This past December, I was very excited to finally get to shoot a wedding at Villa Antonia! This venue has been at the top of my bucket list for like… ever. I had never made a visit, but all of the photos I see coming out of the space are always so gorgeous. When I actually got to make a trip out there to second shoot for my lovely friend Naomi Phelps, the venue exceeded my expectations. It really does not feel like you are in Austin. The Italian tree house vibes slap hard. It is such a peaceful and relaxing space. If I win the lottery and retire, I think I would model my dream property after this place.

This wonderful winter wedding was for the lovely newlyweds, Chailie and Drew. They were so incredibly sweet and relaxed throughout the day. I can’t wait to see what their future holds, because it’s clearly bright. The choices they made for the day were clean and timeless. (Which is another thing I love about Villa Antonia, it doesn’t need to be heavily decorated). I really like weddings that seem to have a smartly planned budget that prioritizes the things that are important to the couple.

This wedding was featured over at Wed Society Austin. Yay, thank you Wed Society! You can view the wedding feature here.

Austin Wedding Vendor Team

Planning: The Cordial Host
Venue: Villa Antonia
Catering: Sterling Events Austin
Photography: Tara Paige Weddings (aka yours truly)
Videography: Forever Jade Films
Live Music + DJ: Exodus Sound Co
Florals: BZ Florals
Hair and Makeup: Southern Tease
Dessert: Michelle’s Patisserie

Bride’s Getting Ready Suite at Villa Antonia

Okay, honestly… my job is made so easy when the bridal suite has just naturally bright and beautiful lighting. I’m pretty sure a potato could shoot good photos in this room. Thankfully, I am better than a potato, and can also take pretty pictures is less-than-ideal situations :). I also LOVE the pajama choice for this bride tribe. These look so comfy to lounge around in.

Father-Daughter First Look In The Villa Antonia Bell Tower

Chailie and her dad had their first look at the tippy top of the Villa Antonia property, in the bell tower. I love the photos of Chailie and her maid of honor (and later in the day, Chailie and Drew together) walking up and down the bell tower stairs. Just another really cool space that really makes you question if you’re still in Austin!

First Touch and Private Vow Reading

I absolutely loved these first touch and private vow reading images, but even more than that, I loved that Chailie and Drew clearly put a lot of thought into their vows. They took this step seriously, and that’s something I appreciate so much. For some reason, vows seem to sometimes be an afterthought in weddings. Which is crazy, because it’s like, the most important part!

Sooooo Many Portrait Location Options at Villa Antonia

This blog post is just becoming a love letter to Villa Antonia, but another thing I love about this property is the bajillion options for gorgeous portrait locations! On your wedding day, we have *some* time for posed photos, but I try to get those done as quickly as possible, so that you can get back to the biggest fancy love party you planned. I tried to be strategic with Chailie and Drew’s posed photo locations, but oh my gosh, if I had a two hour engagement session here, I’d be in heaven.

Second Shooters Are So Worth It

I love the two images side by side above, because it’s SUCH a great example of why it’s awesome to have a second photographer by my side! We can get multiple angles of the same moments, from a totally different artistic perspective. They’re also super beneficial at maximizing your TIME posing for photos! I posted a blog post recently that talks all about second shooters, and if you’re reading this post, I recommend reading this next!

TAMU VS. TTU Couple

In true Texas fashion, Drew was a die hard TAMU alumni, while Chailie was a serious Texas Tech lady. It’s somewhat common to see the Aggie War Hymn at a Texas wedding, and Drew’s crew definitely got into it. On the other side, Chailie and her maid of honor did something I’ve never seen before, and performed a twirling routine! Both girls were on the Texas Tech team, and had fun reliving the college days. We also took their engagement photos at the Texas A&M campus, if you want to take a peek!

Colorful Wedding Getaway Dress

Chailie did something else that I love. She changed into this beautiful and colorful getaway dress! It really is a shame that wedding dresses are expected to be white, when there are so many fabulous colors in the world, but I digress. I love the idea of at least having a fun color party or getaway outfit! Chailie and Drew exited Villa Antonia in style, with a sparkler exit outside of the chapel.

Thank you again for letting me spend the day with you! <3 <3