When a couple meets during the first week of freshman orientation, their wedding day feels less like the start of a new chapter and more like a homecoming. In many ways, Serena and Alex grew up together. They are best friends, partners, and the kind of people who make everyone around them feel seen.
From our very first conversation, their priority was clear: Connection.
With so many family members traveling from out of town, they didn’t just want a party; they wanted presence. As their planners and designers, our role was to build a steady foundation that allowed them to inhabit every moment of their day without worrying about a thing.
Here is a look inside their lush, garden-inspired celebration.
Curating the Garden Atmosphere
At Olive & Eden, we believe the best designs don’t fight beautiful venues; they harmonize with them.
For Serena and Alex, we wanted the reception to feel like a seamless extension of the outdoors. We anchored the design in the natural beauty of Hummingbird House, pulling the lush greens of the gardens into the tented reception space.
To create a sophisticated yet comfortable environment, we curated a bespoke lounge using pieces selected from across the venue’s various collections. Rather than sticking to a standard set, we mixed textures—like rich linen and bouclé sofas—with a color palette that mirrored a Texas sunset. By layering bright corals, sunset oranges, and butter yellows against creams and tans, we created a vignette that felt like an elegant garden party, inviting guests to pause and relax amidst the grounds.
Designing for Flow & Light
Our design approach focused on bringing the garden indoors. For the ceremony, we lined the aisle with tall floral meadows designed by Wild Bunches, leading to an asymmetrical installation on the altar dome that framed the bride.
But intentional design is also about smart stewardship. Once the ceremony concluded, we repurposed those lush aisle arrangements to line the front of the sweetheart table. This not only maximized the floral investment but created a living floral meadow that wrapped the couple in greenery during the reception.
To set the mood, we focused heavily on light. We dressed the room’s chandeliers in fresh greenery and installed uplighting to create a warm glow that evolved as the evening progressed. On the tables, we layered ivory taper candles on gold bases to match the gold floral compotes, adding a flickering, romantic dimension that softened the room as the sun went down.
The Tactile Details
Design is often found in the intersections. To draw from the surrounding flora, we curated a tabletop palette of fluted green glass chargers from NOMA Events and oatmeal velvet linens from Premiere Events. We selected the chargers to act as a visual anchor, mirroring the greenery and light of the chandeliers above. It was a subtle way to bring the garden feel inside, complementing the majestic green oak trees that surrounded the tent. The tactile weight of the velvet softened the space, adding a sense of residential comfort and texture that grounded the lighter, garden elements.
For the place settings, we composed custom menus in-house, printed on a luxe velvet cardstock. The paper felt smooth to the touch, offering a subtle sensory experience as guests picked up the menu to read Serena and Alex’s story. We wanted the paper goods to speak the same language as the florals, linens, and chargers, making the entire tablescape feel intentional and cohesive.
The goal was simple: we wanted to ensure the space felt warm and inviting—a place where guests would want to linger long after dinner service ended.
Hospitality & Storytelling
The menu wasn’t just about design; it was about storytelling.
Hospitality is personal, and for their first meal as a married couple, Serena and Alex wanted to share an authentic culinary experience that was also a piece of their history, instead of traditional wedding fare. We collaborated with Michelin-recognized Interstellar BBQ to present a menu that honored Texas heritage with elevated execution, served alongside Taco Joint, their go-to breakfast staple throughout college.
For them, it wasn’t just dinner; it was a way of welcoming their guests into their life here in Austin.
Stewardship in Action
As planners, we often talk about timelines as the backbone of the event. But at Olive & Eden, we believe a timeline serves the couple, not the other way around.
True stewardship is knowing when to abandon the spreadsheet to preserve the memory.
Going into the day, we built a schedule with plenty of buffers, knowing connection was the priority. But during dinner, we watched Serena and Alex move from table to table, laughing, hugging family members, and soaking in the presence of their guests. They were having such a blast doing table visits—something we hadn’t formally planned—that we knew we couldn’t rush them.
We made the executive decision to adjust the flow real-time, protecting the couple’s investment and priority of connection over rigid adherence to the clock. We bought them more space to mingle and less pressure to hit the dance floor immediately.
That is the heart of stewardship: reading the room and protecting the moments that matter most.
A Note on Gratitude
There was a moment in the evening that we will carry with us for a long time. When Alex stood up to thank their guests, he didn’t just thank the room, he thanked every single vendor by name. A lot of times in this industry, the job can be thankless and transactional. But not for Serena and Alex.
It was such a gift to witness that level of kindness and awareness. It is a privilege to build these days for couples who value the human element of a wedding just as much as the aesthetic one.
Congratulations, Serena and Alex. Thank you for trusting us to steward this incredible day.
Your wedding day is more than a checklist; it’s a gathering of the people who shaped your life. At Olive & Eden, we believe you should be the guest of honor at your own celebration—present for every hug, every toast, and every lingering conversation.
We provide the steady foundation so you can simply be.
The Creative Team:
Planning & Design: @oliveandedenweddings
Venue: @hummingbirdhouseaustin
Photography: @ravenandharephoto
Florals: @wildbunchesfloral
Entertainment: @djbyrnerock
Rentals & Decor: @noma_eventsatx and @premiereeventstx
Catering: @interstellarbbq, Taco Joint
Cake: @albacakedesign
Music: @terravistastrings
Bar and Beverage: Austin Occasions
Hair: @harshalanimakeup
Officiant: Katrina Baecht, @spokenheartceremonies
Videography: @saturnphotography_
