Wedding Texas-Style

I love weddings. I look at wedding websites online because I love seeing what people do. The fads, the styles, the traditions (old and new)…so much fun! I took a ton of photos over the weekend and wanted to share just a few of them with everyone. It was such a beautiful wedding, probably one of the best I’ve ever been to.

The wedding was scheduled for 6pm on Saturday night.  It was hot–but not intolerable. The chairs were set up outside in front of the chapel.

We got seated and the wedding started. The groom came down the hotel stairs with the preacher.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen arrived in an old pickup truck–which was so cute! I loved their entrance. They had simple brown dresses and beautiful sunflowers (my favorite flowers).

Then Melina arrived with her dad in a horse-drawn carriage. It was a dramatic and classy way to arrive.

She got out of the carriage and her dad walked her down the isle. I loved her dress. She looked absolutely beautiful.

The ceremony was fairly short and sweet. When they kissed a family member from the groom’s side shouted  “Way to go Bubba!” and then everyone cheered. It was very funny.

While the bride and groom left for pictures the guests enjoyed cocktail hour. There were drinks set up in the old general store. I loved the idea of a cocktail hour afterward. It’s a great way for people to socialize, have a snack and not be famished waiting for dinner.

And waiters walked around with appetizers while everyone socialized in the yard. My favorite appetizer were the jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon. Oh MY! Those were fantastic! Smokey and creamy. Loved it.

After a bit we all moved into the barn for the reception. It was lit by Christmas lights and totally adorable. I loved the simpleness of it all.

The bride and groom made their entrance and immediately went into their first dance. I liked that. It was a cool way to get it done.

After awhile it was time for dinner. It was buffet style served by the caterers. I got the brisket and the Jalapeño sausage.

It came with twice Baked potatoes, sweet jalapeño corn, green salad and white bread. I apologize for the quality of the picture. It was really dark in the barn.

The sausage was the best. It was so spicy and delicious. I ate waaay too much. I was stuffed to the brim and couldn’t imagine ever eating again. And then I ate cake. 🙂 They did the cake cutting. I had a small piece of the wedding cake and a small piece of the groom’s cake (red velvet) and a glass of champagne for the toast.

There were speeches from the father of the bride, the maid of honor and best man.

Then: dancing. I love dancing–it doesn’t matter what kind! But Michael isn’t into that. 🙁 He did dance with me outside where no one could see us.

I joined the group for one song. I don’t listen to country music so I have no idea what song it was. It was clearly a hit because the whole place was on the dance floor and everyone knew the moves (but me) but I did it. And it was a blast!

After that Michael and I made the rounds around the room before heading back to the farmhouse to pack. We had an early drive back to Austin.

Congrats to the happy couple!

Grandma & Me

I was sad to leave the ranch. It was such a cool little hideaway–truly an escape from the “modern” world. As a city girl it was a fun experience for me.

On Sunday we drove to Austin and then flew to Dallas. We had a few hours to kill so we sat in the Cantina Laredo. We split some guacamole and I had a beer (from Portland no less!). It was one of the funnest trips I’ve had in a long time. It was cool stepping out into another world and explore different cultures.

QUESTION: What’s the best wedding you’ve ever been to? What made it special?