DNA Events, An Austin Event Company

A Whimsical Yet Rustic Setting

Who knew that located approximately 35 miles South of Austin exists four beautiful venues all part of Texas Old Town.  I recently had the pleasure of exploring their newest venue, Stone Hall. 

Great outdoor patio!

Stone Hall offers plenty of indoor and outdoor space to fit any wedding style. Inside, the intricate wooden architecture brings warmth to the reception hall. Outside, there is a lovely space to conduct a ceremony with a beautiful background of a bridge, limestone rock waterfall and pond. The venue is even equipped with a covered outside pavilion area in case of bad weather. 

Spacious ceremony site- can hold upwards of 300 guests

Cross your fingers for good weather because this backdrop is perfect for pictures with the wedding party and family. It does a great job of capturing the beauty of the open Texas Hill Country. 

Limestone waterfall with bridge and pond

The set up in the reception hall for the Erikson wedding I worked two weeks ago. There is so much you can do with this space. There is a staircase at the opposite end of this picture in which the bride and groom can sneak up a back staircase post- ceremony and make their grand entrance. 

Beautiful reception hall with plenty of options for decor

Texas Old Town allows you to rent the space from 8AM until midnight and you can choose whatever vendors you would like on your special day. Tables and chairs are provided, so there is no need to bring in rentals, which makes for one less thing to worry about. 

This particular couple decided on having the wedding party on the small stage so everyone could see them, which I thought was an effective use of the space. 

The incredible wooden beams allow for the hanging of drapes, extra lights and any creative décor you would like to use to make this space your own. 

Wedding party seated on the elevated stage

There is a big kitchen for catering staff and flower preparation. Also, a bride suite and grooms suite fully set up with each having mirrors, a rest room and plenty of changing space and comfortable chairs.

At the end of the night, your family doesn’t have to stay and clean, because Texas Old Town also provides clean up services after your event.

When planning your wedding or big event don’t forget to check out this amazing venue right in Austin’s backyard!

 Located at: 1205 Roland Lane, Kyle, TX 78640

To find out more about all Texas Old Town has to offer: http://www.texasoldtown.com/ 

Contact Information: (512)-396-1800 info@TexasOldTown.com

Written and Photography By: DNA Events Intern, Lindsey Hollingsworth

We had such a fun time this past weekend for our wedding at Mercury Hall for Mary Beth & Will!

Built in 1904 in Mercury, Texas, the historic structure was used as a chapel for more than eighty years, during which it survived two fires. Moved to its current location in 1997,  The Hall plays host to weddings, special events, fundraisers and performances.

The venue provides an opportunity to take some awesome shots.

The grounds are completely enclosed by trees and are beautiful for pre-ceremony shots. Photo courtesy of A' La Vie Photography.

Beautiful stained glass windows inside the venue. Photo courtesy of A' La Vie Photography.

The lights in the trees are perfect for a shot of a moment alone for the bride & groom. Photo courtesy of A' La Vie Photography.

Mercury Hall is les than two miles from the Greetings from Austin sign-located at South First Street and Annie Street. Perfect for pre-ceremony photos! Photo courtesy of A' La Vie Photography.

Mercury Hall is located just a few miles from downtown Austin at 615 Cardinal Lane. To learn more about Mercury Hall, visit: www.mercuryhall.com

To book Mercury Hall for your next event:
Phone: 512.236.1226
Email: info@mercuryhall.com

To learn more about happenings at the Hall, follow at:

http://mercuryhall.wordpress.com/

Posted By:

DNA Events Intern, Alissa Hale

1. Change Your Last Name:

Start with the Social Security Administration, then change your driver’s license. Don’t forget to change passports, wills, mortgages, and insurance policies as soon as possible after your big day.

Go check out The Knot‘s article for all the nitty gritty steps to changing your name.

2. Decide What To Do With Your Gown:

Brides have more options today than they used to. You can choose to do a “Trash the Dress” photography session, preserve and store it, re-vamp it, sell it, or even donate it.

• Do a “Trash the Dress” photography session. This gives you a chance to wear your gown one more time and have lots of fun in it! If you’re feeling uninspired, google “Trash the Dress,” you’ll be bombarded with various ideas for photo shoots. Some of the most popular include brides playing in the mud or rolling around in the sand on beaches. If you just can’t bring yourself to actually “trash” your dress, you can still do a “TTD” photo shoot, but in less messy environment! (And you can always have your dress cleaned when you’re done with your photo shoot!) For instance, check out the Trash the Dress albums by It’s ALL Good photography  for inspiration!
• You can choose to skip right to preserving and storing your dress. Decide how you want to store your dress, and then have it dry-cleaned! If you have the room, we love the idea of framing your dress!
  

  Frame your wedding dress-to give you butterflies every time you walk into your closet! Photo courtesy of ckeventspassionateforweddings.blogspot.com.

• You can also choose to keep your dress so that you can photograph your little girl in it someday! This would make a great shoot to include in the slideshow at her rehearsal dinner!
  

  Precious!

• Wouldn’t it be fun to be able to wear your wedding gown to a formal dinner party? So re-vamp it! You could choose to take your dress to a tailor and have it shortened or have contrasting fabric or frill added on! You could also choose to have your wedding dress dyed-there are hundreds of companies that offer this service! Bonus: White fabrics dye the best! Check out Intimate Dyeing to give yourself some ideas!
• If you don’t think you’ll ever pass your dress down to your daughter, or you just don’t have the space or need to store it, sell it! Check out Preowned Wedding Dresses or Still-White to get you started!
• Likewise, you can choose to donate your dress to help a great cause! Donate My Wedding Dress or Brides Against Breast Cancer are just a few of the great possibilities you can choose from.

3. Get Your Mutual Finances Organized!

Check out this financial to-do list for newlyweds.

4. Send Those Thank-You Notes!

5. Give Everyone Your New Address!

6. Handle Those Registry Returns!

You need to do this as soon as possible, preferably within two months of your big day. This is one of those things you just don’t want to procrastinate on!

7. Make It Legal!

Don’t forget the little issues of changing beneficiaries and choosing a mutual insurance plan. Check out The Nest’s resources & checklists for creating a will and changing your insurance.

8. Create keepsakes from your big day!

Decopage a copy of the marriage certificate. Really cool idea! Photo courtesy of gypsypurplehome.tumblr.com

Keepsake book created from wedding cards. Photo courtesy of somethingturquoise.com

Posted By:

DNA Events Intern, Alissa Hale

 When you attend The University of Texas it is natural to seek out orange in any shade. This year, it seemed to be getting easier to find shades of orange in stores. Little did I know Pantone had named Tangerine Tango the hot color of 2012!

Tangerine Tango Lace Dress Photo Courtesy: H&M.com

H&M follows the trend with a classy, yet sassy lace dress- perfect for date night, shopping day, family brunch or a bachelorette party. Not only has Tangerine Tango been present in everyday fashion, but has made its debut in the wedding industry.

Beautiful Bouquet, Photo Courtesy: The Knot (theknot.com

When a bride chooses her color theme, she chooses more than the background, the colors ultimately define the wedding and the design is what people remember. Why go with your favorite color when Tangerine Tango is such a hit?

Abstract Cake with a Pop, Photo Courtesy: The Knot

Tangerine Tango is such a vibrant and fun color that can make any wedding stand out among the rest. Use it for a destination wedding, or to bring some boldness and fun to your backyard theme.

Tangerine & Blush Floral Arrangement Photo Courtesy: www.mauiweddingflorist.com

~Nice paired with white and cream for a neutral and calm appeal~

~Perfect with pink for a girly flair~

~Great with green for a natural and earthy look~

Such a Fun Accent Color for a Bride; Photo Courtesy: Lirette Photography

Tangerine Tango seems to fit with any season.

Spring has many fresh Dahlias, Roses and Daisies to choose

Summer, with much needed cool, Tangerine-inspired cocktails

Into Fall and Winter, where Tangerine blends with the colorful leaves or brightens up a darker day

Keep a look out at the pool, on the beach or at the next wedding you attend to see who has incorporated this fabulous color

Spice up your life!

Written By: DNA Events Intern, Lindsey Hollingsworth

In Austin, hill-country chic weddings will always bloom abundantly.  But as we tie ribbons onto our succulent spring weddings, we look ahead to our dramatic fall and winter.  Where brides are asking for rich reds and purples fortified with intense romance.  But when brides start asking for drama and intensity, we must rise to the challenge of keeping things balanced. 

With these metallic inspirations, we hope to balance softness with sultry, the “wow” with warmth, and drama with romance.   These inspirations were found at luxefinds.com, etsy.com, annawhitford.com, and projectwedding.com.