There is nothing quite like a Southeast Asian wedding. Every time we have the honor of capturing one, we are in awe of the vibrant colors, upbeat dances, and the all-encompassing love that only comes by being surrounded by a true community of family and friends. Tara and Kirk chose to have a Lakeway Resort wedding and as soon as we heard about their plans for a dusty rose, blush, and mauve wedding right on the lake, we knew we wanted to be their Austin Indian wedding photographer and videographer! We were absolutely thrilled when they decided to book with us!
Tara and Kirk are as sweet as can be and they had the brightest smiles on their faces from the start of their sangeet to the end of the wedding reception. The two-day celebration consisted of the most wondrous décor, lakeside sunsets, delicious catering, and lots of dancing! This was quite possibly the most gorgeous wedding we’ve had the pleasure of capturing, so make sure to watch the videos and read to the end to soak up every detail!
A Lakeway Resort Wedding
Tara and Kirk’s wedding weekend was held at Lakeway Resort and Spa in Lakeway, Texas, which is situated about thirty minutes from downtown Austin. It is nestled right on the edge of Lake Travis and is famous for their panoramic lake views from every corner of property. The Vistas Ballroom is their main wedding space with its floor-to-ceiling glass window walls that offer a perfect view of the water for miles.
It’s always a treat for us to work here, especially in the summer, because we get to shoot a lakeside wedding while still being indoors in the air conditioning. Our brides love it too because they get to have a lake backdrop for the ceremony, but they don’t have to worry about the wind messing up their hair, bugs pestering them, or the Texas heat melting their makeup!
As if all that weren’t enough, the Lakeway Resort wedding space has an outdoor, wrap-around terrace, where they hold cocktail hours, and the end of that terrace is THE spot on property for sunset photos. Every time we work here, we just have to build in time for sunset shots with the couple on the terrace, and they always turn out to be the bride and groom’s favorite shots of the day!
An Austin Indian Wedding Photographer’s Dream
Throughout the celebration, we could tell that every décor detail was carefully and purposefully planned out to be both functional and visually striking. The name “Tara” in Hindi translates to “star,” so Tara and Kirk incorporated a star motif in the décor for all their events. Their wedding planner, Cheryl from Glitzzy Events, did a wonderful job subtly and elegantly infusing these stars in the event design, from the sangeet backdrop and welcome signs to the wedding cake and personalized dance floor. She is also a logistics queen, as every event throughout the weekend ran on time to the minute. If you’re looking for an Indian wedding planner, we highly recommend Cheryl and her team!
Yara with Unique Design and Events blew us all away with her handiwork as well. She completely draped the ceiling of the Vistas Ballroom in white, flowy fabric and installed crystal chandeliers for touches of sparkle. Bouquets of Austin completed the design by setting tall floral arrangements along the back of the mandap and short arrangements on both sides of the aisle that would all be later repurposed for the wedding reception.
The mandap itself was truly breathtaking with its white stage, gold seats, and fabric draping in various shades of pink. We loved how the fabric was gathered to create windows, so guests could still marvel at the lake behind the mandap. This also allowed plenty of natural light to illuminate the ceremony space, which made our job as an Austin Indian wedding photographer easy!
Sangeet
Tara and Kirk’s sangeet took place the night before the wedding in Lakeway Resort’s Rio Grande Ballroom. The color scheme for this event included deep purple and peacock blue with touches of gold and silver. The guest tables were dressed in multicolored linens and adorned with floating candles in wine glasses and fun pompom and bead strands. Tara wore an exquisite turquoise and silver sari that shimmered when it caught the light, and Kirk’s sherwani was yellow gold, truly making the pair the stars of the evening.
The sangeet kicked off with dinner provided by Biryani Pot and toasts from the couple’s family. If you’re not familiar with Indian weddings, think of a sangeet like an American rehearsal dinner, except with high energy music and tons of dancing! Our favorite part of any sangeet is when the dancing commences because that is truly when the party starts, and it doesn’t end until the next night after the wedding reception!
Tara and Kirk’s family and friends absolutely killed it on the dance floor, as they took turns performing traditional dances for the couple. DJ Nish kept the music pumping, and it was clear that everyone was overjoyed to be there to celebrate the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs.
The sangeet was made that much sweeter by Amy’s Ice Cream, who brought in their signature ice cream in a mobile cart for dessert. Henna Arts also set up a mehndi table for those who wanted to get henna on their hands in preparation for the wedding the next day. Overall, the sangeet was a hit with everyone jumping on the dance floor before the night was through. Talk about a great way to start your wedding weekend!
Baraat
The next morning, the wedding day festivities started with Tara and Kirk’s first look. As an Austin Indian wedding photographer, we always feel so honored to capture these most intimate of moments and we do our best to stay scarce while still getting the best shots, so as to give the couple as private a moment as possible.
After some couples’ portraits and family formals at the mandap, it was time for the baraat! This is the groom’s processional into the ceremony, complete with celebratory music and more dancing! It’s like a party and parade all in one with the groom and his side of the family dancing their hearts out. Many times, the groom will ride in on an exotic animal or in a fancy car, but Kirk choose to jump right in the fun by walking and dancing alongside his loved ones.
They had a dhol player and mobile DJ accompany the group, as they made their way from underneath the trees at the far side of the resort to the walkway that leads up to the Vistas Ballroom. When they arrived there, Tara’s mom greeted Kirk to welcome him into the family by applying the traditional tilak (ceremonial red dot) to his forehead and performing the aarti (traditional ritual of worship) to stave off evil and bless him.
Everyone then proceeded up the outdoor terrace and into the ceremony space, enjoying a quick mango lassi drink before they sat down. It was turning out to be a warm day, so the mango lassi was a refreshing treat after dancing in the sun!
A Lakeway Resort Wedding Ceremony
Then, it was time to get married! As far as Indian wedding ceremonies go, Tara and Kirk’s was on the shorter side, just one hour, but it still incorporated all the traditions and rituals that are significant to their culture. They began by giving each other the richest red and white floral garlands and then went on to pray, recite their vows, and exchange rings. What we love most about Indian weddings though is the inclusion of the bride and groom’s families in the ceremony. Both sets of parents and the wedding party sit on the mandap with the couple in order to pray with them, bless them, and participate in various rites throughout the ceremony. It’s incredibly sweet and humbling to watch, and the love emanating from the entire community is palpable from start to finish.
Cocktail Hour
When the ceremony concluded, the guests headed outside onto the terrace for cocktail hour. Typically, a Lakeway Resort wedding in the Vistas Ballroom includes cocktail hour on the outdoor terrace and in the indoor lobby alone, but since this was actually going to be a two-hour cocktail hour, Tara and Kirk chose to also rent the Sunset room and patio. Located just a few steps from the Vistas, this was a smart choice to give guests more room to mix, mingle, and relax. It also gave the Jazz Daddies band the perfect place to play live music for everyone under the trees!
While the guests were eating, drinking, and being merry, our team captured some post-ceremony shots of the newlyweds and their families. We also started shooting what we could of the cocktail hour and reception décor. The rest of the vendor team was utilizing the two-hour cocktail hour to flip the Vistas Ballroom from ceremony to reception, which meant breaking down the mandap, reinstalling the backdrop to be behind the sweetheart table, setting up all the dinner tables, and resetting all the floral arrangements. This is why we always recommend only the best in the business for our clients because while two hours may sound like a lot of time, it can become a blur when you are moving and resetting that many elements.
A Lakeway Resort Wedding Reception
The team actually accomplished the flip of the Lakeway Resort wedding space in just an hour and a half, and we were grateful because that meant we had more time to shoot the reception décor details! The guest tables were swathed in white, sparkly linens, gold chargers, and little Ferrero Rocher chocolate favors. All the ceremony floral was repurposed to the reception tables, including the sweetheart table, and the coolest white dance floor was brought in with a gold star bearing the couple’s monogram. Last but not least, Austin Event Lighting set up two giant screens, one in each corner of the room, so that the evening’s formalities could be broadcasted for everyone to see. This reception was truly the dream of any Austin Indian wedding photographer and we had so much fun shooting every last detail!
For the reception, Tara, Kirk, and their loved ones changed into Western-style attire. Tara’s white gown was sleek with just the right amount of fluff and Kirk looked very dapper in his black tux. They hit the dance floor together to kick off the night and no two people looked happier. As the night progressed, toasts were given, the gold star cake made by Sweet Treets was cut, and dinner was served. We loved that before each table got dinner from the buffet, the guests first posed for a picture with Tara and Kirk up at the sweetheart table. This was such a great way to make sure that the couple got photos with all their friends and family!
While there had already been a lot of dancing throughout the weekend, nothing compared to the party that took place at the reception! Tara, Kirk, and all their guests really let loose and had a good time jumping, dancing, and living it up!
When the night was through, everyone lined the walkway outside for a sparker exit. Every Lakeway Resort wedding comes with a complimentary golf cart departure, and Tara and Kirk took full advantage of that by using the cart as their getaway car. They decorated it with a “Just Married” sign to give it their personal touch and when it was time, they rode off into the night with the biggest smiles on their faces.
Congrats, Tara and Kirk! We were overjoyed to have been your Austin Indian wedding photographer and videographer. We loved getting to celebrate right alongside you every step of the way, and we wish you nothing but the best in your future together!
Let’s Work Together!
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 Tara and Kirk. 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!