Tag: The Gallery

Egyptian-American Texas Wedding at The Gallery

A wedding is a celebration not just of one couple’s forever love, but, in so many cases, of two individuals’ unique backgrounds and cultures. Marlo and Sammy’s splendid wedding at The Gallery is a perfect example. The couple, who met at a birthday party on a boat in Austin and maintained a long-distance relationship for three years (no easy feat!) brought 250 people together for their nuptials, which paid homage to Sammy’s Egyptian roots and Marlo’s Texan ones in equal measures. In the bride’s own words: “Our wedding was bright and colorful. We had 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, with one being our English bulldog Sumo. He, of course, walked down in a tux too! After the ceremony, we had a traditional Egyptian zaffa and belly dancer provide entertainment to our guest. We also had delicious Mediterranean food and Texas-style BBQ for our guests. Our first dace was to a country song, but our DJ incorporated Egyptian dance music in with some of our favorite songs. We ended the night with the bridesmaids and bride wearing belly-dancer belts and had a sparkler send off. It couldn’t have been more perfect for us.” Perfect, indeed. Congratulations to the happy couple, and a thank-you to C. Baron Photography for the lovely pix!

bridal wedding shoes bride and groom portraits bridesmaids in purple dresses groomsmen shoes with names children at wedding ceremony aisle decor outdoor marriage ceremony couple walking down aisle with dog wedding gusts table and floral decor reception table decor wedding cake bride and groom chairs reception dancing belly dancer recptioni sweets photo booth props wedding favors couple sendoff

Photos: C. Baron Photography ~ Bride’s Dress: Enzoani from Weddings by Debbie ~ Tuxedos: Al’s Formal Wear ~ Decor & Rentals: The Perfect Touch Linens ~ Flowers :The Posh Petal ~ Venue: The Gallery

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 and groom 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