Holliday Hinckley Weds David Bracht | Summer Ballroom Wedding by Pearl Events Austin

Gorgeous florals from Westbank Floral Market along with luxe rentals from Whim Hospitality and Premiere Events plus a delicious cake from Sweet Treets Bakery made Holliday and David’s summer ballroom wedding by Pearl Events Austin a fabulous affair! Enjoy!

Photos // Jenny DeMarco Photography

Written by Megan Hemmelgarn

When you were younger you may have heard this phrase from a family member or a friend that you’re “just too young to be in love” but unbeknownst to her, Holliday met her future spouse David in her second grade class. David and Holliday grew up just a few houses apart in Houston and started dating their freshman year of high school. After dating all through high school, they separated for a few years once they went off to different colleges. She went off to the University of Texas and he left for A&M but they got back together their junior year in 2011. For the next five years, the couple became inseparable and spent most of their time outdoors. They enjoyed playing sports like tennis and golf, and David would take Holliday hunting and fishing. Since the couple practically grew up together, it was fitting to get engaged at a place that held so many memories for both of them.

Holliday’s parents have a ranch in north Austin and it has been a frequent spot for family get-togethers and holidays for years, making it the perfect place for David to propose. “We’ve had so many memories there before we were even old enough to drive,” Holliday said. “We would go out there with friends and my family and have Thanksgiving out there every year. We have pictures of David and I at family Thanksgiving’s when we were 15 years old. So it’s a special place. We go there frequently and it was memorable that it was just the two of us out there.” Just as the sun was setting one July evening, David got down on one knee and proposed on the porch. Holliday just happened to take a photo of the sunset right before David proposed and later realized that you can see him holding the ring in his hands. After immediate family members were called, David and Holliday put down their phones for the rest of the evening and just enjoyed the excitement of the engagement. That next weekend, Holliday’s parents threw the newly engaged couple a surprise engagement party in Houston.

Since Holliday was completely surprised by the proposal, she hadn’t thought about what she wanted for her dream wedding. Luckily, she was able to lean on wedding planner Megan Metzger from Pearl Events Austin to help create a vision for her June wedding. “I really wanted different experiences throughout the wedding,” Holliday said. “In addition to the dance floor, I wanted to incorporate different areas with unique experiences for people to congregate.” The couple decided on the Omni Barton Creek Resort for their ceremony and reception and liked that it was a one-stop venue for their out of town guests. Knowing that weddings can be expensive, Holliday said she wanted to make sure some of their décor could be used again. The couple helped design a “Cheers” neon sign that sat above their martini bar at the reception. The martini bar was completely made of ice and had the couple’s initials monogrammed on the front. The “Cheers” sign now sits above the bar in their home. Other fun personal elements of the wedding included an all-floral cross displayed during the ceremony, a photo booth that included a 360-degree video feature, and surprise confetti cannons that were set off during the dance portion of the reception.

Friendships are very important to David and Holliday so they made sure to include all of the special people for their big day. About a month before the wedding, the couple replaced the reverend they had hired and instead had an old family friend marry them. Holliday’s dad had a best friend from elementary school nicknamed “Speedy” who joked about marrying the couple and decided to get ordained at the last minute. Holliday asked David’s niece to be the flower girl and David asked Holliday’s younger brother to be his best man and chose a large wedding party made up of groomsmen and ushers. Holliday’s bridal party was filled with friends and sorority sisters. Her maid of honor married her own high school sweetheart and attended the same elementary and high school as David and Holliday. The couple wanted to make sure that everyone invited to the wedding had as much fun. “It was a celebration of all of us and all the people that have been involved in our lives since we were in elementary school,” Holliday said.

“It was incredibly meaningful to have everyone that has known us for so long and watched us grow, join us in the celebration.” Holliday says one of her favorite moments was spending the morning watching the venue, the ceremony and reception area get set up with her mom and a few bridesmaids.

Although the couple didn’t have an initial vision for the wedding, it was very important for them to skip the first look and wait until the walk down the aisle. “I think there are very few times in your life that you get to see your husband that vulnerable in front of all of his friends and family and see you for the first time,” Holliday said. “Just to see that genuine reaction between us was so special.” Despite tears on both ends, it was worth it.” For her walk down the aisle, Holliday chose a simple, chic and timeless Vera Wang gown. Holliday says she originally picked out a different dress at the Casa de Novia boutique in Houston and changed her mind just before ordering the first dress. She said the Vera gown felt more like her and was very happy with her last minute decision.

Entertainment was also very important for the couple, so good music was at the top of their list. Holliday says her dad is a big Jazz fan and helped pick a number of songs for the wedding. The Atlanta-based band “Jessie’s Girls” was hired for the reception – a high energy party band that performed a huge set list along with choreographed dances. After a full night of dancing, the bridal party put on the matching pajamas they wore while getting ready before the wedding and continued the evening at the bar inside the resort. Holliday says she loved that the day was filled with her best friends and new memories with her now husband. “No one else notices the details but you, so don’t stress out about them,” she says. “Just keep in mind what it’s all about. Everyone at a wedding feeds off the bride’s vibes, so if you’re having fun everyone else will too.” Her final note to future brides is to listen to your groom’s suggestions or wants for the wedding because you may be surprised about a good idea he has up his sleeve.