Upon arriving at Star Hill Ranch and seeing all of their amazing DIY details, I was swooning involuntarily! The couple’s favors were hand-made animal paintings that did double duty as table seating cards (see more of Joelle’s paintings here). The groom wore a leather Texas belt buckle and an cool bowtie made from vintage materials. Jason even handmade the boutineers for himself and the groomsmen (guys can be crafty too!), made with a branch, succulent air plant and buttons in shades of opalescent pinks and purples. These looked great paired with the matching fuschia ties and the bridesmaids’ purple dresses. Joelle wore a classic strapless dress delicately ornamented with just a touch of beaded flowers.

For the ceremony, Joelle constructed a hanging wall of multicolored yarn poms that were so original and provided a perfect photo backdrop. Brightly colored lanterns set the stage for venue. And in the romantic little white chapel, guests escaped the heat with ice cold A/C and decorated their own fans, signed the thumbprint tree with ink, and sat catching up in comfort.

After the ceremony, guests moved to another one of the cool outcrop of amazing old-timey-Texas  buildings on the Star Hill Ranch estate. Kids were invited to have fun at the arts and crafts table, which every parent loved!! Appetizers were served buffet style, while the Whiskey Shivers sung their down home songs in perfect harmony. Influenced by everything from Johnny Cash to Jolie Holland, this high energy roaring string band has to be seen to be believed. After taking the couple around the property for some photos (who can resist an rusted vintage truck and tractor???), the couple waltzed in the street al fresco. One of my favorite moments from the day is when the couple practiced their dance inside a room of stained glass. Perfect light and a perfect moment.

Later guests moved over to dining hall for dinner catered by Pink Avocado. Joelle constructed the singularly most amazing centerpieces I may have ever seen! EVER! Spray painted horses & dinosaurs in pastel candy colors were surrounded with table numbers and frames with nested birds atop and both real & fake pom flowers. Other super creative touches were stones with guest names written on them in silver at each table setting, and a handmade cake complete with personalized wooden figurines and fondant version of their cat and dog! Dinner closed with cleverly personalized toasts, including Jason’s sweet toast to Joelle about finally finding the perfect woman.

Ceremony & Reception venue :: Star Hill Ranch

Flowers :: Arthouse Design

Cocktail Hour Band :: Whiskey Shivers

Catering :: Pink Avocado

Cake:  Sheila Marie Fleming

Kid’s Art Station :: Abrakadoodle

Sashes and hair flowers :: ProjectU

Ties and Bow-ties :: Divine Domestication.X

Jewelry :: Rachael Adamiak Jewelry and Limbo Jewelry

Hair :: Aveda

After that, the party was ready to begin! The Barr Mansion has some of my favorite catering in town – a yummy organic menu, plus to-die-for desserts. The cake topper by Stems was a perfect match to the bridal bouquet with loads of cool lilies, green orchids and purple succulents, and the groom’s cheesecake was perfectly decadent. After chowing down,  the guests chimed in for the “Broom Dance” – a hilarious family tradition where the brothers of the groom have to do a dance with the brooms. I laughed so hard that I thought my face would crack. The night was finished off with a super energetic dance party – with plenty of Lady Gaga for Flint (he kinda loves her). The couple was sent off with sparklers and well wishes. What a blast!

Ceremony & Reception Venue / Catering :: The Barr Mansion

Florist :: Stems/Abby Daigle

Ceremony Musician ::  Joe Vega

DJ :: Complete Music

Part I:  Ganesh and Gowri puja (prayer ceremonies)

Prior to the formal wedding ceremony itself, the bride and groom perform prayer ceremonies in their respective households.  The groom prays to ask Lord Ganesha to remove all obstacles, while the bride prays to the goddess Gowri asking for a long and blessed marriage.

Part II: Kanyadaanam

With the Kanyadaanam, the official wedding ceremony begins.  It is during this time that the bride’s parents symbolize the transfer of responsibility over their daughter’s well-being to the groom.  In the Telugu tradition, as a sign of respect and honor, the bride’s parents wash the groom’s feet.

The bride is actually carried to the altar in a bamboo basket by her uncles.  During this part of the ceremony, the bride and groom sit facing each other, but are not allowed to see each other yet, so there is a curtain in between them.

Part III: Jeelakara-Bellam and Madhuparkam

An auspicious time for marriage is pre-chosen, which is known as “Sumuhurtham”*. At this appointed time, amidst shlokas (passages) from Vedas (Hindu sacred texts) being recited by the priests, the Bride and the Groom place Jeelakarra-Bellam (a paste made from cumin seeds and jaggery) on each other’s heads at exactly the same moment/time.

The bitter taste of cumin seeds and the sweetness of jaggery cannot be separated, communicating that the bride and groom are supposed to become inseparable through life’s bitter and sweet times.

It is also said that when the couple touch each other’s heads with the Jeelakara-Bellam paste in between, there is complete interchange of each other’s thoughts and destinies, thus making their lives completely inter-linked.

Part IV: Sumangli

After her sari change, ten married women (the sumanglis) accompany the bride back to the altar.  They carry mixtures of rice and turmeric (symbolizing abundance), flowers, and lit lamps.

Part V: Tying of the Mangalsutra

The curtain is removed and the bride and groom face each other as husband and wife for the first time.  The groom then ties the mangalsutra, a necklace of cotton thread with two golden disc pendants, around the bride’s neck with three knots.  The knots represent the physical, mental, and spiritual union of the couple. Next follows the playful, fun part of the ceremony: Talambralu.  The bride and groom take turns pouring handfuls of rice/turmeric mixture, flowers, and beads onto each other’s heads.  A contest ensues: who can empty the plate faster and douse the other one more completely? The priest overlooks the games and reminds the bride and groom how important it is to keep a sense of humor in the relationship.

Part VI: Kanyadaanam Akshatalu

The bride and groom exchange garlands of flowers and are blessed by the wedding guests who are older than them.  The guests sprinkle the rice/turmeric mixture on their heads and wish them a happy and long life together.

It is after this part of the ceremony that the guests are invited to have lunch.  Yes, the ceremony is technically still going on, but the most important parts have been witnessed by the guests, and their patience is rewarded with a generous meal.  Don’t feel guilty; guests are basically expected to get up and have lunch at this time!  If you are inclined to stay and watch the rest, you are most welcome, but you are by no means obligated.

Part VII: Saptapadi

Saptapadi translates to “seven steps” in Sanskrit.  It refers to the seven steps that the bride and groom walk around an open fire pit in the center of the altar.  Each step symbolizes one lifetime that they are now considered to be married to each other – seven total.  The bride’s sari and the groom’s dhoti are joined together by the priest, literally “tying the knot,” before they walk.

Part VIII: Sthalipaakam

This is a tradition in which the groom places silver toe rings on the bride’s feet.  The toe rings symbolize her as a married woman.  But, this is yet another ritual that is not complete without adding a little bit of competition and fun – the bride and groom must fight each other to be the first to fish the rings out of a silver pot.  Following this, the groom also ties another mangalsutra around the bride’s neck.  This one is adorned with black beads to ward off the evil eye.  At a later time well after the wedding, the two mangalsutras will be joined on one gold chain. This concludes the wedding ceremony.

As the sun is setting, the couple escapes for a short but sweet portrait session!

The dance party is ignited with a touching first dance. The DJ Paras plays all the Indian dance hits and kids to adults let loose on the dance floor. The couple is lifted on friend’s shoulders and bounced around the dance floor!

The night comes to a close with a massive finale complete with fireworks by Starlight Fireworks and FX! What an amazing day for Pradhna & Patrick and what a gorgeous wedding!

Speaking of floral arrangements, Megan and William’s bouquets featured rare and eye-popping shades of peach and plum! Rosehip Flora mixed eclectic vintage vases of pastel blooms to create the overall shabby chic decor. Megan wore a gorgeous modern fitted dress with bow sash accent and a Russian tulle veil that was TO DIE FOR. She looked stunning! And the ring bearers were adorable in their matching tan cowboy outfits. Literally everyone in attendance gasped “awwwwwwwww” when they started walking down the ceremony aisle. In anticipation of the ceremony, guests mingled with wine on the large open yard. The ceremony itself was outdoors under a large shady oak tree in the perfect spring breeze. The guests were then greeted during happy hour by the down home musings of Whiskey Shivers -a barefooted bluegrass band that has to be heard to be believed! When it came to cake time, we were treated to a jaw dropping Victorian lace cake in lavender, with brownies for the groom’s cake and cupcakes for all the kids. Toasts and dancing followed under the outdoor pavilion as the sun set- it was a night to remember!

Wedding & Reception Venue & Catering: The Winfield Inn

Make-up: Rochelle Rae

Florist: Rosehip Flora

Cake:  Sentelli’s Bakery

Reception Band: The Whiskey Shivers

But why blog too many photos myself, when it was just featured on Style Me Pretty Texas? Woo Hoo!

Event Design & Production: Caplan Miller Events

Wedding Venue: The Wild Onion Ranch

DJ: DJ Rich

Wedding Ceremony Music: Andrew Nafziger

Event Styling: The Inglenook Decor

Wedding Cake & Cupcakes: Nom Nom Global

Floral Design: Petal Pushers

Lanterns: FILO Production Services

Rentals: Premiere Party Central

Antique Limo: Antique Limousines of Austin

I also love seeing how Save The Date cards turn out! Check theirs out below! CUUUUUTE!

Did you notice how freaking stylish Sandhya is? Well it’s no wonder she runs these rad style blogs: ATX Style Co-op & Livin Wide

Guess who else loved this photo shoot enough to feature it on their front page? Brooklyn Bride!