I beyond adore these two. Lesley and Paul are so insanely cute, it’s outrageous. Seriously, scroll down and sneak a peek at the photos, then come back. I’ll wait…
See what I mean?
As beautiful as they are on the outside, they are even MORE beautiful inside – these two people are so kind, so funny, so fun. Just a dream couple to work with!
They were married in November 2010 at St. Austin’s Catholic Church.
From her birdcage veil to his top hat, their clothes were perfect for the occasion. Her stunning dress was so romantic between the lace, the beading, the tulle, and her grandmother’s buttons (a custom touch!) and his suit was so dapper from the coat with tails to the striped pants. Flawless! After the ceremony, they hit Austin in a vintage Bentley and took some photos around town, even running into a carnival! Some of my favorite pictures from the day are of them playing carnival games.
The reception was held at Palm Door in downtown Austin. I not-so-secretly LOVE to do flowers, so it was a lot of fun for me when Lesley asked if I would handle her reception flowers. I trolled thrift stores for a couple months collecting mismatched vases and glassware and told Lesley to collect any tin cans she (or any of her friends!) produced. The end result was a vintage feel – all peach and white clustered flowers in different sizes and shapes of glassware with random raffia bows and lots of interspersed candles. One more touch we added – an ivory lace topper for every table. The result was stunning! And nowhere more stunning than on the head table, a long banquet table with a runner of lace, candles, and flowers down the length of it. Because Paul and Lesley love to travel, we gave each table a city where they’ve been before along with a photo they took while there. Instead of a traditional guestbook, we did a mailbox with stacks of postcards from all over for guests to leave a card for the couple when they returned from the Maldives. And for favors, they gave all their guests a luggage tag saying “Enjoy the journey.”
The dance floor – well, it was NEVER quiet! By the end of the night when we needed to shut it down, I know Lesley and Paul would’ve loved to stay another 2 hours to party with their friends! It was such a blast!
Getting to know these two was an amazing experience, and I’m so lucky to now call them friends – I’m sure they’ll have lots of adventures all over the world in the future and enjoy their journey together the entire time!
Their incredible wedding was on Style Me Pretty’s Texas blog! You can see the feature here: http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/05/09/austin-wedding-by-three-apples-events/
Photos by Jake Holt Photography
This inspiration shoot was pure fun.
Working with She-n-He Photography and Design is a guaranteed good time. We pulled together an amazing group of vendors to participate and created a truly beautiful design for the photo shoot. The feel for the shoot was Palm Springs in the 1950s with a few modern touches – we chose white with pops of yellow in various shades.
A huge thank you to all of the fabulous vendors who participated:
Photography – She-n-He Photography and Design
Venue – Hacienda del Lago
Florals – Wow Factor Floral
Hair + Make-up – Keep Austin Gorgeous
Styling – Shannon Yarbrough
Catering – Austin Catering
Rentals – Premier Party Central
Petit Fours – Paige’s Bake House
Wedding Cake – Wicked Cakes
The results were so fantastic, we were featured on Style Me Pretty – check it out here!
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/02/07/vintage-wedding-inspiration-by-she-n-he-photography-three-apples-events/
After this wedding was over, we were chatting amongst the team, and it was unanimous – we all wanted to be friends with Emily.
Emily and Mitch’s wedding had so many personal touches. The time and thought Em had put into every piece of the day was really incredible!
The ceremony took place in front of the huge oak trees on the grounds at Mercury Hall. Playing an important role (the third bridesmaid!), Abbey, the couple’s dog, behaved beautifully throughout the ceremony. She even was featured as a cake topper!
Post-ceremony, rather than traditional hors d’oerves, their guests snacked on old-fashioned popcorn and iced-down bottles of Dr. Pepper.
Inside the hall, the tables were set with vintage linens, each one different, and beautiful centerpieces by Petal Pushers. The music was a mix of DJ and live band, the Hi-Tones. Also, Annie Ray had a photo booth set up complete with boas, sunglasses, a chalkboard, and lots of other fun props – the sillier the better.
The guest book table also was very personal – rather than the traditional guest book, Emily and Mitch had a blown up poster of their invitation for guests to sign around. They had made pin-on buttons with a uniquely Austin flair that by the end of the night, everyone was rocking. Guests could also leave notes typed on a vintage typewriter inside a bird-cage featuring a hanging E & M, again decorated by the bride herself.
Now, on to my favorite part – the cake/candy bar table that could’ve satisfied ANY sweet tooth.. Seriously impressive. There was a cupcake tower for the “bride’s cake,” and then instead of a traditional groom’s cake, there were all sorts of other goodies. From macaroons to gingerbread men, from candied apples to pixie sticks. Not to mention apothecary jars of rocky candy. No one could wait till dessert.
All in all, a perfect day!
Wedding photos by Jake Holt Photography.
Photo booth photos by Annie Ray.
Finding the right venue for your event is not only one of the most important pieces, but also one of the first things you should tackle. Venues fill up! Especially if you’re looking at, for example, SXSW time in Austin or a peak wedding month. Second, since it’s going to inevitably be one of the biggest chunks of your budget, it’s good to get it knocked out to know how much you have left for the other parts of the planning like food, decor, music, etc.
Also, the “where” will set the whole tone for the event – hill country with a view vs. a downtown dive bar, a hotel ballroom vs. a raw warehouse space, a restaurant vs. your backyard, one giant space vs. segmented smaller rooms, and so on!
Some important questions for you whether you are planning a corporate or marketing event, a wedding, a happy hour for friends, or any other party:
What does the venue come with? (Do they have in house catering? Sound equipment? Chairs and tables?)
What is the capacity? (With furniture and without?)
What type of access will we have? (When can we get in/have to leave?)
How do we have to leave the place? (Do we have to just pick up? Take trash off the premises? Sweep/Mop?)
Any restrictions? (Electricity, sound/noise, etc)
These are just a few of the questions to ask when you start looking. Three Apples Events can help you navigate all of the options out there and find the PERFECT venue for your event (and your budget!), no matter what you’re planning!
I was extremely lucky to get to work with Duane and DeVere for about a year on their stunning October wedding. Since they live in Washington, DC, this was a true destination wedding for almost all of their guests!
They chose Hacienda del Lago as their venue, nestled up high in Volente with breathtaking views of Lake Travis, and were married under a floating chuppah by a friend of DeVere’s family.
Following the ceremony, their guests enjoyed the couple’s signature cocktail (pineapple and jalapeno margaritas! yum!) and munched on guacamole and chips being made to order at the avocado bar.
Dinner and dancing took place in a tent on the back of the grounds; since we had the absolute perfect weather for a wedding, we were able to have the dinner tables spilling out of the tent onto the property. The one-of-a-kind centerpieces were created by Antonio Bond of Transplants who took pieces of found wood and incorporated green and white flowers into each piece in a unique way.
Once the party music started, the dance floor was never quiet. The last song of the night? “Dynamite” – totally appropriate.
Photos by She-n-he Photography and Design
When I met Lauren and her family about a year before the wedding, I instantly fell in love with them! And then, when I got to meet Jeff, everything made even more sense. These two are really meant to be together.
Lauren and Jeff’s wedding brought together a Longhorn (her) and an Aggie (him).
They were married by the same Pastor who married Lauren’s parents in a beautiful ceremony at Gethsemane Lutheran Church. If you’ve never seen this church, it is unbelievably beautiful and features stained glass along the entire front of the Church that then runs down the sides. It provided an incredible setting for them to swap their “I Do”s.
After the ceremony, everyone headed to the Union Ballroom on the University of Texas campus for their reception. Lauren’s sister, Paige, doubled as both Maid of Honor and the baker. The owner of Paige’s Bake House, she not only created the stunning five-tiered cake with cascading white roses (and a different flavor for each tier!), but also a groom’s cake with the Texas A&M seal.
Lauren and Jeff’s wedding colors? Burnt orange and maroon of course!
Photos by Anthology Photography
Laura held a luncheon for her bridesmaids, her mother and younger sister, and the groom’s mother in the private dining room at Trio Restaurant inside the Four Seasons.
We customized the room, removing the wine bottles off of the main wall and replacing them with votive candles and scattered flowers to add to the cozy atmosphere. The Flower Studio’s stunning tropical arrangements made the room pop.
Each of Laura’s girls found their place set with a pearl and crystal picture frame and their chair ready with their gifts from the bride, including a custom tie-dyed t-shirt -Laura’s signature look!
Laura and Phil are an incredible couple! Together for years, once Phil proposed, they started devising plans for an incredible Wedding Weekend for their family and friends who came in from all over to celebrate with them.
Their Friday night Welcome Dinner took place on a warm summer night in June out on the lawn at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin. The weather worked out perfectly! It was a gorgeous clear evening when they welcomed everyone to Austin! We went all out with the decor for the evening – Townsley Designs really outdid themselves and decked out the lawn incredibly. We alternated between three kinds of linens – we had brown leather on some tables, cow print on others, and the rest were denim. And for accents, their silverware was wrapped in bandanas at each place setting. Hanging from the giant oak trees on the lawn were two enormous metal chandeliers and then dotting the rest of the branches all around the lawn were lit grapevine nests. The centerpieces were truly awesome. The Floral Studio’s creations were above and beyond anything the couple had imagined and really looked like Texas from the cowboy boots to the lanterns, the blues and yellows, the Lone Star beer bottles and the barbed wire.
The chefs at the Four Seasons did NOT disappoint! They created a fantastic menu and that night was a real feast for Laura and Phil’s guests, even including some vegan options for the bride! And while everyone was eating and enjoying a trick-roper who meandered through the tables, Grammy Award winners, and Austinites, Asleep at the Wheel provided the music. In front of the stage, we created a lounge out of hay bales so guests could relax and listen.
Guests also took advantage of the photobooth, snapping fun pictures and leaving messages for the happy couple.
It was the perfect way to welcome their guests to Austin and kick off a weekend of amazing events!
After an amazing wedding weekend, Laura and Phil’s final event was a beautiful Sunday brunch in the ballroom at the Four Seasons.
With a jazz trio providing the soundtrack, their guests munched on items specifically chosen by the couple, including a kid-friendly short buffet with cereal and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. For a personal touch, they created a special section of their buffet comprised of their favorite things – Shipley’s donuts anyone?
