In Texas, bigger isn?t always better, and this romantically intimate 15-guest wedding at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines is a case in point. Planned in only eight weeks with the help of the bride?s sister, interior design expert Lauren Haskett of Material Girls, the event channeled ?soft Parisian glamour? and was infused with the bride?s favorite colors: seafoam green, blush, and coral. Every detail was a study in vibrant yet sophisticated beauty, from the lush floral designs, featuring ruffled garden roses and open peonies, to the bride?s Art Deco?inspired gown, a ravishing dress with an intricately beaded, crystal-accented bodice and a skirt of white feathers. It was all captured through the lens of Suzi Q. Varin, whose authentic, artful photos dazzle with their aura of timelessness.
What?s your love story? How did you meet, fall in love, and get engaged?
John and I met at a courthouse in a small town in South Texas. We were both working as landmen for different oil companies; I was there researching public records every day, and John was always coming in to check on his crew, which included his sister, Larin. After eight months of John and I saying ?hello? and nothing more, Larin approached me one day to do some investigation for John, and the next day he asked me out in person. The following day, we went to dinner and had an amazing time, despite some news I shared that might have deterred him. I had recently accepted an internship position that meant I would be leaving soon for Europe. Despite my upcoming departure, we proceeded to fall fast for each other and to date for seven months of that year long distance. When I returned to the U.S., we went on another adventure together?this time to work on an oil and gas project in Ohio. During a trip back home to Texas to visit my family, John popped the question during some brief, rainy alone time at a park. We shared the good news with our families and let them know that we wanted to have a small wedding and a short engagement. With our families? support, we amazingly managed to pull everything off in eight weeks!
Did you use a wedding planner or day-of coordinator? What was the planning process like for you?
I have my oldest sister, Lauren Haskett of Material Girls and Lauren Haskett Fine Design, to thank for her vision, ideas, and the huge role she played in making sure everything was elegant and memorable. She was the mastermind behind details both big and small, ranging from envisioning the wedding canopy, floral scheme, reception lighting, and table arrangements to place cards and invitations. Additionally, the resort where we got married, the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines, was extremely accommodating and coordinated many elements of our wedding, including handling the catering and recommending a great florist.?
How did you choose your venue?
During a family discussion the weekend of our engagement, my sister mentioned that she had heard Lost Pines was a beautiful haunt in the Texas Hill Country. Miraculously, the venue was available on our desired weekend, Cinco de Mayo, and one phone call by John later, it was a done deal. We got to scope out the different locations available at the resort, and I immediately fell in love with the pond. Because it was such a small wedding, everyone arrived two days early, and we enjoyed some great family time, taking advantage of the pool, trails, and other amenities.
Can you tell us a little bit about the details of your wedding and your sources of inspiration?
Theme and palette
We started the wedding planning with a catchphrase: soft Parisian glamour. This spilled over into the use of some of my favorite colors: seafoam green, white, and blush. The site we chose for the ceremony was next to a pond, which looked beautiful next to the seafoam green canopy under which we were married. The flowers themselves were blush, peach, coral, and white, which made for a look that was both soft and vibrant and in keeping with the soft Parisian glamour motif. For the reception dinner, strands of overhead lights provided a dynamic backdrop for the simple yet bold contrast of the black and white stripes of the tablecloth paired with the soft colors of the flowers. A seafoam green BHLDN resin cake stand, handwritten chalkboard menu, and small, etched pewter vases provided additional pops of glamour.
Bouquets and boutonnieres
Large garden roses and peonies in white, blush, peach, and coral tones comprised my bouquet, as well as the flowers adorning the canopy at the ceremony and the table at the reception. John?s boutonniere was made up of solid white flowers.??
Ceremony d?cor
The focal point of our outdoor ceremony was the beautiful flower-bedecked canopy, which was complemented by the pond setting. Simple white chairs were set out, and the beauty of nature took care of the rest.
Reception d?cor
Our reception dinner came together at one long table, with a stark black-and-white striped tablecloth for timeless drama and soft accents for more Parisian glamour. Our flowers were held in small pewter vases, and personalized black and white place cards coordinated with the tablecloth.
Can you describe your dress and your wedding day look for us?
The entire skirt of my wedding dress was completely covered in ostrich feathers, and that is what initially drew me to it. The beaded top and drop waist gave it a vintage feel that could hold its own next to the feathers. I actually decided on my wedding dress without ever seeing it in person. I originally became obsessed with a picture of it online, but since I was working out of state I couldn?t try it on myself. I enlisted my sister, Kathryn, to try it on for me, and she and our mother sent me tons of pictures, eyeballed what size I would need, and assured me it was just as beautiful in person as I had hoped. It fit perfectly with no alterations necessary at all! Instead of a veil, I wore two jeweled headbands that were connected to form a circle. My shoes were white with chunky, rhinestone-covered heels, the thickness of which made walking on the grass much easier. My other jewelry was simple?stud earrings and stacked bracelets.
Out of a desire to show off the back of my dress, I decided to walk down the aisle sans veil. I found a jeweled headband that I loved and bought two just in case. I arrived for my hair appointment armed with a picture of Charlize Theron with the goal of emulating her side bun and jeweled headband brilliance. The stylist suggested using the second headband, cutting the extra ribbon off of both of them, and connecting them into an asymmetrical halo woven into my hair.
For my makeup, I decided to go with something a little more dramatic than my usual look; the bold look was anchored by a smoky eye created with purple and gray shadows and defined brows.
What did your bridesmaids wear?
My sisters, Lauren and Kathryn, served as matron and maid of honor. Because it was such a small wedding, they didn?t stand during the ceremony, and in lieu of bouquets they wore bracelets matching the ones I wore. Our goal was to find beautiful dresses for them that looked special but didn?t scream ?bridesmaid.? We found them both, as well as the mother of the bride?s dress, in one fell swoop at BHLDN. Kathryn wore a knee-length dress in purple, her favorite color, and jazzed it up with seafoam green heels. Lauren?s dress was a champagne hue with a detailed neckline, which she paired with nude heels. Everyone looked beautiful while staying true to their own sense of style.
What did your groom wear?
John wore a charcoal suit paired with a purple-toned shirt and tie. His black ostrich boots complemented the ostrich feathers of my dress, and his engraved cufflinks were his wedding present from me.
Did you include any religious, cultural, or family traditions in your ceremony?
My dad walking me down the aisle was a really special moment. Also, John?s dad was in charge of holding the rings during the ceremony, as his dad did for him.
What kind of ceremony music did you choose?
The music at our ceremony was actually a surprise from my family. They found a great classical guitarist who played instrumental music throughout our ceremony. At the end, he performed and sang ?Edelweiss,? a song I love from The Sound of Music, with an additional verse of benediction at the end.
What were your favorite moments of the day?
John and I kept with tradition and didn?t see each other the day of our wedding until the actual ceremony, but he did write me a very sweet note that he had my mom deliver to me while I was getting dressed. Reading it was one of my favorite moments.
Did you experience any disasters or calamities leading up to the wedding or on the day of the wedding itself that you can laugh about now?
My mother had booked hair appointments for all the girls at a great salon. When the salon called me the week of our wedding to confirm our appointments, I wasn?t paying attention and thought I was on the phone with a different salon that we weren?t going to use. I let the salon know that we had made other arrangements and cancelled everyone?s appointments. The next day it hit me that I had the salon names mixed up and had to call the salon back to admit my lunacy. Fortunately, they were able to rework all of us into the schedule and did a great job on everyone?s hair.
What kind of advice would you offer to future brides?
Bringing along a picture to show your hairstylist takes very little effort, but it is definitely worth it. Doing a trial run of hair and makeup is extremely worthwhile, even if it only means that you find out which salon not to go to!
Photography: Q Weddings / Ceremony and reception venue: Hyatt Regency Lost Pines / Event design: Lauren Haskett Fine Design / Day-of coordinator: Stacy Seaborn of the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines / Flowers: Brenda Abbott / Catering: Hyatt Regency Lost Pines / Desserts: Hyatt Regency Lost Pines / Officiant: Bill Goff / Ceremony music: Carl Koonce / Bride?s dress: Sue Wong, purchased at Nordstrom / Bride?s shoes: Badgley Mischka (style: Wynter) / Bridesmaid dresses: BHLDN / Groom?s attire: Hugo Boss / Hair: Steven Cantu of the Jackson Ruiz Aveda Salon / Makeup: Chanel at the Barton Creek Mall Nordstrom / Wedding rings: Torin Bales / Earrings: Nadri / Bracelet: Niquea.D / Headband: Nina / Menu design: Lauren Haskett Fine Design / Invitations: Papyrus ?
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