Happy Wednesday, y’all! Today we’re headed to super cool Austin, where Meredith and Phillip held a Texas-themed wedding for the records. Marrying at the iconic, historic Driskill Hotel in the city center, the couple had one objective: to make their day “as Texas as possible.”
They incorporated their fab theme in so many ways, but our favorite has got to be the beer bar! They had 6 local Texas beers on tap for guests to sample – no generic alcohol for this pair! And as a surprise, Meredith’s parents had customized glasses made as wedding favors for the guests, with the couple’s names and wedding date as well as following text: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something brewed” How clever?!
Neither Meredith nor Phillip being huge cake fans, they decided to buck tradition and serve pie for their dessert instead – so on-theme, too! They had four luscious-sounding flavors: blueberry, strawberry rhubarb, chocolate, and pecan. We’d like a slice of each, please! And they still did a traditional cutting picture – just with pie.
Cory Ryan Photography captured all the details of the day beautifully. Now we’ll turn you over to Meredith, who looked gorgeous in her classic lace Monique Lhuillier gown…
How we met
Meredith, the bride: We met in college at the University of Richmond, at a Hillel event. We were together for nine years and three cities before tying the knot.
A Texas Wedding
We got married at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas. We walked through the venue and just knew. We loved the space exactly how it was. Our wedding was a pseudo-destination wedding, and we wanted it to be as Texas as possible. We have many East Coast friends and family who have never set foot in the state, and we wanted to give them the best impression.
Traditional and Personal
Our color scheme was fall oranges and navy blue. We went for a traditional wedding but incorporated our personalities wherever it seemed right. We used a wedding planner who specializes in Jewish weddings. She was incredible, and most of the credit should go to her! Thanks Becky Navarro and Pearl Events!
Autumnal Invitations
The invitation followed our traditional style, with ecru card stock and navy and hints of orange in the lettering. We tried hard to make sure everything was spelled right!
Hair + Makeup
I completely went for the simple and comfortable look. We had a hair/makeup vendor, Adore Makeup. They were absolutely fabulous. They did my bridesmaids, the mothers (current and future at the time), and me. I thought they were so great at making sure everyone was comfortable with their looks.
A Monique Lhuillier Dress
I bought my dress at Nordstrom, mainly for practical reasons. I picked it out in Dallas and had to do fittings in Washington, DC, where I live now, and then get the dress back to Austin. This was no easy task, but Nordstrom made it so easy. They moved the dress from place to place, and it was such a relief to know they could help with the logistics.
I had no plan for any particular designer, but the one I picked was Monique Lhuillier. It was lace, which I knew I wanted for a classic look. Otherwise, I just put it on and felt comfortable and confident.
Heirloom Jewellery
The only accessories I had were a sapphire drop necklace and a gold and diamond studded bracelet. Both belonged to my grandmother. After she passed away several years before, I had picked out those two pieces to wear on my wedding day. I knew that was something she would have wanted to be a part of, and I wanted to know she was there.
Vince Camuto Wedges
I wore Vince Camuto strappy sandals with rhinestones. If you cannot tell already, comfort is very important to me, so they were 1.5 inch wedges. I actually bought a second pair for the wedding, because I already owned one pair, which I wore all around DC one evening and I knew I could last all night for my wedding.
The handsome groom
Phillip wore a gray tux with a navy tie and matched his groomsmen. The gentlemen all used Menguin, which reassured us that everyone would have their outfits in the rights size on the wedding day. Truly, anything that reduces stress makes it that much more enjoyable.
Bridesmaids in Navy
The bridesmaids all wore navy blue floor-length dresses. I gave them options between strapless, one shoulder, or two shoulder dresses. As fabulous as they all looked, special shout out to how smart, funny, and caring they all are!
Our Chuppah
Phil would say the chuppah design was picked because it looks like Wrigley field ivy, and there is nothing more Jewish than weddings and baseball.
A very special Ceremony
Honestly, the ceremony was so much fun! We did the Ketubah signing beforehand which was generously given to us by the Phillip’s parents. Each of us had our oldest, childhood Jewish friend as our witness. The ceremony was made truly great by Rabbi Folberg. He did such a great job explaining the ceremony for Jews and non-Jews alike. He kept it concise and whispered to us so we knew what to do and when. Phil and I enjoyed looking out and knowing that everyone there was genuinely happy for us.
Music choices
By the time we were picking processional/recessional music, we were a little over doing everything exactly by the book. So, we had a string quartet, who played modern music. Phil walked in with his parents to Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars. Our bridal party walked in to Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith. Meredith walked in to Paradise by Coldplay. And everyone walked out to Best Day of My Life by American Authors.
The mother/son first dance was How Sweet It Is by James Taylor. The father/daughter first dance was Unforgettable by Nat King Cole. Our first dance was The Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne.
Tulips and Lilies
We know so little about flowers, that we said what we wanted, and they put it together. Floral arrangements consisted of tulips and lilies, among others. All was provided by Westbank Flowers, who made us look like we knew exactly what we were doing.
Our fabulous photographer
Cory Ryan Photography was recommended by our wedding planner based on our personalities. We actually did not meet until the wedding day, but spoke on the phone and personalities clicked. She was as willing to go with the flow as we were, and we were so happy with the pictures at the end of it.
Pies instead of cake
Neither of us really like cake, and going along with this loose Texas theme, we did pie. We had four flavors of pie including blueberry, strawberry rhubarb, chocolate, and pecan, and our guests were able to try each flavor. We still did traditional cutting picture, but just with with pie. Honestly, this was one of the best decisions we made. It was unique, so us, and absolutely delicious.
Entertainment
Our entertainment included a live band, Drywater. They were incredible! Knowing our guests, I was truly shocked how much people danced until the end of the night.
A Beer Bar!
One special thing we did was a beer bar. We had six local Texas beers that you would not typically find outside of the state. We had a beer bar which Phil and I picked out. As a surprise though, my parents worked with our wedding planner to make glasses as party favors. On them has our name and wedding date, as well as the text: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something brewed.” It was really special to have them do that and have that as a keepsake from the wedding.
Special thanks to all of the wonderful breweries who made this possible: Live Oak, Austin Beerworks, Lone Pint, Independence, Thirsty Planet, and Hops & Grain.
Advice to couples currently planning their wedding
Inevitably things will go wrong. Have a good sense of humor, enjoy the moment, and savor friends and family who want nothing more than for you to be happy. Without a doubt, the best investment is a wedding planner to stress less though!
Meredith & Phil’s little white book
Photography – Cory Ryan Photography
Wedding planner – Pearl Events
Venue – Driskill Hotel
Bride’s dress – Monique Lhuillier purchased at Nordstrom
Bride’s shoes – Vince Camuto
Groom’s attire – Menguin
Flowers – Westbank Flowers
String quarted – Terra Vista Strings
Band – Drywater
Stationery – Paper Affair
Beers – Live Oak, Austin Beerworks, Lone Pint, Independence, Thirsty Planet, and Hops & Grain
