We are so happy to announce the return of our Crystal Occasions Ultimate Wedding Giveaway!!!! We are doing things a little differently this year but we are looking forward to an even bigger and better contest.

This year our brides will have the option to choose between two wedding themes.  A super fun and cute Alice In Wonderland Theme, and an elegant and beautiful Parisian Theme. Check out our inspiration boards below to get a feel for the themes!

So how do you enter?  Very easy! Tell us your love story in 400 words or less.  You can include anything you would like to about how you met, how you were proposed to (or how you proposed) , and anything else relevant as to why you should win the Ultimate Wedding Giveaway.  Only one entry per couple, and the entry must be written by one of the contestants only.  You must also include both contestants names, phone number, mailing address and email addresses in the entry email.   Email your stories to ultimateweddinggiveaway@gmail.com.  Stories must be submitted by March 26th 2012.  No entries will be accepted aftter 12a on 3-26-12.  The top 10 finalists will be notified via email by April 1, 2012.  All top 10 stories will be posted on the Wedding Giveaway Page on the Crystal Occasions website to be voted on by the public to determine our top 3 finalists.  The finalists will be notified on May 1st 2012.  Here’s the fun part:  Our top 3 finalists will compete in a Bridal Bowl on May 20th 2012 to determine the winner of the Crystal Occasions Ultimate Wedding Giveaway.   The winner will be announced at the end of the day on 5-20-12. 

For more info including participating vendors and services provided, visit our wedding give away page  on our website.

Other Rules:

Wedding date: 9-30-12 6pm to 10pm

The winning couple will have to sign a contract and agree to all the terms and conditions laid out before them. If for any reason they choose not to agree to the contract, they will forfeit their win and our second place couple will have the option to claim the wedding.

Guest count is limited to 75 guests. The couple will be billed for each additional guest over 75 and count may not exceed 125.

The winners can only use vendors participating in the giveaway. No additional vendors may be used.

The winning couple will be responsible for paying for certain items not covered by the giveaway. The couple will be notified of the items they will be responsible for and have until May 25th to forfeit their win.

A $500 security deposit will be collected by McMurtrie Farms. It is refundable after the wedding date.

No changes or substitutions can be made with out the approval of Crystal Occasions.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@crystaloccasionsevents.com

Ed Kelley Photography had no trouble taking pics of this beautiful bride! Bethany looked amazing in her southern belle style gown that was complimented with a blue sash. Her bouquet from Cedar Park florist looked amazing.

After the ceremony, the guests entered the Pecan Pavillion for the reception.  Bethany had blue pin-tuck taffeta runners placed on white tablecloths.  For her favors she chose personalized champagne glasses for each of her guests to take home.

The guests enjoyed grilled pork tenderloin, green bean casserole, corn, salad, and rolls from Kennys Catering.  It was delicious!

Erins Custom Cakes  provided the beautiful brides cake.

After dessert Eric from Greenbelt DJ  provided the music. He did a great job getting the guests up and going even though it was getting colder.

The temperature had begun to drop, which after a scorching summer was kind of nice, however the guests started to get a little cold.  McMurtrie Farms has a plan for that though! The sides were dropped in the pecan pavilion and the portable heaters were turned on.  Soon the guests were nice and toasty inside.

At the end of the night, Bethany and Ed exited through a cloud of bubbles. They didn’t have to leave though because they had gotten the Lodge to stay in overnight as part of their package.  Any bride looking for a versatile venue with everything imaginable included should check our McMurtrie Farms and their All Inclusive Packages.   With the best of the best vendors built-in, you will have no worries.  Which is just how your wedding day should be : )

- Crystal

Kami and Chris were married in October at Chateau Bellevue in downtown Austin.  Kami chose a beautiful navy/royal blue and white color combo accented by peacock feathers.  The ceremony took place in the courtyard outside.  Each chair had a white chair cover and a navy blue satin sash.  Two tall arrangements of roses complimented with peacock feathers framed their altar space.  The aisle and front of the altar were blanketed with white rose petals. It looked and smelled amazing!

After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a cocktail hour outdoors on the lawn. Kami and Chris even had a signature blue drink to match their theme.

 After cocktails, the guests were invited in to enjoy the reception. Kami’s centerpieces from Just’in Roses were simple yet elegant. And complimented her linens, colors and the venue beautifully.

Kami also set up a candy buffet for her guests to enjoy through the night.  She incorporated her colors again into the set up.  The candy jars the candy was displayed in looked super cute and organized, almost like an old candy shop.

After the night was over, Chris carried Kami off through a sea of rose petals to start the rest of their lives together.

Photos by Meredith Greagor Photography.

I had the great pleasure to work with Courtney and Gabe on their wedding day September 17^th at the Salt Lick Pavilion. Courtney lived out of town and came to Austin for a Destination wedding. They did not anticipate the only rain storm of the summer to fall on their wedding day, but it did. However, the rain did not change their spirits. Courtney put on her boots and let her dress drag on the wet stone walkway.

Courtney and Gabe personalized each detail of their wedding. They lined the walkway with pictures of their lives giving their guest the opportunity to relax and enjoy the walk.  For their favors they made chocolate fudge using a recipe from each side of the family. To liven up the party Courtney brought glow stick necklaces for everyone. I was surprised how all the guests were really excited about the glow sticks. The glow sticks added to the pictures of the exit as Courtney and Gabe ran away into the night.

I always enjoy working out at the Salt Lick. Their staff is amazing and goes above and beyond to cater to the Bride and Groom. Annette, the new Salt Lick coordinator, is a team player and puts her guest first in all that she does. The BBQ buffet pleased all the guest and always, taste just like it smells…divine. The Salt Lick catering staff also offers cake cutting service. They are professional cake cutters and I recommend letting them do it! The cake made by Austin Cake Lady was beautifully lined with roses and had crystal drops hanging from thin wire off the top. The cake tasted as good as it looked which kept the guests coming back for seconds.

The Mike Clifford band was scheduled to provide prerecorded music at the ceremony and live music through the reception, but due to the rain they were unable to take electronic equipment outside to the ceremony. So, Mike quickly learned Courtney’s song choice and played it on his guitar as she and her bridal party walked down the aisle.  Through the night the band did a fantastic job. This is the only wedding I have seen where the guest chanted “One more song” at the end of the night; Mike’s band graciously played one more song.

Photography was done by Veronica and Jim at 2now1 Phototgraphy and the videographer was by Elizabeth at Capitol Wedding Video.   Both companies were very professional and easy to work with. They knew exactly where to be and when in order to capture all the important shots. 2now1 also provided an open photo booth with props in which the guest had a lot of fun with.

 This was a wedding filled with fun and lots of love. I have no doubt that Courtney and Gabe will have a very enjoyable life together. We at Crystal Occasions are honored that they trusted us with their special event and we wish them all the best.

                                                                                                  – Samantha

 I had the fantastic privilege to help our friend Shelsea out on her wedding day.  Shelsea is the owner of {Beautiful} You, Bridal Boutique in Marble Falls.  We love to work with her and send our brides her way.  She is so sweet and so helpful and has great ideas on how to customize gowns and make them specific to each bride.  But, this isn’t about what she does for her brides, it’s about her turn as a bride.  What was most important to Shelsea on her wedding day was that she was surrounded by her loved ones, her friends and family, to celebrate their special day.  They were married at Spicewood Baptist Church that is around 100 years old.  

The church was packed with loved ones showing their support.  Shelsea had created a slide show of pictures of her and her fiance for guests to enjoy before the ceremony began and even timed it perfectly so that as the last slide appeared, the ceremony began.  Shelsea wore a beautiful dress with cowboy boots and carried a brooch bouquet she made herself. 

After the ceremony the guests went into the community center to begin the reception.  Shelsea’s guests each brought a dish for dinner so it felt like a large family reunion, it was a really nice alternative to traditional catering.  She covered the tables with quilts and the guests used mason jars for their glasses. 

Candy Bouquets by Connie provided a candy buffet and Amanda from Strictly Sweets provided them with a cake and cupcakes for the guests.

  The guests danced to a band and had a great time celebrating the wedding.  We are so glad Shelsea let us be a part of such a special occasion.  All of these fantastic photos were provided by Digital Reflections Photography.

  Keni was probably one of the funnest brides I have had the pleasure to work with.  She and her fiance live in Dallas, but since Lakeway Resort and Spa was one of their favorite places to visit, they decided to get married there. Keni is a wedding planner in Dallas so I counted on her to be organized and she did not disappoint.  At our first meeting at the venue, Keni handed me a folder which contained an itinerary and very detailed instructions for set up and decor that included pictures.  Had any other bride handed me this, I would have ran……f ar far away.  This normally would mean I was sitting with a bridezilla and I was in trouble.  Luckily Keni was the complete opposite of a bridezilla!  She had chosen fantastic vendors so I knew her wedding would go off without a hitch. She chose turquoise blue, lime green, and a black and white damask pattern for her color scheme.  She worked extremely hard to make portions of the centerpieces and to make sure that those colors were carried out seamlessly throughout the wedding without making it too much.  She incorporated these colors into her table numbers, linens, and even made monogrammed pillows! 

Her florals were done by Floral designs by Inez.  She combined tall and short arrangements which worked perfectly with the resorts space.

  Erins Custom Cakes provided the bride and grooms cake.  If you have read my other blogs you might be noticing Erin seems to do a lot of cakes for my weddings, and she does. That’s because she really is the best!  

For her guest book, she decided to have her guests sign a guitar.  She was looking forward to hanging them on their walls at home.

Keni also had On The Flip Side Studios provide a photo booth for her guests. They create amazing custom flip books for the guests.  She also had a cigar roller on hand to entertain the guests as well.  The very talented Jessica Monnich captured Keni’s pictures.  The couple danced the night away and had a great time before exiting with sparkler.

 If you get married in Dallas and are looking for a planner look up Weddings and Events by Kenitres Marcell.

   Jennifer and Ryan were such a sweet couple! Jennifer was extremely easy-going and Ryan wanted to make sure every request Jennifer made and every detail was perfect. So of course we made sure that it was!   Jennifer and Ryan chose to do their ceremony outdoors at the Alumni center in June. It was such a natural and beautiful setting. 

After the ceremony the guests entered the alumni center for cocktails.  Jennifer had displayed her amazing bridal portraits as well as some shots of the couple for her guests to view while they signed the guest book and mingled with each other.  Jennifer had beautiful floral centerpieces from Floral Designs by Inez.  Each table also had a large wooden table number. Once Ryan and Jennifer entered, the party got started.  After enjoying the fabulous food provided by Rose’s Catering, the couple had their first dance on the huge dance floor at the Alumni Center. 

After dancing with their guests for a bit, the bride and groom played a that showed just how much they knew about each other.  They each held a groom Ken and a bride Barbie and sat back to back.  The Dj asked questions such as ” Who spends the most money?  Who wears the pants? Who made the first move?” etc.  Each time the couple held up their Barbie or Ken for the answer.  It was really entertaining and funny and the guests loved it. 

Then it was time for the couple to cut into their cakes provided by Erin’s Custom Cakes.  Erin’s cakes are always amazing! They taste as good as they look. 

Once the night was over the exited the Alumni Center as guests lit their walk to the limo with Sparklers. 

Austin Classic Limos provided this amazing limo for the couple to drive off in, and all of these beautiful pictures we done by Steve Armstrong Photography! 

Like the work you saw?  Contact the vendors so they can help make your wedding fabulous!

Crystal Occasions- www.crystaloccasionsevents.com

Steve Armstrong Photography – www.sarmstrongphoto.com

Erins Custom Cakes- www.erinscustomcakes.com

Floral Designs by Inez- 512-431-4491

Austin Classic Limos- 512-517-0055

     We are so happy to announce our second annual Crystal Occasions Ultimate Wedding Giveaway is coming soon!!! We are hard at work putting together all of the details to once again give some one the wedding of their dreams!!  Like our facebook  page to stay up to date on all the details.

    We will be doing things a little differently this year so even couples who entered last year can have a chance to win again.  We can’t wait to announce the details and all the participating vendors!