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

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."

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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

Lubbock Wedding || In Joy and In Sorrow || Kelcee + Andrew, the full film

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.   

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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.

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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.  

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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.  

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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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Possum Kingdom Lake || Once In A Lifetime || Kellye + Dustin; the full film

The story of Kellye and Dustin is absolutely precious.  They've known each other their entire lives, and grew up near each other as next-door neighbors.  When we witnessed their wedding day, we walked away with certain stories echoing in our minds:  this is a family and a couple that truly delights in showing affection toward each other, and that is what we tried to capture in this film. 

"I promise to kiss you

first thing each morning,

and last thing each evening,

so long as we both shall live."

From the relaxed atmosphere with dogs roaming around to the luscious cocktails and food spread, Dustin & Kellye's day was full of fun stories, smiling conversations, and sassy dancing late into the night.  We'll never forget Kellye's expressive kindness to everyone that she saw, or the way she choked up during their (incredibly) unique vows.  

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If you haven't read our introduction to Dustin & Kellye, read about their modern eclectic backyard wedding here.   Also, click here to see the perfect rustic wedding photos that Genya from Vue Photography took at the event.  Genya and her husband are a photography team duo, and they were such a treat to work alongside.  They're based in Atlanta, Georgia, so we enjoyed their southern charm.

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Austin-based band The Good Nights really helped to set the tone for the film with their performances of their original tunes (they also have a band called The Roosevelts, and two of the songs in Kellye & Dustin's film are going to be on their new album this next year).  So, you are getting the sneak peek here!

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The famed Tara Wilson (who has been featured on morning shows like the TODAY show and manymore!) of Tara Wilson Events coordinated and designed this backyard soirée--complete with an indoor furniture lounge set up out doors, reversed magnolia leaf garlands, and a large grey & white striped background for the dance floor. Guests were also treated to jalapeno cocktails, chicken-fried steak, and fried okra strips from Sissy's Southern Kitchen.  

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Perhaps our favorite part of the film is the moment at the end where Kellye tears up during the speeches and suddenly exclaims, "it doesn't get any better than this!"

We agree, and we wish Kellye and Dustin many, many more years of love, happiness, and lots of dogs, too. 

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Private Home

Event Design, Styling & Coordination: Tara Wilson & Lee Anne Jackson of Tara Wilson Events

Photographer: Vue Photography Catering: Sissy's Southern Kitchen

Florist: Branching Out

Reception Band: The Good Nights

Cake: Cake Walk Bake Shop

paper goods: Blue Eye Brown Eye

Bride's Dress: Monique Lhuillier

Bride's Shoes: Christian Louboutin