Colorful Wedding Archives - The Bird & The Bear | Austin & Destination Wedding Photographer and Videographer

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!

Say Hello

As a top Austin wedding photography and videography team, we have found that the most emotional and meaningful weddings are the ones that master the art of storytelling. A wedding isn’t just a pretty party or a milestone to check off a list. It’s a beautiful depiction of your love story and a chance to celebrate every part of it. When every detail of the wedding reflects your journey and personalities, it not only creates visual appeal for your guests, but it makes the day truly and uniquely yours.

Jordan and Garrett’s spring wedding at The Arlo perfectly exemplifies this, as they infused significant personal details throughout their big day. From their music choices to their garden-inspired color palette to the way they included their family throughout the day, every element reflected Jordan and Garrett’s personal tastes and shared values. The result was a bright and joyous spring wedding day, where everyone – including us! – couldn’t help but smile from start to finish.

This spring wedding at The Arlo serves as major inspiration for a botanical garden wedding or a hill country wedding! It also illustrates unique and creative ways to put your personal stamp on your wedding to show your guests that you’ve truly thought of everything.

We invite you to relive Jordan and Garrett’s spring wedding with us in the hope that you leave more inspired than before!

Spring Wedding Design Details

What’s a spring wedding without an abundance of florals? Jordan and Garrett wanted to create a lush, garden feel for their wedding at The Arlo, so they worked with their wedding planner, Uptown Events, and wedding florist, Wild Bunches Floral, to plan a multitude of vibrant, organic florals. Their color palette consisted of magenta, blush, peach, ivory, and pops of orange.

Their ceremony took place inside The Arlo’s Storie Hall, where gold, geometric frames stood at the altar, accented by blooming floral sprays. Two twin pillars with colorful floral arrangements framed the top of the aisle and ivory rose petals lined either side of it. As an Austin wedding photographer and videographer, of course we love natural light and Storie Hall allows for plenty of it! The altar features a picture window with similar windows surrounding the entire room. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Jordan and Garrett held their reception in The Arlo’s main ballroom, where both round and rectangular tables draped in ivory linens awaited guests. Every table featured pink and ivory floral arrangements interspersed with floating candles. A gold fluted charger sat at each place setting with a dusty blue taffeta napkin tucked underneath it.

The newlyweds’ sweetheart table stole the show though! Uptown Events and Wild Bunches repurposed the ceremony floral to decorate this focal table, creating a picture-perfect spot for the new Mr. and Mrs.

Getting Ready to Say “I Do”

On the morning of their spring wedding, Jordan and Garrett enjoyed time with their wedding party respectively in The Arlo’s bride and groom suites. Mistique Makeup helped get the ladies all dolled up before slipping into their gowns and when it was time, Jordan donned a white Allure wedding gown with crystal beading cascading down from the bodice. It had beaded spaghetti straps that criss-crossed in the back and a long, flowing train that twirled oh-so-perfectly throughout the day!

Garrett looked just as good in his navy blue suit and white tie, which he accented with his Texas Tech pin and class ring. When they were both ready, they started the day’s festivities with a first touch and vow exchange. We love that they stayed true to who they are by keeping this moment private and sacred. As they stood back-to-back reading their vows to each other, they both shed some tears and shared bright, excited smiles.

After some bridal portraits on The Arlo’s manicured lawn, Jordan did a first look with her dad and then her Grannie. We may have shed some tears of our own during Jordan’s moment with her grandmother! We wish we could bottle the unbridled and authentic joy that radiated from them in this moment. Family is so important to Jordan and Garrett, and holding these first looks was a truly special way to show them how much they care for them.

A Spring Wedding Ceremony at The Arlo

At last, the time came for Jordan and Garrett to tie the knot! When the first notes of “Here Comes the Sun” floated through the air in Storie Hall, the processional began. Both Jordan and Garrett’s grandparents and parents walked down the aisle followed by the 16 members of their wedding party. The 7 bridesmaids and bridesman each wore a different shade of blue, which beautifully complemented the 7 groomsmens’ and groomslady’s navy blue attire.

When Jordan entered the ceremony on her father’s arm, her smile lit up the entire room and was only matched by Garrett’s equally brilliant smile. You could tangibly feel the love and happiness in the room!

After a heartfelt and emotional ceremony, Pastor Tim Anderson declared them husband and wife! Jordan kissed her new husband for the first time and then they both threw their hands in the air: They did it!

Cocktail Hour at The Arlo

The Arlo’s back lawn is ideal for a spring wedding cocktail hour! There, highboys dressed in pink linens stood in front of The Arlo’s outdoor fireplace and the welcome table featured gold-framed photos of Jordan and Garrett as well as a very unique guest book alternative. In addition to a sign-in guest book, the newlyweds displayed a custom Houston Astros jersey with their last name on the back! They invited their loved ones to sign their jersey in a creative tribute to this couple’s love of baseball. Little Astros pins even scattered the table!

During this spring wedding cocktail hour, PEJ Events served brisket barbacoa tostadas and tequila lime shrimp shooters while guests sipped on specialty cocktails named after Jordan and Garrett’s two dogs. “The Daisy” consisted of vodka with grapefruit and lime flavor notes while “The Raider” featured whiskey and lime. Jordan and Garrett even had custom cocktail napkins that read “all because two people swiped right” in gold, sparkling letters in an elegant tribute to how the two met.

After capturing family formals and couple portraits post-ceremony, Jordan and Garrett enjoyed a private moment in the bridal suite, where they indulged in their appetizers together and soaked in the fact that they were married. We highly recommend building private moments into the timeline like this! With all the festivities of the wedding day, taking time to slow down and celebrate with each other is never something our couples regret.

A Spring Wedding Reception at The Arlo

Then it was time to start the party! Jordan and Garrett’s DJ from Premier Entertainment invited everyone into the reception and the team at Uptown Events helped guests find their seats with the newlyweds’ iconic black seating chart.

After grand entrances, Garrett’s stepdad led a blessing over the newlyweds before the dinner buffet opened. At this point, Jordan and Garret snuck off with us to take sunset photos. Golden hour at The Arlo is pure magic and every Austin wedding photographer’s dream! The dewy golden light made for some of our favorite photos from the entire day! Not to mention that this was another chance for the bride and groom to spend some time alone together.

After a few twirls, lifts, and many kisses, we took the couple back into their spring wedding reception to continue the celebration with their loved ones. Garrett’s best man and Jordan’s best friend each gave a toast, provoking genuine smiles and laughter. Afterwards, the newlyweds themselves gave a thank you speech before kicking off the grand march!

If you haven’t heard of a grand march, it is one of the most fun ways to open the dance floor! All guests are invited to walk, dance, and march around the room in lines, holding each other’s hands and even forming a soul train line! It was a fun, surefire way to get all 178 guests up and onto the dance floor.

They surrounded Jordan and Garrett as they shared their first dance to “Your Everything” by Keith Urban. The parent dances followed this. Jordan’s father/daughter dance was set to “I Loved Her First” by Heartland and Garrett’s mother/son dance was set to “Thought You Should Know” by Morgan Wallen.

Throughout the rest of the night, guests snapped fun pictures at the hedge wall photo booth that Simply Selfies set up. A custom neon sign with the newlyweds’ last name adorned the backdrop. They also indulged in many a sweet treat from the dessert table! Jordan and Garrett aren’t cake people, so they treated their loved ones to mini fruit tarts, cookies, rice krispy treats, and chocolate parfaits.

As their custom sign accurately read, “All you need is love and dessert!”

The Perfect Ending to a Wedding at The Arlo

As this spring wedding drew to a close, 4 Leaf Limo delivered a black, vintage getaway car to The Arlo’s front drive. After sharing a private last dance to “Sure Thing” by Miguel, Jordan and Garrett made their grand exit by walking through their loved ones one last time. Everyone held sparklers to light up the night and the new Mr. and Mrs. shared one final kiss before heading off into their happily ever after.

Congratulations, Jordan and Garrett! We were honored to capture all the joy and fun of your spring wedding at The Arlo and we wish you a lifetime of love together! Cheers to you both!

Let’s Work Together!

We would love to capture all the candid, intimate, and fun moments of your special day, just as we did for Jordan and Garrett. 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!