We wanted to highlight the natural elegance of our venue.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We are both from Lakewood. I’m from Lakewood, Illinois, and Bryce is from Lakewood, Colorado. We always felt that little connection drew us together immediately. We are BIG foodies, love to travel, dance our hearts off at concerts, play card/board games and find hidden gems at the thrift store. Both being fire signs, we never sit still!!
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met at both of our first postgrad jobs in Denver, Colorado. Bryce worked at our advertising technology company before me, and on my very first day, my desk was right next to his! We immediately connected as friends and joked that we were each other’s “twin,” as we quickly discovered so many similarities in both minor coincidences and major life perspectives. We had SO much fun together and have ever since.
What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).
We wanted to highlight the natural elegance of our venue, which perfectly captures the beauty of Austin, TX, in the springtime. It’s truly one of the best times of the year, so we wanted to be outside as much as possible and let the garden atmosphere set the tone. We picked unique spots for each part of the day, including cocktail hour on the mansion’s front lawn and our al fresco dinner under the lights. We did rain dances daily and were so lucky the weather held up!
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
While there are so many elements that feel like a “must-do” during the planning process, we found the most joy in customising elements that felt most like US.
We ditched the formal rehearsal dinner and did a post-wedding boat day on Lake Austin, worked to find the “best of both worlds” with our entertainment, hiring a saxophone to play with our DJ, and decided to get married in Austin, where we lived but had limited family and friends nearby, which made the weekend all the more exciting for our guests.
My biggest advice is to do what feels true to you and your fiancé and hire the artists that GET THE VISION! The unique elements we opted for were the most complimented by our guests, and we couldn’t have executed them without the help of our talented vendors.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
I wanted a look that felt elegant, timeless and true to myself! I found that less was truly more in so many situations – embracing simplicity helped us truly shine.
One of my favourite pieces was my wedding gift for Bryce. I worked with a fabulous vendor in California who helped me create a custom embroidered jacket. I added so many special elements of our love story and was ITCHING to show it to him as soon as I got the final mockup.
I was also very honoured to have my talented Aunt create a custom jewellery set for the wedding day. We chose freshwater pearls (one of my favourites) and Citrine, which symbolises prosperity, joy and new beginnings.
What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).
We prioritised what we called the “feeling” of the day, focusing our energy and budget on elements that would create the ambience we envisioned. Family-style dining helped our guests feel more connected, and the music kept everyone (even our grandparents) on the dance floor.
Most importantly, we knew that once the moment faded into a memory, our photos would be what brought the feeling back to life. Our photographer, Katie, not only captured the tangible moments of the day but also preserved the love and emotions that came with it.
LOCATION Barr Mansion, @barrmansion BRIDE Mary, @maryywoodworthh GROOM Bryce, @bryce_woodworth PHOTOGRAPHER Katie Liz Photo, @katielizphotos_ VIDEOGRAPHER David Cipriano Films, @davidciprianofilms PLANNER Twenty Two Weddings, @twentytwoweddings FLORIST Olive & Oak Floral, @oliveandoakfloral ENTERTAINMENT Dart Collective, @dartcollective CAKE Flower & Flour, @flowerandflouratx BRIDE’S DRESS NEWHITE, @newhite_bridal from Unbridaled, @unbridaled HAIR & MAKEUP Lola Beauty, @lola_makeupxx BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Jo Malone, @jomalonelondon
