Backyard Austin Wedding | Austin, TX | Claire + Joel

Everything about Claire and Joel’s backyard Austin wedding was DIY: from the decor, to the set up, to the DJ, to the officiant, our friends pitched in despite the brutal Texas heat and humidity and helped give them the wedding of their dreams. Claire and Joel wanted a relaxed and intimate backyard wedding that turned into an all night dance party and they nailed it! Thanks to the stylings of Kat Anderson, who also provided Claire with her hair and makeup, their backyard was turned into an outdoor oasis. I don’t often share detail photos, but the DIY styling is just too good not to share! Claire’s skirt was custom made and don’t mind if I do: really tied the whole thing together.

We started the afternoon with photos at Zilker Botanical Gardens and followed it up with a simple, hilarious, and poignant ceremony performed by Kat. There was Cuban food for dinner, plenty of cold cocktails to beat the Texas heat, and a raging dance party that did, in fact, go all night long.

There are so many ways to bring personal touches to small, intimate weddings. If you’re wedding plans are changing unexpectedly by COVID, I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be a huge disappointment. Look at it as a way to explore options you didn’t think of before (and maybe put some muscle into making your backyard the yard you’ve always wanted). I have more tips coming next week on the blog about how to downsize your wedding expectations without downsizing your excitement, but in the meantime, maybe use this perfectly charming backyard Austin wedding as a jumping point for some inspiration!