Kathryn and Oliver celebrated their wedding surrounded by 11 loved ones and their gorgeous dog Roo. The couple promised forever in front of a garden fountain on The Hudson Bend Ranch in Austin Texas and celebrated with a catered dinner by Gather and Forge under lantern lights with the most stunning table setting filled with candles and flowers. Their day was lensed by Kirsten Holliday.
"Oliver and I met as kids in elementary school in Houston, TX and became little kid friends with crushes on each other. Oliver ended up getting transferred to another school in 7th grade and after that we lost touch. Fast forward 18 years and we were both living in NYC and on a random Thursday afternoon we both crossed a crosswalk in SoHo at the exact same time and, after a few seconds of trying to figure out where I knew that face, it hit me.... that was Oliver! We decided to catch up for drinks and then ended up “catching up” three times within a week and before we knew what hit us we were in love and talking about moving in together."
Kathryn is an art director based in NYC and Oliver founded a company called Street Smarts VR that improves public safety outcomes by designing VR simulations for for police and military. So work wise the couple are on pretty opposite ends of the spectrum but find the balance in their relationship.
"In March when COVID hit we left New York City to stay with Oliver's sister in Houston for what we thought would be a week or two. When April came around we were still in Texas and our lease was ending on our apartment in New York. We decided that maybe this was the world’s way of encouraging us down a new path. In NYC we had talked about “one day” moving to Austin however, and it seemed that 'one day' came around sooner than expected."
In early May Oliver proposed and then the couple set out to move to Austin. Given that they lived close to a courthouse in NYC they assumed they would get married there and have a dinner with close family and friends - with perhaps a party later. Because the weather in New York can be a little temperamental, the couple decided to choose a date with meaning instead. Kathryn and Oliver set the date set as August 9 - the day they crossed paths in NYC.
The couple felt very strongly about the fact that they would go ahead with their wedding despite Covid, They didn't want to pause their celebrations and put their lives on hold indefinitely for something that was out of their control. "We changed plans from the courthouse wedding in New York and decided that we would rent a ranch house near Lake Travis (outside Austin). We invited just our immediate family and a few friends who were already in Texas. We wanted to have a long weekend at The Hudson Bend Ranch and spend some time out on the water."
An important factor in planning their wedding was that Kathryn and Oliver wanted everyone to relax and have fun while surrounded by nature and beauty. "All of us have been through a lot over the last 6 months and we wanted to give everyone a reason to dress up and enjoy. And of course celebrate the time we have together. We also wanted it to be beautiful and feel special because we wanted to get photos with our family that we could have and cherish forever. It’s so rare that we are all together and this time is precious."
"It was also important for us to give everyone a break and something to look forward too. Even more so because all our families had been locked down for several months of quarantine. Some family members had lost their jobs and nobody was traveling or having a holiday. So it just made sense! We hope in a year from now we can have an anniversary party with all the people who couldn’t be there to join us - however, as everything is so unpredictable we will see what the future holds."
Kathryn wore Verona Gown from the Fall 2020 collection of Kamperett. "I actually asked to have it made and shipped prior to the September launch and they were so sweet and accommodating. It arrived just in time - the day before we left for the wedding weekend - so I definitely had a moment of “What if I don't have a dress in time?!” But all worked out!" She paired the dress with the Mist Veil from Ann Marie Faulkner. (Note : We are of course pleased to add that The Anti-Bride stocks both the Verona gown and Mist veil at our online shop! )
"Comfort was really important for us given the wedding would be held on a ranch. My gown by Kamperett that was simple, comfortable and elegant and very much in line with my everyday style. At the last minute I decided to wear a veil from Ann Marie Faulkner which, was unexpected. However, I figured, when else would I ever wear something that is so princessy?! I’m glad I did too because, it was so much fun! Oliver wore a dark green suit, black cowboy boots with matching belt and no tie. So overall we were causal but still elegant."
Kathryn and Oliver don't consider themselves to be very traditional people so there weren’t any traditions they had to incorporate. Oliver did ask his uncle for advice on the wedding and he said, “Over my 63 years, I’ve learned that what makes the best weddings are when you 1) Don’t get too drunk, 2) have a string quartet, and 3) don’t forget God.” The couple weren’t really sure what to do with that information though "but we did our best!"
Their advice for couples getting married? "Don’t wait for the perfect time because time won’t wait for you! Have a big party later and keep the ceremony small. Keeping things small allowed us to involve our family in this moment which was so incredibly meaningful to us all. I gave everyone a job to do on the day of the ceremony to help. It really made the wedding a communal experience that everyone got to participate in. At first I was worried that everyone would feel burdened by this but I saw that everyone ended up feeling more connected to this moment which made it all the more special. And finally - It’s okay to be scared. It’s normal and the night before the wedding, both Oliver and I woke up in the middle of the night, restless and unable to sleep because we were both a little overwhelmed with feelings of, “wow, ok we’re really about to do this.” We talked about what we were feeling and it’s not like either us had any answers - but just admitting to one another and communicating made us feel more connected and united in taking this plunge into the unknown."
Photographer : Kirsten Holliday @kirstenhollidayphoto ; Ceremony and Reception location : The Hudson Bend Ranch, outside Austin, Texas @hudsonbendranch ; Officiant : Brides best friend and groom’s sister ; Planning + Styling : Bride ; Flowers : Wholesale Austin Flower Market @austinflowermarket and Bloomingmore @bloomingmore arranged by the bride and friend ; Catering : Chef Dan from Gather and Forge @gatherandforge ; Stationery : Digital invite by Bride ; Bride’s Dress : Verona Gown from the Fall 2020 collection of Kamperett @kamperett ; Rings : Legier L.A @legier.la ; Bride's Shoes : LoQ @loq ; Groom's Shoes : Lucchese from Allen's Boots ; Veil : The Mist Veil from Ann Marie Faulkner @am_faulkner ; Earrings : Eliou @eliou__