Mia and Blake started their wedded life with a big, beautiful celebration with all of their favorite people. Together with family and close friends, they celebrated like only true Texans can!
They didn’t have a specific theme or vision in mind at the start, but developed their wedding style as the wedding came closer and more decisions had to be made. “I wasn't the type of bride who knew exactly what she wanted; and I had never been a bridesmaid, so I really felt like I was in the dark for a lot of the planning,” said Mia.
“I was working part time and attending graduate school full time while planning my wedding, and it was so hectic,” she added. “I think taking care of things early and really enforcing time management skills is the key to not drive yourself insane. I see this in hindsight of course, I definitely was a procrastinator at times, and it did me no good!”
Although I don’t wish stress for any bride (or groom!) during the wedding preparations [Related: Simple Self-Care Ideas for Brides], I think the guests experienced nothing but a beautiful, well thought-out wedding weekend. The father-daughter dance is a perfect example of this, as they picked the song only 20 minutes prior and had not rehearsed it at all, but nobody could tell!
Mia and Blake both love nature and the outdoors, so they incorporated lots of greenery and organic material, with the help of their florist, and the beautiful backdrop of Barr Mansion. They also love all things old, classic, and antique, which is reflected in Mia’s art-deco emerald engagement ring, and her family heirloom diamond and sapphire bracelet. They also both wore classic attire; Blake in a simple midnight blue tuxedo with an ornate pocket square from Drake's, and Mia in a traditional off-the-shoulder ballgown with a cathedral train, royal length veil, and her mother's pearls.
“We also wanted to emphasize our Texan roots through lots of good food, lots of beer, and lots of Titos,” said Mia. “I remember feeling that it either needed to be all classic or all casual, but I can attest that you can in fact wear a ballgown and drink a Shiner at the same time.”
During the reception, Mia and Blake sang (or: screamed) their school song together with their fellow Longhorns, danced the night away (you know it’s about to go down when there’s a bridal outfit change!) and shed quite a few tears during the toasts. Mia’s sorority sisters sang her a song and Mia and Blake had their first dance to their favorite Chet Baker song. They ended the night with a last dance with just the two of them on a cleared out dance floor. “I think that’s when I really cried the hardest,” said Mia. “From beginning to end it was an absolute whirlwind of a day, and my only regret is that it didn't last longer. And okay, also that I forgot to throw my bouquet.”
For couples who are about to tie the knot, this bride has an important piece of advice: “We have the intense pressure of our wedding day being "the best day of our lives." After putting in so much time, money, and effort, you want it to be perfect! But things will slip through the cracks, this is inevitable. But once you see it as something to laugh about and not something to panic about, it takes away so much stress,” said Mia. “Know that if something goes wrong or isn't exactly perfect, you as the bride or groom will likely be the only one to notice it. Seriously, your guests are there to eat, drink, be merry, and celebrate you. They won't care (or frankly notice) if something isn't perfect!” Blake and Mia both felt that their wedding weekend represented them perfectly. I think every single one of their wedding guests (as well as this humble wedding photographer!) will agree that it was a wonderful day.
Talented Wedding Vendors
Rehearsal Brunch: The Driskill
Ceremony Venue: Vesper
Ceremony Coordinator: Lena Martinez-Wolfinger
Officiant: Jason Minnix
Reception Venue: Barr Mansion & Artisan Ballroom
Wedding Coordinator: Barr Mansion & Artisan Ballroom
Catering & Cake: Barr Mansion & Artisan Ballroom
Cake Decorator: Kay Smith (Bride's grandmother)
Wedding Photographer: Nikk Nguyen Photo
Florist: Bouquets of Austin
Bridal Salon: Melange Bridal
Dress Designer: MillaNova
Bride's Ring: Mureta Antiques
Groom's Ring: Benold's Jewelers
Save the Dates: Paper Culture
Invitations: August + White
HMUA: Joseph (makeup) and Ariel (hair) at LoLa Beauty Austin
Music Rentals: Rock n Roll Rentals
MC: Divine Ntomchukwu
Before you jump into the photos, check out what this couple had to say about working with me:
"All of these amazing reviews are true. When I was doing my wedding research I kept hearing people say “a good photographer is worth the investment” and it is so true. We could not have been happier with Nikk. All of our interactions and correspondences with him were very professional, and you could tell that photography (and specifically wedding photography) is something he is passionate about and seriously cares about. He is definitely the type of photographer that hangs back and isn’t styling you like a barbie doll all night, which was perfect for us! We didn’t want to feel like we had a camera in our faces the entire time, and we didn’t! Don’t get me wrong, he still captures the formal and classic shots, but he isn’t making you fake poses all night. The quality of his work is impeccable, and we got our full library of pictures back SO quickly. We had friends who got married weeks before us, and we had our photos back far before they did!
Day of, he was so easy to work with and made us feel so comfortable. He seemed relaxed and stress-free, yet captured everything, and I mean everything! Looking back at our pictures immediately made my husband and I cry. The photos are amazing and all our friends and family agree! My wedding day was an absolute blur as everyone told me it would be, and when it’s over you’re left thinking…”that’s it? it’s already over?” After spending a full year of planning venues, flowers, decorations, wardrobe, etc., you want to be able to appreciate those details! But I promise on your wedding day, you will not be thinking about your floral arrangements or your welcome table. But you know who will? Nikk! His formal and detail shots are beautiful, but my favorite thing about his photography is that he really captures the couples’ personality and the “real” moments of the day. Looking at our pictures was such an amazing way to relive our wedding because you miss out on so many of the little moments and details as the bride and groom (or groom & groom / bride & bride). This is really the best investment you can make. As cheesy as it sounds, the day lasts 9 hours but the photos last forever. We are so beyond happy that Nikk is the photographer we chose to document our day, and I know you will be too!"
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