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Colorful West Texas Gage Hotel Wedding

April 22, 2021 | riley

There’s a saying “everything is bigger in Texas,” and Kimberly and Clint proved that to be true with their colorful Gage Hotel wedding in Marathon, Texas. The couple knew they wanted to incorporate their love for the desert into their special day, so when they came across the historic hotel, they knew it was the one. Their desert theme was apparent with a coral and sage color palette, Mexican blankets, margaritas, and succulents decorating the space.

The dreamy day also included a DIY macrame backdrop, custom handwritten gift bags for the wedding party, boho wedding fashion that’s to die for, and a donkey-led parade down the streets of West Texas. That’s right–a police escort even stopped traffic for this lively fiesta.

If you’re searching for desert wedding inspo, look no further. These photos beautifully captured by Jadie Photography will have you ready to break out the maracas and tequila!

The Couple:

Kimberly and Clint

The Wedding:

Gage Hotel, Marathon, Texas

Shop similar hats: 

Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

I wore my hair in a fat fishtail braid, tied with a piece of my mother’s wedding dress, which was my “something old.” My Matron of Honor offered me her stunning diamond earrings, so that was my “something borrowed.” The chic, military-inspired hat I donned at the reception absolutely made the look. As for the hat’s custom details, I had a Dry Creek Turquoise thunderbird pendant that I found on a girl’s trip in Fredericksburg added–and it’s permanently mounted on the hat–and represented my “something blue.” There’s also leather cording and my mother’s wedding dress carefully twisted with horsehair & sage around the hat.

Choosing A Gage Hotel Wedding

About a year before the wedding, we went on what we are called “the West Texas tour,” with the Gage Hotel being the last venue on our expedition. We had seen photos of the Gage and had a brief conversation with them over the phone to get an idea of what it would cost to celebrate there. It was definitely not in our budget, but I thought we should check it out anyway. When we pulled up, we looked at each other and said, this is it, we have to make this happen. We were determined to make it happen, and we did! 

A DIY Backdrop

At the ceremony, we flaunted a 12-foot handwoven macramé backdrop that was handcrafted and woven by my mother and me. It was a learning experience for the two of us–we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into–and an opportunity to plan and bond prior to the big day. All in all, it took us about 42 hours to construct. We watched countless hours of YouTube videos to learn how to tie all the knots and weave an exquisite masterpiece. The macramé now resides in our stairwell, and it’s a daily reminder that with patience and persistence, we can do anything we put our minds to.

A Parade Down The Streets of Marathon

One of the coolest and most memorable aspects of our wedding was the donkey processional from the ceremony site to the reception and cocktail hour. Unbeknownst to me, we had a police escort, and all traffic passing through town stopped for our mini parade. Our beautiful donkey named W.T. led the way to the party! In addition, our guitarist Nick strummed some fun Latin tunes on the march over while everyone held hands and danced with maracas.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Jadie Photography
Venue – Gage Hotel
DJ – DJ Hexum
Invitation Design – Paper Place
Makeup Artist – Kloak Beauty
Wedding Dress – Lover’s Society
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Reformation
Groom & Groomsmen’s Apparel – Suit Supply
Rings – David Gardner’s

 

Congratulations again to Kimberly and Clint on their colorful Gage Hotel wedding. We’re so thankful that Jadie Photography was there to capture their special day. To get started on planning your own dream desert affair, check out these southwestern color palettes!

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COVID-Conscious Wedding With Greenery Everywhere

April 22, 2021 | Junebug Weddings

Luscious greenery, DIY bouquets and boutonnieres, and a quaint backyard reception—we can’t think of a better COVID-conscious wedding than Stephanie and Stephen’s. Although it wasn’t their first choice of venue, this smaller celebration proved that shifting your original plans can be done beautifully. And with a backyard as luscious as this one, we don’t blame them for opting for this venue. 

Not only were they utilizing an incredible venue, but this DIY couple literally made their own wedding dreams come true. From creating individual charcuterie boards to having a custom beer brewed, every detail of this wedding was unique and thoughtful. Stephen and Stephanie truly made their wedding day their own and had fun along the way. Thankfully, J.Olson Weddings captured every laugh and every detail of this COVID-conscious wedding. Get ready to see nature working its magic and get your Pinterest ready.

The Couple:

Stephanie and Stephen

The Wedding:

Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

Have Fun And Savor Important Details

You can have fun no matter where you are if you’re with your person! We feared the pandemic conditions would make our wedding less special and less fun, so we spent a lot of time on a few key details that were really important to both of us. We really wanted to have some of our best people around us, take photos by the Mississippi River, and have really great food for our guests. It made it easy to let go of the big wild ideas that weren’t as important, and we were able to have fun and savor those most important details.

Choosing A COVID-Conscious Wedding

Pre-pandemic, we’d picked a nearby wooded park with a lodge that had a great way of showcasing nature with some hiking trails and a small lake nearby. When we shelved our ‘big party’ and our venue along with it, some generous family members who live down the street from us offered up their backyard, and it seemed perfect! They have a gorgeous flower and vegetable garden, which provided a comfortable and COVID-safe way to still enjoy a little nature in our day without the stress of navigating the logistics of a typical venue. The proximity to our homemade it really easy to shuffle décor and food back and forth as well! And of course, living in Minnesota, the weather is not always cooperative, and we were lucky to have the foresight to rent a tent so we could escape the rain while enjoying our garden party celebration

Pre-Toast Mad-Libs 

A friend gave us a goofy idea to have wedding mad-lib letters to the couple for guests to fill out since social distancing was bumming us out. We were skeptical, but went with it, and made a copy for each guest and invited them to read their mad-libs aloud before official toasts. We were in stitches laughing at the silly things our family and friends came up with, and it warmed up the crowd for the best lady and dude of honor speeches from our siblings.

DIY Florals And Charcuterie Boards

There were a lot of DIYs that made our wedding magical—honestly, they were some of the best parts! We selected our own flowers from a floral market and picked some wild sweet fern to hand-tie our own bouquets and boutonnieres, in addition to table arrangements.  We found a great Esty shopLeaf Décor—that makes forest-themed art that we used for table escort cards along with some leaf clippings from local trees that Stephen’s dad snipped the day before our wedding. Plus, we asked around for family members to collect enough wooden cutting boards to make individual charcuterie boards, which were assembled with top-notch wild venison salami.

Handmade Cakes And Custom Brews

A close friend bakes cakes on the side. So, we asked her to create a custom wedding cake with our favorite flavors—lemon, blueberry, and rosemary. It was gorgeous and delicious. We also had a family member who brews beer make a custom brew for our wedding. It was a Maple Marzen called “The Perfect PH”, which was made with maple syrup we harvested and produced on some family property.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – J.Olson Weddings
Ceremony Venue – St. Stanislaus Church
Floral Design – Market Flowers MPLS
Catering – Mucci’s Italian
Cake – Sierra Baked It
Officiant – Father Dennis Thompson
Live Music – William Van De Crommert
Paper Goods – Leaf Decor
Wedding Dress – Bridal Aisle MN
Groom’s Apparel – Milbern Clothing
Groom’s Ring – Staghead Designs
Bride’s Ring – Ken & Dana Design
Rentals – Après Event Dècor and Tent Rental
Favors – Mademoiselle Miel

 

Congratulations to Stephanie and Stephen on their perfectly green COVID-conscious wedding. Major shoutout to J.Olson Weddings for capturing and sharing the excitement of this day with us. Loving the idea of a backyard wedding or reception? Check out our ultimate guide to planning a backyard wedding

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Why You Should Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer

April 21, 2021 | riley

Image by Kendal Anne Photo. Planning by Wildly Collective. Keep scrolling to see why you should hire a professional wedding photographer

When it comes to wedding planning, we know how many moving parts are required to make the day of your dreams come true. From venue to dress to decor, it can quickly add up. There are many different ways to balance your wedding budget, but skipping out on a professional wedding photographer isn’t one we recommend. 

While it may seem like an easy way to cut costs, opting for a free or cheap photographer or skipping out on one altogether is a mistake that you’ll likely regret for the rest of your life. Our mission here at Junebug is to help you have the wedding of your dreams, and that includes having every magical moment captured. But in order to do so, you need a pro, so we’re here to give you six reasons why hiring a professional wedding photographer is a worthwhile investment.

Why You Should Hire A Professional Wedding Photographer

1. They Spend The Time Getting To Know You

Wedding photographers are so much more than a wedding vendor–they often become friends. When you hire the right one, you spend the time getting to know them during your engagement photos, wedding planning sessions, and the wedding itself. They do everything they can to make even their most camera-shy couples comfortable in front of a camera.

2. They Have Experience

Professional wedding photographers have something that others don’t–experience. You’re paying for their time and commitment, you’re also investing in a photographer who will use their equipment, attention to detail, and the professional eye that they’ve spent years perfecting. They know exactly how to shoot every detail–from the first look to the firework farewell.

It might seem like anyone with an expensive camera can do the job, it’s not the gear that does the work. It’s the person that creates the art. They understand lighting, posing, composition, editing, and more. A fancy camera can’t do the work of a professional. Hiring a professional will lead to consistency in your whole gallery rather than just one or two stunning photos you’ll want to hang on your wall.

Image by Jessica Jones Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

3. Seriously, That Experience Makes A Difference

They also have experience with delicate situations. As a guest, a wedding is a carefree, fun evening. As a wedding vendor, anything can change with a moment’s notice. Professionals are prepared for whatever may come their way. From a relative taking iPad photos during your ceremony to tough family dynamics that you don’t want to worry about on your wedding day, they can handle it. 

Think about it, if your photographer misses the first kiss, that moment is gone forever. The trained professionals are accustomed to these stress levels and can quickly adapt to whatever is happening around them.

4. Photographs Are All You Have

At the end of the day, while you do have the memories, the photos are all you have left in showcasing those memories for the rest of your life. Flowers wilt. Champagne loses its fizz. The lights in the venue turn off. The photographs will stay with you. 

You’ll be able to share the high-quality images online and display them in your home. Eventually, you can pass them down to your children, grandchildren, and other future generations. Make sure they’re worth it.

Image by Haley Hawn Photo. See more of this real wedding here.

5. You Won’t Have To Worry About Straining Relationships

While it may be tempting to bring on a friend–or a friend-of-a-friend–to shoot your special day, you run the risk of straining your relationship if the experience goes poorly. Whether they hold a grudge against you for asking them to do the work for free or at a discounted rate, or you’re not happy with the results, it’s not worth ruining friendships over. Plus, if they’re a true friend, you want them to be able to enjoy the day with you!

6. You’ll Be Able To Enjoy The Day

A professional wedding photographer won’t require any hand-holding. They don’t need a shot list, they know when to arrive and what to wear, they’ve discussed essential details with you before the wedding day, they’ll have a plan B–and C–should they run into an emergency, and the list goes on. Your wedding photos will be the last thing you have to worry about because they have your back. You can spend your time soaking up the feeling of being newlyweds.

Image by Jelani Lebourne. See more of this real wedding here.

7. You’re Paying For More Than Just Wedding Day Coverage

Along with the value of a photographer’s knowledge, prices also include the cost of their equipment, insurance for their gear, and liability insurance should something happen to them or you during the wedding.

They also spend hours hand-selecting photographs from the thousands of images they shot during the event to edit and put together in an organized gallery that’s easily accessible to you and other family members. Imagine if someone asked you to do countless hours of work for free? No thanks.

Now that we’ve discussed why you should hire a professional wedding photographer, use these six tips to help you choose the best photographer for you and your future spouse!

Image by We Are The Bowsers. See more of this real wedding here.

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