Real Weddings: A Very Custom Celebration

Terriana is a 28-year-old bilingual speech pathologist based in Columbus, Ohio. She loves to run, play soccer, write, and draw. This fall she is learning to play guitar and working on opening a speechie-specific Etsy shop.

My boyfriend Jay proposed at a hole-in-the-wall karaoke bar on my 27th birthday. We had just finished singing “A Whole New World” (from the movie Aladdin), and suddenly he was on bended knee, proposing with a ring made of ashes from Mount St. Helen. I said yes.

Jay and I met at college in my home state, Ohio, but he made it clear from the beginning that he was all Texan. After college we moved to the Lone Star State, and for our wedding I made a list of Texas things I wanted to share with my Yankee family members: ranches, sweet tea, and wide open spaces covered by the cloudless blue sky. After one visit to the peacock-dotted Red Corral Ranch, I knew I had found our venue and a muse for the big day: the peacocks inspired our color palette and the barn’s iconic charm influenced our decor.

With our limited budget, I decided to plan the wedding myself. We sourced many of our wedding details from artists on Etsy, starting with our wedding invitations, which were made by Natacha Poemsat of Wedding Sundae. My bridesmaids wore navy blue infinity dresses by Local Loves Pirate, which were complemented by beautiful flower cabochon earrings. I gave my maid-of-honor a lace and peacock feather clutch from AngeeW, and, as an extra special surprise, I had a photo of her and I printed inside. She also got a special hairpiece made by Lovely Made Gifts. My little sisters Jaden, Genesis, and Grayson were our flower girls, and their outfits were accessorized with custom-made peacock headbands by Little Purple Dragon Fly.

I’ve always idolized actresses like Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge, so I channeled their iconic style for my wedding day. I wore a vintage champagne lace dress, which looked great with my birdcage veil from Surroundings Online and Art Deco bridal cuff from Dana Castle. I also wore a gold Nefertiti necklace from my beloved grandmother, as well as a peacock-inspired garter made by Southern Ever After. A navy blue, hand-knitted bridal bolero from Elegant Knitting kept me warm during the reception.

I worked with GNGJewel to create a personalized wedding band for Jay; it was engraved with our anniversary and my fingerprint inside. We placed our rings in an exquisite wooden ring box, made by Happy Flying. I also commissioned Jersey Maids to create a leaf brooch adorned with the smiling faces of Jay’s grandparents, which he wore next to his boutonniere. The shop that created the boutonnieres, Amore Bride, also created my bridesmaids’ bouquets of silk flowers.

Our ceremony took place outdoors, with multicolored mason jars from Willow Faire Decor hanging against the golden sky at dusk. After declaring our vows in front of family and friends, we adjourned to the reception, which took place inside the barn. We’d decorated with deep purple linens, lavender seeds, and Moroccan-inspired lanterns, but my favorite decoration was the collection of blown glass flowers Jay made in college (he was a fine art major). Our guest book was a giant Jenga game made by Tumbling Timbers: it was hilarious! We also had a gift table with a rustic, wooden card box handmade by Country Barn Babe.

We gave our guests bags with Texas Tea, hangover remedies, and homemade pralines that Jay’s mother made. His mother also made the traditional Andrews family chocolate caramel cake, which was delicious! Other sweet treats included a Texas-sized round rock doughnut, sour cream pound cake from McKay’s Bakery in Abilene, and a s’mores bar set up around a stone campfire for guests to toast their own s’more. It was a magical evening.

All photographs by Vanessa Escobedo Barba.

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