Austin Le San Michele Wedding

Words can’t possibly describe how I feel about this wedding photographed by J.Bird Photography. With a calming color palette of muted purples and blues and various other pastel shades, you can’t help but fall in love with every last bit of this wedding day, right down to the elegant cake made by Sweet Treets Bakery. We’ve got bride Kayla with us to share more about her beautiful day, so read on:

From the bride, Kayla: When we envisioned our garden wedding, it was romantic, classic but relaxed, with a touch of whimsy. I enjoy crafting and creating, so having several DIY projects naturally found its way into our vision for the wedding. Ryan and I knew that we wanted our wedding to be at Le San Michele immediately after touring the grounds. With the venue selected, the other inspiration and details flowed naturally. We put our love of vintage and literature on display with the centerpieces: vintage engineering books (a nod to Ryan’s studies) and other literary classics, a large variety of antique tea cups with several types of succulents planted, hand scripted table numbers, and vases with soft spring blooms. I included my love for watercolor into the design of the invitation suite and escort cards. The DIY seed bomb favors were a lovely complement to the garden setting, and they were really fun to put together! Overall, our wedding was true to us individually and as a new family. We had an all-star team that made our day memorable and flow smoothly. I wouldn’t change a thing… not even the wind, because it helped create beautiful photographs.

Bouquet recipe: Peonies, lavender, succulents, anemones, ranunculus, dahlia, stock, tulips, and dusty miller.

I would describe our wedding as romantic, classic but relaxed, whimsical, and intimate. Our color palette was soft, with lavender, blush and light pink, gray, and white; however, we love a pop of color – my bouquet, for example. We had several DIY projects going throughout our engagement that consumed both of our apartments. I collaborated with one of our friends for the invitation suite – she designed every piece and Ryan and I splashed on the watercolor assembly line style. I drew the table numbers and Ryan twisted the wire to hold them in the books. We went through a couple Etsy vendors for the seed bomb favor supplies and had another assembly line. I repurposed thrift store frames for the escort card chalkboard sign and display board. Our friends were fantastic and helped watercolor the escort cards and put together the frame that displayed them. We collected tea cups, old books, and bud vases from antique shops, thrift stores, family and friends, and even eBay for months. The tea cups were filled with various types of succulents. We brightened up the vases by spray painting them a glossy white. Ryan compiled our Engagement photos (also by J.Bird Photo) into a beautiful album and we displayed it at the reception with our family wedding photos and guest book.

Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? Engagement and wedding planning made for a very busy season of life. We spent a lot of time preparing for the wedding and marriage. So go on dates, talk about things other than your wedding, and maybe read a book or two about this journey you’re about to take (This Momentary Marriage by John Piper is great!). We are grateful to have a great community of friends that helped us grow in our relationship and not get caught up in the craziness of wedding planning. As for planning, hire a wedding coordinator! Both of our families and majority of our wedding party flew in from out of state, so having someone as a central point of contact that knew the wedding industry, our timeline and vendors, and Austin was invaluable. Ellen was a gem and couldn’t imagine our wedding day without her. We would also encourage brides and grooms to find their most important vendor in the beginning. For us, that was photography. We immediately connected with Jessica and loved her work (swoon worthy gallery!) and she recommended most of our vendors!

See Also

65 Cozy Fall Centerpieces To Elevate Your Wedding

Wedding Music:
Seating of the Families: “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” Piano Guys cover
Wedding Party Processional: “Just The Way You Are,” Piano Guys cover
Bridal Processional: “Ten Thousand Years,” Piano Guys cover
Recessional: “You Make My Dreams Come True,” Hall & Oates
First dance: “Dancing in the Minefields,” Andrew Peterson
Father/Daughter Dance: “Walk With You,” Edwin McCain
Mother/Son Dance: “You’ll Find Your Way,” Andrew Peterson
Bouquet Toss: “Wannabe,” Spice Girls
Garter Toss: “Danger Zone,” Kenny Loggins; “I’m The Man,” Aloe Blacc

Wedding Location: Austin, TX / Photographer: J.Bird Photography / Second Shooter: Jen Dillender / Wedding Coordinator: Westcott Weddings / Floral Design: Bristol Lane Florals / Venue: Le San Michele / Wedding Dress: Blue by Enzoani “Elim” via Blush Bridal Lounge / Seamstress: Olga Novosselova / Veil: Enzoani / Wedding Shoes: Badgley Mischka “Aubrey” / Wedding Belt: Thomas Knoell / Jewelry: Ben-Amun / Hair: Laura Needham / Makeup: Kirsten Nielsen / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Love Lane Collection “Ella” / Flower Girl Dresses: BHLDN / Groom and Groomsmen Tuxedos: Black by Vera Wang / Caterer: Whole Foods Market / Wedding Cake: Sweet Treets Bakery / DJ: Byrne Rock Mobile DJ Service / Table Numbers, Escort Card Sign, Frame, Cards: Bride / Succulents: East Austin Succulents / Seed Bomb Favor Supplies: Plantables and Paper and Design Kandy / Wedding Invitations: Designed by Laine Coker, Painted by bride and groom / Videographer: Stringer Productions