Every couple dreams of having the most unique story to share about their wedding, whether it be a teary-eyed “first look” between the future husband and wife, or a thrilling sendoff in a luxurious getaway car. But Austinites Sara Light and Conor Wagner decided to forgo the prolonged stress of wedding planning in favor of the most spontaneous experience they could think of: An elopement at the Museum of Ice Cream on Leap Day, February 29, 2024. (Bonus: They got me as a bridesmaid.)
Sara and Conor initially connected through a dating app in 2021, but it took a month of sporadic back-and-forth messages (and a social media hiatus) before the two were finally able to meet in Sara’s hometown of Dripping Springs for a casual coffee and thrift-shopping date.
As the date unfolded, Conor’s charming humor made a significant impact not only on Sara, but on other shoppers around the store. One woman in particular took notice of their constant laughter, and asked how long the couple had been together. When Conor explained it was only their first date, the stranger imparted some pivotal advice that would set the tone for the blossoming relationship.
“She turned to [Sara] and said, ‘A man that can make you laugh like that is a keeper,’” Conor says. “‘Keep him around. You’re gonna be happy together.’”
“I don't know who that woman was, but she was right!” Sara added. “And then we were inseparable since.”
Taking the leap
Sara and Conor bonded over their shared sense of humor, and their fun-loving personalities shone most brightly on their wedding day. February 29, however, had not been their intended date down the aisle.
After a year of wedding planning, the couple's original plan was to get married on July 27 (Sara's favorite number), in a non-traditional and colorful celebration. But two weeks before Leap Day, they both felt the overwhelming urge to elope, allowing them the freedom to whip together a whimsical, impromptu wedding instead.
So they decided to let go of their expectations for the occasion and "take the leap."
"We thought it would be really cool to do it on Leap Day because every four years we could do some really cool, fun trip," Conor says. "That would just be really special and meaningful to us. And honestly, we were just kind of looking at something really cool we could tell our kids, and that they might actually remember our anniversary and brag about it."
Having a stress-free and fun ceremony was the primary vision behind their elopement, which led the Wagners to the dreamy, bright pink Museum of Ice Cream at The Domain in North Austin.
The Museum of Ice Cream in Austin had never hosted a wedding prior to Sara and Conor's elopement ceremony, a staff member told the couple.Photo by Spencer Gnauck Photography
"What better place to have an impromptu wedding — where there's unlimited ice cream and everything is bright, colorful, fun, and laid back," Sara says. "You can't not have fun when there is ice cream around every single corner, and everything is just vibrant. You're kind of forced to relax when it's just fun."
Sara and Conor relied on the help of their families to bring the whole wedding together in just two weeks. While the couple shopped for their wedding attire together — deviating from the tradition of not seeing what the other would wear until the day of — their mothers worked together to find disco ball and flamingo decorations for the reception, buy a wedding cake, and book tickets at the Museum of Ice Cream.
"There was a lot of attention to detail made in a very short amount of time, which we greatly appreciated because it made our vision come to life," Sara says. "And I don't think we could have done that without the help of our family."
Comfy Crocs
The most important personal detail the Wagners incorporated into their wedding were their quirky his-and-hers Crocs: A gray pair decorated with bright red chicken feet for Conor, and a soft blue pair covered in glitter, pearls, and white flowers for Sara.
Sara recognized that Crocs weren't the typical bridal shoe, but she valued her own comfort over wearing a pretty, but painful, pair of high heels.
Besides being a point of comfort for the couple, the pair Conor wore also bore a greater significance. They were originally gifted to him by Sara's mother as a joke, and he wore them throughout many relationship milestones with Sara.
"The Crocs that Conor was wearing were the first pair of Crocs I think [he] ever owned," Sara says. "He designed my engagement ring wearing those Crocs. He bought the engagement ring wearing those Crocs, and he proposed wearing those Crocs. And then he got married in those Crocs."
Conor proposed to Sara in his grey Crocs in 2022, and the shoes made a reappearance when the couple tied the knot.Photo by Spencer Gnauck Photography
Wedding guests weren't sure what to expect when they arrived at the Museum of Ice Cream, but the initial hesitancy quickly faded into childlike wonder upon exploring the whimsical, colorful rooms and admiring the ice cream displays.
The bride and groom said "I do" in front of frosted animal cookie props, in a room decorated with sprinkles; Sara's brother officiated, and they were surrounded by their closest friends and family.
Even on such short notice, many key figures in Sara and Conor's lives were able to attend the impromptu wedding, including Conor's best friend and best man, who flew in from California and joined me in signing the marriage license.
"It was so nice to feel so loved by the people who could make it and celebrate with us," Sara says. "It was a pretty big deal to just have fun, and it was so nice seeing everybody else have fun [and] let loose. I think a lot of [people's] inner child was released in the atmosphere of sprinkles, ice cream, and colors."
Advice to others
Now that the Wagners have been married for a few months, their advice to nearlyweds — whether planning a big wedding or a small elopement — is to take the help offered by loved ones, and to give the parents tasks to do so they can make the process easier for everyone.
But above all else, Sara emphasizes, there will be uncontrollable factors that go wrong when it comes to planning any wedding; The sooner a couple can accept that likelihood, she says, the sooner they can prevent any post-wedding heartache.
"At the end of the day, this is just a giant party to celebrate you and your partner's love for each other, [and] it's just about having fun," she says. "You don't need all of the materialistic things. You don't need the super expensive dress, or cake, or anything just to show to other people that you love each other. It speaks for itself when you're with the person that you're meant to be with."
Though their wedding anniversary falls on Leap Day, Sara and Conor are still planning a celebration on July 27 to honor their love and marriage during the non-leap years.
Sara and Conor's Austin-area vendors:
Photo by Spencer Gnauck Photography
Sara and Conor Wagner tied the knot at the Ice Cream Museum on February 29, 2024.
Ceremony venue: Museum of Ice Cream
Reception venue and caterer: Maggiano’s Little Italy
Photographer: Spencer Gnauck Photography
Cake:H-E-B Bakery
Hair:I Do Hair Do by Kinley
Engagement ring: Ranch Road Jewelry
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Know of an Austin-area wedding to consider for publication? Email brianna@culturemap.com or stephanie@culturemap.com. Weddings must have taken place since January 1, 2023. Find more information about submissions here.
