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Lavender.  It all started with the beauty that is lavender the scent, flower, color…. lavender the calming peaceful bloom.  Shannon & Bryant Unruh loved the idea of centering the feel of their wedding day around such a lovely little flower & as such, a palette of purple & steely grays took flight.  Armed with the aid of her mother, lavender touches were injected throughout the day from sprigs of lavender into the specialty cocktails to the dried lavender wreath which accented the seating chart.  Paper fortune tellers were a whimsical treat for guests who were commanded to head to the photobooth or nosh on some tasty {lavender} taffy of course!  Shannon & Bryant found the most lovely of venues to marry in the form of the rustic & wonderfully romantic Olde Dobbin Station, complete with the original brick & mortar it was constructed with from the early 1900’s.  Combine their rustic surroundings with the delicate touches of dried lavender intermixed with purples hues and you have the makings for a beautifully chic Texas wedding, eloquently captured by Texas wedding photographer The Freckled Key!

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Novella of the Bride…

Wedding Buzzwords ~ Lavender, Romantic, Fun, Vintage, Sweet, Sparkle, & Joy
Specialty Cocktails ~ Lavender Fizz – Gin, Lavender Syrup, Lemon Juice, & a spring of dried lavender served in a mason jar

My husband Bryant and I are both currently in graduate school. He is about to graduate with his MD and will be spending the next 5 years becoming a general surgeon. I am currently finishing my first year in physician assistant school and will be graduating near the end of 2015. With the professions we have both chosen we have very busy lives but that also makes us much more understanding to each others schedules and needs which is very nice. We are currently looking to rent our first home together near the Galveston area and have enjoyed raising our brand new puppy, Ellie, that we bought home in January! This is exciting for me because I grew up in the Houston area and it is nice that we can be close to my family.  Bryant and I met a little over 2 years before our wedding in December. One of my best friends attends the same medical school as Bryant and invited me to a halloween social with the intention of setting me up with a different friend of hers. Instead, Bryant and I met that night. After that night he persued a relationship with me like any gentleman would and never gave up even when I seemed hesitant. A few months later he had me convinced that we should date. From there it was a whirlwind. Time really does fly fast when you’re having fun! Around a year and a half in to our relationship Bryant asked me if I would be his wife at a beautiful park in Houston surrounded by trees and rose petals. Now here we are 4 months into marriage!

When planning our wedding, Bryant and I agreed that we wanted to create an atmosphere that not only reflected our relationship but also allowed our family and friends to feel connected to us and also to each other. It started with lavender. The scent of lavender is one that is fresh, calming, and uplifting. I imaged that it would add the perfect mix of rustic and romantic. With the help of my very creative mother, lavender was incorporated into each invitation we sent out, the welcome bags we had for our guests at the hotel, the delicious drinks we served during cocktail hour, and the beautiful wreath she made to place with the seating arrangements.  One of my favorite touches of the day was Matt and Cameron, our ceremony musicians. From the moment I heard them sing, I was captured by the beautiful lyrics to their music and couldn’t have been happier to have them there to make our wedding day special.

Bryant and I couldn’t have been happier with our venue. The buildings date back to the 1900s and while most of the property has been restored they have left one old building with the origional brick and mortar. The building allows for natural light to pour in and illuminate the stone inside creating a softer feel. We wanted the ceremony to feel intimate while experiencing the natural beauty of the location. There is no way you can find any locaiton like this so close to Houston. There are not many truly rustic and naturally beautiful locations that we found in and around the Houston area that we loved. Additionially, we worked with Corbin Mock the entire time and the first moment I met her I felt like she really cared about her customers and really wanted them to have the wedding they have been imagining. She was so great to work with and really made the process of planning so smooth for me, Bryant, and our families.

A Little Help From Their Friends – My mother and mother- in- law were so helpful throughout the entire planning process. My mother-in-law, Terry, was always there to support us when making decisions and even came with me to find my wedding dress. My mother though was the most important person in the planning of this wedding. With me and my now husband in school our schedules were tight. We had many diy projects that we were hoping to get done for the wedding and she completely every single one. When Bryant was working 80 hours a week and couldnt make an appointment with the caterer or florist my mom came. When I couldn’t meet with someone because of finals, she went and took care of everything. I really cant brag about my mom enough. She is amazing and we wouldnt have had the wedding of our dreams without her.

Bride’s Favorite Moment: “This is a very hard question to answer! Our venue had a really cool firepit where we had set out all the necessary inredients to make smores. The temperature had dropped down into the 40s and many people had gone out to enjoy roasting a marshmellow around the fire. Bryant and I headed out there together and found a group of some of our closest friends around the fire having a good time. As a couple we made smores for each other and took turns feeding them to each other with our friends gathered around. Everyone was laughing and having a good time and we were there just soaking it all in. Enjoying each others company but also getting to be surrounded by the people we love and who have supported us. It was a moment where we kind of were able to stop and get away from the music and people to soak in the night.”

Parting Words: “There were so many other details that were special and hand done, mostly by my mother. The day of the wedding, she handed me a ring that had belong to my grandmother and that I had begged her to let me wear since high school. It is something that stands out to me and that I am reminded of when I look at our pictures from that day. Similarly, Bryant was very close to his granddad and I know felt extremely honored to wear a pair of his grandfather’s cufflinks that he had received from his mother for the day of the wedding.”

“Looking back I am so glad we took the time to be intentional with the details of the wedding. Was it stressful at times? Yes. Did my mom and I get in an argument or two? Yes, but I think it all helped to create something special that reflected both Bryant and I. If I could give advise to anyone planning a wedding it would be to go with what reflects you as a couple, not with what everyone else tells you is important. Focus on who is important to you and why the day is important to you.”

 

Vendor Love

Venue: Olde Dobbin Station  | Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca | Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie  | Hair + Makeup: Exquisite Reflections | Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Invitations: Amy Adams Printables | Transportation: I Do Transportation Services  | Ceremony Music: Olivette  | Music: DJ Dave | Rentals: Rent Some Vintage, Events to Remember | Florist: SenterPiece Flowers | Caterer: Café Natalie | Baker: Cakes by BlondieWedding/Event Planner: Stillpoint Media and Events | Videographer: A Sweet Film  | Photographer: The Freckled Key