Renaissance-Inspired Wedding for Literary and Fantasy Lovers

Ros and Wayne’s magical Hill Country Wedding at Shiraz Garden

Today, we're talking about Ros and Wayne’s Renaissance-inspired wedding at Shiraz Garden in the Texas Hill Country. Our beautiful venue is perfect for hosting a chic and elegant wedding. The couple chose to incorporate elements from the Renaissance into their wedding décor, such as tapestries, bold colors, and period-appropriate hints — like the bride’s shoes! The Renaissance theme was subtle, but it you know the couple well, it was the perfect bit of creativity for their otherwise chic day.

With an intimate guest list of 55, picnic table dining, one of Austin’s best wedding planners, and subtle Renaissance details… this is a one-of-a-kind event we can’t wait to share!

Photos from another Shriaz favorite vendor, Rebekah Paul Photography.

COUPLES REACTION TO SEEING SHIRAZ GARDEN FOR THE FIRST TIME

“Walking onto the grounds at Shiraz Garden is like stepping into a dream. The beautiful Texas Hill Country surrounds the venue with wonder and joy. We immediately fell in love with this space. This place embodies our spirit as a couple and our love for each other and the great outdoors.

Shiraz Garden is an experience. Plan on walking quite a bit and taking in the natural beauty!”

— Ros and Wayne’s description of Shiraz Garden

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Shiraz Garden is located in the rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, just outside Austin. The venue is surrounded by lush gardens and towering oak trees, providing a stunning backdrop for any wedding. The property also features a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, so you can customize your wedding to fit your needs.

If you're looking for a unique and unforgettable wedding venue, Shiraz Garden is the perfect place for you. And if you're dreaming of a Renaissance-inspired wedding, this venue is the perfect way to bring your vision to life.

ONE OF AUSTIN’S BEST WEDDING PLANNER - Momentus Weddings

LOVE FOR CARISSA WITH MOMENTUS WED

Before showing you this perfect and unique wedding, it’s imperative to highlight Momentus Weddings and Events and its lead planner Carissa. Carissa is an all-time favorite wedding planner from across Texas! As a wedding venue owner and 3x manager, Kalli, the Shiraz Garden Director, has nothing but amazing things to say about Carissa’s ability to be creative, fun, but with the utmost skills in organization, recommendations to couples that are appropriate to their vision, and overall leadership that results in an amazing and stress-free wedding. Shiraz Garden jumps for joy with Momentous Weddings will be at the lead to ensure a stunning and enjoyable wedding day!

Hire a wedding planner who specializes in your venue (for a unique day, this is so important) and is incredibly organized! When adding in unique traditions, decor, and themes, your wedding day just left the “normal zone” and entered the creative-detail-specific zone! It’s amazing how a few design and timeline differences from a unique wedding day impact the typical outline for a wedding day. Having a cocktail-style picnic table-centered REnaissance day was certainly full of curve balls, and having Momentus Weddings there to shepherd our couple through each step was critical to success!

Shiraz Day-of Manager On-Duty’s Kind Words for Carissa: Carissa is amazing. Love her, her organization, communication, and attitude. 

RENAISSANCE WEDDING IDEAS & SUBTLE TOUCHES

The Renaissance was a time of incredible beauty and creativity, and it can be a wonderful inspiration for a wedding. However, if you're not careful, a Renaissance-inspired wedding can end up looking like a costume party. Here are some tips on how to create a Renaissance-inspired wedding that's chic and beautiful for those not wanting a full-festival feel (just a touch!):

• Start with the venue. A Renaissance-inspired wedding needs a unique wedding venue. Shiraz Garden’s water features, views, and “experience” for guests walking the grounds was the perfect start!

• Choose the right colors. The Renaissance was a time of rich colors, so don't be afraid to go bold with your color choices. Burgundy, emerald green, and gold are all classic Renaissance colors.

• Focus on the details. Ros’ amazing hair flowers and floral details were a remediate design detail that caught everyone’s eye! It radiated fun, festival, and artistic love! Use that as your example when thinking about your own Renaissance-inspired wedding day —the details are what will really make your Renaissance-inspired wedding stand out. Pay attention to the flowers, the table linens, the candles, and the centerpieces. You can also add some Renaissance-inspired touches to your wedding attire, such as a brocade jacket for the groom or a tiara for the bride.

• Don't forget the food. The Renaissance was a time of great feasting, so make sure your wedding menu reflects that. Mead, turkey legs, and old-fashioned cakes are all traditional Renaissance fare, but you can also add some modern twists. Ros and Wayne did this was lots of grazing tables, and of course, their custom-made picnic tables to perfectly fit in the Formal Garden fountain area!

• Keep it classy. The Renaissance was a time of great sophistication, so don't let your wedding look like a costume party. Keep the overall look of your wedding elegant and chic.

By following these tips, you can create a Renaissance-inspired wedding that's chic and beautiful. Your guests will feel caught up in a whimsical spell, and they'll never forget your special day.

SUNSET CEREMONY AT SHIRAZ GARDEN - HILL COUNTRY WEDDING

The ceremony site, Sunset Vista, is an open meadow with a beautiful vista of the hills and a majestic oak tree overlooking the Colorado River Valley and framing the setting sun. To reach this site, there is a short gravel path through a wooded area. Shoes should be something all guests at Shiraz Garden weddings should choose carefully! Shoes should be comfortable for walking along pebbled paths, over grassy fields, and dancing!

And adding in a few of their amazing first-look photos from the Hidden Staircase!

PICNIC CASUAL RECEPTION - FORMAL GARDEN

On this unique date, guests were welcome to arrive as early as 6. The couple had a pre-ceremony cocktail hour, so everyone had time to arrive, get refreshments, and relax. Around 7 pm, guests gathered together and then walked to the ceremony site for a magical sunset wedding. Afterward, guests returned to the garden for fruits and charcuterie under the stars and a heavenly evening of relaxing, dancing, and celebration.

VENDOR TEAM | ATX Wedding Vendors

Carissa Melendez - Momentous Wed

Rebekah Paul Photo - Photography

Julia Martinez - Officant; Your Modern Ritual

Byrne Rock Mobile DJ - DJ

WeTendBar - Bar Services

HEB Blooms - Flowers

Tough Cookie - Sweets

Lune Beauty and Bridal - Hair and Makeup

The story of Wayne and Ros starts with a little game called Dungeons and Dragons.

The two met in their first semester in college, many, many years ago. A friend of Ros' from the fencing club mentioned a few of them, including Wayne, were going to get together and play D&D and invited her to come and join them. One day while playing, Ros began telling Wayne about one of her favorite audiobook series. So Wayne offered to drive Ros home in exchange for this audiobook on a flash drive. While in Ros' apartment, Wayne noticed a movie poster for Labyrinth. The next day they agreed to meet and watch the movie together. This would be the first of many movie dates.

It’s always fun to end thinking about Dragons… we hope your imagination has taken flight!