While DIY and rustic looks have ruled wedding décor for the past few seasons, expect something bolder this year. “We’re going to see something a little more pulled together and elevated, kind of elegant but with a playful twist,” says Sarah Reichardt, florist for Bird Dog Wedding. Here she shares some tips for creating the perfect wedding centerpieces:

• “I usually do two or three larger and more expensive blooms and then go in with three or four other less expensive but still beautiful flowers. It depends on the budget and the look.”
• “I love doing centerpieces in little urns that are lifted off the table a bit. It creates a really beautiful shape for the florals to go in. I’ve always loved using garden roses. They’re super romantic and classic and timeless and we can make them work for any wedding.”
• “Ranunculus are really easy to work with and they’re really fun and playful. A lot of people really love them right now, and they’re not too expensive either.”
• “You want centerpieces to be beautiful and still be functional. And you want your guests to be able to talk to the people across the table.”For more information, visit birddogwedding.com.

CUSTOM WEDDING ILLUSTRATIONS FROM KELTI SMITH

After studying art at UT Austin and Parsons The New School for Design, Kelti Smith turned her fashion sketching and illustration experience toward a new challenge in 2012. “A friend of mine was getting married and she and her husband were really obsessed with Brazilian folk art,” Smith says. “I made a portrait for them as a wedding gift and that’s kind of where this type of drawing for weddings started.” Working in pen and ink and colored pencil, Smith utilizes photos and details about a couple to capture their essence. “I’m very drawn to how people express themselves with fashion. I really try to pay attention to their individual style so that it feels authentic.” For more information, find @keltismith on Instagram.

INSTAGRAMMER OF THE MONTH: GEOFF DUNCAN

On a trip to Ethiopia in 2008 Geoff Duncan stumbled on his true passion. “I had bought a camera on Craigslist and while I was there I got hooked pretty instantly; I wasn’t able to put the camera down,” he says. While finishing his business degree at the University of Arkansas, Duncan started shooting street scenes, concerts, and weddings. “I like the challenge and the fast pace,” he says. Currently shooting about 25 weddings a year, Duncan’s unique eye has attracted admirers—some 22,600 follow him on Instagram. “When my numbers got up I kind of felt like I had to deliver what my followers were expecting, like sunsets, silhouettes, something unique about the city, epic skylines, and I found over time that it’s been a lot more satisfying to just post whatever I want.” We like it. For more information, visit geodun.com and @geoffduncan on Instagram.

SAY CHEESE

At first glance it might look like a classic multi-tier wedding cake, but on further inspection there’s something different. “You have to double-take to say, oh, that’s cheese?” Kendall Antonelli says. Drawing from a more European tradition of offering cheese as a dessert course, Antonelli’s Cheese Shop has unveiled custom cheese wheel cakes. Available in different sizes and flavor combinations, these creations offer a savory twist on the classic cake. Before opening Antonelli’s five years ago, Kendall and her husband John gave a guided cheese tasting for a couple’s 50th wedding anniversary. “From that moment on what was really cool was that we could be included in such momentous occasions for people,” Kendall says. For more information, visit antonellischeese.com.

A NEW VENUE FOR THE MODERNIST BRIDE

When Erich and Kathryn Oswald were getting ready to get married in 2011, they didn’t quite know how much their wedding would change their lives. “What started as a casual conversation about modern design and wedding venues started becoming more serious,” Erich says. Noticing a lack of hill country venues with sleek modern sensibilities, the native Texans (Erich is from Austin, Kathryn from Houston) decided to relocate from Brooklyn and create their own. Working with architect Max Levy, the Oswalds embarked on Prospect House, a 6,000 square-foot wedding and event venue on 20 acres in Dripping Springs. “We’re very happy with the design,” Erich says. “It really fits the setting, and frames this beautiful long distance view.” While the space officially opens June 1, bookings and tours are available now. For more information, visit prospecthousetx.com.

CREDITS
Prospect House images courtesy of Corey Beaulieu for Prospect House