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Most couples choose a familiar city for their wedding…one of their hometowns, the place where they met or fell in love, or a favorite vacation destination, for example. I think there’s something so fun about the alternate route Teresa and Jeff took though! They purposefully chose to be married in a city that neither of them had ever been to before. Together, they got to create totally new memories during their wedding weekend in a place that will now always be special to them. It just so happens that the city they chose is my personal favorite city in the South (Austin, Texas–home of my alma mater!), so I knew I was going to love their stylish wedding! Teresa rocked a Carolina Herrera that looked stunning against the Hill Country backdrop, and the blue watercolor details they incorporated throughout their day (with the help of Bird Dog Wedding) were gorgeous and unique.

Big hugs to our Blue Ribbon Vendor Kristen Kilpatrick for sharing this beautiful day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. I found my dress on the very first shopping trip I went on! Shortly after getting engaged, I went with one of my bridesmaids, just to see what was out there, but definitely not expecting to find anything. Surprise surprise, I found the most gorgeous Carolina Herrera dress that was everything I wanted! I bought the dress that day and didn’t look back!

We were originally not going to do a first look, but after receiving some good advice from our photographer, we ended up doing it and we were so happy we did! Most people say they do one to cut down on photos after the ceremony, but for us, it was all about calming nerves. Not seeing someone that you see every day for a whole day, especially on such an exciting day, is a little unnerving. Being able to see Jeff a few minutes before the whirlwind of the wedding day was truly special!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Being among all of our closest family and friends while getting married to my best friend and love of my life!

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? For us, it was more about the city in which we decided to get married. Our first time going to Austin was actually for wedding planning. We wanted to get married in a city that had no memories, so everything about that city would remind us of this new start to our life, and it was such a great decision! We were able to explore a new city as wedding planners and now as newlyweds!

Describe your wedding flowers. Organized mess. Valerie, our florist, did such an exceptional job capturing our vision. We wanted asymmetrical bouquets that were intentional, greenery that looked like it was growing off of our candelabras, and a head table structure that was the focal point of the reception hall. Primarily white florals paired with greenery created a beautiful complement to the blues in the rest of the design.

Our first dance was to a remake of Jack Johnson’s “Better Together.” The lyrics of the song are beautiful and really describe our relationship. We both feel better when we’re together, and having each other makes life so much more fun!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. A few cubicles seemed like a world away when we met working long hours at UBS in NYC. I was the serious one in the office and Jeff was, well, not as serious. In other words, Jeff was a distraction–an unwanted distraction. It took some time, but he finally convinced ne to give him a chance and I quickly realized he was the one! Okay, not really, but I did let him take me out.. baby steps. A few weeks passed and we both remember saying the same thing to our respective best buds. Jeff to Kevin: “I think I like Teresa.” Teresa to Raquel: “I think I like Jeff.” More than seven years later, we are more in love than ever and practically inseparable. Every day we spend together is an adventure, and we’ve enjoyed every second of it.
Tell us all about the proposal! Thinking back, I still remember how cold it was that day! It may have been the coldest day in February, and literally no one was outside. Given the weather, we spent most of our day inside until about 4 P.M., when Jeff suggested we go buy a new collar for our sweet little pup, Tucker. A little surprised by the suggestion, but willing to venture outside, I started pulling on as much winter gear as possible! I remember Jeff suggesting I wear my nice boots instead of Uggs and that I probably didn’t need a hat because it wasn’t THAT cold, so I obliged without thinking too much about it. (Once outside, I definitely wished I had my hat!) We walked to Washington Square Park, which is one of our favorite places to take Tucker, and before I knew it, Jeff was down on one knee, ring in hand! I remember nodding as fast as possible and smiling ear to ear. Little did I know, his clothing suggestions were because he had hired a hidden photographer to capture the moment! After lots of phone calls with family and friends, we went out to a delicious dinner at our favorite spot, Colicchio & Sons. It was a day I will remember forever!
When did y’all get married? April 29, 2016
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 125
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Funfetti with extra sprinkles! Funfetti sparks such an emotional feeling for everyone; we really wanted our wedding cake to make people feel like a kid again!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Have fun! The wedding planning process is just as much a part of the journey as the proposal and wedding day. Make memories along the way and do it as a team!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? After living in Manhattan for almost ten years, we made the move to Brooklyn and are enjoying every second of our calmer surroundings. We can’t wait to eventually start a family together! We said it in our vows, but every day really is an adventure and we’re both so lucky to have each other to experience it with!

Photographer: Kristen Kilpatrick Photography | Videographer: Candlelight Films | Planner: Emily of Bird Dog Wedding | Venue: Ma Maison | Florist: Davy Gray | Wedding Cake: Classic Cakes by Lori | Caterer: Pink Avocado | Rentals: Premiere Events | Lighting and DJ: Ross Phillips via Look No Further Entertainment | Linens: La Tavola Linen | Paper Products: Grain & Dot | Bride’s Gown: “Jiselle” by Carolina Herrera | Bride’s Jewelry: Ascot Diamonds | Hair Stylist: Danann Patrick of Mint Salon | Makeup Artist: Avery Allen | Bride’s Shoes: Oscar de la Renta | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Groom’s Attire: Suit Supply | Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux | Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music: Terra Vista Strings

Kristen Kilpatrick is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory, and The Black Tux is a wonderful Southern Weddings sponsor!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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  1. avatar Sarah reply

    We loved T&J’s wedding! They had such a lovely design that transformed Ma Maison!

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We’re convinced at Southern Weddings that we get to share the stories of the absolute sweetest couples in the South, and Caroline and Chase are certainly no exception to that! After their dorm cafeteria meet-cute and a perfectly literature-themed proposal (Caroline is a high school English teacher!), they spent their senior year of college thoughtfully planning for their Heritage Haus wedding and preparing for marriage. Caroline’s advice for brides hit the nail on the head: “We absolutely loved our wedding, but the day was such a crazy blur. Being husband and wife is a forever commitment and blessing, so enjoy the season of engagement, but prepare yourself to be committed ’til death do you part!”

Thank you so much to our Blue Ribbon Vendor Kristen Kilpatrick for sending this lovely day our way!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. My mom, grandma, future mother-in-law, and four of my closest friends spent a Saturday morning in Austin looking for a dress with me! We went to two different stores. At first, I fell in love with a traditional dress that had a full skirt. That evening, I went back through pictures we took of our favorite dresses of the day. I realized the dress I thought I loved didn’t feel very “me,” so I went with a more form-fitting dress that had also caught my eye that day! In order to add some flavor to the dress, I had the designer create off-the-shoulder sleeves that could be removed. I’m so glad they were able to add in this lovely detail!

I absolutely loved our flowers! They definitely exceeded my expectations. I wanted the color palette to be simple–we had greens with white and pink. Everything looked very earthy and ethereal.

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? We didn’t do a first look. I think our wedding was more traditional overall, so I wanted to keep with that idea. Plus, I’d always envisioned what my husband’s face would look like when he saw me walking down the aisle!
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? Although we didn’t have a Catholic ceremony, my aunt, who is a nun, spoke after a reading from Ephesians 5 from our pastor. She spoke about the covenant of marriage and the history of my family from Switzerland. She is the kindest, most Jesus-loving woman I have ever met, so it was an absolute honor to have her speak on the best day of our lives! It meant so much to me and my entire family that she made the trip down to Texas and that she was able to speak such truth during our ceremony.

What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We knew from the start that we didn’t want something with an urban feel. That just didn’t feel like us. We perused venues around Austin and found Heritage Haus. We knew right away that this was the place for us because of the beautiful Hill Country setting, the quaint white chapel, and the stately barn! Not to mention, the lovely owners of Heritage Haus made us feel like family.

We chose a simple white, three-tiered cake adorned with real flowers. The surprise was the strawberry frosting between the layers–when we cut into the cake, you saw a hint of pink! The cake was delicious and just what I wanted! Although we didn’t get to join the cocktail hour, we also had cookies and cupcakes from Polkadots available to our guests. I knew from the start that I wanted to have sweets available to our guests during the cocktail hour! We had sugar cookies in the shapes of Texas with a heart over Austin, longhorns, and cookies with the letter “A” in the center. All of the sugar cookies were white with gold details.

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Chase and I met in a dorm cafeteria at the University of Texas during our freshman year. We had mutual friends and started having lunch together. He even made his famous gourmet PB&J for me! Although we were fast friends, we didn’t start dating until the beginning of our sophomore year, much to Chase’s chagrin. When I finally confessed that I did indeed want to date him, we both knew we were in it for the long haul. We got engaged our senior year and were married just three weeks after graduation!
Tell us all about the proposal! Chase proposed on November 22, 2014. He asked me to dinner under the ruse of celebrating my recent birthday. We went to dinner at my favorite restaurant in Austin. As we were eating, the storm of the year ended the drought of 2013-2014 emphatically. We braved the torrential downpour and drove around Austin, slowly making our way to the overlook where Chase had first asked me to be his girlfriend, and where he had first told me he loved me. At our favorite spot in the city, overlooking the Greenbelt, our friends had gone out on the cliff in the rain to set up a tent, candles, and my favorite books. Chase had written a literary scavenger hunt in my journal. Each clue directed me to another page in one of my favorite books, declaring his love for me and telling our story. The last clue directed me to 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.” In the margins, Chase had written his proposal.
When did y’all get married? June 13, 2015
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 180
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? No, we had traditional vows!
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Our first dance song was “Green Eyes” by Coldplay. We both love Coldplay, and the song really resonated with me because of Chase’s green eyes, and the line, “Honey, you are a rock upon which I stand.” This line made me think about the ways Chase holds me up and points me to Jesus. My dance with my dad was also extremely special! We danced to Johnny Cash’s “You Are My Sunshine.” My dad used to sing this song to me when I was little, and it is still one of his favorite songs. He didn’t know that we would be dancing to that song, so of course, the tears really started to flow when he realized what song we were dancing to!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There were so many details we loved! Since our wedding was in the Texas Hill Country, the gorgeous summer sunset was the best free detail we could have asked for! The flowers really tied my vision together. We also used floral china plates for dinner, which was a perfectly sweet, feminine detail!
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We always knew that we wanted to do some kind of pre-marriage counseling to help prepare us for spending the rest of our lives together. The Austin Stone, our church, has a great pre-marriage counseling service that we signed up for the day after we were engaged. We were matched with a couple from the church who took us through the curriculum, challenging us every step of the way to confront each other and grow together.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? We wanted to make sure we did our senior year right by spending as much time with friends as possible, which was sometimes difficult because of wedding planning! Other than that, we were very blessed to have very minimal stress during the whole wedding planning process.
If you are comfortable responding, what range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? The ceremony was just so sweet. Walking toward my husband, hearing Sister Alice speak, praying with my husband, and walking hand-in-hand with him out of those chapel doors was something I’ll always remember!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Prepare yourself for marriage, not the wedding! We absolutely loved our wedding, but the day was such a crazy blur. Being husband and wife is a forever commitment and blessing, so enjoy the season of engagement, but prepare yourself to be committed ’til death do you part!
What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together? Currently, we call Houston, Texas home! I am a ninth grade English teacher and JV soccer coach, and Chase is an engineer with a general contractor. We look forward to continuing to call Houston home, and also are exploring the possibility of doing mission work abroad in the next couple of years.

Photographer: Kristen Kilpatrick | Planner: Natalie Conlon | Venue: Heritage Haus | Florist: Flora Fetish | Cake and Dessert Baker: Polkadots Cupcake Factory | Caterer: Whole Foods | Rentals: Loot Vintage Rentals and Bee Lavish Vintage Rentals | DJ: Byrne Rock | Paper Products: Minted | Bride’s Gown: Augusta Jones | Bride’s Veil and Hairpiece: BHLDN | Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Makenzi Laine | Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joanna August and Nouvelle by Amsale | Menswear: Jos. A. Bank

lisa Written with love by Lisa
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We’re just smitten with our new Blue Ribbon Vendors and we can’t wait for y’all to meet them! Each one of these vendors was hand-picked, and I’m confident working with whichever one you choose would be a joy. Get to know these ladies and gents through some of our favorite interview questions, then click through to their listings to find out more!

Name: Kristen Kilpatrick
Category: Photography
Where you call home: Austin, TX
Favorite part of a wedding day? This changes with each wedding I shoot, because over time, I’ve found that my favorite part of a wedding day is the emotional moments that are special to that particular couple. For some, this could mean the first dance or when the bride first puts on her dress.

Name: Ashli Hernández, Brookside Barn
Category: Venue
Where you call home: Ellisville, MS
Best piece of advice you can give to brides and grooms? Trust your industry professionals. This is our job, and we do it every weekend! We see really great ideas go off without a hitch and we also see really great ideas fail. So ask us questions, ask our advice, and let us help you. It’s what we’re here for and we’re delighted to do it!

Name: Caroline Lima
Category: Photography
Where you call home: Newport News, VA
Favorite thing about weddings in the South? The value placed on family.

Name: Amanda Robinson, Sweet Fix
Category: Cakes and Sweets
Where you call home: Richmond, VA
Favorite thing about weddings in the South? We have mountains, beaches, farmland, country, and beautiful cityscapes, all in the South. We truly have something for everyone.

Name: Amy Clarke, The Halcyon Agency
Category: Beauty
Where you call home: Los Angeles, CA
Best piece of advice you can give to brides and grooms? Surround yourself with calm people who love you, not family/lifelong friends who stress you out.

Name: Rasberry Greene
Category: Venue
Where you call home: Soso, MS
Favorite thing about weddings in the South? There are very few events in the South that are more celebrated than a wedding–a grand event that celebrates two families joining together, love on its brightest day, and a couple’s very first moments of forever. In the South, there is a sensitivity that creates a sense of open-armed welcome.

Name: Rachael McIntosh
Category: Photography
Where you call home: Asheville, NC
Favorite part of a wedding day? I love when the bride and groom turn around, grab a hold of each other, and walk through their guests for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. All of their nerves have dissipated and they’re overflowing with joy! This is my favorite photograph I take of the day.

Name: Tina Rodosta, Verde Beauty
Category: Beauty
Where you call home: Baton Rouge and New Orleans, LA
Favorite part of a wedding day? The moment that a bride gets butterflies in her stomach while sitting with me to do hair and makeup. You can feel the room change with the emotions; everything gets loud with excitement and then quiet with anticipation.

Name: Proximity Hotel
Category: Venue
Where you call home: Greensboro, NC
Favorite thing about weddings in the South? Southern hospitality, beautiful landscapes, and lots of sugar!

Name: Meredith Teasley
Category: Photography
Where you call home: Brentwood, TN…but I’ll always be an Alabama girl at heart!
Favorite thing about weddings in the South? The warm smiles, the big hugs, and of course, the people! I love that people in the South have a way of preserving family heirlooms and carrying on traditions that make weddings so much more unique and meaningful!

Check out all of our favorite vendors in the Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory! I also wanted to mention that we’re working particularly hard to expand some of our areas of slim pickings–namely Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. If you would like to recommend someone (or nominate yourself!) for any of these states, please email kristin at southernweddings.com!

kristin Written with love by Kristin
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