New Hill Country Wedding Venue – Altstadt Brewery in Fredericksburg, Texas

I’m so excited to be the FIRST to style and publish a shoot at this new amazing Hill Country wedding venue- Altstadt Brewery in Fredericksburg, Texas!
This place is just amazing. It’s a beautiful modern Bavarian space like no other in the Hill Country that fits so perfectly with the historic German tradition of the area. The owners spared no expense on the lavish details. The ornate wood carving on the fireplace, the beautiful windows and archways on the many patios, and all of the beautiful gold details. We actually did this shoot while the venue was still under construction, so we didn’t have the opportunity to get as many wide shots as we would have liked. However, I think these images will be enough of a teaser to entice you to visit in person and see the grandeur and taste the beer! Check out their contact info on my Hill Country wedding vendors page to set up a tour!

Viridian did these wonderfully textured centerpieces and that amazing greenery installation. Really, I honestly don’t think I’ll be able to picture this fireplace without the greenery now…

Check out the video of our shoot with James Headrick! 

Venue: Altstadt Brewery
Planning: Hill Country Bride
Styling & Planning Team: Hill Country Bride & Mayhar Design
Photography: Michelle Boyd Photography
Videography: James Headrick Creative
Floral: Viridian Design Studio
Tabletop & Chair rentals: Whim Event Rentals
Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen Rental -oatmeal velvet & chelsea napkin
Frames & Candlesticks: Bee Lavish
Hair & Makeup: Celissa Rae
Dress: Jenny Yoo
Tux: The Black Tux
Accessories: Dillards
Paper Suite: Isidore & Augustine
Models: Ashley Trappe & Jose Lebaron

My Review of The Bloom Bash Austin Workshop

I’m a winner!!!
Anyone else feel like they never win ANYTHING? Like they always apply for the sweepstakes and are present for the announcement ceremony, but NEVER win… Well for once I WON SOMETHING! In an Instagram sweepstakes I won admission to the Bloom Bash Austin Workshop hosted by Michaela Noelle & Ashley Slater photography.
It was such a pleasure to be able to attend and in case you happen to be a female creative (any industry!) and are interested in going, I thought I’d share with you my five favorite things from the workshop! I’ll do another post with all of the lovely images from the shoots with Sami Kathryn Photography, probably in the spring!

Things I loved about the Bloom Workshop (with photos by Shalyn Nelson): 1. Cute coffee man… Ha ha, just kidding! But really… It was so fun to walk in on the first day and have a lovely British man serving me a great cup of fancy pour over coffee. In general all of the goodies (food, gifts, setups) were impressive and the environment (Mercury Hall) made lovely by Bee Lavish was a really inspiring space. This totally matters. I can’t be inspired in an underwhelming environment. They did great at ALL THE PRETTY THINGS.2. Confidence in handling flowers. Initially I wasn’t that excited about the floral arranging class, but I feel like getting my hands a little dirty and practicing myself, I was able to get a more intimate relationship and appreciation for the floral designers I work with. An added bonus was that I learned some great tips for making my personal arrangements look more intentional! Thanks to The Heirloom Table for patiently teaching us some skills!  3. Practice with flat lay styling. This was a big one for me! ALL THE PRETTY THINGS! Its so rare that I have several ring boxes, several back grounds, multiple sets of invitations, stamps, ribbon etc. in a range of colors and styles to play with. It was nice to have some guidance and all of the supplies handy to just play! On a wedding day, I sometimes have a hard time switching from my left brained duties (details and logistics) to right brained creative tasks. Flat lay styling is one of those things I’m learning to 1) do the night before the wedding 2) understand that practice makes it come more naturally. Simply Jessica Marie brought these stunning paper pieces!4. Challenge to Set Goals. I’m a person who really likes to keep my promises. Like really. I have a hard time setting goals because I fear if I don’t execute it perfectly, I’ll let someone, or myself down. Being in a space with other girls, who aren’t perfect (like it looks on Instagram) but just trying their best, helped me get a more realistic picture of how I can set goals without the burden of not meeting expectations. Michaela actually said that her most read blog posts are consistently her goal posts. After reading a couple, I really appreciated that she shared honestly, how sometimes she didn’t meet them! And that’s ok! Here’s the thing, if I never set goals, I’ll never have the satisfaction of achieving them!5. Relationships with other REAL entrepreneurial girls who are struggling and succeeding, just like me. Anyone ever feel like they are always losing in the competition of Instagram perfection? My sweet friend calls this comparing my insides to other’s outsides. It’s unfair, unrealistic and will always leave me feeling not good enough. If I would have looked up any of these gals (teachers and students) on instagram, I would have sized them up, and sized up myself against them. But meeting them in person FIRST and just seeing that they were REAL people made me INSTAntly feel (see what I did there) safer. I wanted to get to know them, to get know about their business and gleam inspiration from them. The struggle of working with ME, MYSELF, and I ALL DAY is REAL. I have to try to build a network, it’s not just there for me when I show up to work every day. It’s so empowering to be with other women learning together, instead of in competition with them. I also really liked that it was not just my narrow subset of vendors (planners), it was nice to gleam ideas off of photographers, calligraphers, florists, bloggers, cake ladies, etc. I suppose a lot of workshops might give you this, but I really feel Michaela and the other teachers were really great about never putting themselves above us, just sharing with us their successful experience and suggestions in lots of things.

The topical things of the workshop were great too (Social Media, Client expectations, calligraphy, etc.). These were just my major takeaways. I would highly encourage you to sign up for one if you are looking for a workshop next year! They will only be hosting one, in November, but I’m sure it will be awesome!

Florals: The Heirloom Table | @theheirloomtable
Invitation Suite: Simply Jessica Marie | @simplyjessicamarie
Rentals: Bee Lavish | @beelavishvintage
Cakes: Feathers & Frosting | @feathersandfrostingatx
Hair & Makeup: Erica Gray Beauty | @ericagraybeauty
Ribbon: Adorn Company | @adorncompany
Wedding Dress: BHLDN | @bhldn
Rings: PVJ | @providencevintagejewelry
Ring Boxes: VoeuDuCoeur | @voeu_du_coeur
Suit: The Black Tux | @theblacktux
Event Concept + Design: Michaela Noelle Designs & Ashley Slater Photography

Hill Country Wedding Venue Feature: Contigo Ranch

This Hill Country Wedding venue is second to make the nominations list for the best wedding vendors in the Texas Hill Country… Contigo Ranch! This beautiful white modern farmhouse venue was born into the Contigo brand just in 2017! The owners, the Edgerton Family, are also the brains behind Contigo Austin and Contigo Catering, who have an excellent reputation in the Austin restaurant scene. And by the way, they are great people too!

Here are some of my favorite things about this venue:

(1)Gorgeous ceremony site featuring one of the best views of Hill Country I’ve seen at a wedding venue. See the stunning area below… Thanks to Lori Blythe Photography for lovely photos from our styled shoot!

Lori Blythe Photography

(2)Its white. Need I say more folks. A perfect blank slate with ship lap details, beautiful chandeliers, bistro lights over a patio, and a built in bar. Can I get an “AMEN” from the wedding photographers out there that have been shooting in dark venues for years and years? Brides, your pictures of your reception are going to be awesome.(3)The chairs. It’s a small detail, I know. But as a wedding planner, I pay attention to these things. You don’t have to pay a rental company to deliver stylish chairs for your wedding- they are included! No more mahogany chivari or folding fruitwood, folks. I know you have seen styled shoots on Pinterest with these chairs and thought “ha! As If. Who can afford chairs like that at their wedding?” You my dear. You. Their price point is competitive with other venues in the area, but their stylistic value is much higher.(4)Lodging on site featuring the same great stylish details. Just a short walk away from the reception site, down the beautifully terraced path next to the rippling waterfall. You never thought landscaping could be so impressive, did you? (5) Just a few miles from Fredericksburg. Close to shopping, restaurants, Enchanted Rock and wineries for your guests to enjoy, but far enough out that they can experience the peace and serenity of the Hill Country.

Hurry over to the vendor page to get their contact info and secure your dream wedding date! Sorry, this sounds a little “sales pitchy”. But ask any wedding vendor. We really like to work at pretty places!

Photos From our styled shoot with these amazing vendors:  Lori Blythe Photography, Contigo Ranch, The Green Room Floral, Weddings by Celissa Rae Hair and Makeup, Dresses from Serendipity Bridal Austin, Lace Dress Tara Lauren, Off the Shoulder dress Sarah Seven, Tux from The Black Tux, Linens from La Tavola, Styled by Hill Country Bride of course!

PS Vendors- they are having an open house on Friday, June 16th . See details below and be sure to RSVP! 

Hill Country Wedding Venue

Hill Country Wedding Venue Feature: Hoffman Haus Fredericksburg, Texas

As a part of my brand spankin’ new snazzy website I now have a vendor referral page, in the hopes that you will bring a long the best of the best Hill Country Wedding vendors to make your day PERFECT (or as close to it as possible). I’ll be debuting my personal favorites on the blog weekly, then they will get added to the vendor page with contact info and all the important deets. Photo above thanks to Two Pair Photography.

And the first Hill Country Wedding venue feature goes to…. drum roll please… Hoffman Haus in Fredericksburg, Texas! It is one of my most favoritest (yes, I know, not a word) venues ever to work with for so many reasons. Here is the simplified list below:

1)It’s pretty. Actually beautiful. Pottery Barn furniture, marble top bar, antique mirrors, stage with silk dupioni draping, beautiful accent pieces like farmhouse tables and pine tables for your buffet. I could go on for a long time. See for yourself. Photos thanks to Breanna McKendrick Photography. Hill Country Wedding Venue Photo

Hill Country Wedding Venue Photo

Breanna McKendrick Photography

2)The staff and owners are fantastic people. They care about their clients and do what it takes to make things go really smooth. They treat their guests like family. The kind you choose, not the kind you are stuck with. ha ha. Photos thanks to Benjamin Garrett Photography & Sarah Goss Photography.

Hill Country Wedding Venue Photo

Benjamin Garrett Photography

Benjamin Garrett Photography

3)Location. In the heart of amazing, lively, downtown Fredericksburg. Need I say more? If you are reading this and you haven’t been to Fredericksburg, continue reading, then book your stay immediately for a girls weekend or romantic retreat to our lovely town. Don’t forget to stop by and say “Hi”, I’m likely hanging at a winery, shopping main street, working on my porch with a view of the hills, or watching live music and eating yummy food at one of our amazing restaurants…. Do I sense jealousy?? Yes, I live in the most amazing town ever.
Hill Country Wedding Venue Photo Hill Country Wedding Venue Photo 4)Logistics. They provide tables and chairs and pretty furniture, you get the property mostly to yourself for the weekend, and the guests can leave the reception and walk back to their rooms or some close by hotels, or to a local dive bar for late night shenanigans.

Hill Country Wedding Venue

Sarah Goss Photography

5)It really is just lovely here. They pay attention to the details. The art hanging, how the ivy crawls along the stone, the beautiful bathtubs in the rooms, and the amazing breakfast delivered to your door every morning (seriously, they do that). There are so many reasons why this place is just plain awesome. Visit them and discover for yourself! Photos thanks to Sarah Goss Photography.

Hill Country Wedding Venue

Sarah Goss Photography

Hill Country Wedding Editorial Featured on Green Wedding Shoes & Brides of Austin!

Hello? Are you still out there? Emily?……. I’m Here! You haven’t seen me in a while because life has been crazy! Crazy awesome, but still crazy. It has been a season of amazing clients, workshop styling, building a house and lots of other fun things I intend to fill you in on.  My website has been getting a serious overhaul while I’ve been away (take a look around!). I’m going to be putting blogging at the forefront of my site now and sharing my Hill Country Wedding expertise with the world. I’ll be talking about Hill Country Wedding venues, debuting the best of the best Hill Country Wedding vendors, sharing tips and stories that are relevant to you, Hill Country Brides. Hopefully you’ll hear from some other amazing and experienced vendors and walk away feeling a little more confident as you journey in planning your wedding! Keep coming back and sign up for our newsletter for updates!

One of the amazing things I got to do this past November was style a photography workshop working with some of the best vendors around! It was a great opportunity to show off my talent, learn from other amazing wedding people and PLAY! Styling for fun (PLAYING) is such a hugely important thing for me as a stylist. It’s the way I study, experiment and learn new ways that colors, textures, etc. work together. It was stressful (yeah, like lots of people are expecting me to be awesome) but invigorating. The workshop was called Cedar and Stone (you can check out my sneak peek of the mood boards and inspiration here) and was hosted by the talented Sarah Goss Photography and Al Gawlik Photography.

Our first shoot was at Montesino Ranch in Wimberley, Texas. Lovely little REAL FARM that happens to host weddings as well. They are legit. There are chickens, kittys and of course horses (scroll all the way to the bottom for those pretty photos). The owners are sweet as pie, and the property is just lovely! The models are a real couple, photographers actually, that performed so well and were really amazing to work with. The Black Tux (I highly forever recommend them) provided that snazzy groom outfit, and Serendipity Bridal in Austin (shop for your wedding dress here for sure) provided that stunning gown. Celissa Rae (hands down my favorite hairstylist and forever buddy) did the do’s and faces.

Gypsy Floral out of Austin (literally the most talented florist I have EVER worked with) did those amazing florals. Plus of the two gals that run it, one of them is named Emily, so we were meant to work together. He he. Bee Lavish provided the glassware and bistro chairs. The place cards and invitation suite were provided by Jenna at Paper and Posies, she did amazing job of matching the style and incorporating an organic element to the table. Kendra provided the jewels. Yeah, Kendra and I are kind of on a first name basis (totally kidding I’ve never met her, but I’m so sure we’d be friends!). La Tavola provided the pretty linen napkins from their Tuscany collection. Whim event rentals provided the pretty copper flatware. I picked up those wood chargers, copper candlesticks, and gray plates at World Market (not practical for a whole wedding, but maybe a head table display- we will talk about this in future posts).

Sarah Goss shot the photos for this post and my portfolio wouldn’t be the same without her. I am obsessed with the film images she shoots, but equally obsessed with her ability to make digital have the richness of film. She is hilarious and super easy to get along with, beyond talented and I’m pretty sure she is going to grow up to be some super famous photographer that I can’t work with anymore. Huge sad face.

Dum, da, da, dum…. Drumroll please… My favorite vendor and pride and joy of this shoot was PENDLETON ! Yes, Pendleton Woolen Mills, American made wool blankets graciously sponsored us and loaned us those amazing wool blankets for use on the table and snuggling. Everyone was super jealous of all the pretties and wanted to take the blankets home. We got socks from them for the gift bags, it was darling, really. If you aren’t familiar with Pendleton, stop reading and visit their website. Fall in love and return to thank me.

Anyway, it was just so much fun. All these amazing vendors… Can you see why it was amazing and stressful at the same time?? It was Featured on Green Wedding Shoes & Brides of Austin!

Well this is just one of the shoots that happened at the retreat. I’ll be sharing the other images in a later post. For now, eat up all the pretties and be INSPIRED! Outtakes below. The horse eating the beautiful flowers, and proof of the kitty cat. Y’all I’m your friend that grows up to be the crazy cat lady… Just so you know. 

La Tavola Linen’s Dreamy 2016 Collection!

In the past month I took a “work trip” up north a few hours to visit some amazing vendors in Dallas (I say this in parenthesis because I really just met cool people and played with fun linens). I had a great time doing a little private mentoring workshop with Lindsey Brunk (if you don’t know her name, you should, she is pretty much the bee’s knees of the planning and style world). I also got to visit the La Tavola fine linens show room and fell in loovveeee.wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0062

I often use linens as the inspiration piece for designs in weddings and in my home. When designing a wedding or a room in my house I almost always start with a table runner I’m in love with (or some other form of wedding linen) or a pillow that I paid way too much for. I’m a sucker for pillows especially. Some girls have shoes. Some girls have jewelry. I have pillows. And will never have enough. PS- La Tavola has pillows you can rent for your party. This shouldn’t be an “extra” but a necessary in my opinion… Okay maybe not for everyone. One day, I will do a blog post entirely on the purpose of a pillow at a wedding. Feel free to drool here at this stunning assortment.

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So they are the shiz in fine linens for weddings. They search the world for the latest patterns, colors and textures and manufacture them in the sunshine state of California. I would sleep in their soft linen Tuscany collection any day. Even their basic poly blend linen is woven to feel like pressed cotton. I can tell you folks, one big way to make your event Style Me Pretty worthy, pick out a decent linen. The best part? La Tavola’s basic linen starts at just $13.00 (plus shipping) WHAT. A. STEAL.

Here are some photos from their 2016 Linen Collection Release Party that happened in Napa (sorry I couldn’t make that one!). Thanks to Studio EMP for the pretty photos. Credit to Found Vintage Rentals for the furniture, Casa de Perrin for the tabletop decor, Paula Le Duc for the catering, and of course La Tavola for the showstopping linens.

Geometric fun! wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0066

Fall inspiration!

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And my personal favorite… these botanical prints! I have been dreaming of mid century modern wedding (or styled shoot) lately with lush tropical botanicals and a green color palette…

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A particular velvet table runner (from La Tavola) has actually been the inspiration piece for styled shoot/workshop I am styling this November (Cedar & Stone Workshop). Maybe I’ll post some sneak peeks soon!

Elegant Film Wedding at Hoffman Haus

I was so excited to work with Sarah Goss Photography on this wedding back in the early spring. This was our first event to work together and she did an amazing job on these photos! I absolutely adore the richness in the colors in the film, almost as much as I adored this couple. Shannon and Harris found me via referral of Hoffman Haus, but after getting to know them, we found out that they actually worked for the same company as my mom and knew her! A company all the way in north Texas. Small freakin’ world.

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They were darling and in love. Shannon had amazing taste. The antler sheds on the centerpieces were prizes of her Dads from his many years of hunting and the silver flower containers belonged to her mother’s family. Her family was boisterous and bubbly and so much fun to be around. Sweet Magnolia provided the pretty florals!

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The colors were neutral grey with just a hint of lavender. Perfect for a hill country wedding! Hoffman Haus was the ideal venue for this classic wedding. Sophie’s made this dreamy cake (it was soo tasty too!). They had these adorable bar napkins made with their faces drawn on. Ha too funny! Notice all of the pillows in the following photos… (if you don’t regularly follow me, you may not know, I have a pillow problem…I’m a pillowaholic). wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0065 wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0068 wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0067wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0066

The evening was a blast- fun people, fun vendors! Cartewheels Catering made the yummy food and provided amazing service, as usual! wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0070 wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0069 wedding_planner_fredericksburg_0071