In the era of Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok, there is a never-ending stream of wedding inspiration for engaged couples to sift through. There are literally thousands upon thousands of wedding ideas out there, from a modern wedding design to a boho, rustic, or classic one. Although all of these styles are extraordinarily beautiful, we’ve seen how the infinite possibilities can lead to decision fatigue and make wedding planning harder. That’s why we encourage you to lean into your own personal style, even if it breaks the mold. We here at The Bird & The Bear have been an Austin wedding photography and videography team for years, and we love seeing our couples’ unique styles and tastes, especially when they think outside the box! So let us be the first to embolden you and give you the reassurance you may need to do things your way at your wedding, even if it differs from the weddings you see on social media.
One of our beautiful couples, Skylar and Cyrus, achieved this with their modern wedding. They leaned into their personal affinity for bold colors and contemporary flair, mixing it up with their attire, timeline, and even their wedding date! We found through working with them that these fun details definitely align with their lighthearted and excitable personalities. The joy they felt throughout their modern wedding lit them up from within, making for radiant photos that are as vibrant as they are.
After viewing their modern wedding film and gallery in this post, we hope you’ll be inspired to also design a wedding that feels true to who you are. No matter what your personal wedding style is, we’re here to support you and capture every beautiful moment.
Austin Wedding Details
Skylar and Cyrus’ modern wedding took place at Austin’s South Congress Hotel, a boutique hotel set in the heart of downtown. We started the day shooting the laidback fun that Skylar and her attendants had while getting ready. As LUX Beauty & Bridal did Skylar’s hair and makeup, we captured detail shots of the couple’s aqua and blush invitation suite, surrounded by effervescent floral in fuchsia, tangerine, orchid, and peach. These details set the stage for this modern wedding day, as these hues were woven throughout their wedding design.
During this time, we also photographed Skylar in her sleek, cowl-necked wedding gown. Clean and crisp, her gown had spaghetti straps and buttons all down the back with the satin fabric pooling at her heels.
When her bridal look was complete, we did a first look with Skylar and her dad. In this special moment, Skylar’s dad greeted her with a smile and open arms. After a moment, his eyes pricked with tears, emotion breaking through.
Pre-Ceremony Happy Hour
When Skylar and Cyrus’ guests arrived to their modern wedding, a pre-ceremony happy hour began at the lobby bar. This was everyone’s first sign that Skylar and Cyrus were doing things differently for their big day! Friends and family got the chance to mix and mingle while enjoying light bites and drinks, provided by the hotel’s catering team. The happy couple themselves even joined in on the fun!
This didn’t mean that Skylar showed off her bridal look just yet though! For these welcome drinks, Skylar changed into a strapless white cocktail dress that had cascading tiers of ruffles. It exuded bridal vibes, but also a feeling of fun and carefreeness, which made it perfect for this happy hour.
Modern Wedding Ceremony at South Congress Hotel
Guests then transitioned into the hotel’s Event Space for Skylar and Cyrus’ modern wedding ceremony. There, they found a white, stone fireplace mantel from Loot Rentals set against a white brick wall. Bricolage Curated Florals set a lush floral arrangement on top of the mantel, bursting with fuchsia, magenta, orange, and blush blooms interspersed with wild natural greenery. A smaller version of this arrangement lay inside the mantel. Soft candlelight lit up this entire display, as the floral team scattered various hurricane candles across the altar, some on top of the mantel and some on wooden crates on the ground. They finished off the ceremony design with a bright red, tribal rug.
The emotions that shone through during this modern wedding ceremony were as raw and pure as it gets. Skylar was already tearing up as her father walked her down the aisle with heavenly harp music by Austin’s Harpist filling the air. It was also plain to see that Cyrus couldn’t believe his luck that he got to marry the love of his life. One of their good friends officiated the ceremony and had the privilege of pronouncing Skylar and Cyrus as husband and wife on that gorgeous, colorful day.
An Outdoor, Modern Wedding Reception
When the ceremony concluded, Skylar and Cyrus’ wedding planners, Heavenly Day Events, facilitated the chair flip. This meant that their team moved all the chairs from the ceremony to reuse them in the reception space. They also repurposed the ceremony candles and floral while guests snapped pictures at the Polaroid station and simply enjoyed each other’s company. The Heavenly Day team managed the chair flip feat in no time and that’s when they invited guests to sit down to dinner.
Held in the hotel’s outdoor Courtyard, this modern wedding reception featured long king’s tables, set with white linens and dusty blue gauze table runners. Bud vases with colorful floral stems lined the center of each table and acrylic painted table numbers showed guests where to sit. This couple also arranged a kids’ table with seagrass cushions and fun activities and games.
Skylar and Cyrus’ sweetheart table overlooked it all! It was a black pedestal table with a stormy blue runner and larger than life flowers in various shades of pink and orange. Two gold-lined accent chairs sat behind the table and a patterned rug lay at its feet.
A blue neon sign bearing the newlyweds’ initials greeted everyone upon arrival and a corresponding neon sign displayed their wedding hashtag, “#KeepSkyrusWeird.” After a wonderful dinner by the hotel, their team brought out a surprise dessert for Cyrus because it was not only his wedding day, but also his birthday! Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to him as he blew out his candles, making this day that much more special.
Dart Collective then started the party back in the main Event Space, where Altared Weddings strung Edison bulb light strands across the ceiling. White paper lanterns also hung down over everyone’s heads, creating a dreamy atmosphere, accentuated by the bold pink uplights around the room. It was here that Skylar and Cyrus shared their first dance to “Time In A Bottle” by Jim Croce and where Skylar did a bouquet toss with a special bouquet made of lettuce leaves, another example of this bride’s creativity!
Skylar, Cyrus, and all their friends and family members made amazing memories on this modern wedding day, and we feel grateful and honored to have been a part of all the fun!
Cheers and congratulations to you, Skylar and Cyrus! Thank you for inviting us to be your Austin wedding photographer and videographer for your incredible modern wedding. It was our pleasure to get to know you and partake in all the fun! We wish you a lifetime of happiness and good fortune!
Let’s Capture Your Big Day!
The Bird & The Bear is a boutique, award-winning studio that offers both Austin wedding photography and videography! We are a one-stop full-service studio that loves to create beautiful photos and films of our couples – all with our signature, playful style.
We would love to capture all the candid, intimate, and fun moments of your special day, just as we did for Skylar and Cyrus. If you’re ready to check off both photo and video from your to-do list, reach out today and let’s make it happen!