As much as Austinites love a cowboy boot with any outfit, there's more options than that for celebrating this city in a wedding. Locally conscious lovebirds in the country's 11th largest city have tons of options for making their weddings unique, from food, to fashion, to the most salient one of all, music. (For up-to-date, case-specific ideas on all of this, explore our Real Weddings series.)
Whether you want to represent Austin to visiting friends and family, or leave subtle nods to the people who have been here all along, one Austin-based wedding planner has kindly offered a list of the most "Austin" things she's seen at weddings. Amy Küntz of Hawthorne and Poppy was chosen in April by leading wedding website The Knot as one of its "most notable emerging wedding pros," so readers can trust that her six ideas aren't played out.
Plus, her entry on the list mentions that she's a great advocate for vendors — presumably something someone would care about if they love Austin so much they're building their wedding around local specialties.
Let's make our way to the altar and enter a union with some of these hyperlocal ideas. Note: Links were added by CultureMap and do not reflect the vendors Amy Küntz has experience with. More research is encouraged!
Drink it in
Most folks would think of hiring a local restaurant or caterer to handle the food, but wine, beer and liquor brands are more niche choices that can also get in on the fun. Küntz points out that Austin is known for its breweries and distilleries, and that couples often already have a strong connection with them as date spots or friend group haunts. Favorite beverages could also form a fun excuse to organize something outside the standard ceremony and reception.
"In April this year, we had a welcome party downtown and the couple decided that as much as possible would be local to Austin and Texas," says Küntz. "They landed on serving Tito's, Deep Eddy, Lalo, Austin Beerworks and Still Austin. But before choosing which they'd serve, they would spend their weekends going to each location, if possible, and trying what all they had to offer."
Talk about taking a break from the wedding planning stress.
Get in the saddle
Adventurous couples — or ones who like sowing a little chaos — can put a real honky tonk twist in their celebration that knocks the formality down several pegs. An inflatable bull riding ring is sure to stick in guests' memories, especially for those visiting from afar. Sure, it's a little stereotypical, but it's hard to deny bull riding would be the most Texas thing most wedding guests ever experience.
"You find [the cowboy aesthetic] in western movies, painting a picture of the Wild, Wild West; bachelor and bachelorette parties [with] their cowboy hats and cowboy boots; and now the popular western chic theme sweeping the world in fashion," says Küntz. "What's better than having a few margaritas then hopping on a bull to be mercilessly judged by your friends and family? It's all fun and games until your sibling outlasts you on the bull. Everyone ultimately walks away belly laughing and talking about it for years."
Gimme two steps
Whether renting a mechanical bull is a little too wild or it inspires a couple to take the dance hall theme and run with it, a two-step lesson is a charming and low-maintenance solution. Plus, it might help shy guests get on the dance floor. (Hey, some of us need rules to dance.) It should be pretty easy for a well-coordinated couple with some practice to teach the basics, but if there were ever a day to hire a professional, this would be it. If you love the regular lessons at the White Horse, you can call instructor Beth Coffey and get her all to yourself. She specifically offers wedding services.
"This is perfect for welcome parties and wedding dance floor, says Küntz. "Guests have an interactive experience that brings everyone together on the dance floor to learn the same steps. It gives them a sort of break in the traditional wedding music when you turn on a Texas country favorite and grab a partner."
Stop and smell the bluebonnets
Floral arrangements are a given in just about any wedding, so this opportunity for creativity is baked in. Plus, with so many flowers in the world to choose from, it might actually help to narrow down options just to what's regional. In spring, Küntz likes to use bluebonnets, wild poppies, Indian paintbrushes, Drummond phlox, primroses, and sunflowers. The more colors, the merrier. Wedding wildflowers could also pair well with thrift store display vessels for a whimsical, organic feel.
"Our clients love color and we've become known for creating captivating color palettes," says Küntz. "This year we designed a wedding that blended Texas wildflowers and Ralph Lauren aesthetics. We used the wildflowers for our color palette of blues, oranges, pinks, and yellows, and [displayed them] in the floral centerpieces and stationery illustrations. The bride's friends also used the colors as inspiration for their dresses."
We're with the band
True, wedding bands have an impressive system for making sure everything goes off without a hitch. But in the Live Music Capital of the World, every night is a unique opportunity to scout a cool band that goes beyond the oldies covers people usually expect to hear. (Just make sure your guests are the type of people to enjoy a performance that never veers into "Uptown Funk.") Just like shopping around for beverage vendors, this could be a fun date night to narrow down ideas.
"[As a city] we go beyond Willie Nelson, although we love him dearly, with so many incredible artists in various genres like folk, Americana, blues, and EDM," says Küntz. "As an avid music lover who was raised in Tennessee on Willie Nelson, soul music, and classic rock, I envision each wedding through music. I can visualize how each piece of the wedding moves through what type of music is being played, and couples lean on us to hire local musicians who can create an environment at their weddings that transcends typical wedding music. We love local bands like Texas String Assembly, Aaron McDonnell band, and Capyac, as well as local DJs like Total Request Crew."
A cool band goes a long way in setting the tone for a reception.Photo by Jenna Powers
Just get weird with it
A wedding theme can be a great tool for making decisions and delighting guests, but marrying partners shouldn't let it rule their entire experience. Like Austin itself, a wedding contains lots of parts and customs. (If you're still reading, we're guessing you're not aiming for a pristine Catholic wedding.) Just as Austin's sushi bars, punk bands, and Ultimate Frisbee coexist, so too can a wedding truly contain multitudes. The key is not trying too hard.
"Our design love language is not being over the top and really creating an atmosphere that feels like [part of] the design as well," says Küntz. "We start with the outdoorsy calmness, with maybe a hint of art for the ceremony; then we move to the cool music, art and food scene for cocktail hour and dinner; then for dancing we kick it up a notch and bring the neon energy of our favorite late night spots like C-Boys."
Whatever weird vibes float through, Austin guests are ready to embrace them. It's just what we do.
More data on Amy Kuntz of Hawthorne & Poppy, including glowing client reviews, is available via The Knot Vendor Marketplace.
