Renate and Paul’s Chapel Dulcinea Wedding

Some might say that fate brought Renate and Paul together at the altar of their Chapel Dulcinea Wedding. Paul hails from London and Renate from Holland, yet somehow they met in Florida! When they tried to go their separate ways, a hurricane kept them grounded.

You could say they got the hint! On June 27th, in front of family and friends from all across the globe, they declared their love for one another. The ceremony was atop a hill at the lovely Chapel Dulcinea.

Capturing their story was a true joy. You could tell just by being around them how much they loved each other, and it made their day so fun to share. They held their reception at Mercury Hall in the heart of Austin, and their fun-loving spirit was on full display! They played lawn games with family and friends and tore up the dance floor. A groomsman even passed out incriminating photos of Paul to all the guests! The day was sunny, the wedding was beautiful, and I am so happy I got to capture the smiles of these European love-birds.

If you want to see more of their contagious spirit and a little Austin flare, check out their Austin Adventure Session!

Chapel Dulcinea

This amazing venue is one of the only free-to-use venues in the world! It runs off of donations which makes it immensely popular. It’s both pet-friendly and love-friendly, and according to their website, “Any two people who wish to make a life-commitment to each other are welcome to use Chapel Dulcinea.” That is the kind of spirit that makes me a big fan of this venue, and it is one of the many gems that make Austin an amazing place!

Two pro-tips for a Chapel Dulcinea wedding:
1) Ring the chapel bell after you get hitched!
2) You have the option to get ready on-site in their Bride and Groom Rooms – complimentary convenience!

Their website has an updated schedule of availability and a great FAQ section that should be able to answer the all-important essential questions.

Mercury Hall

If you are a fan of big beautiful oak trees and a classic Texas setting, look no further than Mercury Hall. I could have spent all day in the Upper Lawn under the live oak canopies. This venue works indoors and out, with room under the trees or inside the white-washed, wood floor banquet hall with its lacy stained glass windows. The 2000+ sq ft interior hall is enough to seat 150 guests and can be flipped after dinner into a roomy dance floor!

Last, and easily one of my favorite parts, is that there is more than enough room on the garden-lined grounds to escape outside for some epic – and extra fun – end-of-night shots.