DIY | Houston Wedding Blog

Madera Estates Bride and Groom Shoot by Ama by Aisha Photography & Cinema

Picture this: You’ve found the perfect wedding venue and the perfect photographer…only to discover later—ack!—that you and your honey have to move out of state and won’t be able to wed where you’d planned, after all. Now enjoy these gorgeous pictures of Kristin and Scott, shot at Madera Estates by Aisha Khan of Ama by Aisha Photography & Cinema. When the pair realized they wouldn’t be celebrating their union at their selected venue, they decided to do a “Day Before the Wedding” shoot with their selected photographer. Notes Khan, “The session was scheduled so we’d have perfect outdoor lighting. Kristin chose a second location out in a field, perfect for her photos, though it wouldn’t have been so perfect had we been rushing between the ceremony and reception.” Sweet, right? “Kristin is planning on having a fun and stress-free wedding while spending precious time with her guests. In her words, ‘If it rains or things go wrong on my wedding day, or taking photos with guests and family takes too long, it won’t matter because I’ll already have great wedding photos of the two of us.’” Plus, Khan adds, “She’ll also be showcasing the photos and her album during her wedding.” Wins all around. Thanks so much, Aisha, Kristin and Scott. And happiest wishes to the bride and groom!

Madera Estates Bride and Groom Shoot by Ama by Aisha Photography & Cinema

Photos: Ama by Aisha Photography & Cinema ~ Bride’s Dress: Pronovias from Brickhouse Bridal ~ Makeup: Live Love Beauty by Lily ~ Flowers: DIY ~ Venue: Madera Estates

Petroleum Club Wedding by SB Image Studios

They fell in love over barbecued squirrel… Now THAT’S a sentence you don’t hear every day. But it’s the one that describes the blossoming relationship between Maria and Jarrod, who met at a backyard party and instantly connected when the groom-to-be fed his future bride a tasty bite of the grilled critter he’d shot just moments earlier. Ah, romance. Three years after their barbecue bonding, the pair wed in a decidedly more upscale celebration, starting with a formal ceremony at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, filled with music—from a rousing choral performance to a live brass quintet playing the Trumpet Voluntary for the bride’s processional. To marry her squirrel-hunting beau, bride Maria wore a La Sposa dress she customized herself: “My mother and I, along with help from friends and family, sewed Swarovski crystals and pearl beads all throughout my lace and tulle gown, and cathedral-length train. It took us six months to complete.” On top of that, “I also hand made the bridesmaids’ jewelry and completely designed the cake, by drawing and submitting my design for Edible Designs by Jessie to make.” Now that’s our kind of DIY. The couple’s 300-guest reception at the beautiful Petroleum Club of Houston treated celebrants to a sit-down dinner, the aforementioned cake, and lots of dancing, after which Maria and Jarrod departed by—what else—a horse-drawn carriage. The night was truly magical—all thanks to our many supportive and loving guests,” the grateful (and gracious) bride says. Our thanks to SB Image Studios for sharing photos of this splendid Houston wedding—and our happiest wishes to the lovely couple!

Photos: SB Image Studios ~ Bride’s Dress: La Sposa ~ Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka ~ Cakes: Edible Designs by Jessie ~ Decor & Flowers: Think Studio ~ Rentals: Elegant Beginnings ~ Venue: Petroleum Club of Houston

Enchanting Austin Engagement and Wedding by High Dot Studios, Part II

Vintage-loving, fun-loving, each-other-loving Houstonians Shatara and Bilal chose the lovely Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria as the location for their wedding. And we are SO glad they did. Just look at these photos by High Dot Studios, which show off the venue’s dreamy green grounds and the wedding’s enchanting, butterflies-and-roses ambiance to magnificent effect. Says beautiful bride Shatara—shown here in her exquisite Vera Wang wedding gown—“Family and friends from as far away as Virginia joined us in our celebration. Mostly outdoors, our wedding took everyone by surprise with our hip-hop first-dance mix. Serving foods like jerk chicken and hummus, and drinks like ginger beer, made our wedding a one-of-a-kind. We capped off the night with a 1959 Jaguar to whisk us away. I’ll always cherish how beautiful our wedding was and hope others will appreciate its beauty.” If by “others” you mean us here at HWB, and all our eager readers, yes, Shatara, we most certainly do!

As for you, dear readers, if you haven’t yet checked out Shatara and Bilal’s engagement session, do yourselves a favor…and DO!

Photos: High Dot Studios ~ Bride’s Dress: Vera Wang ~ Cake: Central Market ~ Flowers: Whole Foods ~ Venue: Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria

Vibrant Vintage DIY Wedding at The Gallery by Red Fly Photography

As you know, we here at the Houston Wedding Blog aren’t big proponents of DIY weddings. Sure, there’s an element of creative control that the uber-crafty among us can’t resist. And the prospect of saving money by doing yourself what you might otherwise pay an experienced wedding professional to do is not without its temptations. But the truth is that the stress of DIYing your most important day is more than most brides can handle gracefully and with their sanity intact (hence the old saw, “If I’m DIYing, I’m dying!”). As for the assumed budget savings, well, it’s no surprise that many brides find themselves actually paying more for DIY decor, flowers, cake, etc., due to costly trial-and-error mistakes and last-minute special orders.

So you might be wondering why we chose Jin and Vince’s soup-to-nuts DIY wedding at The Gallery to feature on HWB. Let’s just say this wedding, and foodie/photo buff/blogger bride Jin’s irrepressible spirit, captured our hearts in such a way that we temporarily kicked our DIY doubts to the curb, and just enjoyed the beautiful ride (which, Jin notes, had its highs and lows—more on that after the photos).

Grooms hanging suit boutonniere Bride and Groom welcome sign Wedding rings Bridal bouquet bride and groom portrait bridesmaids Wedding Party bride, groom and puppy Inside The Gallery DIY wine bottle centerpieces Outdoor evening venue decorations Mr. & Mrs. Chair signs Photobooth decor and accessories bride and groom dancing Cake toppers Photobooth fun Favors

Jin, who blogs about food, photography, style and crafting @ misscontradictionofsorts, explained to us that she wanted a “perfectly imperfect and unconventional wedding—full of laidback tones, fun vibes, a touch of frivolity and Alice-in-Wonderland whimsy,” which, while an awesome concept, was “in hindsight, an ambitious feat for a wedding of 250,” she admits. Still, “countless DIY hours and many sleepless nights later,” she and Vince got exactly what they wanted—a fact to which their wedding photos from Austin-based Red Fly Photography attest gorgeously. And in the end, she says, she’d definitely do it all over again, except maybe “for a more intimate wedding of 50 to 100.”

So here’s the thing, while we do not recommend that you attempt a complete DIY wedding yourself, dear bride, we absolutely DO love the idea of DIYing one or two special elements. Which is why we’re thrilled that Jin has shared her great DIY tutorials with us (and you!). Find out how she made her cake toppers, boutonnieres, Mr. & Mrs. glittered notion banner and “guestbook” questionnaires—then decide if and how much doing-it-yourself you’re willing to do!

Our happiest wishes to the wonderful Jin and her handsome Vince—may they enjoy a lifetime of love and creativity together.

Photos: Red Fly Photography ~ Bride’s Dress: Sarah Seven ~ Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie ~ Venue: The Gallery

Charming Gallery Wedding by Kelly Hornberger Photography

It was supposed to be a beautiful outdoor sunset ceremony. But, like so many other al fresco Houston events before it, Amanda and Celestino’s nuptials fell victim to an onslaught of wet weather. No matter, though. This couple, caught up in the romance of their special day, would not be daunted. They simply made a last-minute decision to move their ceremony indoors, where, the bride says, she ended up having “absolutely the most amazing, gorgeous wedding I could have ever hoped for—every quirk and mishap that happened that day just made it even more special.” Now we ask you, Houston brides, is that a perfect wedding day outlook, or what? There’s so much we love about this charming wedding, with its DIY touches, its sweet, simple florals and hints of vibrant pink, its string lights and sparklers and sunny joy, no matter what the clouds outside had to say. Cheers to Kelly Hornberger Photography for the pitch-perfect pix, and our warmest wishes to Amanda and Celestino.

Charming Gallery Wedding by Kelly Hornberger Photography ~ Houston Wedding Blog