Blog
7 Autumn Inspired Wedding Ideas
Pumpkin spice everything, tall boots, and colorful trees- just a few of the things I love about autumn! While a lot of couples choose spring or summer for their weddings, autumn has a certain fairytale setting to it. You can be outside during the day taking photos amongst the beautiful colors of autumn and enjoy a cozy fireplace inside during the evening. I’ve fallen in love with these 7 autumn wedding ideas featured on Pinterest.
- Autumn Color Scheme
Found on elegantweddinginvites.com
Love, love, love this color scheme- true autumn tones! If you are planning an Autumn wedding you have to incorporate the colors of the leaves! The richness of the chocolate and burgundy are gorgeous compliments to the lighter colors. You may want to replace the burnt orange with red for a Lubbock, Tx wedding but that’s just a suggestion- Go Red Raiders!
- Invitations
In love with these invitations! Simple yet elegant! Gold is my must have Autumn wedding color. The gold border around the invitation adds a classy appeal. I appreciate the added touch of the colorful leaf, but think it would still be a beautiful invitation without.
- The Cake
If you haven’t heard of the unfinished/naked wedding cake, you aren’t spending enough time on Pinterest. There are so many reasons to love this trend- the rustic charm, the simple texture, the elegant finish. I’m not a huge fan of icing and always feel like wedding cakes come with more icing than cake… problem solved!
- Bridal Bouquet
I had a hard time picking just one autumn inspired bouquet to share with you. I pinned several others for you to check out on our Autumn Oaks Pinterest page. What caught my attention about this one is the gorgeous vintage flare with a rustic appeal. Two of my favorite styles! The color combination in this bouquet is gorgeous. No way would I send this flying to some screaming bachelorettes.
- Sweets!
Found on advice.annsbridalbargains.com
How fun/festive is this idea! Make your own treat bars are a huge hit at receptions! Everyone likes the idea of creating their own sweet treats! And who doesn’t LOVE a caramel apple in the Fall! Yummy!
- Goodies for the Guests
Flannel… Another one of my FAVORITE things about Autumn! Warm, cozy flannel throws! I absolutely love the idea of tying autumn flannels into an autumn inspired wedding. And what a creative way to do so! Guests will appreciate the gesture and line up for a cozy flannel to throw across their lap during the ceremony. Baskets are a great way to display them as well. Check out a few of my baskets finds on our Autumn Oaks Pinterest page!
- Wedding Favors
Lastly, we can’t forget about wedding favors for our loving guests- A rustic themed mason jar with everyone’s favorite “hot toddy”. Spice tea, trail mix, or mixed candies/nuts are also great ideas for festive mason jars!
These are just a few of my favorite Autumn inspired wedding ideas from Pinterest. I had a tough time narrowing it down to seven so be sure to check out my other finds here!
If you aren’t already doing so, be sure to follow our Autumn Oaks Pinterest page. I think I will cozy up with a flannel throw and keep pinning!
Construction on our Wedding Venue- Autumn Oaks, Lubbock, Tx
Autumn Oaks Construction Update
We are getting anxious to get Autumn Oaks Event Center opened. It seems like it was a lifetime ago that we actually broke ground on our new adventure. As with any building project, there have been a few bumps in the road and more than a few delays, but for the most part it has been a great experience! When you spend more than a year planning and talking about a project you are passionate about, it is fun to finally see that the end is near. Our wedding venue is nearly complete.
Our Awesome Contractors
We are in the last stages of getting everything done. The parking lot is starting to take shape thanks to Dave. It’s a work in progress but will eventually come together. The painting is nearly done, thanks to Tony and Gilbert. They are the best! We feel so lucky to have them working on this project. Our trim guys, Gary and Clark are working hard on getting the trim all in. The lockers have been built and installed in the Grooms room and the vanity has been installed in the Bridal Suite. Everything looks GREAT! Our wonderful electrician, Mike, has been working non stop to help get the venue up and running. What a blessing he has been! This past week, we had guys out there putting rock on the pillars and they were doing a super job. Monday, Robert will start tiling both restrooms and believe it or not, I am excited because that means we are one step closer to getting our Wedding/ Event Center completed and opened. Finally, we have been very lucky to have our son-in-law Matt help manage and guide this project. Lance and I can’t thank him enough. We’ve been lucky to find many great contractors in Lubbock, TX and we are so thankful for each of them!
Advertising Our Venue
We have been working hard the past few months promoting Autumn Oaks Event Center through social media. Most of the credit goes to my daughter, Cortnee, and my daughter-in-law Caitlan. They have done a great job staying on top of things. Our Facebook account has been the busiest. We’ve got nearly 1,000 likes thanks to many of you sharing our page and our posts. 1,000 was our goal before we opened, and we think we will definitely get there! We’ve also been posting updates on Twitter and Instagram, so be sure to follow us on those as well! Our Pinterest is filled with awesome ideas on wedding planning and wedding decor.
The interest in our venue has been overwhelming. We are pleased to say that for the past couple of weeks, we have been scheduling tours and showing the venue! This has kept us very busy, and we couldn’t be more pleased. VERY EXCITING!!!!! If you would like a private tour, please feel free to send us an email or give us a call. We would love to hear from you.
Lissa Anglin Photography
How did we find Lissa?
While searching for vendors to add to our “preferred vendor list”, we came across Lissa Anglin Photography. In all honesty, we found her on google, we liked her reviews, and we liked her work. We gave Lissa a call and set up a meeting. We liked Lissa instantly when we met her! She is warm and friendly and full of energy. We knew pretty quick she was someone we would be proud to refer and excited to work with.
Why we chose Lissa
Our initial meeting with Lissa was effortless! We were instant friends and she made us feel so welcome. She was genuinely excited about our new venue, which we appreciate, and she was full of fantastic advice! Being a brand new wedding venue here in Lubbock, TX, we welcome any and all advice, especially from a seasoned wedding professional like Lissa.
One thing we love most about Lissa is her passion for creating individual, unique experiences for all of her clients. She understands each individual is different and every relationship is unique. She loves capturing that in her photos. She customizes her photos to her clients and really captures who they are and what their relationship is about. Find out more about her and why she does what she does (http://www.lissaanglin.com/theinfo/#about-me).
Lissa is also just a joy to be around! She is fun loving and we assure you that you will enjoy being around her just as much as we do. A wedding can be busy and crazy and she will ensure that your photos will not have to add to the crazy. It will be organized, stress free and absolutely enjoyable.
Lissa Anglin Wedding Photography
Lissa does it all from engagements, to bridal portraits, to wedding day photography. She knows how important this time in life is and feels it should be “documented beautifully”. From the initial excitement of an engagement, to capturing a bride in the most significant dress she will wear, to that important day of commitment, Lissa can be there to capture every moment.
Lissa has various wedding packages, but each one includes: 2 photographers, a private online web gallery, a complimentary album design draft, wedding day digital negatives, and $1000.00 in print credit to spend on an album, prints, canvas, or other products/services. Use her contact form to get more information from Lissa herself.
Lissa features many of her bride and grooms on her Real Weddings page. Go here to see her unique approach for each couple and to view some of her beautiful work.
We hope this information has been helpful! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook for more information on our preferred vendors.
5 Reasons Brides Should Choose an Open Vendor Policy
Bride, Bride, Bride! Sorry Grooms, but we all know the wedding day is all about the BRIDE. Keeping that in mind, we created Autumn Oaks Event Center to be the perfect wedding venue for a Bride’s special day. We created a Bride’s dream setting for a wedding, the perfect Bridal Suite for spoiling our Brides, and our Open Vendor Policy allowing the Bride to be in charge! Here are our top 5 reasons an Open Vendor Policy is the way to go.
- The Bride has the FREEDOM of choosing her own vendors.
Autumn Oaks’ Open Vendor Policy allows you, the Bride, the freedom to make your own choices. YOU get to plan YOUR wedding! We provide you with the perfect setting, awesome features, the necessary amenities, and allow you to do the rest. As the Bride, you should have the chance to interview and choose your favorite wedding photographer, cake designer, wedding caterer, etc. After all, it is your day!
- The Bride has opportunity to stick to a budget and save money on vendors
This one is for our loving Dads who may have a hard time saying “No” to their Daughters on their wedding days. An Open Vendor Policy allows a lot of wiggle room in your budget. You have the chance to pick your own vendors and prices. This also allows you to decide what vendors are necessary for your special day and which ones are not. Maybe a photographer is extremely important to you but you don’t feel you need a videographer. You are the one that decides how and where you spend your budget!
- The Bride can create unique, DIY Décor
DIY is IN this year! You can’t get more authentic than that! With YouTube, Pinterest, and theKnot you can figure out how to DIY anything. Pinterest has lots of great ideas for center pieces, flower arrangements, invitations, and much more. Invite your bridesmaid over for a wine/DIY night and customize your wedding details. Check out Autumn Oaks’ Pinterest page for great DIY ideas!
- The Bride can include special requests or family assistance
An Open Vendor Policy allows you the chance to cater to those “special” requests or family suggestions. My husband is not a fan of wedding cake and had his heart set on “Aunt Jackie’s Brownies” instead of a Groom’s cake. Having the opportunity to let a family member add something special to your wedding day is something you will cherish. I know I will never be able to match “Aunt Jackie’s Brownies” but I will always remember how big a hit they were at my wedding.
- The Bride is in charge
At Autumn Oaks Event Center, we want the BRIDE to be in charge! Not only do we want to provide a beautiful indoor/outdoor venue, we want our client to have an unforgettable experience. When you choose to host your wedding day at Autumn Oaks it will be your decisions and your choices that will have played an important role in creating your perfect day.
Posted by Caitlan Thornberry
10 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer
You’ve set your date, picked the perfect wedding venue, and found your dream wedding gown; now you need to find a great wedding photographer. Choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions a bride will make when planning her wedding. Your photos will be something you keep forever to remember your special day. I always dreamed of beautiful wedding portraits hanging in my home to reminisce over and share with my children. I love to watch my daughter point at “Mama” and “Daddy” in our wedding pictures.
The wedding photographer is someone you will spend the entire wedding with so it is important to get to know them. Below are a few questions our Autumn Oaks crew thinks are important interview questions for your potential wedding photographer.
- What is your style?
You may have a certain style you are looking for or prefer a blend of styles. It is important to find out the photographer’s style so you will know what to expect from your pictures. A photographer may be willing to try a style other than their preference; however, they may not be as skilled in that style.
- What is your main goal?
This will help you get an idea of pictures the photographer plans to capture. You may want him or her to focus on every detail, a few key moments, The Bride and Groom, or maybe the awesome wedding venue. Autumn Oaks provides the perfect backdrop for all your photos!
- How will you make sure to take all the important pictures?
At the end of the day you will want to make sure you have a picture of all the important moments and special people at your wedding. Make sure your photographer knows what pictures you would like and has a plan to get them all in.
- How many weddings have you shot?
A photographer who has shot numerous weddings has had lots of practice capturing those specials moments. Experienced photographers will have ideas of how and when to capture the best family pictures. However, all great photographers have to start somewhere!
- How many weddings will you schedule the weekend of my wedding?
Some photographers may schedule an afternoon and an evening wedding on the same day. Decide if you are ok with sharing the photographer for the day or if you want to be the main focus. As the Bride, don’t be afraid to request to be the center of attention!
- How do you know when you have succeeded?
This will help you get an idea of the passion the photographer has for his or her work. Find out what excites them about their photos. Maybe they aim to snap that one special gaze between Bride and Groom that no one else notices or catch all the kids looking and smiling at the same time for a family picture.
- What are the most important photos that you will take?
Think about the answers you want from the photographer. What pictures do you want to make sure you have to cherish forever? (Check out Autumn Oaks’ Pinterest page for photo ideas!)
- Do you have a backup photographer if you are sick or have a family emergency?
If something unfortunate happens you need to know who is responsible for handling the stress of finding a replacement. This is the last thing you will want to deal with after a few Brunch Mimosas!
- How much do you retouch and color balance the photos? Will this be done before I see the proofs?
Some photographers will edit every picture beforehand while others will show you the proofs before editing. You may want a natural bridal portrait or you may want to appear straight out of a magazine.
- What exactly is included in your package? How many hours of coverage will we get?
When comparing fees, make sure you are clear on all the package includes. Some photographers include a certain number of prints in their packages while others include a CD of your photos. You also want to know if he or she will be there for the whole ceremony and reception or for a certain time frame. Will the photographer stay the entire 12 hours Autumn Oaks provides?
Be sure to follow us on Facebook for an upcoming photography giveaway!
Posted by Caitlan Thornberry
Allee J Photography
Alexandra, Allee J Photography, is a wedding photographer out of Lubbock, Texas. Allee J Photography is one of our preferred vendors, and we wanted to feature her in our blog this week! Alexandra has been with us since the beginning of our journey and was our very first preferred vendor.
How we heard of Allee J Photography
Alexandra and I were students at Texas Tech University at the same time. We had several mutual friends, but had never actually met. One day, I noticed several of my friends’ senior pictures and I was impressed by how great they looked! The more photos I saw, the more I realized they all had one thing in common – they were taken by Allee J Photography. It wasn’t long before graduation came and went and I started seeing more beautiful photos on Facebook. These were photos of engaged couples and wedding ceremonies. Again, Alexandra, Allee J Photography, was the common thread. I always admired her work, and was impressed every time her photos showed up in my Facebook newsfeed.
Why We Chose Allee J Photography
Fast forward a few years when we began developing the idea of Autumn Oaks Event Center here in Lubbock, Texas. We specifically designed our venue with weddings in mind and we knew we wanted an open vendor policy, but we also knew that we wanted to be able to refer vendors to our clients if they needed recommendations. Thus, we decided to create a “preferred vendors list”. When we started to develop our list, I knew one vendor I absolutely wanted to be included! We met with Alexandra shortly after we started construction and she told us of her love and passion for photography. We visited with her several times, and my mom and I agreed that she needed to be on our list. We were thrilled when she told us she was on board! We knew she had the skill and reputation of someone we would want to do business with, but after these meetings, we felt confident she would be someone our clients would love. Alexandra is kind, friendly, professional, and above all, supremely humble. We adored her after our first meeting, and we firmly believe first impressions are true impressions!
Why You Should Choose Allee J Photography
Alexandra is so passionate about what she does. It is hard to describe the amount of enthusiasm she has about her photography. Yes, she is talented. What is even more impressive, is the meaning she associates with each photo. To her, it’s about capturing a moment, an emotion, a memory, not just taking a pretty picture. Alexandra takes the time to get to know her bride and groom and enjoys the time she spends with them. She writes about her couples and her experience with them and shares many photos on her blog.
I could go on and on about the reasons Allee J Photography is one of our preferred vendors at Autumn Oaks Event Center, but to put it simply – she is good at what she does, she loves what she does, and we love working with her! If you choose to work with her, I feel confident in telling you she will do a fantastic job. Don’t forget to visit http://alleej.com and check out her beautiful photos.
Be sure and like us on Facebook for an excited giveaway featuring Allee J Photography!
https://www.facebook.com/AutumnOaksLubbock
Posted by Cortnee Thornberry
For BRIDES and Mothers of the Bride
Nothing is more exciting than when your children fall in love and get married! Fortunately, my children were both blessed with this wonderful experience and what a joy it has been. However, what I found out with having a son that had gotten married several years earlier and a daughter newly engaged and planning on getting married, the level of stress was completely different. I went from basically helping with a wedding to planning a wedding and believe me that can be somewhat overwhelming.
Of course, my daughter Cortnee was a great help and together we started the wonderful process of planning her wedding. We knew the first step was finding a great venue, so we started looking immediately. We found out pretty quickly that not only was this going to be an important decision, it was also going to be one of, if not THE biggest expense we would have. After many hours of looking and several trips to the different locations we finally made a decision. The venue we chose to rent offered a beautiful setting, tables and chairs, an open vendor policy, set up and clean up and the rest was left up to us.
We liked this idea, because we knew by going this route, we would be in charge and have the freedom to make all the choices that needed to be made in planning a wedding. More importantly, we knew there would be no hidden expenses. We had an opportunity to spend as much or as little money as we wanted. The decision was OURS!
As parents of the bride, we want our little girl to have her dream wedding, but at the same time, we want to be realistic about the total cost of the wedding. I guess what I am trying to say is what I found out through this whole process was, if you find the right venue, then everything else falls into place. You may find yourselves paying a little more than you expected, BUT the venue is everything!!!!
We were lucky to find a great venue, and with the open vendor policy, we were able to stay within budget and everyone was happy, especially her dad! Believe it or not, we got the wedding planned and I can tell you from experience that it wasn’t always easy but I can also tell you that I wouldn’t trade anything for the time I got to spend with my daughter and the memories we made along the way.
So, BRIDES and Mothers of the bride, you CAN make dreams come true.
Autumn Oaks Event Center was specifically designed with weddings in mind and we feel we are offering you a great venue. Our open vendor policy allows you to make your own choices and be creative on how your money is spent. As you move forward on your journey of planning your wedding, we hope you keep Autumn Oaks Event Center in mind. We would love to help make your dream wedding a reality…
Posted by Judy Thornberry
Courtyard Design
Hi everyone. I hope you enjoyed my blog I posted August 8th, 2015. As I said before, we are excited about completing Autumn Oaks Event Center, and more excited to share this beautiful venue with you.
My previous blog described the interior design of Autumn Oaks Event Center, and details why Autumn Oaks is the perfect location for your wedding or event.
Now I would like to provide more information regarding the exterior- the landscaped courtyard.
Why an Outdoor Space?
Once again, our main focus is weddings, which of course focuses on the needs of the BRIDE! Our research throughout the years has proven that brides seek a location that caters to both the wedding ceremony as well as the reception. Obviously this is ideal as it reduces stress for the wedding party, and decreases travel for both the wedding party and guests.
Autumn Oaks Event Center gives brides a choice of an indoor or and outdoor wedding with our beautiful courtyard.
The Layout
As you drive through our gated property, you will see that we take pride in how our property looks and want the first impression to be a lasting impression. A large covered porte cochere will accommodate a limo for the bride and groom to whisk them off into the sunset after they become Mr. and Mrs. or simply for guests who want to drop off their loved ones if it is raining.
You enter into a lobby area that is beautifully decorated and very welcoming. We thought this was a great place for the bride to set up her registry table as well as the gift table. As you walk through the lobby, you enter into our beautiful reception hall which leads out into our outdoor area.
Keeping the bride in mind, we specifically designed one end of our reception hall to have plenty of windows and more importantly centered french doors for….you guessed it, the bride’s grand entrance out into our lovely courtyard. What bride doesn’t want that special moment?
A large covered wrap around porch compliments the building wonderfully with the idea of versatility. As we all know, sometimes sitting out under a covered porch can get a little stuffy, so we put in ceiling fans to make the guests happy. Just trying to think ahead.
As you step outside into our large courtyard, you will notice that we have built a 7 foot high solid cedar fence not only to insure privacy during an outdoor ceremony, but as a windbreak also. Gotta, gotta have that. Our beautiful landscaped courtyard will have plenty of space with trees, shrubs and flowers to enhance the beauty as the bride walks down the aisle to where her future husband awaits under a beautifully decorated pergola. What a great backdrop for pictures. And of course, after the bride and groom say their “I Do’s”, then it is time to start the celebration.
I hope this gives you an idea of our vision for Autumn Oaks Event Center. Come celebrate with us in Lubbock, Texas!
Posted by Judy Thornberry
Plan the Day of Your Dreams
Most girls, whether we admit it or not, have dreamed of our wedding day for as long as we can remember. My niece and I use to plan weddings in my backyard and take turns walking down the aisle with our Mr. Teddy and Eli the Elephant. Once we even tried to talk my big brother into marrying us but he didn’t accept the proposal. My wedding planning continued into my junior high and high school days when I created my “Dream Wedding Journal”. I cut out pictures of venues, flowers, wedding dress, and even stuck a few pictures of my now Hubby in there -yep, dreams really do come true! Let’s just say I knew what I wanted and when my day finally came I was prepared to make it happen. Planning my dream wedding in a journal and actually planning one in real life were a little different. Every Bride hopes their special day will go exactly as planned. I learned a few things along the way and hope to share a few pointers on how to stick to your plan and make sure your day goes just as you have dreamed.
Decisions, Decisions!
There are so many decisions to make when planning your wedding. Indoors or outdoors? 30 invites or 300 invites? Cake or cupcakes? DJ or iPod? Husband A or Husband B? It’s important to remember to stick with what you like. If you have always dreamed of a small, traditional wedding outdoors in the Fall, stick with it and start planning! There are a lot of great tools for helping with all the decisions. A few of my favorites are The Knot, Wedding Wire , and of course Pinterest! Autumn Oaks has great wedding planning ideas on our Pinterest boards!
Weigh your Options
Another important step in planning your day is scheduling interviews and tours to check out your options. Who doesn’t want to spend a day tasting delicious cakes or menus from different caterers? Meet with a few photographers and decide which one best understands what you are wanting. Look at a few of your venue options. Although I am confident Autumn Oaks will be your favorite venue for an indoor or outdoor wedding.
Breathe and Enjoy
Last but not least remember to enjoy this time and take it all in. Planning my wedding with my Mom is one of my favorite memories! Remember that this is something you only get to do once in a lifetime. It is a day to share with all of those you love as you start a new chapter in your life. The color scheme, the cake, your dress, etc. all seem like a big deal, but the most important part of the day is sharing the love you have for your spouse with all of those who love you most.
Planning can definitely be a little stressful at times. Just remember to stick with the dream day you have planned and go from there. Take a break, breathe and remember at the end of the day it’s all about the Mr. and Mrs.
Our Autumn Oaks team is currently working on our list of preferred vendors to share with you. Be sure to keep up with our blog and Facebook for individual stories on the vendors. We are putting a lot of effort into interviewing vendors that we trust will add to your special day!
Posted by Caitlan Thornberry
Owner’s Vision: Autumn Oaks Event Center Lubbock, Tx
It has been fun watching the progress we are making on building Autumn Oaks Event Center. We are anxious to get it finished and so excited about offering this beautiful indoor/outdoor venue to you, our clients, for your special occasion. As the owner and creator of Autumn Oaks Event Center, I want to tell you a little bit about the design of our building and why it is the perfect wedding venue. First of all, we designed the building and outdoor area to accommodate many types of special events, but most importantly weddings. Nothing is more special than a wedding and we wanted our focus to be on the Bride and Groom.
For the Bride and Her Girls
While focusing on the Bride, we created a spacious bridal suite decorated with soft neutral colors and a beautiful chandelier just for her. The 6 vanity stations have plenty of mirrors and lighting for the bride and bridal party to put on makeup and do what they do. A comfortable lounging area is provided for relaxation and girl talk while getting ready. There is a designated area to hang dresses and put stuff up out of the way. The bride will love the natural lighting coming through the large double window and double glass French doors looking out onto the covered wrap around porch. This creates the ideal setting for taking beautiful pictures with her favorite girls. We also added a private bathroom in the bridal suite just for the bride and her bridal party. I can’t forget to mention the mini fridge for drinks and a counter top for refreshments for those that need a little something to snack on. What more does a bride need?
The Man of the Hour
Of course we can’t forget about the man of the hour. At Autumn Oaks Event Center, we designed a comfortable groom’s room with plenty of seating and a flat screen TV for the guys to hang out, because that’s what guys do. The color scheme is in brown tones and neutral colors with a designated area to hang tuxes and get dressed for the special occasion. There is a mirror, plenty of lighting, and of course a ceiling fan because my son and son-in-law said that was a MUST. A mini fridge is also provided for drinks and a tabletop for snacks and refreshments. The groom’s room has several large windows providing plenty of natural light and is located next to the men’s restroom for easy access.
The Layout
In designing Autumn Oaks Event Center, we felt like it was not only important to have a beautiful gated entrance, but a beautiful building inside and out. Nothing I love better than to drive up to a place of business and think,Wow,this is really pretty”. Guests can be dropped off at the front door under a covered porte cochere where they will enter into the lovely decorated lobby. Our restrooms are conveniently located off of the lobby which also opens up into our spacious reception hall. We love this room because it has a lot of windows and glass French doors to allow plenty of natural light to shine through. The many French doors open out into a beautifully landscaped courtyard with a covered wrap around porch. What a perfect place to set up tables and chairs and take advantage of the outdoor space. Most importantly we can’t forget about the food. The catering kitchen and separate serving room located right off the reception hall were also designed with weddings in mind. Your caterer will not only love the prep kitchen, but also the serving room. It allows for two or three serving lines to be going at once so the guests are not standing in line forever to get food. Gotta love that!
As you have read, we are very proud and excited about bringing our venue to Lubbock,Tx and surrounding communities and would love for you to be a part of Autumn Oaks Event Center. Be sure and check out our virtual tour and take a walk through our beautiful indoor/outdoor event center.
Posted by Judy Thornberry