In telling the story of certain wedding days, I sometimes don’t even know where to begin. It is my job to capture the emotions and beauty of the day, and then pour over those moments for hours as I edit. In some ways, I live in the day for far longer than any other guest or vendor (or sometimes even the couple!). When a venue serves both the story of the day and the couple themselves, I can’t wait to return. Garey House is a historic Georgetown, Texas wedding venue that worked as the perfect backdrop to this special wedding story.
Tying Wedding Traditions into the Wedding Day
One of my favorite parts of the day was capturing the bride getting ready with her mom and aunts. Kunie incorporated some old world wedding traditions from her Cambodian heritage through her wedding dress. The traditional Cambodian wedding dress first arrived disassembled and Kunie’s mom and aunts all worked to piece together and then dress Kunie in this gorgeous masterpiece. It was incredible how Kunie’s family members worked as a team including the placement of her jewelry.
Kunie later changed into a second dress for the reception (a traditional wedding white) that was handmade by her mother who happens to be a dressmaker. I love seeing a couple’s loved ones come together to support and serve them on their wedding day!
Garey House: The Perfect Backdrop to Your Wedding Day
Garey House is a unique part of the Georgetown, Texas wedding venues with its Tuscan-style design located in the middle of Garey Park, a 525-acre public park adjacent to a pond. This Central Texas wedding venue offers indoor options for intimate weddings up to 90 guests and combined outdoor space that houses up to 125 guests.
Located just about 30 minutes outside of downtown Austin, it’s a Texas Hill country wedding venue that’s easily accessible while still feeling removed and private. The couple selected this location because it’s one of their favorite nearby hiking spots to take their seven-month-old puppy! Top features of the property include ceremony and reception spots with a variety of options:
- The Great Room: largest indoor space, with an oversized fireplace and opening to the patio (80-106 seated guests).
- The Hall: fit for smaller weddings (up to 90 seated guests for ceremony or 50 seated for a reception), opens to The Courtyard (large outdoor patio) for indoor and outdoor flexibility. The Courtyard accommodates up to 125 seated reception guests when the windowed French doors are opened to combine spaces.
- The Terrace and Event Lawn serve as either ceremony or reception sites. The Terrace also works as an outdoor dance floor and the Event Lawn hosts the largest outdoor options with up to 125 guests for a ceremony or reception.
- Two Bridal Suites for getting ready.
You are given exclusive access to the entire property during your rental window. The rental also includes: tables, folding chairs, portable bars, cocktail tables, speakers, and outdoor lighting. This venue offers options for anything from zero-guest elopements to intimate weddings and larger events.
Highlights From a Garey House Wedding Day
I had the opportunity to do more documentary style photography for Kunie and Danny’s day since the moments came so naturally. It’s such a joy when I see the couple enjoying the day within the moments themselves. The wedding day can rush by so quickly and these two made sure to notice what was happening around them so they didn’t miss anything! It was such a relaxed day full of love and joy.
Special Moments from the Day
- First Look: Danny’s response to seeing Kunie for the first time began with an awestruck, “Holy shit,” followed by a discussion on how cool her dress was. After this, Kunie helped Danny finish getting ready by combing his hair for him. They then took a Polaroid together which spontaneously became their cake topper!
- The bride and groom chose to walk down the aisle together seeing it as symbolizing their entrance into the next chapter of their lives as a couple.
- Danny’s dad officiated a very moving ceremony where they had a Glass Unity Ceremony. This involves pouring differently colored glass crystals from two separate bottles into one that’s shipped out to be transformed into a glass art piece.
- Visiting friends and family from California noticed the frequent use of “ya’ll” in conversation at this Garey House Texas wedding that constantly left them laughing.
Kunie and Danny’s vision for the day was always about the moments and the people, as they shared, “The pièce de résistance of the reception will be our u-shaped dinner table that will seat all of our 30 guests. We envision great conversations, laughter and being able to mingle with each of our guests.” They summarized the vision for their day as having “intimate dinner party vibes” that were also “elegant but simple, and creating a new memory with our loved ones!”
Danny was obviously happy throughout the entire day. His grin did not stop from the moment he saw Kunie all the way to their grand exit. I asked him towards the end of the night how he was doing to which he replied, “This was the best day of my life.” Capturing days like these are more than I could ever ask for as a Texas wedding and elopement photographer!
Are you feeling like your wedding or elopement day vision is starting to come together? I would love to hear all about it and help get you started in planning it out!
Wedding Vendors
Photographer | Nikole Velasco Photography
Venue | Garey House
Planning & Coordination | Plan on It Events & Design
DJ | Full Scope Entertainment
Catering | Vestals Catering
Lighting | J&M Production Services
Rentals | Monarch Event Rentals
Hair | Grow Salon + Wine Bar
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