Brittany + Peter's Hotel Saint Cecilia Wedding | Austin Wedding Coordinator

If there was ever a perfect example of a “yin to my yang”, it is Brittany and Peter, and it was such a joy to be part of their day. Brittany is 100% emotion, loves some dramatic flair, and just wants to have a great time. Peter is her grounding force, bringing her back to the daily grind, but still always making sure she is having a great time. The love they share can be seen across the room, and it was just what we needed in the middle of a pandemic.

With COVID still around, they knew they couldn’t have the big celebration they wanted, but they were SO ready to be married. With just a little over a month to spare, they called us to help with an intimate celebration at Hotel Saint Cecilia. It was the perfect choice for their celebration with tons of character for Brittany’s large personality and the ability to have everyone all in one place, so they could spend the entire weekend with their friends and family.

The guys spent the weekend in Suite 1, with its prime location right at the entrance to the property and right next to the ceremony and cocktail location. While the ladies spent the weekend just around the corner in Suite 4, where the wedding dinner would take place. Having all the space of Suite 4 was a huge plus for Brittany and her ladies. With four bridesmaids, two moms, and two grandmothers all getting ready together, they were able to spread out (inside and outside in the beautiful late November temperatures) and always find a nice comfy chair as well. That was very important for Brittany, as her grandmother Evelyn, was the guest of honor. During all of the planning, Evelyn was always considered and at times was given more priority than the bride herself. She is the most important person in Brittany’s life, and she wanted the day to be enjoyable for them both.

The team at Jessica Roop Beauty came prepared with every item necessary to make the ladies look gorgeous and they did a great job. Brittany looked every part the beautiful bride, but her sister stole the show a *tiny* bit with gold glitter in the part of her bright red hair and braids!

Once everyone was dressed and beautiful, it was finally time to get started, and Brittany was ready for her photo shoot. As mentioned before, this bride has quite the personality and wanted her pictures to capture that fun.

Rob with Rob August Photography was up to the challenge, and Hotel Saint Cecilia was a great help with its countless fun, funky, and unique spots. Gypsy Floral made beautiful bouquets with burgundy, blush, and ivory roses accented with ranunculus, blue thistle, astilbe, viburnum berries, and eucalyptus, which looked great against the navy blue of the guys and the bridesmaids. Brittany did a touching first look with her father, before everyone gathered for family and wedding party photos on the iconic striped patio of the hotel. It was a family affair, so there was lots of kissing, and hugging, and of course, some dramatic flair from Brittany.

The time finally came for the “i dos” on the hotel lawn. The guests were serenaded by a string quartet from Terra Vista Strings as the wedding party made their way along the winding path around the lawn. Channeling her dramatic flair, she took inspiration from “Crazy, Rich, Asians” and selected “Can’t Help Falling In Love” for the ceremony music. Once everyone was in place, and after a long pause to keep Peter on his toes, Brittany finally got to walk down the aisle to the man of her dreams.

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the terrace as Brittany and Peter got their very own little photo shoot. And no wedding at Hotel Saint Cecilia is complete without photos at the SOUL sign at the pool!

The lawn of Suite 4 was transformed during the ceremony & cocktail hour and ready for dinner under the stars. Tables were set with white linens, gold and brass candlesticks, warm fall florals, and Hotel Saint Cecilia’s red chairs. Guests were able to choose their entree in advance, and each place setting had a custom made menu serving as a place card. The semi-naked cake from Sweet Treets Bakery had a place of honor on the patio, where the lights reflected on the windows.

After cocktail hour, guests took their seat in anticipation for the entrance of the new Mr & Mrs. Reggio and then enjoyed a delicious dinner of roasted chicken or beef tenderloin. Brittany couldn’t wait to start dancing but was getting frustrated with her wedding gown, and asked us to cut off the bottom of her gown. Yes, you read that correctly, she asked us to CUT HER DRESS! In 15 years of wedding planning it was a first, but we are here for you, so Melanie got some scissors and got to cutting the under-layer ONLY.

Once the “tailoring” was done, Brittany went back outside for a quick dancing test drive, and then the toasts began. With such a small and intimate crowd, the toasts were able to be long and touching, and very emotional. While everyone was crying, the tears kept flowing with the first dance and parent dances, but then it was time to have some fun! Brittany made sure to have “You Are My Sunshine” play so she could share a special dance with her guest of honor, Grandma Evelyn.

With the sun down, the hotel becomes even moodier, and Brittany and Peter just had to sneak away for more photos, especially of her wedding boots!

The night had to eventually come to an end with Brittany & Peter running through a sparkler send-off and sneaking back behind their guests (who were busy playing Harry Potter with their sparklers) to their honeymoon suite right on property.

Here’s to forever Brittany & Peter!!

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors

Photography: Rob August Photography

Venue & Caterer: Hotel Saint Cecilia

Floral: Gypsy Floral

Ceremony Musicians: Terra Vista Strings

Cake: Sweet Treets Bakery

Beauty: Jessica Roop Beauty

Hotel & Rehearsal Dinner: Hotel Magdalena

Dogs in Wedding - Why and How to Include Them In Your Special Day

We are pet people at Something to Celebrate. While we love ALL weddings, we won’t lie, a wedding with a dog is just something special! You might be wondering why & how should you incorporate your fur baby into your wedding, especially if you can’t have them there in person. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS

This is the easiest way to incorporate your pets because you can take them near your house and they require the shortest time commitment. Use these photos on your save the dates, or print off and frame as many as you want and display them at your ceremony and reception for everyone to enjoy!

Photo by Nancy Aidee

Photo by Nancy Aidee

YOUR ATTIRE

This one is for the guys! Have some fun but keep it classy with socks (either just with your dog breed, or even custom ones with your exact pet) and cuff links like Mike. If your wedding is a bit more on the casual side, go crazy with your tie! In this day and age of so many custom clothing options, you can almost do anything, just make sure it fits the formality level of your celebration.

Photos by Laurentina Photography

Photos by Laurentina Photography

SIGNS, STICKERS, AND MORE!

There are so many options when it comes to signage and paper products, so use your imagination and have fun! We have seen lots of creative ideas in the past, and while we would love to share them all, it would take awhile, so below are just a few recent ones.

  • Custom stamps, SO SO cute! If you have stamps, that means you can always include your pets on your invites as well.

  • Make COVID precautions a bit more fun with custom stickers to indicate how comfortable your guests are with social distancing. Hopefully this particular use will be gone soon, but stickers are here to stay!

  • Were you planning on doing assigned tables for your guests? If so, it will be one sign that you know everyone will be looking at, so of course you need your furry friends to be front and center on that sign!

  • This is a big day, it’s the official start of a new family, so why not document it with an adorable sign with ALL your family members. You could easily make a sign that you also use as a guest book and have your friends and family sign. Or you could be like Kady & Nathan and just show off your newest piece of artwork for everyone to enjoy!

  • Turn their adorable faces into photo booth props, and then they really be part of the celebration!!

YOUR BAR (AND BONUS FAVORS)!!

There are so many fun ways to include your pets into your bar and that is probably why we see this the most! Even if you are having a formal wedding, the bar is always a fun place, so you can use this area to bring in a little bit of whimsy into the evening.

  • Have cups made with an illustrated version of your four legged friend and your new married name on the back. Keep them at the bar so they can used during the wedding, but order extra because guests will want to take one (or more) home as a favor!

  • Sure, you could make a signature drink named after you or your fiance, but naming it after your pet is way more fun! It could be as simple as giving a traditional drink a new name for the night (like Kasey & Ed did with their margarita “The Willie” and old fashioned “The Carter”). Or turn your pet’s name into the drink, like Tina and Henry did with their “Zoey-Rita”!

  • If thinking of drink names is too much, or you aren’t doing a signature cocktail, we’ve still got you covered! You can name your bars! Haley & Tyler named their three bars after their three dogs, Cash, Credit, and Debit (Tyler is an accountant if you are curious).

  • If you are going to take the time to name your drinks after you dogs (or cats, anyone, maybe, one day..), you better have a sign made!! It can be a be on acrylic or printed and in a frame. The picture can look like a computer graphic, can be hand painted, can be a custom watercolor, again, the possibilities are endless.

  • Last but not least, what is a bar without koozies and beverage napkins! Skip the monogram and opt for furry face instead!

CAKE

Before you start to doubt us, yes,, you can include your dogs on the wedding cake and not just the groom’s cake! Traditionally the groom’s cake is the more “fun” one, but you can fit your furry friends into anything you want. Actually incorporate them into the cake, like Haley & Tyler’s cake eating trio), or make them a topper (in plastic, metal, or icing form). If you still want just a traditional wedding cake with a hint of your loyal companion, grab an extra beverage napkin and display it on the cake table for a beautiful (and still elegant) photo!

INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR CEREMONY

Don’t know anyone to be a ring bearer or flower girl? No worries, your pet is up to the task! But the task they are ready for is looking adorable in photos and making your guests smile. Having proper wedding etiquette is not. They might stop to literally smell (or eat) the roses, chase a squirrel, or decide to jump on that beautiful new white gown they have never seen their mom in. So whenever you have your beloved animal at your wedding, they need their very own companion. Companies like The Pet Gal can even board them when you are gone during wedding weekend and your honeymoon. On wedding day they will bring them to your ceremony just in time for photos, stay with them during the ceremony (because as much as we love them, they don’t love us enough to sit through a 20 minute ceremony), help with with post-ceremony pictures, and then take them back home. Weddings are loud and full of strangers, and that can stress your dog. So let them stay just to spend time with the two people they love most in the world, and then let them go back home for a nap!

PHOTO TIME!!

How many days of your life are spent with a professional photographer following you like a shadow? Probably not many, so take advantage!! You are both dressed to the nines, so get your furry friend the cutest bow tie, or a flower collar, and you will treasure these pictures FOREVER!!

KISSES

Last but not least, include them for the kisses. Yours or theirs, they don’t care. They just love kisses!!

Lara + Robbie’s Hotel Saint Cecilia Wedding | Austin Wedding Coordinator

This year has looked different than any of us thought it would, but that has (thankfully!) not cancelled love. We have still been planning and coordinating celebrations for our couples, and we were honored to work together with Lara and Robbie to plan their micro wedding at Austin’s Hotel Saint Cecilia. 

Although they represent a different plan than was perhaps originally intended, micro weddings are intimate and thoughtful. They welcome heartfelt conversations and encourage couples and their guests to linger longer together over dinner. They still welcome designs, and we think the details stand out even more because micro weddings create a feeling of luxury in a space that feels cozier. And, Lara’s design and details, which she described to Claire Cassner Photography as “beautiful, natural, a little bit wild and funky, not neatly tied together with a bow” definitely fit the bill!

On their wedding day, both Lara and Robbie enjoyed slow mornings spent with their family and wedding party. Robbie got ready at his parent’s house with his groomsmen, while Lara and her bridesmaids started their day with brunch at Café No Se. Hair and makeup got underway in the early afternoon, and before she met Robbie at the end of the aisle, she shared a first look with her dad. 

Guests were seated outdoors in the garden at Hotel Saint Cecilia for the ceremony, which had two oak trees decked out in blooms serving as the backdrop. Lara walked down the aisle with her dad, and we’re certain she felt beautiful as she revealed her sleeved lace wedding dress to her guests and Robbie for the first time. They recited their vows and were announced as married before recessing down the aisle and joining together with their families to capture portraits. 

Lara and Robbie still wanted to honor a few of the traditions of a larger, more formal reception, so they were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Robbie Canon before the Royal Dukes Band played a rendition of “Tupelo Honey” by Van Morrison for their first dance. After dancing, the couple and their guests dined alfresco on a menu created by Hotel Saint Cecilia. As we mentioned, a natural and beautiful design was important to Lara and Robbie, so tables included centerpieces with anemones, roses, and zinnias. We loved the bold and whimsical pops of color!

Before the night came to a close, Lara and Robbie cut their cake. They also danced with their guests to the final song of the night – a wonderful rendition of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston – before their guests held sparklers in the air to send Lara and Robbie off as an officially married couple. 

Lara and Robbie, we loved working with you and your incredible team of vendors. Your day was one we won’t soon forget because you embraced changes while still thoughtfully honoring the design you had in mind as well as your relationship.

Cast of Austin Wedding Vendors:

Photography: Claire Casner Photography

Entertainment: Royal Dukes Band

Venue: Hotel Saint Cecilia

Florist: Disch Events

Hair Stylist: Beauty by Shannon Nicole

Makeup Artists: Donna Bruns

Coordinator: Something to Celebrate

Rentals: Premiere Events

Weddings to Celebrate: Lane & Greg, Hotel Saint Cecilia | Austin Wedding Planning

I promised more on this wedding that was featured on Style Me Pretty earlier this month, and here it is!

Lane and Greg's June wedding at Hotel Saint Cecilia was one of the most intimate events I've had the pleasure of coordinating. There were about 45 guests, and the focus was on family, friends and delicious food. My kind of party! Lane and Greg met at a California farmer's market, so the locally sourced, "farm to table" food was to be expected (thanks Royal Fig! I'm still thinking about the braised short ribs and creamed corn. Yum!).

Lane is a very creative person, an artist really, and she did the calligraphy for the place cards herself (I even recruited her to do the place cards for a mutual friend's wedding in July, but more on that later:). She also has very creative friends and family who contributed to the decor--her sister-in-law put together the centerpieces, her mom gathered antique vases for the centerpieces and antique napkins for each place setting, and her friend created a painting to serve as the guestbook. They also had individual jam jars as favors at each place setting. Love that!

The ceremony was on the front lawn, with a cheery circle of yellow rose petals around the bride, groom and officiant. Dinner was on the lawn of Suite 4. Groove Labs hung cafe lights to accompany the vintage chandelier already hanging from the oak tree, and an accordionist played tunes as guests enjoyed good food and good company. Their color palette was eggplant with bright pops of yellow and white. Marquee's gorgeous farm tables helped to create a feeling of an intimate, cozy, celebratory dinner party.

Lane and Greg, I had such fun getting to know y'all and I wish you many happy days ahead!

xo, Katie

Cast of Vendors

Planner: Katie Netherton, Something to Celebrate

Venue: Hotel Saint Cecilia

Rentals: Marquee

Flowers: Sister-in-law

Officiant: Spike Gillespie

Catering: Royal Fig

Photography: Cory Ryan

Lighting: Groove Labs

Cake: Wild Wood Bake House

Ceremony Guitarist: Ravner Salinas

Accordionist: J.W. Klaus