.: La Dolce Vita :. Austin Wedding Photographer | Austin TX

Elizabeth & Kelvin | Engagement at Green Pastures

2012-03-20T14:38:30Z

I’m so excited for Elizabeth & Kelvin’s upcoming wedding this weekend. They will be getting married at St. Stephen’s here in Austin. Elizabeth & Kelvin met while studying abroad, their romance spanning at least a couple of continents! Here are a few of their beautiful engagement photos we took last spring. Stay tuned for more photos!

Austin Wedding Day Feature

2012-02-21T19:06:13Z

We’re excited to announce that one of our fabulous weddings from last summer is bing featured in this months issue of Austin Wedding Day (page 274-278). Congratulations Colette & Luke! As always we owe many thanks to the amazing vendors and creative team that helped make this beautiful wedding possible. For all the juicy details please pick up a copy of Austin Wedding Day!

Mona & Fred | Destination Engagement | Austin, TX

2012-02-14T19:54:39Z

Mona and Fred came to Austin from Atlanta for a destination engagement session in true Austin fashion. Fred went to UT and so of course Austin holds special meaning for him. Plus coming to Austin for their engagement pictures was a good excuse to share the city with Mona and get away for a romantic stay at the Stephen F Austin. Here are a few images we captured during their stay. Enjoy!!

Nimitz Museum Wedding Featured in Style Me Pretty

2012-02-02T16:09:15Z

My new year’s resolution this year is to catch up with all the blogging I didn’t get to in 2011, and believe me it’s a lot! So, please excuse the delay but I wanted to post Meredith & Andrew’s wedding we had featured in Style Me Pretty over the summer. Enjoy! ~ Alina

Credits:

Event Design: Elizabeth Harris / Flowers: Sprout / Ceremony: Holy Ghost Lutheran / Reception Site: Admiral Nimitz Museum / Caterer: Sterling Affairs / Cake: Sophie’s Choice / Lighting: Ilios Lighting / Rentals: Marquis / Gown: Romona Keveza / Groom’s Cowboy Boots: RJ Boots / Reception Music: All Funk Radio Show / Wedding Logo: Palm Papers Stationary

Published in Style Me Pretty

2012-02-02T16:09:26Z

Please check out one of our recent weddings that was featured on Style Me Pretty and leave us a love note!

Katie & Henson had a gorgeous outdoor wedding at Spicewood Vineyards out in the Texas Hill Country. The bridesmaids dresses by Ciarla were so unusual, Katie got a lot of compliments on those. Amazing floral decor by Posey Events, a super floral & event decor team out of Austin. The feathers are a favorite touch of mine. Congratulations Katie & Henson, we love you guys!

Vani & Tim | Horseshoe Bay Wedding

2011-05-11T17:41:32Z

Our story:

“It’s funny how we started dating. We had met briefly through a mutual friend. Then one day at work we ran into each other on the elevator, he didn’t say hi, so later I “burst” in to his office and totally got onto him (in my attempt to flirt) about him not saying hi. Once we started dating everything just fell in to place…we fell in to each other’s lives and families. It was so natural and surprising that we hadn’t known each other our whole lives. When we were planning our wedding we wanted to take in to consideration both cultures we had grown up in. I ended up getting a traditional Indian sari and working with a seamstress to designed a dress that would be the perfect blend of the best part of both Indian and American gowns. Tim was great, when we expanded our wedding to include both ceremonies, it turned in to an enlightening experience for him. He agreed to go for a traditional outfit. So we went shopping and five Indian clothes shops later, Tim had an outfit, and we were one step closer to our happy day!”

Floral Design by Coby Neal, The Flower Studio

Penguin Entertainment

Event Planning by Andi Valentine & Vithya Ramadoss

Horseshoe Bay Resort

Madras Pavillion

La Dolce Vita Photography featured on Tribeza Romance and Bridal Issue

2011-02-17T18:55:03Z

We are super excited to be a part of this month’s Tribeza Romance and Bridal issue. Lauren Smith Ford and her editorial team have done a fantastic job putting together all the content, styling and real weddings featured in this issue. Check out the cover and spread featuring our very own and very fabulous Joanna & Sam Parigi on page 32-33, or see the full article online on the Tribeza website. Need a reminder? Just check out their engagement session. Enjoy!

Magazine Viewer: Tribeza Romance & Bridal issue
Article & Photos: Tribeza Weddings

Winfred O’Neal Tubbs marries sweetheart Rachel Migliore | McNay Museum of Art | San Antonio, Texas

2011-02-05T21:33:11Z

Gorgeous wedding at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio. Rachel Migliore and Winfred Tubbs tied the knot on the grounds of the Spanish Colonial estate that was once home to Ohio born heiress Marion Koogler. The grounds and buildings now house one of San Antonio’s finest art museums. The McNay boasts several beautiful galleries which display works from Medieval and Renaissance periods through to European and American art works of the 19th & 20th century. Being an art director and a fine art aficionado, the McNay was a natural choice for Rachel. Because of the innate beauty of the location, decor was elegant and light. Delicate peony and hydrangea arrangements graced the tables in antique style mason jars. A classic white fondant cake came to life with pale pink roses and green berry sprigs. After a sun drenched cocktail hour the happy couple celebrated among their many friends and family. One of my favorite Austin wedding bands, the Memphis Train Revue, kept the music going and spirits high all night long. What an amazing evening, thank you for having us as part of your special day! Congratulations Rachel & Winfred!

Many Thanks to the vendors who made this night possible! Gloria Carey of the McNay Art Museum, Memphis Train Revue, Sue of Alamo Plants & Petals, John Kerney of BP Lighting, Randy Cawthon who headed up the amazing security, Illusions Rentals, El Jarro, and Mary Thomas of Studio Zang.

Marissa & Matt’s Sweet Hyatt Lost Pines Wedding

2011-02-03T20:19:31Z

I loved photographing Marissa & Matt’s wedding at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort. I have never laughed so hard at a wedding. Seriously, these two have the most hysterically funny sense of humor. It was like watching Jack Black tie the knot with the comedic love of his life, but better. Marissa and Matt are such generous spirited folk. You could sense the love and the friendship they share in every look and every giggle they exchanged throughout the day. Marissa’s gown was designed by Ulla-Maija Couture in New York City and hand stitched by one of her closest friends Allie Pettit, who is a Big Apple fashion designer herself. Check out Marissa’s bridal for more photos. The Hyatt Lost Pine team was sensational as always thanks to Katherine Zimmerman, the Hyatt’s fantastic venue coordinator and Cristin Fensch, the Hyatt’s Catering Manager extraordinaire. Flowers by Kevin at Lillian Simon Flowers in Dallas, Cake by Diana Sanchez of the Cake Plate in Austin and amazing entertainment provided by Password out of Houston. They seriously had people dancing the night away! Also a very special thanks to Marissa’s sister Christina for being such big help wrangling the wedding party and getting bow ties tied. Fabulous shoes, by Jimmy Choo, of course.

Many many thanks for having us be a part of your wedding day, we love you guys! Congratulations!!!

La Dolce Vita Photography Featured on Pip Pip and All That

2011-02-11T18:19:14Z

Lorna and Mark’s Hyatt Lost Pines Wedding was featured on Pip Pip and All That, thanks in part, to Lorna’s excellent taste in shoes! Pip Pip and All That, the brain child of Atlantic Bridal, is a bridal blog inspired by the very best bridal brands from Britain, The United States, Canada and Australia. Including Filippa Scott, Sassi Holford, Stephanie Browne and Sarah Arnett’s amazing creations to name a few! I am in love with Filippa Scott’s gorgeous bridal shoe line. Since 1995 Filippa Scott has created glamorous silk shoes for all of England’s sophisticated brides. If you don’t live in England but still want to check out these fabulous shoes, the closest you’ll find them this side of the pond is either in New York City at Kleinfeldbridal or in Boston at Priscilla of Boston. Either way, be sure to check out Lorna and Mark’s wedding and please leave us your comments and feedback!

Fine Art Portraits for Fine People

2011-02-07T21:21:57Z

LOVED this photo shoot with Joanna and Sam! Seriously excited about their upcoming wedding. They will have tambourines and balloons and lobster tails! These two cats are super creative and beautiful. And did I mention they have great taste? And not just in photography. My bliss is having clients who completely trust me to do what I do best and Joanna and Sam did just that. We played and played and made some pictures and then played some more. They are so in love it makes me dizzy! OK so a little back story. They met in oceanography class at UT and from day one became fast friends. It just goes to show what kind of magic can happen if you’re lucky enough to have the love of your life be your best friend too. Six years later Sam proposed on Enchanted Rock. What a perfect place to propose. I can’t say enough effusive things about this couple. Pure genuineness wrapped up in sweetness. And they’re gorgeous, enough already we love you guys!

Fabulous Dallas Bridal

2010-05-03T20:54:09Z

I can’t say enough about how much fun it was to go up to Dallas and capture this amazing bridal session with Marissa. But I need to say this, Marissa is a total natural. She knows exactly how to move, how to laugh and best of all, how to have a really good time on a photo shoot! We spent all day going from one fabulous location to the next, I mean seriously, whoever knew Forth Worth was so cool? I loved that we just stumbled upon the Richard Serra installation at the Dallas Museum of Art and captured some of my favorites images from the session. And then the daffodils, did I mention the daffodils!? Or the shoes? Jimmy Choo we love you!

Our Team? Marissa’s sister, and sensational queen of coordination Christina, helped us find our way around and sweet talk all the right people. Whitney, who was so gracious and let us all use her adorable cottage house as our bridal base camp. The talented Adeana, who did a killer makeup job. Thank you all! We couldn’t have done it without you, I seriously had so much fun I forgot I was working.

And, to top off the whole thing off, one of my favorite people, SuziQ of QWeddings, offered to join me on my little bridal joyride adventure up North. Of course we had to stop on our way back home to get some silly photos of each other (stay tuned, I will post these). And, not only did she keep me awake driving back but she totally took care of us throughout the whole shoot.

Ladies, if only I could bottle you all up and take you with me on every bridal I do! We rocked it! I think Marissa has a future in bridal coaching…

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Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center Wedding on Recycled Bride

2011-02-11T18:51:44Z

Another great resource for environmentally minded couples is Recycled Bride. They have a daily blog with all sorts of fun ideas and inspiration for brides to green their weddings. They also feature real weddings. We lucked out and got Tamara & Jack’s beautiful Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center wedding published there this week. Tamara & Jack really went out of their way to make their day and all their related wedding events environmentally friendly. With everything from re-plantable centerpieces, carbon offsets and and locally sourced catering they created a day that was totally memorable and sustainable for the planet. They get five green stars from us. Love you guys! Please leave your thoughts on the Recycled Bride blog and below in the comment field. Would love to hear of any other cool eco wedding websites you all have found to be interesting, resourceful or just plain beautiful!

La Dolce Vita Photography on Austin Style Unveiled

2011-02-11T18:53:16Z

I have to be honest, I get such a confidence boost when my work get’s published. I’m honored to be a part of Greener Photography. Founded by Thea Dodds & Dawn Tracker in 2008, this remarkable organization’s mission is to educate photographers on how to green their business and nurture sustainability in our industry. To learn more please read the complete article that’s being featured on Austin Style Unveiled. I invite you to leave comments, let us know what your thoughts are! For those of you who are not familiar with these sites please check them out! They are both excellent resources for photographers & brides alike.

Emily & Jeremy’s Wedding Published on Wedvert!

2011-02-11T19:07:17Z

Love of the Border | Emily & Eric

2010-04-06T21:28:30Z

Emily & Eric were married at the fabulously ever green and peacock adorned Green Pastures here in Austin. When I asked Emily to tell me about how she and Eric had met, she shared the following story, which I think is so totally original I have to share it here. Enjoy!

“Eric and I met while I was studying abroad in Mexico through a program called Borderlinks during my junior year of college. Borderlinks runs a community center in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, that includes a free lunch program for neighborhood kids, a women’s coop, a bike workshop, and much more. I started to notice Eric because he was always hanging out with his friend who ran the bike workshop. We didn’t meet for several weeks but we admired each other from afar! One day, a group of students and neighborhood kids decided we wanted to try to make a solar oven (we had already been working on other alternative construction projects like making a whole house from old tires and building a composting toilet). We decided to go to the Nogales dump aka the “Tira Bichi” (which literally means “Throw naked”) to find the perfect piece of styrofoam for our oven. Eric and I jumped into the back of an old truck with a bunch of kids, and we finally introduced ourselves. So yeah, we met in the back of a beat up pick up truck on the way to the dump. So romantic! We really hit it off during the few weeks that remained of my semester program, and after a few years of a long distance relationship (me in Ecuador and Boston and Austin, Eric and Mexico and Tucson), we both ended up in Austin.” ~Emily

Floral & Letterpress invites by the truly talented Sarah Wymer of SloMo Studios

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Lorna & Mark | Hummingbird Garden Romance

2011-02-11T18:47:48Z

Mark & Lorna had a romantic garden wedding at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort. Both families flew in for the special occasion from England and Ireland. The theme of the wedding was all about cheerful oranges, yellows and golds with beautiful butterfly accents throughout. Lorna looked so elegant in her silk gown with her Filippa Scott shoes and her marigold sweet pea bouquet. Such a lovely couple. And I am a big fan of Hyatt Lost Pines, it feels so private and intimate even though it’s just a short 30 min drive outside of Austin. The event team was sensational, staying abreast on every detail throughout. A BIG thank you to Brenda Abbott of Brenda Abbott Floral Designs for the exquisite floral arrangements! What an inspired summer wedding!

Vanessa Shoes by Filippa Scott

Emily’s Bridal | Three Women, One Gown

2011-02-11T19:46:47Z

This is an extra special bridal, not just because of the gorgeous bride but because of the gown. This gown has a history. In fact, it has three weddings under it’s, well.., hem! Three! Emily’s grandmother originally wore the gown at her wedding in 1951. Being a romantic at heart and inclined towards nostalgia I simply love that Emily chose to continue this amazing tradition. And I am still amazed how timeless this gown is and how beautifully it flattered Emily. These stunning images were created at their family home in Austin. I recently updated this post to include images of both Emily’s mother in the same gown as well as her grandmother!

Here’s what Emily and her grandmother have to say about it:

“I decided to wear the wedding gown that both my mother and grandmother wore. I wanted a classic look and I loved the thought of being the third woman in my family to wear the dress. My grandmother has written more details about the dress below. I had the long sleeves taken off by Coutures by Laura.” ~ Emily

“Bob and I married Dec. 1, 1951. The dress was made in New York by a place recommended by the White House Department Store in Beaumont where we got the bridesmaid dresses. My mother and I were in N.Y. with my father when he was attending an American Bankers Association meeting. We picked out the design and fabric. The dress arrived in Beaumont a week before the wedding, but it wasn’t my dress! Mine had gone to Memphis to another bride, and we had hers. The two mothers conferred and decided to risk the U.S. mail and made the switch. Both dresses made it just in the nick of time. Phewwww!!! You and your mother were both beautiful brides in the dress.” ~GG

Stay tuned for images from Emily & Eric’s wedding at Green Pastures!

Emily & Jeremy | Sometimes love stares you in the face

2010-02-24T16:40:56Z

Falling for the girl next door, or in this case, the girl at the next desk over. Sometimes the key to love is just plucking up the nerve to ask someone out. Most of us don’t think about finding the love of of lives sitting in the cubical next to ours. Well, Emily & Jeremy were especially lucky. They met at work and over the course of time Jeremy finally got the courage to ask Emily out. The rest is history, they became best friends and fell in love. What more could you ask for?! They had an amazing winter wedding at the Barr Mansion, one of my personal favorites here in Austin for it’s all inclusive eco friendly wedding & event services. And Emily & Jeremy’s wedding was green. All the flowers, food and decor was provided by the Barr Mansion which is certified organic. And of course we are a carbon neutral business and proud members of Greener Photography.org! I asked Emily about why she chose to do a green wedding and she said that although they hadn’t planned on it she was thrilled that it turned out that way. Don’t you just love serendipity? Check out some of the gems from this wedding below. A special thanks to Suzi Q of qweddings for lending her eye to this beautiful event and to the Barr Mansion team for all their work and gorgeous floral arrangements. Dress by: Paloma Blanca | Shoes by: Manolo Blahnik

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Holly & Jeff | Their Wedding Story

2012-01-06T00:25:31Z

Holly & Jeff were married in Austin’s Smith Family Chapel, just south of Pennybacker Bridge. It was a gloriously sunny day with just enough of a nip in the air for Holly to wear a fabulous fur wrap which had been her grandmother’s . Her classic gown was paired with a dainty pair of Stuart Weitzman’s and the entire ensemble set off by a beautiful crystal hair piece. Smith Family Chapel is a pleasure to photograph in. It’s high ceilings and stain glass window give it a light filled glow. After the ceremony friends and family gathered at the Austin Country Club to welcome the newlyweds for an afternoon brunch and some lively celebrating. Toasts were shared, fond memories recounted and joy abounded. Austin Country Club did an amazing job creating the whimsical wintery table accents and floral decor. The whole day was a testament to how much Holly & Jeff love each other and how greatly they care for their family and friends. Congratulations to you all!

Holly & Jeff | Portraits from a Love Story

2010-01-22T16:35:34Z

I loved capturing this pre-wedding portrait session! Holly & Jeff are refreshingly no nonsense kind of people with hearts of gold. When Holly first called me to inquire about availability she told me she and Jeff really wanted their upcoming special day to focus on the people most important to them. To help with that she wanted to cut down on the time spent taking formals at the wedding. I loved this idea of freeing up time for them on their wedding day so we scheduled to do their portraits in advance at Jeff’s beautiful home in Westlake. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day, the light was gorgeous, and Holly & Jeff simply glowed. The love between these two is clearly palpable. I think it was a brilliant idea to take their formals ahead of time, having extra time makes for extra special portraits. I wish more couples would consider pre-wedding portraits. Stay tuned for images from their Smith Family Chapel wedding.

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Jennifer & Bryan's Wedding

2009-12-22T19:14:28Z

Lovely downtown wedding this fall. Jennifer & Bryan are a sensationally sweet couple. They tied the knot at the Austin Sheraton. With loads of friends and family coming in from out of town it was the perfect place to celebrate. Congratulations to you both!

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Alex & Dave’s Mandola Vineyard Wedding

2011-01-26T18:52:16Z

One of my favorite venues this year so far, Mandola Estate in Driftwood Texas, makes a lovely & romantic setting for a wedding. Vows were exchanged under beautiful live oaks hung with little floral jewels placed in wire wrapped mason jars. After a sunset filled ceremony Alex & Dave celebrated with a special tour of the winery cask room and of course lots of local wine. Dinner was served in the warmth of Trattoria Lisina and after several lovely toasts everyone moved outside to share in some dancing under the stars. A very big congratulations to Alex & Dave! Rose Hip Flora was behind the creation of the gorgeous flowers at this wedding and Austin Cake Ball made the yummy & playful desserts.

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BODA Foto Workshops | Austin, TX

2011-01-26T18:53:53Z

If you don’t already know my good friend and amazing photographer, Jenn Lindberg, is hosting BODA Foto workshop at the Austin Four Seasons this upcoming December 6th. Jenn & Ashley (of Ashley Garmon Photography) will be teaching emergent wedding photographers how to kick start their wedding photography business and learn the skills they will need to succeed. Remaining spots are filling up quickly so check out the site for more information and sign up now at BODA Foto Workshops

Austin Country Club Wedding | Jennifer & Robert

2009-11-02T04:18:33Z

Jennifer and Robert wedding merits some glorious blogging and I officially apologize for taking so long to share these images from their beautiful summer wedding. The wedding was held at the Austin Country Club, a classy and sought after venue in the verdant hills of west Austin. Thunderstorms loomed all day so the ceremony was moved inside and a beautiful floral arch was created by the masterful Keith from Westbank Flower Market. Luckily we got to sneak outside for a few minutes to capture some photographs of the lovely couple before it began to drizzle. The rest of the evenings festivities were a delight, with toasts, dancing, and a flat out memorably good time. Again, my warmest congratulations to the happy couple!

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