Mason Jar Films is a premier wedding, special event, and commercial videography company located in Austin, Texas.
Samantha & Russell are such a sweet pair. They are both fun, thoughtful and filled with an obvious love for one another. We were fortunate to document their rehearsal dinner the evening prior to their wedding and witness first hand (through laughter and tears) how adored they are by their nearest and dearest.
Read MoreA Special Father-Daughter Moment
When Sarah joined her father, Jay, on the dance floor for their traditional father-daughter dance, they were serenaded by Sarah's maternal grandfather (Jay's father-in-law). This was not the first time Sarah's grandfather had sung at a wedding; he had also serenaded his daughter, Nancy, when she danced her first dance with Jay a generation earlier. On this night, Nancy stood on the edge of the dance floor and lovingly watched as Jay danced with Sarah, and the words of "Walk With You" by Edwin McCain floated through the chandeliers overhead.
I'll take this slow sweet walk with you You'll let go of my hand to say I do And he will discover just how blessed a life can be I know 'cause all those years ago your mom handed you to me."
As Sarah leaned her head on her dad's shoulder, she said to him, "I'm so glad we get to do this," and he said to her, "Look all around. Take it all in; it will be over in a second." So true. We are so glad that we were able to film these beautiful moments so that you can look around and take it all in over and over again.
These are the kind of moments that give us #OneMoreReasonToBelieveInLove Enjoy! [vimeo]https://vimeo.com/145561718[/vimeo] From their Texas style BBQ rehearsal dinner feast at County Line on 2222 to their Hill Country ceremony and downtown reception at Brazos Hall, this wedding was a sweet buffet of the tastes of Austin.
We always love the moment a bride sees her father for the first time on the wedding day. It is truly precious! Jay later told Ryker that he could barely keep from crying when Sarah came up and tapped him on the shoulder.
Sarah and Ryker were the first ones to be married at this church--renovations had just finalized at 2am the night before! The father of the bride commended Becky Brock, Kacy King, and the entire Brock + Co. crew for their expert communication with the construction team for making sure the church was finished on time.
Sarah + Ryker met at Texas Christian University (Go Horned Frogs!), and so the couple was quick to celebrate TCU at their wedding any chance they had! The groom wore a secret TCU shirt under his tuxedo, and because he competed as an athlete on the swim team, his groom's cake was the envy of any TCU pinterest board---a custom cake of a TCU horned frog with swimming goggles. (Credit: Sweet Treets Bakery)
The Fairy-Tale Proposal in Venice:
After graduation from Texas Christian University, Sarah and Ryker both went with their families on a 10 day celebratory Mediterranean cruise to Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Italy, ending up in Venice. They were celebrating three graduations and milestone birthdays. Sarah had given up on Ryker proposing on this romantic trip. They told us, "We spent one extra night off the ship in Venice exploring the city. Ryker kept hinting at a gondola ride but Sarah thought they were extremely touristy and said she didn't want to go. She was totally surprised when on the family's walk to dinner Ryker's dad had arranged gondola rides "for the whole family." The two of us went first, and so we went off through the canals of Venice with our gondolier singing to us in Italian (romantic cheese central). As we came out of the side canals into the Grand Canal and approached the Rialto Bridge (the 'bridge of love') Sarah saw both families with camera in hand standing at the top of the bridge. Just then, Ryker stands up and pulls the ring out of his jacket pocket and asked Sarah to marry him. As soon as she said yes and they kissed the entire bridge erupted into an Italian chant/song. It was absolutely breathtaking in so many ways! Sarah didn't care about the cheesy tourists anymore-she couldn't believe what a perfect proposal Ryker had waited so patiently to put together! Afterwards we celebrated alone at an Italian cafe drinking champagne before meeting our families for dinner on the grand canal. Seriously a fairy tale!"
Sarah+ Ryker,
You truly have found something special in each other. We hope you always keep being silly, "snarf-snarf"-ing to your dog, and entertaining your families with your hilarity. Thank you for allowing us to capture these precious memories of what is really the beginning of your fairy-tale, with many more adventures to come. We wish you the best!
xoxo,
the Mason Jar Team
Ceremony // Westlake Hill Presbyterian - 7127 Bee Cave Road Austin // Venue // Brazos Hall – 204 E 4th St. Austin // @brazoshall Event Coordinator // Brock + Co. Events // @brockandcoevents Photographer // Christina Carroll Photography // @christinacarrollphoto Bride’s Cake // Sweet Treets Bakery // @sweettreetsbakery Groom’s Cake // Polkadots Bakery // @polkadotsatx Rentals // WHIM Event Rentals // // @whimhospitality Band // Suede // Lighting // FILO // Ceremony Music // Hill Country Strings // Hair // Laura Wyrtzen Makeup // Denise Vasquez // Loungs,Bars,Stag Décor // Townsley Designs // // @townsleydesigns Photobooth // SUM // // @sumbooth Horse Drawn Carriage // Lisa Siciliani // Transportation // Transportation Consultants // Dance Floor // ATX Dance Floors // // Soundtrack Licensing // MusicBed Musical Artists Featured // Johnny Stimson // The Speedbumps // Afterlife Parade // Zachary David // The Quiet Company // Katie Herzig
Brazos Hall was filled with laughter and sweet tears the night of Josie + Carl's rehearsal dinner. The expansive renovated warehouse was completely transformed by the Jackson Durham team into an elegant, intimate garden oasis. Greenery was draped from the ceiling in such a magical way that it looked as though it had grown there naturally. The tables were covered with royal blue linens and accented with vivacious orange and red floral. Surrounded by candlelight, guests were treated to engaging stories about Carl and Josie -- including the story of how they met, which, Carl admitted, is his favorite story of all.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/131985685[/vimeo]
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/127067282[/vimeo]
soundtrack: "Lucky" by Kat Edmonson, licensed through MusicBed
The sunlight was stunning in Austin as Josie + Carl's families gathered on the lakeside lawn of Villa Del Lago to celebrate their marriage. As the sounds of a nearby waterfall drifted through the air, Jackson Durham prepared a ceremony aisle for Josie that was lined with majestic sprays of roses, drawing everyone's eyes up toward the peaceful blue sky. Carl gathered with his groomsmen for photos and they all sported crushed velvet loafers that would soon be used for some serious dancing in the Driskill's ballroom later that night. As Carl greeted his family and guests, it became very clear the kind of sweet support that their loved ones have for Josie and Carl.
Josie + Carl,
Thank you for inviting us to film your wedding video. We have loved editing the hilarious and sweet toasts from your rehearsal dinner, and we can’t wait to show you the full film once it is finished!
Wedding Planners: Sara Fay Egan, Jackson Durham Floral and Décor: Heath A. Ray, Jackson Durham Photographer: Stephen Karlisch Videographer: Mason Jar Films Rehearsal Dinner Location: Brazos Hall 204 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701 Ceremony Location: Villa Del Lago 12400 Cedar StreetAustin, TX 78732 Ceremony Music: Hill Country Strings Reception Location: Driskill Hotel 604 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78701 Reception Music: Party on the Moon, East Coast Entertainment Rentals: Marquee Rentals Set Design: StageWorks Dance Floor: DFW Dance Floors Cake: Driskill Hotel Grooms Cake: Gambino’s Transportation: Transportation Consultants Departure Car: 4 Leaf Limo + Austin Antique Limos Hair: Pam Vasko Makeup: Dolores Villanueva Rehearsal Dinner Calligrapher: Laurie Harper Wedding Calligrapher: Susie-Melissa Cherry Calligraphic Arts
Kelcee and Andrew are the kind of people who are known for "bringing spice" to everyone's lives. They are smiling adventurers who delight in their friends; they are never short of being entertaining, and they are reliable allies. Their West Texas wedding is filled with the kind of fun details that, while not common, are consistent with the cutest of weddings -- they had a University of Texas "track-and-field" themed groom's cake, quirky photo-booth props, a buffet with southern delights like pickled okra, a surprise choreographed mother-son dance, and a whole troupe of adorable flower girls accompanied by one tuxedo-clad, flag-waving ring bearer.
What might surprise you about their story is the sheer strength of their love, because while Kelcee and Andrew are both bold, witty people, their boldness is matched by their kindness. In fact, Andrew's mother Sharon stood in front of the crowd at the rehearsal dinner, and in her speech, she confessed that several years ago when she found out Andrew was dating someone she didn't know, she "researched" Kelcee among her friends and relatives to find out what this young lady was like. What she learned of Kelcee's compassion and character was so overwhelming that it caused her to say, "we loved you before we even knew you."
Several months ago, Jones was initially contacted by Andrew's mother Sharon to film this event. We are often contacted by parents, so what made her call unique was that we had already filmed her daughter's wedding a few years ago, and she was now interested in having us film her youngest son Andrew's wedding. We already consider this job to be an honor and a privilege, but it is truly humbling to be invited into the life of a family repeatedly and see their legacy bloom to the next generation over the years.
The weekend began with a hunting-themed rehearsal dinner at Caprock Winery, just outside of Lubbock, TX. Andrew and his groomsmen had spent the afternoon getting their final fittings for their tuxes, and joined the whole party for the rehearsal at the church. As guests rushed inside to escape the (unseasonably) wintery West Texas wind, they found the comforts of a crackling fire, sweet potato soup appetizers, a live guitarist strumming love songs, and wine stored from ceiling to floor. Their menu included a top tier signature salad with goat cheese coulis, micro field greens, spiced pecans and mandarin oranges with roasted maple syrup, followed by a grilled beef tenderloin with Texas Tech signature sauce and cedar planked salmon garnished with fresh dill and rosemary, roasted potatoes and winter vegetables. The dinner was capped off with toasts, a molten lava cake, and gifts of boots for all the groomsmen.
The surprise wintery weather met the groomsmen on the golf course the next morning, but nothing could squash the men's happy spirits as they played golf and enjoyed one another's company. Jack-rabbits sprinted in and out of the scramble as the sun melted the frost off of the greens, and the Cash Foundation clubhouse staff was quick to deliver coffee and hot chocolate to keep the group warm.
Kelcee, on the other hand, spent her morning getting ready at the church. Amidst the bridesmaids in gold dresses and flower girls learning how to use their petal wands (see the video, it's pretty cute!), Andrew's mother and father had a special gift they presented to their new daughter-in-law: a bracelet with heirloom gold and jewels from Andrew's family heritage. The jewels were set in a cross charm that was modeled after the cross that stands on the altar at the church where the ceremony was happening. They had done the same thing for their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, and for their second son's wife, too.
This bracelet and many other details were specifically chosen to honor their loved ones and friends who had passed away. The groomsmen each wore a special lapel pin in remembrance of Kelcee's brother who had died when Kelcee was young from a congenital heart defect, and Kelcee also gave Andrew a special pocket-watch and coin to honor one of Andrew's close friends who had passed away. Andrew and Kelcee shared with us that this was how they chose to represent that even though these special people couldn't be at the wedding, their love for them was very present and very real.
Kelcee & Andrew's story of how they have cherished & supported each other by giving honor to their loved ones who have passed away is affirmation of the power of love. In their wedding vows, they promised to support each other in joy and in sorrow, and in many ways, they already have. Their love is a strong reminder to us all that grief and loss can be comforted with compassion, and that life is fullest when we live purposefully, taking every opportunity to share joy, tenderness, and affection with each other in a close-knit community.
Ceremony Venue: First United Methodist Church Lubbock
1411 Broadway Lubbock, TX 79401
Rehearsal Dinner Venue: CapRock Winery
408 E Woodrow Rd Lubbock, TX 79423
Reception Venue: The Historic Baker Building
1211 13th St Lubbock, TX 79401
Florist: Box of Rain Floral
Reception Entertainment Band: The Atlantics
Photography: Helen Byrd
Wedding Videographer: Mason Jar Films
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Erin (one of our most recent brides) is known for her uncanny resemblance to Princess Jasmine when dressed up like the favored Disney Princess. The running joke of the wedding weekend was that she'd finally found her "Aladdin." Although they actually went to the same high school while growing up, it wasn't until they were adults that Erin and Steven met in a wine bar while with friends, and so it was only fitting that their wedding happen in a restaurant known for it's wine selection and delicious food: Tony's, in Houston. The restaurant happens to be owned by a family friend, and so the celebration took up the entire facility for the weekend.
We love capturing the experience of a wedding day on film, and what makes it even more fun is when our couples allow us to be a part of that experience, too. Erin & Steven chose to have our team film AND edit their video right on-site at their wedding reception, and what followed was a big reveal at the middle of the evening where we screened this "instamatic" video for their guests. It shows everything that happened over the weekend, from rehearsal dinner all the way to the bride and groom's first dance!
This choice of having an "instamatic" film to display during the wedding reception was a wonderful one for Erin and Steven--they were having a very private Jewish ceremony, and sharing the ceremony in the Instamatic video allowed them to show the large group of guests at the reception the beautiful ceremony that had occurred in the wine cellar just hours before.
As you can imagine, it also was really fun for us to watch the guests' and the family's reactions to the video. It was a total surprise for all of the guests that we were editing the film together right there, and it was even more fun because we normally don't get the opportunity to watch their faces at the moments that make them tear up, cry, and laugh. So many people were wiping away sweet happy tears, so we know that the experience was fun for Erin and Steven to share with their guests. Erin's mother found us before we left to let us know how wonderful it was to be able to share the Instamatic film that very day, and she said it was her favorite thing from the wedding. That is a huge compliment that we don't take lightly--we are so honored to be allowed into each family's life for a day to document their most special occasions.
An heirloom from the families of the bride and groom, this hand representing blessing, strength, power and protection hung in both the reception room at Tony's and another one was placed hanging among the candles under the couple's chuppah.
Chic, modern, and classic, the beautiful celebration weekend began with a rehearsal dinner at Brenner's on the Bayou, and the story-telling carried on into the night -- one of our favorite moments being when Erin's siblings joked that they were so glad to toast the happiest couple in the room ....Erin's mom and dad. Erin apparently had very high expectations while dating! And, of course, Steven came along and exceeded those expectations.
Erin began her wedding day at her parent's home. We love when brides find special ways to honor their families in their wedding traditions. Erin and her mother had lace taken from her mother's wedding dress and applied to her very long, dramatic veil. It was absolutely stunning in person.
Erin's dress also had intricate detailing, too: with beautiful folds specifically made in the translucent layers under a top layer of delicate lace, her dress had a modern silhouette, but up close, had the kind of stunning attention to structural detail that made art nouveau popular again.
We spent the day working with the talented event design crew from Something To Celebrate. Not only are they immensely talented in designing beautiful spaces and organizing efficient schedules, but Resha Zazueta, the lead coordinator, is an absolute gem of a person and a delight to be around. We are thankful for her leadership behind the scenes at this wedding helping us to secure information on every last detail so that the screening of the instamatic film was able to happen without a hitch!
Wedding Details:
Ceremony/Reception Venue & Caterer: Tony's Restaurant, 3755 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77046, (713) 622-6778
Florist: Blooming Gallery
Live Band: Matchmaker Band
Event Designer: Something To Celebrate
Wedding Photographer: Akil Bennett
Soundtrack:
"Celeste" by Les Enfants
"Someone" by Future of Forestry
All musical tracks licensed through The Music Bed
Mason Jar is a film production studio based in Austin, Texas. Our compact team of dedicated filmmakers travels internationally to capture stories of a lifetime, including weddings, documentaries, and commercial projects for video marketing.
