Rich and Romantic Texas Wedding

Secluded and covered with a canopy of towering oak trees, Antebellum Oaks Venue was instantly Taylor and Tyler’s choice for their warm, elegant, and romantic fall wedding. Taylor chose rich hues of emerald, plum, ivory, and mauve for their stunning florals by Remi and Gold which blended seamlessly with the venue’s natural beauty. Style was high on their list of priorities for the day, so it’s no surprise that the couple knocked it out of the park with the timeless and elegant bridal party attire and Taylor’s jaw-dropping gown (and cape!) which looks like it’s straight out of a royal portrait! Both big and small, Kelly Costello Photography captured all the the unique details and special moments of their day, the biggest one being a surprise performance by Tyler’s favorite band! See the whole story and all their amazing photos below!

Bridesmaids in Matching Pajamas
Burgundy and Coral Wedding Bouquet
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Romantic Texas Wedding Portrait
Large Wedding Floral Arrangement
Wooden Wedding Welcome Sign
Elegant Outdoor Texas Wedding
Romantic Texas Wedding Portrait 2
Elegant Wedding Dress with Cape
Wedding Gown with Cape
Deep Green Velvet Bridesmaids Dresses
Coral Blush Ivory Wedding Bouquets
Dark Elegant Bridal Party
Black and White Bridal Party Attire
Mauve Wedding Reception Tablescape
Mauve and Burgundy Wedding Centerpiece
Rosemary Place Setting Decor
Ivory Three Tiered Wedding Cake with Greenery
Josh Abbott Band Wedding Reception

In their own words

How did you meet?

Funny story! Tyler and I casually bumped into each other while out one night.  We sat down, talked for a bit and then went our separate ways, without exchanging any contact information. A couple weeks later, we ran into each other again at the same establishment! That time, I made sure to swap numbers, thinking I knew for sure I would hear from Tyler.  And I did… 4 WEEKS LATER! After giving him much grief for waiting so long, we started talking and haven’t stopped since!

What is your proposal story?

Tyler and I were vacationing down in Charleston, SC with another couple.  Tyler planned a day trip to a gorgeous spot, The Magnolia Plantation.  This attraction was filled with Spanish moss trees and nature-filled trails.  As we walked through the plantation, Tyler asked if we wanted to stop to take a picture, which I easily agreed to.  Before getting ready to pose for the picture, Tyler stopped and said “hold on” and seemed to be looking at something on my back.  I immediately assumed there was a bug on me (after we had walked through some low branches) Amid my freak-out, Tyler quickly retrieved the ring and got down on one knee as I was facing the other direction.  His friend, who was taking our picture, assured me it was “all good” and that whatever it was, he got it.  When I turned to get ready for the picture, I noticed him down on one knee. After processing what was happening, the answer was easy!

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?

When going through the wedding process and making many decisions, there were some consistent priorities that Tyler and I shared. These focused on the experience of our guests. We knew that many friends and family would be traveling quite a ways to celebrate with us and we wanted to ensure they had a fantastic experience.  With that said, the food/beverage and music were two very important parts to consider.  These were two areas we chose to splurge on.  We also decided that having a great photographer was something worth spending a bit more on.  We wanted to have photos to look back on that would help us relive this day for years to come.  (We were not disappointed!)

What were your favorite parts of the day?

This is a tough one! There are just too many! One of the biggest moments of our special day was a surprise I had planned and kept a secret from Tyler for many months.  One of Tyler’s favorite bands is the Josh Abbott Band.  While he was deployed, he would always send me songs to listen to, and we both became huge fans.  With Tyler being deployed and serving our country selflessly, I wanted to do something special for him.  I knew it was a long shot, but I figured I would reach out to the Josh Abbott Band and see if they would make a surprise appearance at our wedding and sing our first dance.  What I thought was impossible, came to life when I sent them a message on Instagram and Josh REPLIED! Due to our wedding being on a Sunday, Josh’s band was in town that day and did not have a show planned.  With communication back and forth and Josh’s extremely generous decision, he agreed to make this happen.  Seeing the look on Tyler’s face when we walked up to him was PRICELESS. I will always cherish this moment!  We danced under lit up oak trees to “She’s Like Texas’ made acoustic by Josh Abbott himself.  A true dream!

Another incredible moment had to be the surprise performance of my very own brother and sister!  After my sister gave her matron of honor speech, she called my brother up and next thing I know, they are performing a personalized rap to the beat of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. Truly Unforgettable.  When I thought that wasn’t enough, my dad surprised me by singing “Beautiful Crazy” which all of the couples danced to.  It felt surreal!

Although every moment of our special day was my favorite, the feeling of walking out during our sparkler send-off was another moment that I hold close to my heart.  Hearing the chanting and excitement, seeing the sparklers, and being totally surrounded by our closest family and friends was something I’ll never forget.  It felt like time froze, and I was overwhelmed with love.

What did you do for favors?

For favors, we wanted something the guests could use even after the wedding was over.  We decided to create koozies for our guests. We designed them with a lyric from a Josh Abbott Band song, “She’s like Texas and she likes me”. These ended up being even more memorable when we had the Josh Abbott Band sing our first dance.  It made it even more meaningful for our guests to take home a piece of our special day tied to an even more special memory.

Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?

Tyler and I used Waterford Crystal champagne flutes, which are the same kind used by every member of Tyler’s family at their wedding.  Also, attached to my bouquet was an angel pin given to me by my godmother.  It came with a message that read, “Something borrowed, something blue, a little angel to watch over you.  When you walk down the aisle on your wedding day, attach this angel to your bouquet”. This is something my sister had on her wedding day as well.  Lastly, I was honored to wear the veil my sister wore on her wedding day and my mom’s pearl bracelet.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

Wedding planning is exciting and stressful all in one! Make sure to focus on the parts that mean the most to you when the big day comes.  Accept that you might change your mind a million times.  Remember that you’re in charge of your vision!