Ahhh.. the wine country...

Mandola’s is a great little Italian restaurant in Austin that J and I both love. It opened in the Triangle when we lived in our first house in the Rosedale neighborhood. I was eager to see the vineyard and facilities when it opened last year and what better time than a vine tour for a friend’s birthday. The grounds are lovely, spacious and well cared for with of course very Tuscan architecture.



I was even more thrilled when I found out they host weddings. We went to check out the vineyard this weekend as Jason had not yet seen it. Since we were early for our appointment, we grabbed lunch at the restaurant, which has fantastic food and great wine, just like the restaurant in Austin. There are two options for a wedding, the more traditional kind, in which the event center can be rented out for dinner, dancing and the whole reception. A different approach, and more budget friendly, is to have the ceremony here with guests sitting under the live oak trees:



Followed by a wine tasting and then lunch on the front veranda. I really like the set up, staff, food and price. The only drawback is we would have no band, dancing or any of the other more traditional aspects of a wedding. It would be a ceremony with lunch. Also, the front veranda is not totally private and the ceremony wouldn't be either since the winery is operating all weekend. At first, I didn’t think it mattered much, but I think we are both starting to realize that we do want to have the first dance, as well as a more intimate gathering. So while this option is on the list, I am not sure how it will work out.

Pardon my drool...

I love love love these for EdenInvitation. They remind me of being young and drying flowers in between the pages of old books. They also go so well with the lavender theme, but are a smidgen, ok, almost twice of our invite budget. Sigh.

NOT on the short list...

Yesterday I went with my Maid of Honor (thanks!) to check out the Allan House. I had really high hopes because the pictures online looked really great and although a bit pricey, I thought it would be something different. I also thought, if I really love it, it would be worth the price. It is not. It’s just another small house with not very much outside space for guests to spread out. Especially with the high price tag (!!) I am not really feeling it.

On the Short List...

The Mansion at Judges Hill was always of those boutique hotels that make Austin special but often overlooked for a dinner reservation. J and I went there on Monday as a last minute, in the neighborhood, on a whim type of moment and I have to say I was really impressed with the grounds and the hotel itself. I also really appreciate the prompt services of the ladies, as service really does matter, especially when you are going to be relying on the location so much the day of (umm…note to all the venues who have yet to return my calls or emails). The reviews on Yelp are asi asi but the price is a pleasant surprise after so many heart stopping quotes so it makes the short list!

Lovely flowers for the Boys

These beautiful made to order boutonnieres from the Etsy shop, Twigs and Honey by Myra, are so special. I think they would look great with his eyes.