Dallas Petroleum Club || #hitchedtoafinch || Audrey + Roy, the full film

"If I'm a bird, you're a bird"

On a recent saturday afternoon, the sounds of cellos and violins swelled in the rafters of First United Methodist Church.  The crowd stood for Audrey to enter the sanctuary, escorted by her doting, smiling father.  Roy, her groom, stood smiling and trembling at  the front of the altar.  As Audrey made her way toward the front, on the first row of pews, Audrey's grandmother leaned close to her mother, leaning to catch a glimpse of her granddaughter.  Brimming with joy, Audrey's mother turned to her own mother and said, "isn't she beautiful?"

Moments like these are why we love capturing the story of a wedding day.  Enjoy the glamorous wedding of these two lovebirds here:

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/98775841[/vimeo] Musical Soundtrack: "Hold Onto Hope Love" by Amy Stroup "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat" by A New Normal,  licensed through The Music Bed

Just before the ceremony began, all of the bridesmaids and house party girls swirled around the bride.  With Roy's last name being "Finch" there were many bird-themed ideas being tossed around for the wedding's hashtag, and they all settled on #hitchedtoafinch.

Even the wedding cake played to the bird theme:

This Aggie Ring cake was decked out to all of the groom's specifications.

The bride and groom exited their wedding to a line of sparklers, and they left the wedding in a classic car that belonged to Roy's great grandfather.

WEDDING VENDORS: Ceremony Venue: First United Methodist Church Dallas 1928 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX 75201   (214) 220-2727 Reception Venue: Dallas Petroleum Club - Chase Tower 2200 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX 75201   (214) 871-1500 Wedding Planner: Katie McCann Crow  Collins Coordination Floral / Decor: Jackson Durham Lighting: Beyond Lighting Caterer: Dallas Petroleum Club Bride and Groom's Cakes: Dallas Affaires Cake Company Wedding Videographer:  Mason Jar Films Wedding Photographer: Averi Blackmon Ceremony Music: Serenata Strings Cocktail Hour Quartet & Three Pianists: Petroleum Club Musicians Reception Entertainment: Emerald City Rentals: Posh Couture Rentals Draping: Quest Drape Paper Goods: Ellis Hill Calligrapher: Laurie Harper

Wedding dress: Warren Barron Bridesmaid's Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid Tuxedoes: Culwell and Son Hair & Makeup: Beauty and the Blush, Contact: Rayyen

Rustic Wedding at The Orchard || #becomingabeneski || Tyler + David, the full film

When Tyler and David met in middle school, they probably never imagined that their once a month, adult-chaperoned dates to the mall would end up here almost a decade later--with a crowd of doting grandparents, family and friends all speaking words of tribute to their steadfastness and to the maturity of their love.   Even David's brother remarked that the real reason their friends "set them up" together was because they both happened to be short (which neither of them are now).

Because it's not how you start in a relationship--it's how you grow.

As you watch their film, we hope you enjoy the emotional speech given by Tyler's father, the nostalgic, romantic design created by planner Stefanie Miles, and Tyler & David's seriously sweet first look before the ceremony.

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/98161328[/vimeo] Musical Soundtrack: Instrumental version of  "The Last Piece of Pecan Pie" by Josh Woodward, licensed through Creative Commons "Forever Like That" by Ben Rector,  licensed through The Music Bed "Best Day of Your Life" by Katie Herzig, licensed through The Music Bed

Warm and gentle, the sun filtered through the leaves of the wild oaks scattered throughout the lawn of the Orchard in Azle, TX as David waited to see Tyler for the first time.   When he finally saw her, he hugged his bride so tightly and whispered into her ear, "I'm gonna kiss all your makeup off!"

Father of the bride dancing with his daughter.

We simply love this gorgeous "Just Married" sign for the back of their classic getaway car, a 1941 Packard.  The typography style has a very 1940s or 1950s illustrative feel to it.

The bridesmaids all wore blushing tints of pinks and greens in cocktail length dresses for this garden-themed outdoor wedding.

All kinds of mint lemonades and refreshing drinks were available to drink as guests gathered for the ceremony on the lawn.

This hesitant little ring bearer stole everyone's hearts with this move!  Don't fret, all this tiny gentleman needed was a guiding hand, and he happily walked down the rest of the aisle.

One of the highlights of the evening was a very rambunctious toast from the bridesmaids. Their hip-hop styled speech was set to the tune of the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and told the love story from beginning to end: from the awkward moment Tyler and David met in middle school all the way to David's proposal at the beach! The girls also boldly busted some crazy dance moves that had the crowd roaring!

WEDDING VENDORS: Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Orchard 100 Orchard Ln, Azle, TX 76020 (817) 270-4555 Event Planning + Design:  Stefanie Miles Videographer:  Mason Jar Films Photographer: Ryan Ray Photography Floral: Bows & Arrows Cakes: Cakewalk Late Night Desserts: Melt Ice Creams Catering: Tastefully Yours Officiant: Drew Sherman Rentals: Posh Couture Rentals, Classic Event Rentals, Suite 206 Rentals Lounge/décor: AFR Furniture Rentals Styling: Perch Decor Linens: La Tavola and BBJ Linens Ceremony music: Vocalist Heidi Roush Reception Entertainment: Colby with Astounding Sounds Additional Team: Dovetail Logistics Getaway car: 1941 Packard provided by My Vintage Limo Illustration, Lettering & Calligraphy: Julie Song Ink on Etsy Hair & Makeup: Amy Clarke

Bullock State History Museum || #WhitParkedIt || Whitney + Parker, the full film

When Whitney met Parker, they were at a KA dance in college.  Parker asked Whitney to dance to "Fishin' in the Dark," and because he is an amazing swing dancer, not only was he surprised that she could keep up with him, but he found she was just as great of a dancer.   A few years later, Parker gave Whitney the same KA fraternity pin that his grandfather had used to pin his grandmother, and now, on their wedding day, they danced to "Fishin' in the Dark" for the first time as husband and wife.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/103562408[/vimeo]

Arriving at the reception at the Bob Bullock Museum was like stepping into a peachy garden.  The front porch of the museum features a several story high copper star, and below that star was a bar and open seating under twinkling string lights.   Inside the foyer of the museum, guests were greeted by a towering cake by Simon Lee Bakery that proves that everything's bigger in Texas.  As a "homesick Texan" living in Nashville who is marrying a man from Georgia, this bride chose to incorporate all the things she loved about their state heritages in the wedding.  Desserts included peach macaroons and peach-filled empanadas, and there were even late night breakfast tacos!   Everyone agreed that the night was "Parker-perfect," a term the Gaston family has always used to describe how much they love to make sure things are all set up for those visits where Parker would travel to town while he and Whitney were dating.

Because Whitney comes from a house full of ladies, they have a family joke about "Roadkill" with Whitney's dad.  In addition to a groom's cake, they had a cake dedicated to the father of the bride that was a funny twist on the Steel Magnolias armadillo.

As they prepped for the day, the bride and all of the bridesmaids wore authentic, hand-embroidered dresses from San Antonio's famous downtown import market to celebrate the bride's family's San Antonio roots.   Whitney told us that she and her sisters basically "lived in these dresses during the summers" as she was growing up.

Whitney's dress featured a stunning monogram of her maiden initial and her married initial on each side of her dress.  Paired with Kate Spade ballet flats, Whitney's gown was perfectly designed for high-intensity dancing on the dance floor.   Whitney told us that she was looking forward to walking down the aisle in the church she grew up in and in the presence of people who have known her for years (shout out to her family's supper club!), but she was also looking forward to just dancing the night away with Parker.

Here's the proposal story from the bride:

"Parker just graduated from medical school this May (woohoo!), but back in September when we got engaged, Parker was in between orthopedic surgery rotations at various hospitals across the country. I always knew I wanted to marry Parker, but I didn't think a proposal was coming any time in the near future; so, we had never had a serious conversation about it.

Before starting his away rotation at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Parker came through Atlanta (where I was living) for the weekend. He told me that he wanted to take me to a special dinner before he was in Texas for the next month. He knew I was excited about the "Girl with a Pearl Earring" exhibit that was at the High Museum in Atlanta.    I have always loved art, and two summers before, I had dragged him through art museums all across Europe.  So, he called to tell me that his uncle had tickets to a private viewing of the exhibit that he couldn't use, and he had offered them to us.  His uncle had been on the board of the museum, so although this was a special treat, it didn't raise a red flag.

I got off late from work, and despite getting ready in 10 minutes, I was still late. Parker was visibly anxious (he has always hated being late and hates not fulfilling a commitment, in this situation, not making our allotted "window" of time at the museum that his uncle had given us), so again, this didn't raise a red flag.  When we arrived at the museum, a docent led us to the exhibit and Parker and I had the whole floor to ourselves.   He dragged me through the exhibit (skipping unbelievable Rembrandt paintings, etc.) but I attributed it to running so late.  When we got to the room with "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" I walked up to the painting to look at it more closely. I realized Parker wasn't standing next to me and turned around and he was on one knee. I was so shocked I could hardly say "yes" when Parker proposed.

After we left the museum we went to dinner at Capital Grill, where the hostess lead us to a private dining room, and both of our families were there to surprise me! I was surprised all over again and burst into tears!

It was so special that Parker proposed in such a beautiful place and that we had that private moment, but I also loved that my family was there; we are so close and I can't imagine not sharing those memories with them."  --Whitney

We're so thrilled and grateful to have had the opportunity to serve Whitney and Parker as their wedding videographers, and we look forward to what life has to offer to the two of them.  They are obviously people who bring a special presence and love to their community of family and friends.

Reception Venue: Bob Bullock State History Museum 1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701    (512) 936-4618 Ceremony Venue: Good Shepherd Episcopal Church 3201 Windsor Road  Austin, Texas 78703   512.476.3523 Event Planning + Design:  Brock + Co. Events – Becky Brock Videographer:  Mason Jar Films Photographer:  Jennifer Lindberg Weddings Floral: Westbank Flowers Lounge/décor:   Townsley Designs Lighting + AV:  FILO Rentals & Linens:  Marquee Ice sculpture:  Full Spectrum Ceremony music:  Hill Country Strings Ceremony soloist:  Julia Ward Cocktail hour Entertainment:  Mike Clifford Reception Band:   Pure Party Band Buses/ getaway car:  Transportation Consultants Surprise Fireworks:  Wolf Stuntworks

Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade Makeup: Face Kandy ATX Makeup: Christy Edlin Hair: Laura Wyrtzen + assistant

Texas Hill Country || #WeddedWoodards || Hailey + Ryan, the intro

"This was her favorite place." 

At the end of their wedding reception, I rode with the bride and groom in their Jeep to the Lake House where they would gather around a campfire eating breakfast tacos with friends late into the night.  As the sparklers faded into the distance, Ryan decided we should take a short detour first and instead drive over to the ceremony location for one last look at the arbor where he and Hailey Catherine had exchanged vows earlier that evening.  As I filmed them dancing under the rustic arbor covered in pink roses, they started to talk about what would inspire a couple from Oklahoma to bring almost 500 of their friends and family to a secluded canyon-side lake in the foothills of Texas.    The answer lies in the bride's middle name.  Whether it's fate or chance, Hailey Catherine grew up to be considered by many to be a carbon copy of her grandmother Catherine, who she was named for.  Catherine and her husband have owned this ranch for many decades, and although she has passed away, her love for this lake with its sweet little island is what prompted Hailey and Ryan to make their own vows of eternal devotion in this very spot.  They chose to do so not only because it was Catherine's favorite place, but also because of what Catherine said to Hailey before she passed away almost five years earlier.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/96112541[/vimeo] Soundtrack: "Your First Light My Eventide" by The Echelon Effect

We have been looking forward to filming this wedding ever since we first spoke with Hailey several months ago.   Ryan describes Hailey as "outgoing, sincere, and beautiful."  When we asked Hailey for three words that describe Ryan, she said he was "handsome, passionate, genuine, and intelligent" before joking with us that she can't count or prioritize.  We adored their spunky, fun personalities, and couldn't wait til this weekend arrived.   Hailey wrote to us that they were most looking forward to just finally being married. She said, "A lot of times the huge escapade of weddings take away from what we're here for. On our wedding day we are so excited to be married and call each other husband and wife."

Honestly, Cypress Springs Ranch really ought to be renamed "Surprise" Springs Ranch.  As if a family ranch isn't delightful and comforting enough, Hailey's grandfather has gone and created the most magical world for all of his progeny to enjoy--the ranch is filled with bison, elk, camels, zedonks, kangaroos, ostriches, longhorns, miniature horses, watusi, and more.  There was even a baby alpaca that was new to the ranch this year.  Hailey's grandfather is also known as the chief prank ring-leader -- right after Hailey & Ryan were pronounced husband and wife, her grandfather and some cousins had rigged some tannerite in the canyon to surprise all the guests with its echoey, canon-like boom in celebration.

During one of our consultations, I asked Hailey to list her favorite genres of music.  She listed "Disney" as one of the three, and then she promptly confessed that she and her sisters would most likely burst into song and dance over the course of the wedding day.  See why we were looking forward to this so much?   The lodge on the ranch where Hailey got ready for the wedding is the ultimate hunter's oasis --with more taxidermy than Beauty and the Beast's Gaston could ever hope to find.  (Sing it with me: "I use antlers in all of my decorating...")  The bride wore sparkling Prada sandals for the wedding ceremony, and custom-monogrammed leather boots that also featured the wedding date on the side straps and said "Texas Fight" across the back.

Their dog, Ranger, was the official ring bearer (look at that sweet face).  He wore a properly-dapper American Flag bow-tie, as any classy dog would, and he was escorted down the aisle by several young "cadets" in camo dinner jackets.

At the end of the reception, guests gathered outside the tent for a surprise round of fireworks, and a live fire-dance performance.   Guests called out to Ryan, "kiss your bride! Kiss your bride!" as the fireworks echoed overhead.

The proposal story:

On Saturday September 28, 2013, Hailey and Ryan were planning on going sky diving in Skiatook, OK.  This was Ryan's graduation gift for Hailey from her MBA.  Little did Hailey know, Ryan had plans to propose after they landed on the ground from jumping out of the plane.  However, sky diving was canceled due to rain, so Ryan had to think quickly and revert to Plan B, because family and friends were waiting for them both at his parents' house.

He convinced Hailey to go with him under the guise that they "needed to stop by his parents to pick up fair tickets," and as they were walking into the house, he stopped her before the door and got down on one knee.  It was not the engagement he planned on, but it was the perfect one in her eyes.   Family and friends were waiting inside, including Hailey's two best friends (Brooke Watson and Megan Moran) from Austin who Ryan had flown in for the occasion.  The rest of the day was spent celebrating and being with the ones they love.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Private Estate in Kerrville, TX Event Design, Florist, & Day/Reception Coordinator: Tricia Hamil, Viridian Design Ceremony Coordinator: Sherry Wright Wedding Photographer:  Brooke Schwab Photography Photo Booth: Smilebooth Lighting: Ilios Caterer: Don Strange of Texas Reception Band: Signed, Sealed, Delivered (from DFW) with Absolute Entertainment Lounge/Decor Rentals: Aztec

Bride's Shoes: Prada

Musical track licensed through The Music Bed

Barton Creek || #endlesssummers || Lauren + Michael, the full film

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"She will take your breath away." 

Although we have many favorite moments from Lauren and Michael's wedding video, one of our favorites came just before the ceremony began.   As family and friends began to gather under the gilded mahogany beams of Central Christian Church,  the father of the bride went to see his only daughter in her wedding dress for the first time.  His reaction was one of awe as he beheld Lauren, glamorous and radiant.   Her beauty and kindness seemed to fill the room with light. As everyone held their breath to see if he would cry, he managed to hold it in until after he had walked over and hugged her.  His eyes began to fill with happy tears as he gave her a wink of assurance.  Although it may seem so short, to us, that tiny wink communicates a  world of things - joy, approval, and a deep bond of love that is shared between father and daughter. He went to the groom immediately and told him  "I'm not prejudiced, but I'm telling you right now that she is stunning. She will take your breath away."

wedding video package memory tin

Soundtrack: "All Things Big And Small" by Sara Swenson "Soul Birds" by Ryan Taubert

Lauren's dad was not the only one to express so much joy on the wedding day --  happy tears were shed all around, and the dancing at the reception painted permanent smiles on our faces, it was so much fun.    Lauren & Michael were both so effusive in their displays of joy, and their tenderness toward each other and their families.  Tender and wild with joy, this wedding re-defines what it means to have a celebration.

The wedding day began for the groom at Omni Barton Creek Resort  with straight shaves provided by Shed Austin.  They were able to set up all the necessary accessories for a straight shave right there on site so that all the groomsmen could have a relaxing, clean cut grooming experience.

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Austin Central Christian Church is a historic location in Austin, and in addition to having some of the most beautiful architecture, it is also filled with some very adorable hand-painted landscapes.  I included this one from the groom's prep room in the edit because I think Wes Anderson would not have neglected to film it, either:

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Lauren wore a knock-out gorgeous cocktail ring custom-made by Erickson Beamon that matched her earrings, and her "Mara" gown by Vera Wang featured very sleek architectural detail on the bodice with an elegant, minimal peplum cut at the waist.  Combined with her sweeping up-do, you can see why her dad said she was "stunning!"  

Becky Brock & Henry Uribe's design team converted the rustic foyer of the Barton Creek Ballroom into a magical indoor boxwood garden, complete with white-washed taxidermy, gold & navy adornments, and a beautiful mix of mercury glass, preppy geometric patterns, golden antlers, and fun snacks.

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Lauren & Michael are true Austinites --- they love spending time trying new Austin cuisine, spending time with friends, and being outdoors.  The food at their wedding reception reflected all these themes in their relationship--each item on the menu and decor vignette was designed to communicate the story of their lives--with buffet tables dedicated to Lauren's family homestead, the 4L Ranch, a foodie buffet-heaven of their favorite date-night ATX foods, a buffet filled with Michael's family recipes, and a lemonade bar with custom fruit infusions.    They also had a lounge set up next to the ballroom with a coffee bar styled to look like Michael's favorite coffee house in Nashville, and a "sweet shoppe" that gave out several types of cookies that were all special family recipes.  Many guests were happy to see Mamaw's and Dede's special cookies there.

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The proposal story:

Lauren went to Hilton Head for a girls trip to celebrate her 30th birthday.  On the very last day, the girls took Lauren to a spa day, and as far as Lauren knew, the plan was to hang out with her friends for a bit at a bar on the beach before dropping off one of the ladies at the airport.  When they arrived at the beach, they walk down a path to this "bar." Little did Lauren know, but there wasn't a bar anywhere in the vicinity.  Being completely oblivious, she took her time to enjoy the scenery, snapping some photos of the water.

As she was taking these photos, she suddenly saw Michael standing on the beach about 200 yards away. Instantly bursting into tears, she walked to where Michael stood, he got on one knee, and proposed.

As we have gotten to know Lauren and Michael, we have discovered that every pure, magical moment in their lives is also accompanied by something completely hilarious---during the proposal, Michael's brother, James, was hiding in the bushes on the beach to take pictures, but he was IN FULL CAMO.  So great, right? Lauren's friends discreetly drifted away and headed back to the beach house to give Michael and Lauren some time to sit on the beach and take in the moment.  When Michael returned Lauren to the beach house, she was greeted with yet ANOTHER suprise-  her entire family and Michael's entire family were there to celebrate the engagement, and Michael had organized all of this in secret!  She was completely surprised.   They all celebrated at the house that evening and enjoyed the company of their newly combined family and a fantastic chef-catered dinner that Lauren's father arranged.

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Ceremony Venue:  Central Christian Church 1110 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701       (512) 476-6941 Reception Venue & Caterer:  Omni Resort - Barton Creek  Country Club 8212 Barton Club Dr, Austin, TX 78735   (512) 329-4000 Event Design & Coordinator: Brock & Co. - Becky Brock & Henry Uribe Wedding Photographer: Kathryn Krueger Florist: Westbank Flower Market Cake: Aunt Gale Ceremony Music: Hill Country Strings Reception Band: In10City Lounge/Decor: Townsley Designs Rentals: Marquee Rentals Buses: Transportation Consultants

Bride's Gown Designer: The "Mara" gown by Vera Wang Shaves: Chris & Michael from Shed Austin Makeup: Lauren from Rae Cosmetics Hair: Johna from Mirror Mirror All musical tracks licensed through The Music Bed