Texas Garden Party Wedding at Mattie’s in Austin, Texas
Today on the blog, I’m sharing the most beautiful Texas garden party wedding that celebrated two of my most favorite people. Enjoy!
March 20th. Gosh, what a day!! It’s been about two months since this perfect first day of Spring and I don’t think I’ll ever be over it. Galen and Dillon have since become some of my close friends here in Fort Worth and if that’s not the dream, I don’t know what is. Thankful for fun, stylish clients turned friends!
As I drove to their wedding day, I started to tear up. Not surprised in the slightest. The sun was pouring into my car, I felt so loved by all the birthday texts I was receiving, I was spending the weekend/week on the lake, and I was driving to such a dream day. Ahh! The best ever.
Keep reading for more about Galen and Dillon, and their perspective on their Texas Garden Party wedding day sprinkled throughout all the photos!
Side note: To make this whole story better before it even begins…Galen and Dillon had a mini-moon in Austin the following week and they invited me to have drinks with them two days after their wedding!!! Who does that?? They do. And I’m thankful. This is why we are real life frien
Vendors
- Planning: @Simplyxoevents
- Photography: @baileestarrphoto
- Videography: @marigold_media
- Floral Design: @wildlycultivated
- Venue: @Mattiesaustin @southcongresshotel
- Hair and Make Up: @hannahzahnerbeauty
- Dress: @florabridal @lovelybridedallas @alteredforthealter
How did you meet?
We both were in grad school at TCU for special education. During school we were hardly even friends. It wasn’t until after graduation that we started hanging out. A few concerts, Austin trips and 2am porch convos later we decided this was probably a good thing!
First date to proposal.
It happened pretty quickly. We both knew from the start this was different but we wanted to give ourselves time to live real life together before we dove into engagement. We traveled together, had a few hospital visits and quarantined during Covid at a ranch for 6 weeks. When we tackled challenges together it just became more apparent that we could commit our lives to each other!
How would you quickly explain your wedding to someone?
D: a nicely dressed backyard party. If Garden and Gun and Midland had a baby.
G: a garden party with 65 of our closest people. Sweet, easy, with a hint of tequila and Tina turner!
Texas Garden Party Wedding day inspiration:
I had an idea in my head for what I wanted but When we chose Matties as our venue, my direction changed. I knew I had to highlight the natural charming scenery there. Being from Alabama, I feel like it was easy to incorporate some classic southern elements with a twist of Texas! I wanted muted florals paired with minimalist details and that’s exactly what we got! Getting ready at the South Congress hotel, I was still able to achieve my cool Austin aesthetic. It was truly the best of both worlds
Paper details:
I actually drew the sketch of Matties after our first visit and my friends told me I should use it as the save the date!
Flora Bridal/Lovely Bride Dallas dress:
Oh the dress! It was the complete opposite of what I wanted and the last dress I tried on! Originally it was two skinny straps but after some more research, I took it to my tailor to have them custom make the topper I mean,,it doesn’t get any better than that. We spent 20 minutes trying on tulle and lace and sketching it up together. It is my absolute favorite thing I’ve ever worn and so unique!
South Congress Hotel/Mattie’s at Green Pasture’s and why we chose them:
We knew from the start we wanted to incorporate South Congress Hotel. Dillon and I stayed there one of our first trips to Austin (where I tried to force Dillon to tell me he loved me..oops). We had not thought too much about Matties but one of our other venues fell through and we went to visit on a whim. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I knew it was perfect for us!
The morning of:
D: I woke up, read and grabbed breakfast tacos for me and my ushers. We ran to Barton Springs and enjoyed the weather and swam around. I used this time to debrief with my friends and get prepared for the day. I wanted my time before the wedding to be spent doing the things I love with people I love.
G: I met my girls downstairs at the hotel and we walked to Jo’s coffee. A few of us went on a stroll after before heading back to the hotel to get ready, my room had an amazing balcony where we ate chicken nuggets and all hung out. I wouldn’t change a thing about my getting ready process, it was so easy and stress free!
First touch:
D: I was pretty concerned I was going to accidentally see G. Initially the first touch was weird because I couldn’t see her but it was also so sweet to be near her and remind ourselves that this day was just about the two of us. I loved being able to pray and hold the hand I would be holding for the rest of my life.
G: I was SO nervous. When I got to hold my hand and could tell he was nervous too that put me at ease. Having Dillon pray over us is one of my favorite moments of the day
Texas Garden Party Wedding florals:
Jen from Wildly Cultivated took my very basic requests (muted florals) and ran with it! They were the most perfect addition to the space! Our wedding was on the first day of spring and the colors she used were perfectly springy while staying nice and muted.
Texas Garden Party ceremony:
D: It was nothing I expected, really because I had no expectations. The only thing I could see was Galen and I felt so lucky to be there. I completely forgot about everyone else around us and was so drawn to G and getting to marry her.
G: It went by so fast! Walking down the aisle was the sweetest moment. I will never forget seeing my people and then seeing my sweet groom. The ceremony was so special and meaningful to Dillon and I because our pastor and his wife were our pre martial counseling leaders. We wanted the Lord to be apparent in our ceremony and he definitely was. As I read my vows to Dillon the sun started to dip into my face and it was such a surreal Kingdom moment!
Any advice you have for couples stepping into this season?
G: Don’t be afraid to make it your own! Prioritize what you want vs. what Instagram tells you to! Take a moment during your party to step back and take it all in and see how happy everyone is to be there celebrating you.
D: Remember that girls have been planning on this their whole lives when it may have only been on your mind for a month. Step back and let her lead, give opinions when needed and remember at the end of the day, it’s about you getting married and nothing else.
Final words:
To go bags of food to take with you to your hotel. That is all. And eat wedding cake for breakfast the next day.
What was your experience working with Bailee and why did you hire her?
Baileeeeeeee! Omg. Where do we begin. We came across Bailee from multiple recommendations by multiple other photographers. Looking back now, it’s clear to see it was the Lord’s plan. She was the cherry on top of the day! She only enhanced the easy-going feeling of our wedding day! Having a photographer who can cultivate a friendship over a matter of days, is key! Bailee breaks down walls to show her subjects as their true selfs!
We love her so much that we had drinks with her on our mini moon! Enough said. We love her forever!!!!
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If you enjoyed this wedding, be sure to check out Lizzy and Lucas’ Whimsical Garden Party Wedding in Austin!
I’d love the opportunity to document your story wherever means most to you! Find out more about me or reach out now!
