your original plans can be done beautifully. And with a backyard as luscious as this one, we don’t blame them for opting for this venue.
Not only were they utilizing an incredible venue, but this DIY couple literally made their own wedding dreams come true. From creating individual charcuterie boards to having a custom beer brewed, every detail of this wedding was unique and thoughtful. Stephen and Stephanie truly made their wedding day their own and had fun along the way. Thankfully, J.Olson Weddings captured every laugh and every detail of this COVID-conscious wedding. Get ready to see nature working its magic and get your Pinterest ready.
The Couple:
Stephanie and Stephen
The Wedding:
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Have Fun And Savor Important Details
You can have fun no matter where you are if you’re with your person! We feared the pandemic conditions would make our wedding less special and less fun, so we spent a lot of time on a few key details that were really important to both of us. We really wanted to have some of our best people around us, take photos by the Mississippi River, and have really great food for our guests. It made it easy to let go of the big wild ideas that weren’t as important, and we were able to have fun and savor those most important details.
Choosing A COVID-Conscious Wedding
Pre-pandemic, we’d picked a nearby wooded park with a lodge that had a great way of showcasing nature with some hiking trails and a small lake nearby. When we shelved our ‘big party’ and our venue along with it, some generous family members who live down the street from us offered up their backyard, and it seemed perfect! They have a gorgeous flower and vegetable garden, which provided a comfortable and COVID-safe way to still enjoy a little nature in our day without the stress of navigating the logistics of a typical venue. The proximity to our homemade it really easy to shuffle décor and food back and forth as well! And of course, living in Minnesota, the weather is not always cooperative, and we were lucky to have the foresight to rent a tent so we could escape the rain while enjoying our garden party celebration
Pre-Toast Mad-Libs
A friend gave us a goofy idea to have wedding mad-lib letters to the couple for guests to fill out since social distancing was bumming us out. We were skeptical, but went with it, and made a copy for each guest and invited them to read their mad-libs aloud before official toasts. We were in stitches laughing at the silly things our family and friends came up with, and it warmed up the crowd for the best lady and dude of honor speeches from our siblings.
DIY Florals And Charcuterie Boards
There were a lot of DIYs that made our wedding magical—honestly, they were some of the best parts! We selected our own flowers from a floral market and picked some wild sweet fern to hand-tie our own bouquets and boutonnieres, in addition to table arrangements. We found a great Esty shop—Leaf Décor—that makes forest-themed art that we used for table escort cards along with some leaf clippings from local trees that Stephen’s dad snipped the day before our wedding. Plus, we asked around for family members to collect enough wooden cutting boards to make individual charcuterie boards, which were assembled with top-notch wild venison salami.
Handmade Cakes And Custom Brews
A close friend bakes cakes on the side. So, we asked her to create a custom wedding cake with our favorite flavors—lemon, blueberry, and rosemary. It was gorgeous and delicious. We also had a family member who brews beer make a custom brew for our wedding. It was a Maple Marzen called “The Perfect PH”, which was made with maple syrup we harvested and produced on some family property.
Congratulations to Stephanie and Stephen on their perfectly green COVID-conscious wedding. Major shoutout to J.Olson Weddings for capturing and sharing the excitement of this day with us. Loving the idea of a backyard wedding or reception? Check out our ultimate guide to planning a backyard wedding.
The post COVID-Conscious Wedding With Greenery Everywhere appeared first on .
by olivia | Oct 21, 2021 | Wedding
Absolutely Magical Lisbon Botanical Garden Wedding
Our jaws dropped when we saw this Lisbon botanical garden wedding—geometric-shaped shrubberies, luscious greenery, and a gorgeous view of the city. From getting ready together to asking their maids of honor to officiate the wedding, Luc and João’s wedding was intimate, magical, and incredibly personal.
To add to the magic, wedding planner Muza Weddings Concept adorned their wedding altar with large clear acrylic blocks, candles, and black cubes. Plus, the reception decor was breathtaking: rattan peacock chairs, lounging couches, and vibrant green florals. You’ll have to see to believe, so keep scrolling to see photos captured by Hugo Coelho.
The Couple:
Luc and João
The Wedding:
Estufa Real, Lisbon, Portugal
Planning Their Lisbon Botanical Garden Wedding
The most important part of planning was to plan a wedding that looked like us. We wanted to make something meaningful without being too influenced by traditions and the people around us. It was liberating and inspiring to be able to do whatever we wanted.
Celebrating Love
We’re most proud to have been able to gather all our closest friends and family to celebrate not just our love, but love in general. It was so important to us to give a message of tolerance because the ability to freely love who you love is sadly not given to everyone. We wanted to show that no matter if you’re gay, straight, or in-between, it’s all about the love you share.
Officiated By Their Maids of Honor
The most memorable part of the day was the symbolic ceremony. We asked our Maids of Honor (Luc’s best friend and João’s sister) to write and to officiate the ceremony because we wanted it to be very intimate and personal. It was a magical moment that had us in tears from the beginning to the end. They also included speeches from both of our moms. It was really moving.
Advice For Nearlyweds
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. What we have learned during the process was to be resilient together. This COVID wedding was proof that if you are willing to compromise on your vision together, you can still get a beautiful wedding surrounded by those who really matter.
Congratulations to Luc and João on their magical Lisbon botanical garden wedding. And a big shout out to Hugo Coelho and the entire vendor team for creating this spectacular ceremony. If you’re on the hunt for the perfect wedding team, we’ve got vendors from around the world who can help you. And to get started on your planning, head over to our wedding planning page to get started. Happy planning!
![Dramatic and Chic Mexican Hacienda Wedding *]()
by olivia | Oct 19, 2021 | Wedding
Dramatic and Chic Mexican Hacienda Wedding
When planning their wedding, Fernanda and Sebastian wanted their Mexican Hacienda wedding to be unique with an Italian vibe. Once they stepped foot in the Hacienda Santa Ana y Lobos, it was love at first sight. After seeing their photos, we get it. This stunning venue features cobblestone streets, strung lights, and open courtyards. To add to the romantic feel, floral designer Florklor Estudio added cascading pastel florals to the entire venue, including the fountain, a Piaggio ape car, the altar, and along the staircase.
After tying the knot with a unique candle lighting ceremony, the couple and their guests headed to their reception area for sunset drinks and dancing. We won’t spoil the rest of this Mexican Hacienda wedding, so keep scrolling to see photos captured by Junebug member MC Weddings.
The Couple:
Fernanda and Sebastian
The Wedding:
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México
by olivia | Oct 17, 2021 | Wedding
Romantic And Intimate Sunset Elopement
The perfect venue for your elopement can truly be anywhere you dream of—even an art gallery. Mato – Art Gallery, or “O Mato,” was the perfect venue for this intimate sunset elopement with its unique backdrops, artistic structure, and stunning outdoor landscape. Bad Bad Maria wanted to blend weddings and art. Sharing the idea that weddings can be unconventional. Using the shadows and shapes of the art, this talented team kept the decor and wedding fashion equally as artistic.
The artful decor consisted of natural colors, cascading roses, plush pillows, and tall candlesticks. Plus, the vows were written on autumn tree leaves—cute and creative. To add to the artistic feel, the wedding day fashion consisted of a backless lace dress by Jesus Peiro, a crisp black suit, and Converse sneakers. We could go on, but we’ll let the stunning images do the talking.
Keep scrolling to see how Lovati Photography captured this intimate sunset elopement.
Here’s what Bad Bad Maria had to say about this Intimate Sunset Elopement:
When we talk about a wedding, many couples immediately think of a church or a typical venue. But there are so many different places where we can have beautiful weddings. How about a unique piece of art? We’re a Portuguese collective wedding planner that believes weddings don’t have a formula, rules, and they don’t need to be conventional.
by riley | Oct 14, 2021 | Wedding
Elegantly Minimalist Durban Backyard Wedding
There’s something about backyard weddings that we find oh-so-romantic–especially when the venue is a home with significant meaning to the couple. After getting engaged in November 2020, Abi and Brad knew they didn’t want to wait to tie the knot. So the couple said “I do” in a minimalist Durban wedding two months later at Abi’s childhood home.
With the help of Just Peachy Events SA, the couple transformed the backyard into an elegant ceremony and reception space full of simple black, white, and gold decor–letting South Africa’s lush foliage be the true highlight of the day.
So whether you’re looking to save money on the venue or you want to get married somewhere personal that holds a special place in your heart, this one’s for you. One look at these photos from Christy Hosking Photography will have you ready to plan your own backyard micro wedding.
The Couple:
Abi and Brad
The Wedding:
Durban, South Africa
The Bride On Hosting A Minimalist Durban Wedding
We had been together for seven years when we got engaged in November 2020 and had planned to have a big wedding in June of 2021. South Africa was then placed on a level three lockdown due to COVID-19. We had plans to buy the family home I grew up in and we knew that we didn’t want to wait to get married. So we decided the week of Christmas to go ahead and do an intimate ceremony on January 8th with our parents and my husband’s two brothers.
Letting Nature Be The Highlight Of The Decor
For the overall theme, I wanted the color scheme to be simple and minimalistic to match our style. That’s why we chose white, black, and gold for the table settings, florals, and wedding cake. January brings the summer rain in Durban, and the foliage in our garden was so lush that I wanted the landscaping to do most of the talking.
