First looks are such a great way for couples to have a moment to enjoy each other before the day turns into a wild, wonderful blur! For Emily and Austin, the love and delight in seeing each other as bride and groom also involved a bubble gun. As Emily shared, “Austin is a notoriously good prankster, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to surprise him! I didn’t tell anyone but the photographer and videographer that I’d have a bubble gun behind my back!”
These two met and fell in love in New Orleans, making the city—and Southern Oaks—the perfect spot to wed. Emily found her blush wedding gown there, too. “I walked into Wedding Belles in New Orleans and the Diana gown was the first gown I saw. I was immediately drawn to it and it and had to try it on right away. From the moment I put it on, I knew it had the beautiful, timeless feel I’d been looking for. However, this was only my second time shopping, so I tried on a few more. But at the end of the day the Diana was the one!”
When you peep the shots of Emily and Austin sweeping across the dancefloor to “This Will Be An Everlasting Love,” know this—the year before they married, Austin gave Emily virtual dance classes for Valentine’s Day. “We started because we wanted to have a great first dance, but it ended up becoming a favorite pastime of ours. Most of our friends and family had never seen us dance, and we were so excited to show them our moves!”
More details about their day and love story from our sweet bride below:
How did you guys get engaged?
“Austin had it all planned out—everyone was coming to town for his graduation, he picked a location, hired a photographer, and even thought of an Instagram caption (“she got a ring, but I got a puffy hat!”). Then, life threw a slight curve ball in the form of a pandemic. So, instead of the perfectly planned proposal, we drove to his parents’ ranch in Hico, TX. After a long day and long drive, Austin asked me if I wanted to go watch the sunset. I said no! But he persisted and dragged her out to the front porch. Then, unbeknownst to anyone in the house, Austin dropped down to his knee and asked me to marry him. Unlike my answer to watching the sunset, I said yes!”
wedding dress: Lea-Ann Belter blush Diana via Wedding Belles | photographer: Tia Nash | scroll down for full vendor list
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
“We met and fell in love in New Orleans, so it was the perfect place for us to celebrate our love for one another. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it’s a good halfway point between Austin’s family in Dallas and my family in Virginia (and who doesn’t want to go to New Orleans?!).”
What was your favorite part of your wedding day?
“It’s hard to pick the best part of the day, we were so lucky to have beautiful weather, a beautiful venue, and everything going as planned. However, if we have to choose one part, it would probably be my uncle officiating the ceremony. Other than we wanted something heartfelt and genuine, we gave him hardly any direction in terms of what to say, and he knocked it out of the park! It was so special to have our marriage be officiated by someone we love so much!
Austin also surprised me with virtual dance classes for Valentine’s Day 2021. We started because we wanted to have a great first dance but it ended up becoming a favorite pastime of ours. Most of our friends and family had never seen us dance, and we were so excited to show them our moves!”
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
“We really wanted everyone to have a good time and made every decision with that in mind. From having a smaller bridal party and skipping the bouquet toss, garter toss, and cake cutting to keep the party going. We even let some of our musically inclined guests join the band for a song, which everyone loved!”
Three words that best describe your partner:
“Emily’s 3 words for Austin: Adventurous, thoughtful, affectionate.
Austin’s 3 words for Emily: passionate, authentic, organized.”
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
“Santa Rosa Beach, FL!”
Any tips for couples getting married?
“One of our coordinators at the venue told us “You set the tone,” and that advice really stuck with us throughout the whole process. From planning to the days up to the wedding to the day of, we tried our best to have a positive attitude and act the way we wanted people to feel. My favorite compliment we got was that our wedding was “the happiest [a guest] had ever been to!””
wedding dress: Lea-Ann Belter blush Diana via Wedding Belles | photographer: Tia Nash | videographer: Elevation Films | getting ready location: Jon Vacarri Designs St. Charles Ave | ceremony and reception: Southern Oaks | hair and makeup: Verde Beauty. | florals: NOLA Flora | tux: John’s Tuxedo | wedding cake: Bittersweet Confections | music: Troy Marks and No Idea
