"that video is exactly what I would have expected from your wedding. It is a perfect match between fun stories and faithful love."

--from a friend of Kathleen

Fun stories and faithful love, indeed. Those two things perfectly describe Kathleen and Joe, and it makes us happy that the film we made for them reflects just that. When Jones called me before the wedding to tell me about what Kathleen and Joe were like, I became really excited to film this project. "Joe had one of the dogs that he trains deliver the proposal poem to Kathleen on a weekend their families were in town" he told me. I immediately knew that 1. Joe is going to be a creative and sentimental groom, and that 2. he must be an amazingly excellent trainer, because my dog is still a mystery to me, and could never be trusted with such an important task!

To celebrate the canine's role in bringing the two into this happy union, the groom's cake was created by Coco Paloma Desserts to fit the occasion.

The day began for us at Riverbend Church here in Austin. When we arrived, Kathleen's mom (in a stunning dress that looked like something out of The Great Gatsby) pulled me aside and gave me the scoop for the day: be sure to watch those flower girls and ring bearers--one of them is sure to run down the aisle and jump into the Grooms' arms during the ceremony. It had happened during the ceremony rehearsal the previous day, and she said that all the adults were hoping it would happen again, because it was just that adorable. And, just as she said, they did! If you think you can handle the cuteness, you can see it in the video at 2:04.

Austin architecture is famous for stunning rock exteriors, and although Riverbend is a huge church, they also have a gorgeous natural stone cathedral called Smith Chapel, and this is where the wedding ceremony took place. Smith Chapel has rustic red oak beams and clean cream-walled interior that emphasizes the intricate stained-glass windows.

The on-site coordinator at Riverbend's Smith Chapel mentioned to me that lots of Baylor alumni love to get married there because it resembles Truett Seminary's Chapel on Baylor Campus. (see for yourself)

The subtle, vintage, and sweet florals were provided by Rosehip Flora, an Austin based floral company. Their designs are absolutely luscious, unconventional, and filled to the brim with personality.

Kathleen is an Ole Miss graduate (Jones would expect me to insert a Hotty toddy! in here), and she's an Austin native. I love that she and Joey also chose the Bullock State Museum for their reception, which was pretty amazing. With its stunning ceiling and descending spiral staircase, the rotunda is a perfect spot for cocktails, and the opening foyer makes for a great dining hall and dance floor, complete with local maps carved into the marble floor.

The wedding cake by Coco Paloma Desserts was topped with peonies and novel greenery, including ivy. Its "white on white" theme of lace, damask, scrollwork and dotted swiss was both charming and elegant.

I snagged this video shot of Kathleen's bridal ring set atop some of the mossy table decor, which also included some towering fig tree branches. Pretty cool! The Argyles played lots of classic Sinatra and Latin music that kept guests dancing late into the night.

Some of my favorite moments from this event include the toasts by Kathleen's maid of honor (Chandler) and Joey's best man (his younger brother). They gave such hilarious speeches, the room was filled with lots of riotous laughter and happy tears. I also loved how Kathleen's entire family rounded up to do a dance they created when Kathleen was a child. Kathleen's smile lit up the room as she led every guest in dancing along to "Friends in Low Places," a popular country song.

Kathleen was a cheerleader at Ole Miss, and so their family and friends cheered traditional Ole Miss chants for their departure--and as you can see, it was the kind of rowdy fun that everyone finds agreeable. :)

Congrats to Kathleen and Joe--may your lives continue to be filled with "fun stories and faithful love."

-kourtney amelia

p.s. I also want to mention that this was our first time getting to work alongside Shannon Cunningham, who is an extremely talented, creative, and kind photographer. We always do our best to stay out of a photographer's way so that we don't ruin a shot by being in the background, and she was just as thoughtful towards us. We love teamwork!

Wedding Ceremony Venue:

Smith Chapel at Riverbend Church

4214 Capital of Texas Hwy N. | Austin, TX 78746

Wedding Reception Venue:

Bullock State History Museum

1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Event Planner & Design: Aimee Villa from

Lizze Belle Events

and Robyn Chovanetz from

Buttoned Up Events

Photographer:

Shannon Cunningham Photography