Ben White carnival

Here are three new ones in the on-going parking lot carnival series. These are from the carnival that has been happening for the past week or so on Ben White. My dream day would most certainly involve photography and rides. -brian

Ami and Dan's wedding at the Allan House

O.K., so I know I chose too many photos of the bride for this blog entry, but I couldn't help myself. She was so lovely and I enjoyed photographing her, and I liked the results.

It was a simple June wedding held at the Allan House in downtown Austin. A gem of a place that makes you feel like you just discovered a secret garden.

Congratulation's Ami and Dan!

The newest latest

So it took a while, but I just finished these two paintings yesterday. I think I have replaced my obsession with berries with loquats, for the time being anyway.

Still got a few more to go before the Davis Gallery exhibit. The opening reception has been changed, for anyone paying attention, it will now be Saturday, October 25th, 2008.
Click on this link if you would like to view more paintings:

www.davisgalleryaustin.com/artists.alesi.html

I will be showing with David Leonard and Miranda Gray.

Courtney and Martin jumped the broom!

This was a fabulous wedding!

I might be a little bias because these two are friends, but I really thought this was a beautiful event. Held in Killeen, Texas at the welcoming home of Courtney's parents, the wedding was truly a community effort, my favorite kind. Courtney and Martin, along with help from family and friends, did all of the preparations, down to cooking the most wonderful buffet of food; gumbo, plantains, seaweed salad... not to mention the amazing cakes, one of which was a rum cake made by one of the guests.

They also made the favors, candles and buttons with the Osram Ne Nsoromma symbol, a moon and star symbol of love, faithfulness and harmony. The proverb goes, the North Star has a deep love for marriage. She is always in the sky waiting for the return of the moon, her husband.

The ceremony was performed by Courtney's grandfather, and finished with the two jumping the broom.

After the ceremony and a few family photos, the bride and groom changed out of their formal dress so they could dance the hot Texas summer night away in comfort and style.
Martin is a musician, playing in such bands as Antibalas and Ocote Soul Sounds, so it was no wonder they had a friend who was a fabulous DJ. Courtney's dad even got up and MC'd for awhile.

All and all it was a good time. Congratulations Courtney and Martin, well done!

Carrye and Jared's Laguna Gloria wedding

First off, what a cool wedding date to have - 06.07.08

Carrye and Jared live in L.A. and came to Austin to get married. They chose the always beautiful Laguna Gloria for their wedding. The ceremony took place in the tree-lined amphitheater by the lake which provided much needed shade and cool breezes. There were also colorful parasols around for guests which provided for fun photos and some relief from the hot Texas sun.

As the sun was going down, the guests enjoyed an open air meal surrounded by the lush landscape. Primizie provided the delectable's. If you haven't had a chance visit their restaurant over on east 11th street, I highly recommend it.

The day was planned perfectly by the always fun duo Amy and Scott at Amy's Platinum Weddings. The florist was Vella and DJ Josh from Penguin Entertainment kept the dance floor hopping until the bride and groom departed under a canopy of sparklers.

Meredith and Jeremiah's Wildflower Center wedding

Meredith and Jeremiah got hitched at the Wildflower Center in Austin. We knew we were going to a fun wedding when we received the invitation. The invitation, created by John Bell, was a booklet set in the style of a vintage field guide. The program followed in the same vein. The cover was letter pressed and had wonderful illustrations of the bride and groom.

Meredith looked lovely (see our previous post of her bridal) and Jeremiah went the Johnny Cash route with a black vintage western style suit. The groomsmen followed Jeremiah's lead and dressed in western shirts and cowboy boots.

The day turned out to be perfect and after a delicious meal provided by Creative Creations, the guests danced the night away in the courtyard under the stars. To cap off the evening, M&J sped away on bicycles while everyone rang little keepsake bells.

Ian and Chris's wedding at the Barr Mansion

Have I mentioned lately how much I love it at the Barr Mansion? The location, the staff, the food, all amazing. As well the people who choose to be married there, some of my favorites.
Ian and Chris fit right in. Their wedding last weekend was simply beautiful. I especially loved the flower arrangements. The bride went all over Austin searching out the various glass jars, vases and pitchers for the tables. And Chris's bow tie, a real one, he came prepared with directions on how to tie it.
Oh and I can't forget the groomsmen and their surprise toast in Zoot suits. So fun!