Barr Mansion Real Weddings

Updated Pictures of the Pavilion

2010-06-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

We have been hard at work to bring back the soul of the Artisan Ballroom, and put it into the new Pavilion. Here are some pictures to keep you updated on the new improvements.

First, we added 2 football fields of curly willow garlands and wrapped twinkle lights around them to the beams of the Pavilion in order to emulate the wooden timbers of the ballroom. The twinkle lights add that charming glow that the ballroom had.

We also added two artfully arranged hanging baskets of multiple types of greenery inspired by the trees lost in the Ballroom that bring the beauty of the outside gardens, inside. These provide a beautiful, natural frame for indoor ceremonies as well.

The floor is improved! We have laid down a more permanent look of laminate wood flooring. It is definitely a more polished look and creates a more "building" appearance. We added a wooden stage as well, that has the same wooden flooring. Plenty of room for bands, or to display the cakes, or for head tables depending on your desire.

COLOR is an option we didn't really have in the Artisan Ballroom. In the Pavilion, if you like, you can do colored uplighting around the perimeter—the color choice is of course up to you.

An amber or white light provides an elegant, more candlelit look if you do not want to go with a more modern look.

We are excited about these new additions, and we hope you are as well! While we love the new structure and we're happy with the amount of things we have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time—reimbursements are being given to all wedding receptions that take place in the Pavilion before the ballroom can be rebuilt.

However, we are rebuilding FAST! We will keep sending out updates as we receive them about the progress of the rebuild. We are still striving to have our Fall weddings inside the newly built Artisan Ballroom. Plans are being drawn up as we speak. The plans will still be very, very similar to the original ballroom you fell in love with. The most major change is that we have made the decision not to go with a thatch roof, for obvious reasons... But we loved the Artisan Ballroom just as it was and plan to rebuild in basically the exact same fashion—you will love the new ballroom too!!

Again, we are here for you. Don't hesitate to ask any questions. If you want to come out and see the structure, we are still giving tours as requested. Let us know if you need anything!

Barr Mansion Staff

Photos courtesy of Stella Alesi—THANK YOU!!

Candace and Michael—First Testimonial

2010-06-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

I will probably never be able to suffice in words just how unbelievably amazed I was on Saturday night. It was perfect and I could not have asked for a better wedding night or venue (even without the ballroom)! You both have been absolutely wonderful during this whole planning process from day one. I have some of the best memories from my wedding and when I look back, while I will remember the lightning striking and burning down the ballroom, the most vivid memories will be of the night itself and how from something so disastrous came a spectacular night! It would not have been possible without everyone from Barr Mansion. You are all truly very special people and I will cherish getting to have known you. Every guest on Saturday night commented on the beauty of everything and how incredibly delicious the food and cakes were. In fact, it was "the best wedding food" ever tasted! I just wanted to let you know that perfection was definitely reached! Thank you so so so much for everything!

Candace and Michael, June 12th 2010

The Show Goes On

2010-06-09T15:47:00.001-07:00

To our valued clients, guests, and community,

As you likely know, our business just recently suffered a major fire to our magnificent ballroom. Even amidst the shock of such an event, there is no question that we will rebuild - and quickly. Our clients are our first priority: we are working to ensure that every client's wedding is as perfect as we all originally intended.

We have built our business over the past thirty years with passion, dedication and caring commitment to our community. During this short interim, we are operating successfully as we always have in the last twenty years with our historical home, catering kitchen and lush gardens. In addition, we will have a climate-controlled tent with professional lighting.

Our original barn craftsmen, Homestead Heritage, plan to have a new, reclaimed frame raised within a matter of weeks.

Thank you to those who have shared your best thoughts, kind words, working hands and friendship in support of us.

The Barr Mansion Family

Cody and Brandon

2010-03-11T13:39:00.000-08:00

Brandon and Cody - {million moments} from Allen Doberenz on Vimeo.

Thank you Allen Doberenz Photography for this original and inspiring video!

Abby and Kurt

2010-03-05T18:00:00.000-08:00

Abby and Kurt were married the day before Valentine's Day. They created a romantic and vintage look for their wedding.

Ranunculus, anemones, and dusty miller foliage were featured in the bride's bouquet. The bridesmaids carried bright bouquets with pinks, oranges, and yellows. The boutonnieres also featured ranunculus and dusty miller with seeded euchalyptus. A guitarist provided romantic music for the ceremony and cocktail hour that followed. The bride walked down the aisle to the traditional... "here comes the bride..." song, but the guitarist transitioned into "here comes the sun...." as she walked down the aisle.

A super sweet couple—they had great fun planning the wedding and carefully thought out lots of beautiful details. Their escort cards were vintage Valentine's day cards hung with close pins on a clothes line between two cedar posts, a very unique touch.

Guests mingled and dined to appetizer stations of Baby Bayou Burgers, Baked Paprika Yam Sticks, Seasonal Vegetables with Molasses, a cheese board, Indian pancakes with a chickpea masala, red cabbage salad with almonds and sweet and sour dressing, and lamb sausage in flatbread topped with yogurt-dressed greens. The bride's cake was a beautiful Valentine's Day pink cake with delicate buttercream details. The groom's cake was chocolate with swirls of chocolate on top.

The bride and groom left to guests waving sparklers. Truly a great couple, and everyone had such a great time at the wedding. Come back to see us Abby and Kurt!

Thanks to Katherine O'Brien for these beautiful images!!!

Cheryl and Rob

2010-02-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

February Open House

2010-02-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

Barr Mansion hosted a beautiful open house on February 11th. It turned out to be an extremely cold and rainy evening, and for the few that braved the weather... it was worth it. Guests enjoyed passed appetizers, appetizer stations, cake, truffles, drinks and a signature cocktail. Andrew Sigler provided lovely ambient music throughout the evening.

Being so close to Valentine's Day, we couldn't help ourselves... we had a field day with a romantic Valentine's Day theme. Pink and red roses, romantic words on the cake, truffles, shockingly pink hummus dip... all very fitting to the occasion and time of the year.

In addition to the hummus with cracker shards, guests enjoyed winter greens pizza, baby rueben burgers, a crab cocktail station, and passed prosciutto wraps.

As the evening went on and the sun went down, the candles began to flicker and the ballroom transformed into a candlelit twinkling affair. A vase in the middle of the bar with submerged white cymbidium orchids were lit up from the bottom of the vase by LED lights covered in crystals, letting the orchid centerpiece stand out from across the room.

A good time was had by those who came. Many, many thanks to the wonderful Lisa Shepard of aimage photography for braving the weather with us and providing these beautiful images!

Stephanie and Brian

2010-02-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

Stephanie and Brian had a beautiful winter wedding in January. They were married in the Artisan Ballroom in front of the glass wall with candles lining the aisle and hanging from a wreath made out of grapevine twigs, and soft ivory fabric draped across the beams over them. Stephanie was escorted down the aisle by her sons and then the couple shared a beautiful family unity candle lighting ceremony with all their children.

The bouquets consisted of pink and red roses with pittosporum greenery. The flower girl wore a halo of pittosporum greenery and red spray roses.

Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour in a heated tent connected to the ballroom while the room was switched to a dinner setting. Elaborate centerpieces of roses and orchids adorned the tables, which were named after cities the couple had traveled to. Hundreds of candles placed around the room created a warm ambiance. A band played as guests entered back into the ballroom for dinner and dancing.

Guests were treated to passed appetizers of white bean and olive crostini and Mount Tam bruschetta with beets. A plated meal followed with a first course of spinach salad with olives and a second course of beef tenderloin with lemon mashed potatoes. The vegetarian selection was polenta with sautéed mushrooms and greens, and the kids enjoyed good ol' mac and cheese.

The bride's cake was a gorgeous three-tiered cake covered in roses. The groom's cake was a chocolate cake covered in swirls of dark chocolate.

Guest favors were golf balls as the guests headed out to the front of the Mansion to send off the bride and groom in a shower of sparklers.

Thanks to Anthology Photography for all the lovely photographs!!

Kelly and Eric

2010-02-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

Kelly and Eric were married this past November at the arch, which was covered in greenery and fall colored roses at the end of a pathway of fall colored petals.

Awaiting the ceremony to begin, Kelly was captured in some great shots as she was getting ready inside the Mansion in the bridal sweet.

Barton Strings trio began to play as guests took their seats. It was a gorgeous Fall day for a ceremony, as the wedding party took their places.

The bride walked down the aisle with a beautiful bouquet filled with red cox comb, blue thistle, green buttons, green and red hypericum berries, white stephanotis, creamy ranunculus, yellow yarrow, pink riceflower, scabiosa pods, and seeded euchalyptus. A wonderful combination of a variety of flowers, it turned out perfect! The groom's boutonniere featured a green cymbidium orchid with a tiny accent of red and green hypericum berries and seeded euchalyptus.

The evening went on to a beautiful reception, where guests enjoyed beef tenderloin served table-side, sweet potato and russet potato home fries, salad with Texas pecans and cranberry vinaigrette, halibut, pork burgers, mushroom, greens, and white bean cassoulet, and butternut squash soup served in small cups. The band, Alter Ego, kept people on the dance floor all evening.

The bride's cake was a simple off-centered squared tiers with layered colors of ribbon. In lieu of a groom's cake, the couple offered cupcakes that spelled out "Happy Birthday" to honor two of the bride's cousins' birthdays, which were also on the wedding day.

Many thanks to Svetlana Photography for these gorgeous images!!

January Open House

2010-02-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

Barr Mansion hosted a beautiful open house on January 11th. The evening was chilly outside, but inside it was a warm winter wonderland with candles flickering, music playing, and a sampling of food and drinks. Hill Country Strings provided ambient music with their strings and sax quartets.

The ballroom was decorated with a winter theme. Tall snow-covered curly willow with hanging candles and crystals and soft, creamy-white roses adorned the tables. Candles were everywhere—hanging from the candle wreath chandelier, lining the pathways, on the steps of the stage, on the fountain ledges. It was definitely the Artisan Ballroom in it's full glory.

Guests were treated to pear pizzas, baby rueben beef burgers, and a crab cocktail station. Waiters also passed delectable appetizers of gnocchi with fried sage leaves and herb goat cheese and greens wrapped in prosciutto.

A three-tiered lemon-raspberry cake covered in delicate swirls and swiss dot patterns in white buttercream with scattered clusters of cream roses and white alstroemeria was the featured dessert. The table was covered in cream rose petals and the cake itself was elevated on a silver plateau sitting on a bed of moss.

Michael Hooks, an amazing photographer, joined us to capture these beautiful images. Many thanks Michael for coming to our open house and sharing your work with us!

www.HookedPhoto.com

Corin and Kieran

2010-01-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Corin and Kieran had a beautiful winter wedding this January. The ceremony was inside the Artisan Ballroom with the glass wall behind them as their backdrop. Candles lined the aisle and added to the ambiance of a candlelit wintery backdrop.

Though it was still Texas—so it wasn't that cold, and it was warm enough to be able to take lots of pictures outside and enjoy the gardens before the ceremony.

Getting ready inside the Mansion...

During the ceremony the groom played the guitar, while the groom's mother sang, and the bride's mother played the keyboard to "Oh Heavenly Day" — a very touching moment.

An eco-conscious couple, the flowers were all certified organic and some of the dusty miller foliage was actually grown right at Barr Mansion. The bride carried cream roses, cream alstroemeria and gray dusty miller. The bridesmaids carried cream and peach roses with peach alstroemeria and gray dusty miller. The boutonnieres were made of alstroemeria as well.

A beautiful, yet simple, bride's cake was adorned with the roses and alstroemeria as well.

And the night was filled with dancing. A good time was had by ALL. The dancing was broken up momentarily for a surprise serenade by the groom to his bride, incredibly sweet and thoughtful.

The couple left on a tandem bicycle, the bride not afraid to hike up her dress and ride side saddle. In fact it was so much fun, they went back and came around again. They did not ride ALL the way home on a bike though, this laid-back couple rode away on a bus with their friends.

Thanks for the beautiful images Sandy Carson!!! Much appreciated.

Karen and Homero

2010-01-17T10:45:00.000-08:00

Karen and Homero were married at the end of November on a beautiful evening at sunset.

They were married inside a tent connected to the Artisan Ballroom since the end of November can be finicky in Texas. Tons of white paper lanterns graced the top of the tent and pillar candles in vases lined the aisle creating beautiful ambient lighting for their ceremony. Two beautiful candelabras, covered in ivy and orange spray roses, lined the wedding party.

The ballroom had just as much flair. A grapevine wreath with hanging candles hung above the dance floor. To maximize space, the couple rented chavari chairs, 60" tables and linens to fit all their guests indoors for their plated dinner reception. Centerpieces of curly willow with orange chinese lanterns and hanging candles were perfect for the time of year. For height variation across the room, short vases overflowing with orange gerber daisies, green hypericum berries and circus roses were placed on half the tables.

Guests were treated to an elegant plated dinner beginning with passed appetizers of roasted squash bites with pumpkin seed pesto, polenta triangles with peppers and blue cheese, and bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese and walnuts. Guests mingled and enjoyed a full bar.

For dinner, guests enjoyed a trio of artisan breads with whipped butter at the tables. The first plated course was saffron couscous with roasted vegetables—refreshingly different from the traditional plated green salad.

For the second plated course, guests could choose between slow roasted pork with greens and heirloom beans, maple grilled salmon with heirloom beans and lemon mash, or Greek lasagna with ziti, feta, and greens with heirloom beans. And after dinner guests enjoyed a Samish cheese board with seeded cracker shards and a seasonal fruit assortment along with the cakes.

The grooms cake featured bride and groom dinosaurs—and tons of little people figurines running away from them, scared for their lives. It was quite creative and fun, and a big hit at the reception. The brides cake was a gorgeous four-tiered cake with an icing design that gave it a "fresh out of the kitchen" feel. The layers were lined with tons of orange gerber daisies and spray roses, giving the cake a more formal take despite the relaxed icing design.

While guests dined in the ballroom, the tent area was transformed from ceremony site to lounge area. Therefore guests who wanted to get away from the loud music or just take a breather had a beautiful setting to relax in.

The bride carried a bouquet of gerber daisies, green hypericum berries and lemon leaves. The groom had a white mini gerber daisy boutonniere. The groomsmen's boutonnieres and family boutonnieres were orange gerber daisies, and the family corsages were white gerber daisies.

For guest favors, Karen and Homero placed homemade candles at each place setting wrapped in cute little boxes tied with brown satin ribbon. They displayed a picture collection of their family members in the ballroom. Leaving in a shower of sparklers, it was a fabulous end to a fabulous night.

Thanks so very much to the lovely and talented Alina Prax with La Dolce Vita Photography for these amazing images. Well done!!

Lauren and Chris

2010-01-10T21:16:00.000-08:00

Lauren and Chris. Such a sweet couple, and they had a beautiful October wedding. They were married under the arch, with orange roses and green hanging amaranthus providing a gorgeous backdrop.

A non-traditional couple, Lauren walked with both her parents from the front door of the Mansion to the back of the aisle where she met Chris. The bride and groom walked hand-in-hand the rest of the way down the aisle.

Lauren carried a bouquet of green hydrangeas, cream roses, burgundy scabiosa, seeded euchalyptus, green hanging amaranthus, and looped bear grass and curly willow.

Boutonnieres consisted of spray roses... orange for the groomsmen, cream for the groom.... green hydrangea, looped bear grass and green hanging amaranthus wrapped in satin ribbon. The women wore corsages that were reversible between wrist corsages and pinned-on corsages, so the wearer could choose which they preferred.

A bride for details, Lauren had beautifully-typed cards for the menu items, which were placed next to each dish.

"Pear, Cowgirl Creamery Triple Cream Cheese and Olive Tarts"

"Roasted Squash Bites with Pumpkin Seed Pesto"

The bride and groom had a moment alone in the Mansion after the ceremony to enjoy appetizers and champagne and celebrate their new marriage.

Cute little boxes of muffin mix were the favors for the guests, and they sat atop each napkin at the place setting. Each box had a monogrammed sticker and was hand-tied with satin ribbon.

A one-of-a-kind bridal cake featured a bird's nest with love birds sitting atop a three-tiered carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. A leaf motive was perfect for the Fall season. The groom's cake was a chocolate zucchini cake with buttercream icing... how many couples can say there were vegetables in their wedding cake? Honestly though, it was incredibly tasty and not the least bit healthy except for the fact that it was organic.

The couple left the Ballroom in a shower of sparklers. They had so much fun, they turned around and came back for another round. Congratulations Lauren and Chris, we'll miss you!

Jake Holt—what can we say, but thank you for these wonderful images! Stunning!

Rachel and Lewis

2010-01-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

Rachel and Lewis had a beautiful brunch wedding on October 4th.

The weather was somewhat "iffy" that day, so they had the ceremony indoors. But it turned out to be a beautiful day for a wedding. The bridal party processed down the aisle to an accordion and the bride had two male attendants, "bridesmen" we called them. They were married under an arch of brown curly willow and green vines.

After the ceremony inside the ballroom, everyone went outside to do a group photograph. The wedding party was able to take lots of pictures outside in the gardens.

The bride carried a bouquet of white roses, pale green hydrangea, white Queen Anne's lace, and green vines.

The couple offered cheesecake and cupcakes for dessert. They also had a cupcake topper, which was a pokemon action figure. And a twist on the traditional, they offered their guests rose champagne for refreshment. Guest favors were personalized mugs.

The couple left to a grand exit with birdseed tossed at them.

Thanks ever so much to Whitney Lee Photography for these images!!

Amy and Chris

2009-12-29T11:11:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Joe Simon Productions!
www.joesimonproductions.com

Kelly and Robert

2009-12-26T14:06:00.000-08:00

On a beautiful December day, Kelly and Robert were married inside the Artisan Ballroom. A large basket of petals at the end of the aisle was provided for the children attending the wedding to scatter however they saw fit down the aisle before the ceremony began.

Underneath a candle arch decorated with green and purple hydrangeas, the two said "I do." The bridesmaids' dresses were pewter and the girls carried bouquets of purple anemones, green hanging amaranthus, purplw freesia, and green button chrysanthemums.

The bridal bouquet also featured a delicate array of purple anemones, green hanging amaranthus, purplw freesia, and green button chrysanthemums paired with purple delphenium and hand-tied with purple satin ribbon topped with a green satin ribbon bow.

The boutonnieres also featured the striking purple anemones.

After the ceremony, the ballroom was transformed from ceremony site to reception site. The tables featured ivory floor length linens with bright and cheerful lime green toppers. Purple flowers stood out brightly in the center of the tables. And a sweetheart table in the center of the room was set up for the newlyweds.

The guests were treated to passed appetizers and then gathered together for a plated dinner, with the option of a winter salad with dark greens, beets and citrus or marinated seared prawns with bruschetta for the first course.

For the second course, guests had the option of grilled chicken and bread stuffing with carmelized onion, bacon, and apples; or acorn squash stuffed with apricots and cornbread; salmon with an herb crust and wild rice stuffing.

For dessert, the bride's cake featured white icing with brown chocolate stems and purple waxflowers. The groom's cake featured purple and green satin ribbon with an ivory modeling chocolate dot pattern resembling their wedding invitations.

Blue Mist Band provided the entertainment and kept everyone dancing. For the kids, the couple provided bubbles and cupcakes. It was a beautiful winter wedding with a upbeat, modern sense of style.

Many, many thanks to Tyler Schmitt, with Schmitt Photography, for providing these images.

Breanna and Amit

2009-11-20T13:23:00.000-08:00

Breanna and Amit wed each other on a gorgeous, while a bit rainy, October day. The sweet couple said "I do" under a chuppah adorned with purple roses, green hanging amranthus, curly willow, and white tool.

Mazel tov!

Just a few short hours before the ceremony began, a huge completely healthy-looking tree uprooted itself and fell in front of the ballroom covering the zen garden and pathway to the ballroom. All the Barr Mansion staff pitched in to remove it in plenty of time before the guests arrived—you would have never known it happened. The bride and groom remained characteristically cool when they arrived to see the gigantic tree sprawled all over the place—they knew us well enough to know we wouldn't let anything so much as a tree ruin their wedding day.

(photo by Abby Daigle)

The wedding flowers featured bright blue dendrobium orchids, purple roses, and gray dusty miller. A beautifully combination of colors, and a perfect fit for the day.

The evening was enchanting with candles everywhere.

This untraditional couple had very creative wedding cakes. The bride's cake featured silhouettes of the Beatles, sheet music, and fresh strawberries. And the grooms cake featured a blue pendant surrounded by three yellow triangles with sheet music and a lemon grass border.

Guests dined on food stations of New Bride chicken curry with naan, cheese fondue with cool weather vegetables, shiitake mushroom pizza, baby turkey-feta burgers with smoky aioli, and sesame potato and russet potato home fries. And waiters passed hors d'oeuvres of organic la Quercia prosciutto Americano bruschetta and pear, Cowgirl creamery triple cream cheese and olive tarts.

A beautiful end to a beautiful evening.

Gorgeous photos by Michael Hooks.

www.HookedPhoto.com

Catherine and Jacob

2009-11-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

Catherine and Jacob were married on September 5th underneath the arch, which was covered in greenery and dripping with green dendrobium orchids.

A bride with some serious style—Catherine's bouquet featured green succulents, green hydrangeas, green hanging amranthus, and green cymbidium orchids, and green scabiosa pods wrapped in green variegated leaves and raffia.

The groomsmen wore green cymbidium orchid boutonnieres, and Jacob—not to be outdone by his bride—wore an orchid with a small green succulent, a bit of green hanging amranthus, and a sprig of curly willow wrapped in raffia.

The bride, an artist, hand-made aisle markers for the ceremony chairs. Guests enjoyed music from a gramophone, which was a family heirloom. The music for the processional was also played on the gramophone.

It was a beautiful evening and guests were treated to a plated meal of peppered beef tenderloin with pumpkin mash or greek lasagna with feta and local vegetables, and a toasted pine nut and sweet potato salad. For the kids who attended the wedding, DVDs and games were provided by the bride and groom in the Mansion with nannies to watch them—fun for the kids, and the adults got to relax. The guests were also treated to a projector show of the couple's courtship during the reception.

The bride's cake featured a cake topper resembling the bride and groom with piped brown twigs and real white wax flowers atop a yellow background. Instead of a groom's "cake," they had groom's "cupcakes."

Stacy Cross—amazing photographer that you are—thank you for the beautiful pictures and congratulations on your new baby!!

Allison and Will

2009-11-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

It was a rainy day Allison married Will. But it was a beautiful day. And an even more beautiful evening. It rained during the ceremony, but magically cleared for the reception. The young couple had a huge wedding party, and a large guest list. Surrounded by all their family and friends they were married under a white canopy in front of a beautiful cross. The wedding party proceeded to the tent with matching umbrellas. When they entered the tent, a staff person at the back of the chairs quickly took the umbrellas.

Following the ceremony was dinner and dancing. The guests enjoyed passed appetizers of roasted squash bites with pumpkin seed pesto, pear, cowgirl creamery triple cream cheese tarts, and prosciutto Americano. In addition, in stations around the room, guests were treated to beef tenderloin sandwiches, a green salad with pecans and cranberry vinaigrette, sesame sweet potato and russet potato home fries, shiitake mushroom pizza, grilled shrimp kabobs, roasted vegetable and Mt. Tam cheese Cuabatta rolls, and a cheese board with fruit and crackers.

The couple had a romantic, organic feel to their floral and design elements. A beautiful tree trunk with floral accents in the center of a buffet table was a wonderful touch.

The cake was adorned with olive branches and topped with a wreath of fresh lavender.

The bride and groom left in style—in a vintage convertible.

Jennifer and Rick

2009-11-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Rick & Jennifer - Barr Mansion from elitevp.com on Vimeo.

Annelies and Ben

2009-11-04T15:52:00.001-08:00

Annelies and Ben were married under the arch on a gorgeous October morning. This was a wedding with some character for sure. The bride carried a bouquet of hydrangeas, succulents, artichokes, and kale. The boutonnieres were made out of asparagus.

Along the same lines, the centerpieces had just as much character. One style featured pillar candles wrapped in asparagus surrounded by floating succulents, and the other style featured a vase filled with hydrangeas, eggplants, and artichokes.

You could not have asked for better weather for a brunch wedding. The skies were blue, the air was cool, and the sun was shining. Annelies looked gorgeous with white dendrobium orchids in her hair.

A word from the bride: Thank you all so much for making our October 25th wedding so beautiful and memorable! Ben and I just returned from our honeymoon in the Galapagos (soooo fabulous!) and we wanted to be sure and let you know how much we enjoyed our ceremony and reception. We actually had fun at our own wedding-- everything looked perfect and felt easy and natural. Mark and Keegan: thank you for gently guiding us and our guests through the ceremony and reception! Abby- The flowers were INCREDIBLE!! you and your staff outdid yourselves. Those purple cabbages and artichokes were amazing with the hydrangeas in the bouquets, the centerpieces were a hit, and I have to admit my very favorite part was the asparagus bouttonieres-- just what I had envisioned. Again thank you so much for adding all the special touches that made our wedding absolutely perfect. It was just what we hoped it would be.

Besides food meant to be nice to look at, there was food a plenty to be eaten as well. Guests dined on brunch menu, many of the items vegan—including swiss chard veggie wraps, melon panzanella, and sweet potatoes with miso mustard. Guests also dined on herb frittata, roasted veggie and ciabatta rolls, a family recipe coffee cake, and a yogurt martini bar with fresh fruit and other toppings. And don't forget the dessert! Stunning cakes to finish the meal.

Come back and see us Annelies and Ben!!

Thank you Mary Sledd for the gorgeous photos!

www.sleddweddings.com

LeeAnna and Gordon

2009-11-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

LeeAnna and Gordon were married at Riverbend Church on a stunningly gorgeous October evening. Beautiful day, beautiful flowers, beautiful church, beautiful bride, handsome groom—it was the perfect day.

The bride sipped champagne with her bridesmaids and her mother while putting her dress on. And what white dress is not complete without fancy red shoes?

Barr Mansion Floral created some beautiful bouquets and boutonnieres for the happy couple. The bride carried a bouquet of solid red roses. The bridesmaids carried bouquets of red and lavender roses, lavender scabiosa, green amaranthus, and burgundy cymbidium orchids. The groomsmen wore burgundy cymbidium orchid boutonnieres, and the groom wore a red rose to match his bride.

The mothers carried small bouquets of red roses and burgundy cymbidium orchids, and the flower girls carried small bouquets as well. Abby, the older flower girl, wore a halo of red spray roses in her hair.

The family was seated, the groom and groomsmen took their places, the wedding party entered. The flower girls lined up (the little one, Sydney, made it down with everything but her shoes).

And then the bride, LeeAnna, and her father, Buzz, gracefully walked down the aisle... her father very careful not to step on her cathedral-length veil.

A few words, a sand ceremony, a few more words, and a kiss... and they were married!

Then a car came for the bride and groom, now newlyweds, and they were whisked away to enjoy their reception. Here's to you LeeAnna and Gordon!

Photographs by Innovative Photography

www.innovativephotography.com

Anneke and Zac

2009-11-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

Anneke wed Zac on August 29, 2009. It was a beautiful evening, but Texas... so they wed indoors facing the 40-foot glass wall of the Artisan Ballroom.

The bride had a beautiful dress, perfect for the summer. It was light and airy and had a "feathered" look to it. She looked stunning in it, and she also looked comfortable... which you don't see very often....

A sweet couple and quite used to the wedding business—the bride's family runs a restaurant, which also caters weddings. Being in the business, they had strong ideas about what food they wanted to serve at the wedding and how they wanted it served. They wanted a family style service, with platters of food brought out and set in the middle of the table, which their guests could then pass around to each other. Family style service is a great take on a plated style service—original and fun, and it promotes conversation at the table. In addition to cake for the dessert, the couple provided beautiful fruit tarts—a refreshing and scrumptious way to end a big meal.

The flowers used at the wedding were striking and different, which seemed to be the theme of this wedding—original ideas that were elegant yet playful and fun. The bride carried a stunning bouquet of blue thistles, mango calla lilies, and burgundy orchids. Amongst the flowers were wispy feathers that really tied the bouquet in with the bride's dress. Copper embellishments over blue satin ribbon finished off the look. The boutonnieres were mango calla lilies tied with blue satin ribbon and copper embellishments.

Many thanks to our good friend and photographer, Peter Staats for these images.

Callie and Randy

2009-09-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

Callie and Randy were married in front of the rose garden under an arch of peonies on a July evening just before sunset. With such a sweet, personable young couple, it was no surprise that almost 400 guests came to their wedding.

The bouquets featured soft pink peonies, cream spray roses and green anethum. Tall centerpieces with curly willow and huge blooms of antique hydrangea decorated the tables. Hydrangea blooms with spray roses lined the aisle of the ceremony.

It was a gorgeous day, bright blue skies and a nice breeze. Guests enjoyed refreshing open-face tomato sandwiches and zuchini rolls among other appetizers during the reception. Tables scattered on the patio areas in front of the ballroom, where fans were set up to create a cool breeze as guests dined and danced the night away.

Special thanks to Allison Notgrass with Focal Point for these wonderful images—beautiful work!

www.fpphoto.com

www.fpphoto.com/blog

Renae and Tom's Family Portraits

2009-09-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Photos by Peter Staats

Jill and Lee

2009-08-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

Jill and Lee were married at Barr Mansion in front of the rose garden on July 18th, 2009. A couple to remember, they had such a sweet attitude and their devotion to each other was easy to see. The bride carried antique roses with bear grass looped around the blossoms and the stems were were wrapped in variegated leaves, creating a very unique and beautiful look.

Nothing could stop this bride and groom from walking down the aisle—though a hook and eye closure on the bride's dress sure did give it a try. Other than that, without a hitch Jill and Lee said "I do." Later during the reception, the groom gave a very sweet toast to Jill right before the cake cutting, which just about brought the entire room to tears. The bride's cake was a cheesecake covered in seasonal berries—another truly unique touch for this wedding.

They truly were a laid-back, fun couple... which was evident by the cooler of beer they brought to the rehearsal and offered to the Barr Mansion staff, and the fun pictures Jill took in the bathtub in the Mansion. Come back and see us Jill and Lee!

Photos by Rick Patrick.

Third Harvest Food and Cake Tasting 2009

2009-08-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Fall clients came to Barr Mansion to enjoy a tasting of food and cake on the evening of August 7th. Not only was it a time to try food and cake, but guests also got to meet the entire Barr Mansion team and see the Artisan Ballroom lit up at night. Guests arrived to scrumptious appetizers, cold beer, and a wine selection based on the evening's food selections. Here are some of the appetizers that were served.

Sweet Potato Patties with Miso Mustard

Pecan-Smoked Bison NY Strip Kabobs

Baby Turkey-Feta Burgers with Smoky Aioli

As guests finished the appetizers, a salad was plated at their tables... a small, tasting version of the Marinated Seared Prawns with Bruschetta from our plated meals menu.

After the salads were cleared, a dinner buffet was served. Guests enjoyed Beef Tenderloin with Bacon-Herbed Butter and a Slow-Roasted Mesquite-Smoked Pork Roast, among other things.

Greek Lasagna with Ziti Feta and Local Vegetables

Finally, the dessert buffet was served. Six cakes were prepared for the guests, who did what they could after eating so much for dinner. The perfect end to the evening. Yum!!

THANK YOU Brad with Hyde Park Photography for coming to eat dinner with us and taking these pictures!! Hope you had as much fun as we did!

Kasey and Erik

2009-08-07T11:49:00.000-07:00

Kasey and Eric were married in June in front of the statue. The girls carried beautiful white roses, blue velvet-stemmed tweedia, and green lemon leaves. Matching aisle markers lined the ceremony site creating a romantic, summery garden feel.

A brown and blue color scheme carried through to the reception. The dinner tables featured brown linens with tiffany blue runners. Kasey and Erik were surrounded by 200 friends and family, with tables spreading onto the lawn and patio to enjoy the ambiance of white paper lanterns swaying in the summer breeze.

Many, many thanks for photographer Whitney Lee for unforgettable images!

Nicole and Rick

2009-08-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Nicole, possibly the sweetest bride ever, married Rick on July Fourth weekend. The couple wed in front of the statue in the rose garden.

Rick, lucky man, wore a white spray rose boutonniere that matched the bride's simple and classic white rose bouquet. The bridesmaids and groomsmen featured lavender roses.

A truly signature, signature cocktail—guests sipped on "Jimbo's" all evening, a one-of-a-kind creation by the couple. A large fireworks display lit up the night sky and ended the evening as the bride and groom made their grand exit.

Clare and Justin

2009-08-03T21:08:00.001-07:00

All the hours and hours of careful preparation paid off the day Clare married Justin... in these shiny blue heels on an equally shiny July day in front of a whopping 300 guests. The ceremony was at Saint Matthews and the reception at Barr Mansion followed immediately after. Guests arrived to the tunes of Tunes Across Texas, sipped on fruity red and white sangria, munched on scrumptious hors d'oeuvres, and took their pictures in a photo booth to capture the moments.

The bride's cake was an elegant lemon-raspberry cake with blue ribbon and white cymbidium orchids scattered across the tiers. The groom's cake was a camouflage cake showcasing a bride and groom deer cake topper, handmade by the groom's mother. Hundreds of small photographs of the bride and groom, which were carefully collected and prepared by the bride's mother, were scattered around the dinner tables—making for great conversation at the tables and showed the personalities of the bride and groom.

The bride wore a single, beautiful, white cymbidium orchid in her hair, and carried a bouquet of white hydrangeas, white lisianthus, and green hypericum berries. The boutonnieres were made of green hypericum berries and lavender.

The bride and groom left in a shower of white rose petals from over 200 roses. A perfect end to a perfect evening.

For a family who carries a deep value for photographs, there is no better photographer to capture these moments than Stella Alesi. Thank you!

Summer and Michael

2009-08-02T22:16:00.001-07:00

Summer and Michael... where do we begin? This was a wedding to remember. A beautiful indoor ceremony inside the Artisan Ballroom. Followed by a reception fit for a rock star—zebra chair ties, black feathered centerpieces, a zebra groom's cake, and a bride's cake in the shape of three drums stacked on top of eachother.

The bride and groom are both local musicians, and the entire reception was a parade of their friends performing on stage with different songs. When it came time for the toasts, shot glasses of jager were passed around instead of glasses of champagne... the shot glasses were also the guests' favors.

For the ceremony the couple opted for our white wooden chairs, since the teak chairs had zebra chair ties on them. And we lowered the painting (which is on a pulley over the stage) to cover up the band equipment, so it would be a surprise after the cocktail reception. When the painting was raised, it revealed a grand piano and all the other instruments the couple's friends would be using throughout the reception.

The bride's bouquet featured black bacarra roses, white hypericum berries, and black feathers.

Won't forget this one! Special thanks to Peter Staats for the pictures—a photographer worth his weight for sure.

Kathryn and Jim

2009-08-02T14:28:00.001-07:00

Kathryn and Jim were married this year on a bright Fourth of July.

The girls carried bold flowers of peonies, hydrangea, and spray roses that stood out beautifully against their blue dresses.

The groom's cake was perfect for the Cardinal fan Jim, and the bride's

cake was a three tiered cheesecake with seasonal berries. Guests enjoyed a nice dinner inside the Artisan Ballroom and danced the night away, kicked off by a wonderfully thought out 1st dance by the bride and groom.

And of course, the couple went out with a bang at the end of evening, as fireworks showered over the guests.

Many thanks to photographer Alex Labry for these images!

Shawn and Dan

2009-07-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

Shawn and Dan had a beautiful May wedding under the garden arch. Shawn carried a unique bouquet of white ranunculus, white hydrangea, seeded euchalyptus, rosemary and green succulents. Boutonnieres consisted of fresh rosemary, white ranunculus, and seeded euchalyptus.

Guests enjoyed cocktails under the large native Pecan tree behind the Mansion as the sun set. Inside the Artisan Ballroom, table centerpieces featured a variety of antique bottles collected by the bride with multicolored ranunculus and succulents. The bride's cake was simple, clean, and delicious! Dan's mother was surprised with a birthday cake and a rousing round of 'happy birthday' and guests dance the night away to a fantastic 70's band—Skyrocket with Trish Murphy.

Photographs by Bill McCullough—unique shots and style we never get tired of seeing.

Andrea and Robert

2009-07-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

Andrea and Robert had a beautiful brunch wedding reception on June 28th. Guests arrived to bloody mary's and mimosas under the fans of the Pecan Tree, as the bride and groom greeted everyone. With record-breaking temperatures all week in Texas, everyone was very happy to move into the ballroom pretty quickly and enjoy gospel music from Bells of Joy—a truly soulful treasure who were so much fun to watch.

Table centerpieces featured potted plants with white blossoms, which guests were able to take home after the reception. The bride's cake was a tall three-tiered carrot cake with cream cheese icing and bright green hydrangea in between the layers. The groom's cake was cheesecake with a fleur de lis pattern in the middle surrounded by fresh raspberries.

Andrea and Robert were married in the mountains in a sweet and special ceremony just for the two of them—so at the reception they played a slideshow for their friends and family to be able to see the ceremony. It was a beautiful, relaxed, and fun reception—a good time was had by all.

Thank you Brad with Hyde Park Photography, for the (as always) wonderful photos.