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Colorful, offbeat Wes Anderson inspired wedding ideas at the South Congress Hotel in Austin

October 24, 2023

If you’re looking for wedding inspiration that is equal parts fun and chic, this Wes Anderson inspired editorial coming to us from In Ink Weddings + Events is right up your alley. The impeccably designed South Congress Hotel Austin set the tone for their quirky-cool vignette, featuring poolside portraits, a bold floral ceremony, and decor ideas in the coolest teal, yellow, and pink palette. To top it all off, a quick trip to Lady Bird Lake for a pink boat ride made for even more special moments. Get inspired by the amazing portraits Riley Glenn Photography shared, flawless fashion for grooms Deremy and John, and a mélange of playful details below!

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Love this poolside couples’ shoot at the hotel! And, as any stylish couple knows, you must set the tone with a show-stopping invitation design like this incredible suite below:

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Colorful Groom’s Fashion

Sydney of In Ink Weddings + Events tells us, Grooms Deremy and John sported sea glass and white suits from Rex Formal Wear. Our florist, Perry’s Petals, recognized that grooms often do not receive the show-stopping floral moment as brides do with their bridal bouquets, so it was important to adorn John (white suit) with something eye-catching. As a result, he was suited in a vibrant, luscious-flowered lapel. We couldn’t leave Deremy (sea glass suit) hanging and knew he needed something fun as part of his accessories. What better way to give a nod to Austin, TX than with a turquoise bolo tie and avante-garde boutonniere? 

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2024 Wedding Trends

The design element we were most excited about was the ceremony. We predict runway-style seating and custom aisles will be hot in 2024 and wanted to put our best spin on it. There’s something enchanting about a “road” lined with colorful flowers leading to your altar—an altar enrapturing you in a floral embrace. Father Lizzie conducted the ceremony, John and Deremy exchanged love notes and sealed the metaphorical deal. Loot Rentals brought forth pops of pink with the ceremony chairs and arch. Scarlett Rose Collective brought the custom aisle pattern to life along with a teal backdrop that met the arch.

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Looking for more colorful wedding ideas? Find more inspiration by clicking here!

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The red velvet bar and lamps from Loot Rentals and arched backdrop are a nod to the Grand Budapest Hotel’s concierge desk. Tart cherries became an icon for the shoot for a Wes Anderson-inspired pop of electric red.

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Orange, Teal, and Pink Reception Decor

South Congress Hotel was thoughtfully selected, as it is a venue after Austin’s own heart. The property is filled with quirky + chic interiors and an outdoor ceremony space that boasts the city’s magic while being tucked away in a courtyard. But most importantly, the reception hall offers a blank canvas, allowing bright color palettes to come to life.

The guest table spreads are filled with odd shapes, bold colors, and mixed textures. While it was so much fun bringing color into the design, it was important to bring in a touch of masculinity; queue the wooden chargers and cement candlesticks. Table Manners provided an excellent variety of flatware, plateware, and glassware and BBJ Tavola tied it all together with the half-moon patterned linens and bold peacock-green napkins. 

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Half moon shapes and tassels were intentional in representing vintage hotel key ring tassels. The team predicts anthurium as the flower of the year between the 2023-2024 wedding seasons, so they chose rare, red-speckled and orange stamen blooms.

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Obsessed with these details!

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How to Get The Look

When recalling Wes Anderson, inquisitive, odd, and surprising come to mind. In order to pull off the look, it’s necessary to be confident in mixing the uncommon together and trusting that it’ll stick. One of the biggest trust-the-processes pieces was the cake station. Collectively, it portrayed these elements of oddity with tiger print pieces, a mint-green guest book phone from Called to Say, cigar favors, and a cherry-on-top cake by Cafe No Se. There’s beauty in the artfully placed chaos—don’t be afraid to try unconventional pairings.

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Lastly, they made their way to Austin’s Lady Bird Lake for a pink boat ride on Retro Boat Rentals’ “Gidget”. Made for the perfect portraits, don’t you think?

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Is it really your wedding day without popping open a bottle of champagne? On a boat? We made sure it was so.

Thanks to the team below for bringing such a unique wedding concept to life! We can’t wait to see how our couples incorporate these details. For those of you kicking off the planning process, be sure to use our new site MatchBook to find your dream vendors!

Film by Carhart Photography

Photography: Riley Glenn Photography | Designer/Planner: In Ink Weddings + Events | Florist: Perry’s Petals | Venue: South Congress Hotel | Videographer: Carhart Photography | Stationer: Eventive Designs ATX | HAMU:  Luna Beauty | Custom aisle/bar: Scarlet Rose Collective | Groom Attire:  Rex Formal Wear | Rentals: Loot | Linens: BBJ | Boat Rental: Retro Boat Rentals | Dessert: Cafe No Se | Guest Book: Called To Say | Officiant: Father Lizzie | Tabletop: Table Manners | Groom 1: John Garza | Groom 2: Deremy Fleetwood