My Girls

I've only officially asked one of my girls to be my bridesmaid, but I think I've got a pretty good idea of who I want to stand up for me. I've been putting "the proposals" off for a while now because I'm waiting until Bruno and I can agree upon a firm date. That being said, I never realized how difficult it is to choose my bridal party! My best friend of all time is actually a male, and I really don't have many female friends at all. Most of the few female friends I do have don't get along with each other. It's just stressful all around. It's also difficult because even if I don't have a super small and close-knit group of girlfriends, there are still so many ladies in my life who mean so much to me, that I can't begin to fathom that they not be a part of my wedding. Depending on how big the wedding is, I may have a house party, in addition to the bridal party, just so I can have an excuse to include them. I just have to ponder it all more, methinks, and I have plenty of time.

Until then, I've been working on my "vision" for my ladies. I can't tell you how excited I am!

The venue Bruno and I  decide on (see last post) will ultimately determine the feel of the wedding. Right now it's bordering vintage and rustic.

I know for a fact that I don't want my girls in gowns. Bruno and I want the wedding to feel more casual and fun, rather than stuffy and formal. I want my girls to be cute and comfortable, so I hope to find them some short, cute vintage-inspired dresses (think Anthropologie). I love the idea of non-matching dresses as well because it gives them the opportunity to choose a shade and style that flatters each girl the best and that each girl feels comfortable in.

Here's some examples of dresses in coordinating colors, styles, and prints:

However, I would ideally like to have them choose dresses that are at least within the same color family:

At this point, I'm thinking I want them in shades of champagne/taupe/tan, like the photos below. I think it goes well against both a rustic and a vintage backdrop, plus it would look great with a pink peony bouquet (assuming those are the flowers I decide on).

Depending on whether we decide on a more rustic theme or a more vintage theme, I'm also brainstorming ideas for accessories. For a wedding on the more rustic end of the scale (if we decide on one of the ranches we're looking into), I've considered having the girls in (Bruno will kill me when he reads this) brown cowboy boots:

Now, if we decide to lean toward the more vintage end of the spectrum (like if we decide on a venue like Barr Mansion or Allan House), obviously boots aren't going to cut it. I'm thinking, since the girls will be wearing non-matching dresses, perhaps the their shoes could be matching. Obviously, I would be unable to decide on an exact color or style until I got a better idea of what their dresses would look like, but these are a few I love:

Aldo "Orpin" Peep-Toe Pumps, $90

Miss Alexa, $295

Miss Selfridge nude seam platform, $63

KG by Kurt Geiger "Echinacea", $235

Christian Louboutin "Madame Butterfly", $945

Anthropologie "Tattered Cosmos Sandals", $115

Coach "Sierra" Thong, $188

One really cute accessory I love for a vintage theme are off-white, wrist-length lace gloves. I can't say I'm completely sold on them yet, but they looked so great in this shoot, paired with long strings of pearls:

As for hair, I'd really love it if my girls have hair long enough to style in a long, low side ponytail like the one below. I also hope to either buy or make them coordinating silk flowers (or some other sort of hair accessory, perhaps like the headbands above).

I don't know; it's all still up in the air right now, but that should provide a pretty good idea of what I've got going through my head as of this moment.

Potential Venues: Keeping Austin Weird!

I know that's it's been ages since I last posted, but I promise I've been keeping busy. Most of my brainstorming go into random folders on my computer, as scribbles and sketches in one of my several wedding notebooks, or on a series of "inspiration boards" I've crafted out of foam board that now occupy the floor of my living room.

I've spent over a year searching for the perfect venue in the Dallas-Fort Worth area - a place with a beautiful rural landscape, a little bit rustic, a little bit vintage, and a whole lot of romantic - to no avail. The funny thing is, though, is that during my search, I've come across a handful of perfect places in Texas' gorgeous Hill Country. Bruno and I have been talking about it, and - though there are no certain plans yet - an Austin wedding may be in the works. I can't tell you how excited I am!

Austin is not only beautiful, but has a wonderful, one-of-a-kind culture. Yes, it's full of hipsters and neo-Bohemians, but I can deal with it in exchange for the earthy, eco-conscious, natural venues it offers.

There are several places in particular that Bruno and I have our heart set on scouting out the next time we're in the area, in no particular order:

1. Barr Mansion

Barr Mansion is the nation's first certified organic events facility. The mansion itself is an Eastlake Victorian home built in 1898. The really awesome place, though, was the Artisan Ballroom, which boasted an indoor waterfall and a wall made entirely of glass. Unfortunately, the Ballroom recently burnt down, and has temporarily been replaced with a glass barn. I absolutely love, love, LOVE this venue; however, the cons include the extremely high price and the provided catering, floral, etc. (which I'm sure are phenomenal, I just prefer to have the option of providing my own vendors).

2. Star Hill Ranch

Star Hill Ranch is comprised of several historic buildings from around central Texas and carefully restored. It looks almost like an Old West town. (I also want to note that Sweet Caroline Photography IS going to be my photographer. I haven't booked her yet, but I refuse to hire anyone else - unless its her equally talented boyfriend Ben Godkin.)

3. Allan House

Located in the heart of downtown Austin, within walking distance of the state capitol and the historic Driskill Hotel (where I hope to reserve a block of rooms for out-of-town guests), the Allan House is an absolutely gorgeous Victorian home that exudes Southern charm.

4. Mercury Hall

Located inside south Austin (just minutes from downtown, though you wouldn't know it from all the trees surrounding the venue), Mercury Hall is a charming former chapel, built in 1904 and later relocated to its current location. I love its comfy, rural feel combined with its convenient location near downtown Austin.

5. Vista West Ranch

Vista West Ranch is located in Dripping Springs, just west of Austin. It's uber rustic, but I love it. Building features include weathered wood, aged tin, and stained concrete.

6. Old Glory Ranch

Old Glory Ranch is located in Wimberly, about half-an-hour southwest of Austin towards San Antonio. The ranch is located right on the bank of the Blanco River, and the entire venue has an Old West feel. My favorite part is the Chapel Hall, which looks like an old mission. They also have MINIATURE-freakin'-DONKEYS carting around bottles of beer! How cool is that?! (BTW, Jake Holt Photography is FABULOUS.)

7. Three Points Ranch

Three Points Ranch, located in Round Mountain (about 45 minutes southwest of Austin), has been family owned and operated since 1929 and stretches over several hundred acres of Hill Country. I am absolutely in love with its rustic barn and beautiful landscape. Another awesome feature of Three Points is its airstream trailer camp, which can be rented out to guests. Orrrr there's always camping in tents! I LOVE the idea of offering our more adventurous guests the option to overnight at the venue after an evening of heavy drinking and marshmallow roasting...but that's a blog topic for another day!

I can't wait to scout out these places with my wonderful husband-to-be!

On another note, I am happy to announce our new Facebook page: