Samantha and Jose’s pastel garden wedding at The Grand Lady was beautiful and full of personal touches, from mismatched bridesmaid dresses to a custom wedding crest.
After dating for over five years, Jose knew he’d have to go the extra mile to make the proposal a surprise. Using her military career as a cover, Samantha’s mom told her she’d be having a pinning ceremony at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, where she got married. She asked Samantha to come pin her, of course, Samantha was honored. Little did she know, Jose had been planning a proposal in the same place Samantha watched her parents say their vows when she was little. Not only was the location and the moment extremely sentimental, but he had also planned for all Sam’s friends to surprise her at her childhood home afterwards to continue the celebration. It was the dreamiest day!
Samantha dreamed of getting married outdoors just like her parents. When they first started looking at venues, they focused on finding a nice outdoor ceremony space. The more they looked, the more Samantha fell in love with the idea of getting married in a place with history and character. They looked at almost every historical house and venue in the area. Nothing came close to the feeling they felt when touring The Grand Lady. The story, the architecture, and vast amount of beautiful spaces that The Grand Lady offered really made it stand out. Soon after touring, they booked. The house aspect made the weekend feel homey, and Samantha loved spending the night before there with her girls. A mix between historic and polished with a modern reception space, The Grand Lady was the perfect setting for their pastel garden wedding.
The diverse space allowed the couple to utilize each area meaningfully. From a sentimental ceremony on the front lawn, to sneaking off to the gardens for some portraits and meeting back in the library for late-night photos after an outfit change, the opportunities are endless.
Sam and Jose had many personal moments throughout their wedding day. To start off, Samantha’s bridesmaids gifted her a scrapbook with letters and photos of their favorite memories. From there, Samantha and Jose shared a private touch, where they were able to be together before the ceremony without seeing one another. From getting ready in the morning, all the way until their rainy send-off, You could truly feel the love and happiness throughout the entire day.
One of Sam and Jose’s favorite moments was their first dance. The couple had practiced for months, but Samantha was a bit nervous about being the center of attention. Finally, once the music started, everything else just melted away. Sam shares that it truly felt like they were the only two people in the room.
Samantha’s favorite colors are yellow and pink, which inspired their wedding palette. A favorite part of her day were the beautiful flowers by Grand Lady Floral. The couple added personal touches throughout the wedding, including a corn hole set handmade by Samantha’s dad, and matchbooks adorned with their custom wedding crest. They thoughtfully offered trendy parasols to help guests stay cool in the Texas heat. Samantha’s wedding party dressed beautifully in mismatched bridesmaid dresses, featuring an assortment of different colors and textures. We love the trend of mix and matching dresses. Everyone gets to find a dress that they love and feel confident in!
In addition to the beautiful decor, Sam and Jose’s photographer, Darce Ross, stands out to them. “He became a life long friend. Not only did he capture our engagements and wedding day beautifully, but he somehow was able to document the feelings I felt behind every photo. From the moment we booked him he was always ready to talk about my inspo and ideas. He listened to what I envisioned for our day and captured many beautifully raw moments that I will treasure forever. Choosing Darce was the easy decision!” – Sam + Jose
It wouldn’t be a successful wedding without a fun party to celebrate! After formalities, Samantha and Jose snuck off to the library for an outfit change and a few more portraits. Guests welcomed the newlyweds back to the reception with a packed dance floor! After hours hours of partying, the night ended with a classic sparkler exit and a bit of rain for good luck. Even a bit of rain couldn’t ruin their joy! Samantha and Jose were dancing and laughing through the puddles.
“Everything will fall into place, especially with the right coordinator! Finding a coordination team for our wedding was something I kept putting off because it felt so daunting. So much trust goes into your wedding coordinator and I was overwhelmed with the options! However as soon as I saw Bianca Nicole and Co was coming to our venues open house, I did some research and fell in love with their vibe and outlook on weddings. I’m not one to shy away from color and genuine moments, which made Bianca Nicole and Co seem like the perfect fit for me. After meeting in person at the open house, I signed the contract that night! I didn’t have to think about anything except enjoying our beautiful wedding day!”
Planning: Bianca Nichole and Co
Photo: Darce Ross
Signage/Crest Design: Lauren Q
Venue: The Grand Lady
Floral: Grand Lady Floral
Cake: Olive + Aries
Beauty: Luna Beauty and Bridal
Video: Cloud Craft Studios
Transportation: Baby Blue Drives for You
Photo Booth: Homestead Photobooth
Catering/Bar: Let Us Do The Cooking
Let’s get this planning party started! Want Bianca Nichole and Co to help plan your pastel garden wedding in Austin? Click here to send us an inquiry!
Bianca Nichole and Co is a team of wedding planners in Austin, and will travel to San Antonio, Fredericksburg and the surrounding Texas Hill Country area.