Jessica has been recognized as a preferred vendor to work with by her industry peers, earned TheKnot.com’s Best of Weddings award 9 times, and been inducted into TheKnot.com Hall of Fame. Jessica is a multi-award-winning photographer, a leader in her industry, and an educator to up-and-coming photographers through her Embark Retreat.
Congratulations Katie and Jacob on the most stunning wedding day at The Arlo! With an elegant all-white color palette, exquisite personal touches, and a rockin’ party band, this wedding was a JOY from start to finish!
Plus, it took place at one of Austin’s newest wedding venues, The Arlo! This modern hill country wedding venue has quickly become one of my top favorites in the area. I love their gorgeous indoor chapel, the sleek reception ballroom, the open lawn in the back, and just wait until you see their bridal suite!
Katie and Jacob’s wedding at The Arlo was contemporary and classic in design, and lively and fun in nature. I had such a blast photographing this day and I’m excited to share the full story and photos in this post! Check it out!
The Arlo is an Austin wedding venue tucked right in between the heart of downtown Austin and Dripping Springs. They offer both indoor and outdoor event spaces with a backdrop of the rolling green hill country that Austin is famous for.
Katie and Jacob chose to get married in The Arlo’s Storie Hall and hold their reception in the main Ballroom. We started their big day capturing getting ready and detail photos in their respective suites onsite and later, we had so much fun strolling through the grounds for their couples’ portraits.
All the indoor spaces had so much natural light via the large and plentiful windows that were practically floor to ceiling. It’s every photographer’s dream! Not to mention that all the outdoor spaces were perfectly manicured and had greenery everywhere!
Katie and Jacob drew inspiration for their wedding design from The Arlo. They selected a neutral, all-white wedding color palette and incorporated traditional wedding elements with a contemporary twist. For example, their reception tables had white floral centerpieces, but with modern, open frame gold terrariums. There were also brushed gold floral vases, acrylic table numbers, and open frame candle holders in varying heights.
Other design details I absolutely loved from Katie and Jacob’s wedding at The Arlo included their gold circular ceremony arch, their 3-tiered wedding cake, and their fabulous getaway car!
Inside The Arlo’s ceremony site, Storie Hall, Katie and Jacob tied the knot in front of a gorgeous circle arch with white floral sprays consisting of roses and dripping orchids. This stood in front of an enormous picture window with flowing white curtains. The gauzy curtains lent a dreamy and airy look to the ceremony altar.
Katie and Jacob’s wedding cake was square with 3 tiers. Each tier appeared to “float” due to the gold and acrylic cake stands they used, which left a gap in between each tier. White floral cascaded up and down the cake as well, creating both a contemporary and classic vibe.
At the end of the night, the newlyweds departed via a classic car provided by 4 Leaf Limo that read “Just Married” on the back. The vintage car reminded me of the type of cars you see in old, classic movies, and it was the cherry on top after a gorgeous wedding day!
Katie and Jacob’s dance floor definitely needs a spotlight moment too! They chose a glossy white dance floor to be their party spot and it was flanked by a corresponding white stage for their wedding entertainment, Dry Water Band! The backdrop to the stage was a faux greenery hedge wall with white orchids draped over the center and a custom sign bearing the couple’s last name.
On the morning of Katie and Jacob’s wedding day at The Arlo, I met Katie and her girls inside the venue’s bridal suite. Some venues have getting ready or staging rooms, but one huge benefit of getting married at The Arlo is getting to use their most perfect of bridal suites! It is an enormous, all-white suite, complete with a kitchenette, living room lounge, restroom and giant changing area. There are gorgeous windows everywhere, bringing in plenty of natural light, which is a must for hair and makeup!
My favorite part about The Arlo’s bridal suite though has to be their beautiful gold-rimmed floor length mirror! It nearly spans the entirety of the wall it hangs on, and it makes for such breathtaking bridal portraits! Katie had such a fun time twirling in her fluffy white wedding gown in front of it!
Best of all, The Arlo’s bridal suite is adjacent to the main event spaces, giving Katie and her girls easy access to the ceremony and reception. I loved getting to photograph these ladies!
Once Katie and her girls were all dolled up, we captured some photographs before heading to the ceremony. Katie’s bridesmaids all wore navy blue, floor-length dresses and had white floral bouquets.
Katie looked like an absolute vision in her strapless wedding gown with a horsehair hemline. She swept her hair up in a low chignon and donned pearl earrings with a touch of sparkle in them. Her bridal bouquet primarily consisted of white roses, but also contained white orchids. I loved that the orchids had a smooth texture to contrast the fluffy layers of the roses!
Jacob and his groomsmen wore classic black suits. Jacob’s grooms boutonniere was a single white orchid and it gave his look a contemporary twist!
When Jacob first saw Katie walking down the aisle, his smile was radiant. Katie’s expression mirrored his and when they locked eyes, it was as if they were the only two people in the room!
Their ceremony was sweet and sentimental and by the time they were pronounced husband and wife, they were both glowing with excitement! They shared their first married kiss and walked back up the aisle as newlyweds.
After these lovebirds were officially married, we had a blast wandering the grounds at The Arlo for pictures! From the grand outdoor staircase to the vast backyard lawn, no matter where we went on property, there was always an amazing backdrop! This was such a beautiful venue, second only to this beautiful couple, that I just had to snap a picture with them too!
When it was time for the party to start, guests made their way inside the Ballroom, grabbed a drink from the custom white monogrammed bar, and took a seat. Between dinner provided by Crave Catering, toasts, cake cutting, and the formal dances, I would see Katie and Jacob sneak loving glances at one another. The excitement and joy were clear in their gazes and it was the most sweet and romantic thing!
As everyone celebrated Katie and Jacob’s new marriage, they also indulged in the delectable wedding cake and got their picture drawn by Vogue Vignette. Everyone was on the dance floor as soon as the band took to the stage and you could tell that no one wanted to leave!
The night eventually wound to a close though, and all the guests gathered outside for the newlyweds’ grand exit. With sparklers in hand, everyone cheered as Katie and Jacob walked down the steps and through their loved ones.
With one last hurrah, they got in their getaway car and said good night to this most amazing of days.
Venue: The Arlo
Coordinator: Tracy Collins
Photographer: Jessica Frey Photography
Videographer: Purely Films
Flowers: Flora Fetish
Catering: Crave Catering
Hair & Makeup: LoLa Beauty
Dress Store: Blush Bridal Lounge
Bridesmaids Dress Designer: Bella Bridesmaids
Groom/Groomsmen Suits/Tux: Men’s Wearhouse
Rentals: Marquee Event Rentals
Ceremony Music: Terra Vista Strings
Band: Dry Water Band
Stationary: Paper Place
Photo Booth: Say Cheese Photo Booths
Lighting: Austin Event Lighting
Sketch Artist: Vogue Vignette
Draping: Unique Design & Events
Signage: Scripted Ever After
Send Off Car: 4 Leaf Limo
Jessica Frey is an award-winning, Texas Hill Country-based international wedding photographer committed to delivering a high-quality experience complete with stunning and joyful images. Jessica delivers a classic and timeless photography style that guarantees you images that are authentic in nature, elegant by design, minimally edited, and enjoyed by each generation. With 14 years experience photographing couples all over the globe, you know you’re in good hands with a capable, fun team player for your wedding day!
If you need a wedding photographer, Jessica would be thrilled to speak with you! Simply hit the button below. She can’t wait to meet you!
Jessica Frey is an award-winning, Texas Hill Country-based international wedding and event photographer committed to delivering a high-quality experience complete with stunning and joyful images.