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  7. A Warm, Boho-Inspired Wedding at a Private Lakefront Home in Austin, Texas
Martha Stewart Weddings

A Warm, Boho-Inspired Wedding at a Private Lakefront Home in Austin, Texas

By Blythe Copeland October 23, 2020
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wedding couple portrait against bohemian decor background
Credit: Feather and Twine

Dinner on the boat dock after dark was a highlight at this micro-wedding.

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wedding couple portrait against bohemian decor background
Credit: Feather and Twine

Annie and Josh were both Texas-born musicians living in New York City in 2010 when a mutual friend thought they might be a good match—if not romantically, then musically. But Annie returned to Texas shortly after, and it wasn't until her move back to the Big Apple in December 2016 that the two were finally able to connect. Almost three years later, in August of 2019, Josh asked Annie to marry him during a walk with their dog in Washington Square Park—a last-minute surprise he put together when Annie figured out his original proposal plan.

Annie and Josh set their wedding date for December 5, 2020, in Austin, Texas, but just before sending their save-the-dates in March, their plans were upended by the spread of the coronavirus. Though they first imagined pushing off their wedding to a later date, they soon decided to host a smaller ceremony, instead. "Spending the original budget we had planned on for a big wedding in a time where markets were unstable, people were losing jobs, and our own financial stability was unknown made us uneasy—it frankly just reprioritized things for us, as a pandemic does!" says the couple. "Ultimately when it came down to it, going through that wild New York City quarantine together with our pup made us just want to officially become a family unit sooner and prioritize safety and security first. At that point, we just wanted to be married."

They stuck to their original location—Austin, Texas—to make it possible for their families to join them, but rented a large lake house where they could tie the knot in the backyard. Though they resigned themselves to losing their vendors, their planners from Bird Dog Wedding had other ideas: "They said, 'Wait! We can still make this special for you, let's use your deposits you've already made and still find ways to pay homage to your original vision at your rental. Let's make this a celebration!'" says Annie. "They spent only six weeks pulling together our vendors, rallying them to dive into the vision, getting inspired and getting folks onboard. We were everyone's first COVID micro-wedding, so we were happy to play guinea pig for each other."

The end result was a blissful weekend spent safely with 10 of their closest loved ones, highlighted by their ceremony on June 20, 2020. Bright summer flowers in shades of orange, peach, and green; layers of texture and mixed materials; and a lavish meal under twinkling lights on the boat dock endowed the day with warmth, intimacy, and love. "What would have been a perfectly fine backyard DIY BBQ with a Zoom link on a laptop and a few lost deposits turned into our dream wedding on the lake," says Annie. "Knowing not everyone who was in our immediate circle could be there was hard. If I have any advice to brides today, capture it all and try to honor those moments you had planned. It can still be your dream wedding, even if it is smaller. This was everything we could've dreamt of and more."

Annie and Josh rented a large private home on Lake Austin through Above, which allowed their guests to stay together—safely—for the weekend. "We wanted to get married in Austin—where Josh is from and close to Annie's family—outside in nature like originally planned," says the couple. "We wanted Josh's grandparents to be there. They are in their 90s and helped raise him." Guests quarantined for two weeks before the wedding, and then spent the weekend enjoying food from local restaurants and boating on the lake. "It made this intimate experience that much more special—getting three nights of togetherness in an otherwise isolated time," they say.

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To Have and to Hold

orange, green and yellow wedding invites
Credit: Feather and Twine

Though Annie and Josh opted to send a digital invitation on Paperless Post, they also worked with Jen Krause Paper Co. for the day-of paper goods—like place cards and schedules. Their event designer at Bird Dog Wedding surprised the couple with a keepsake invitation suite that referenced the ceremony livestream, included hand-lettered lyrics to their first dance song, and showed off the warm, casual color palette.

  • 30 Modern Wedding Invitations We Love

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Just Her Style

bride in lace overlay dress getting ready with mother
Credit: Feather and Twine

Annie faced wedding-dress shopping with trepidation. "I never dreamt of being a bride or wearing a wedding dress," she says. "In fact, I typically avoid white because I'm so pale!" But when the lacy designs from Dreamers and Lovers caught her eye, she began to get excited. "Their dresses immediately made me feel like I wasn't compromising my more laid-back style, but still felt beautiful and bridal," says Annie. "There were multiple dresses there I would've walked away with but 'the one' fit like a glove and flattered my curves—and they allowed for different colored slips underneath so I was able to compliment my skin tone much better than most other dresses." Since her original gown arrived early, she wore it for the smaller ceremony—though it needed major alterations while she quarantined in Austin. "I had this incredible local woman, Olga Babichev, do three fittings within two weeks," she says. "I called so many places who told me my lead time would've been months and she truly saved the day in nearly rebuilding the entire dress to fit."

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Seasonal Blooms

warm tones floral bouquet in vase
Credit: Feather and Twine

Her bouquet of seasonal flowers from Davy Gray included zinnias, lisianthus, amaranthus, coneflower, and grasses, all locally-sourced.

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Near and Dear

bride holding bouquet with class ring attached
Credit: Feather and Twine

"In my bouquet, I also had my dad's college ring with his initials engraved inside, alongside a piece of my maternal grandmother's garter, both of which I was able to put my finger through during the ceremony, which gave me great comfort," says Annie.

  • How to Personalize Your Wedding Bouquet

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Gray Area

wedding groom in gray suit, red tie, with orange floral boutonniere
Credit: Feather and Twine

Josh's textured gray J. Crew suit and burgundy tie were complemented by a boutonnière of pink feather celosia, viburnum berries, and bunny tail grass.

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Arc Triumph

wedding ceremony setting with ground arch by water
Credit: Feather and Twine

The home's lakeside yard offered an open—but secluded—spot for the intimate ceremony. Davy Gray designed a semi-circle of flowers and plants—including curly willow, fountain grass, fan palms, dahlias, zinnias, and amaranthus—while an ornate rug anchored the space. The floral arc, says Annie, "frankly made the day—it really felt like a 'real' wedding."

  • A Wedding Ceremony Trend We're Loving: Grounded Floral Arches

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Signing On

pastel pink and orange watercolor appearance wedding sign
Credit: Feather and Twine

Colorful custom signage honored the wedding ceremony's wide reach: More than 200 friends and family watched a livestream provided by Hereafter Films.

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Love Is All Around

bride and sister processing at wedding
Credit: Feather and Twine

Annie walked down the aisle with her sister, Emily, to Frank Ocean's cover of "Moon River." The night before the wedding, Annie's sister and sister-in-law presented the couple with a priceless gift: "[They] collected toasts from all of the missing friends and family and showed them to us at our rehearsal dinner," says the couple. "We wept like babies watching it. The missing piece of the entire event—our community—had shown up and made us feel whole right before the big day."

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Good Boy

wedding dog wearing red bowtie
Credit: Feather and Twine

The couple's dog, Cinco, joined the festivities in a handsome burgundy bow tie.

  • 35 Ways to Ensure Your Dog Is the Guest of Honor at Your Wedding

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Words of Love

small wedding ceremony by lake
Credit: Feather and Twine

Annie's brother Elliot wrote the couple's ceremony, which included a glass-breaking that honored Annie's Jewish heritage, personalized vows written by the bride and groom, and Elliot donning their late father's heirloom boots.

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Perfect Ceremony

bohemian themed wedding ceremony
Credit: Feather and Twine

"Elliot did an incredible job officiating," says the couple. "He ended up striking the perfect, most authentic chord. He acknowledged the past, present, and future in such a touching way. We wouldn't change a thing about our ceremony."

  • Everything You Need to Know About Asking a Friend to Officiate Your Wedding

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Their First Dance

wedding couple first dance on grassy field with bohemian rug
Credit: Feather and Twine

The newlyweds shared their first dance immediately after the ceremony so guests livestreaming the celebration could share the moment. They chose "Whole Wide World" by Bahamas—a piece filled with special meaning for the now-married musicians. "Josh and I used to sing this song together ourselves as part of a warm up in singing and playing for other friends' weddings," says Annie.

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Happily Ever After

wedding couple walking hand in hand through grass
Credit: Feather and Twine

Though they didn't have the wedding they originally planned, Annie and Josh agree that by following their instincts, they created a just-as-perfect day. "Each step of the way, find ways to incorporate meaning and celebration—this time in the world isn't easy, but it will feel like everything it's supposed to be if you choose to honor it in ways that feel like the real celebration that it is," says the couple. "There's nothing more powerful than people coming together to celebrate love in a time like this."

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Dinner Al Fresco

al fresco dining set up with bohemian rug and warm tones table decor
Credit: Feather and Twine

Guests sat at a long, single table set up on the backyard's boat dock. String lights and candles generated a cozy glow as the sun set, while mismatched rugs, cane chairs, and sunny centerpieces added to the "relaxed and warm" atmosphere.

  • 16 Things You Need to Know to Pull Off an Outdoor Wedding

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Pretty in Peach

orange and yellow wedding floral and fruit centerpieces
Credit: Feather and Twine

The freshness and abundance of the summer season inspired Davy Gray to create "lush and bountiful tablescapes" made with seasonal flowers, stone fruits in small bowls, and candleholders in varied heights.

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Mixed Materials

wedding place setting in orange and green color scheme
Credit: Feather and Twine

At each place setting, wooden chargers held ceramic plates topped with menus, place cards, and velvet-tied linen napkins.

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Let It Burn

wedding table settings with rolled wish paper
Credit: Feather and Twine

For favors, Annie and Josh handed out custom matches and wish papers—which the guests burned together—"for us to have some optimism and hope to look forward to for all," they say.

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Under the Stars

wedding dock lit with string lights
Credit: Feather and Twine

The menu from Royal Fig included greens with grilled peaches, short ribs, organic chicken breast, and brown butter broccolini. "Everything lined up with the outdoor, artisan Texas vibe—as we sat on the boat dock, it was perfect," says the couple. "Because we waited for the sun to go down for the ceremony and it was the summer solstice, it was late by the time we ate and we ordered way too much food! It was delicious nonetheless."

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A Sweet Ending

bride and groom smiling while cutting cake
Credit: Feather and Twine

One of the couple's happiest surprises was that despite reworking their wedding, "We still had our dream cake from Polka Dots!" They chose a two-tiered red velvet confection with cream cheese frosting and fresh floral accents.

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Cheers!

wedding guests toasting champagne during outdoor reception
Credit: Feather and Twine

Another favorite moment came as Annie and Josh clinked glasses with their guests. "Watching the sun set over the lake with the twinkle lights, we all did a toast to the night—and it felt like magic," says the couple.

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Sources

wedding couple in gray and warm tones posing for portrait
Credit: Feather and Twine

Photography, Feather and Twine
Venue, Private Lake Austin Rental Property
Event Planning and Design, Bird Dog Wedding
Catering, Royal Fig
Flowers, Davy Gray
Videography, Hereafter Films
Stationery, Jen Krause Paper Co.
Cake, Polka Dots Bakery
Rentals, Loot Rentals
Bride's Gown, Dreamers and Lovers
Bride's Accessories, No6 shoes; Opal Milk jewelry
Hair, Erica Rae, Third Space Salon
Makeup, Nisa Nicole Makeup Artistry
Groom's Suit, J. Crew
Engagement Ring, Digby and Iona
Favors, Sugarfina
Wedding Bands, Herbert Goldberg Company

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    1 of 22
    2 of 22 To Have and to Hold
    3 of 22 Just Her Style
    4 of 22 Seasonal Blooms
    5 of 22 Near and Dear
    6 of 22 Gray Area
    7 of 22 Arc Triumph
    8 of 22 Signing On
    9 of 22 Love Is All Around
    10 of 22 Good Boy
    11 of 22 Words of Love
    12 of 22 Perfect Ceremony
    13 of 22 Their First Dance
    14 of 22 Happily Ever After
    15 of 22 Dinner Al Fresco
    16 of 22 Pretty in Peach
    17 of 22 Mixed Materials
    18 of 22 Let It Burn
    19 of 22 Under the Stars
    20 of 22 A Sweet Ending
    21 of 22 Cheers!
    22 of 22 Sources

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    A Warm, Boho-Inspired Wedding at a Private Lakefront Home in Austin, Texas
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