Beautiful Wedding in Lake Travis

Erika and Hussein

March 30, 2024

Bride and Groom — Erika + Hussein by Miranda Marrs Photography

The Planning Begins

I have been waiting for MONTHS to spill the beans about this beautiful wedding, and I am so happy that I finally have some photos back from their very talented photographer to share with everyone.

This wedding was unique in every single way. I was approached by Atlas Weddings & Co, who specialize in weddings in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, in late February/early March about a wedding they were putting together. Instantly, I was intrigued. Once I connected with Sierra, one of the planners, I learned that the bride’s name was Erika and she and her fiancé Hussein were planning a wedding for late March at her grandmother’s home on Lake Travis. Sierra explained that Erika and Hussein live in Ohio, but due to the declining health of elderly family members, it was important to seize the moment and have the wedding as soon as possible. Erika wanted to get married in a place that was sentimental to her and she could think of no better spot than her grandparent’s custom-built home on Lake Travis, where she spent so much time growing up. It is also a perfect backdrop with a gorgeous outdoor fireplace, pool, and views of the lake. Erika wanted to make her bridal dreams come true, and Sierra explained that she loved my portfolio and really wanted glam waves and a glam makeup look to go along with it. It sounded like a match made in bridal glam heaven. After some back and forth, I was hired to provide Erika with her bridal glam along with her mother, sister, soon-to-be stepdaughter, and the officiant (who was a close family friend).

Because Erika lived out of town, it was important for me to have everything ready to go for her, including hair extensions. I always strongly recommend that brides who desire glam waves add hair extensions, not necessarily for length but for fullness so the ends are just as voluminous as the mid-lengths of the hair. Luckily, I had a pair of extensions in my backstock that matched Erika perfectly and offered her the option to rent extensions from me. This turned out to be the perfect option for Erika because she only needed them for the day and didn’t have a ton of time to source her own extensions. I was glad that I could offer this service to her.

Bridal Preview Excitement

I didn’t meet Erika until the week of her wedding! She drove with her bridal gown all the way from Ohio to North Texas to meet up with her parents, then down to my studio in Waco before reaching her final destination on Lake Travis! It was such a long drive for her, but she was such a sweet and enjoyable person to have in my chair despite the long travel. Erika explained that she really loved a glam look, and we discussed her inspiration board (a vision board that I put together for all of my brides before their bridal preview so we can get on the same page for their hair and makeup look). We opted to go with a super foiled gold lid and a soft, smokey brown outer corner that would be cut to provide a lifted look. She also wanted black winged liner, fluffy, full lashes, a more nude lip, and full coverage foundation, all while having it last and not feel cakey. In the makeup world, this is makeup that needs to be carried out with precision and care because it must look believable in real life, but also read well on camera and have the longevity to last through an outdoor ceremony and reception.

I created Erika’s gold foiled shadow using ColourPop’s Super Shock Highlighter in “Flexitarian” all over the lid for optimum shine and blended my favorite MAC Cosmetics shadows in Brown Down in the corner for that smokey dimension. I added Inglot’s Gel Eyeliner in 77 for that ultra-black line that I could easily wing out, then carved the sides using my trusty Neutrogena Facial Wipes and added Ardell Demi Wispies on top for the perfect winged lashes.

For Erika’s complexion, I prepped her skin with Monat Hydration Booster Serum and Be Gentle Moisturizer. To give her under-eye a quick pick-me-up, I used Monat’s 30 Second Miracle Eye Perfector and gave optimal coverage to the under-eye with Anastasia Beverly Hills Magic Concealer. On the remainder of the skin, I contoured using Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Creams and topped it off with MAC Studio Fix Fluid to blend everything flawlessly. The cheeks are ColourPop Blush in Prairie Air, and I use MAC Dazzleshadow in Oh So Gilty as a highlighter. For Erika’s perfect pout, I used MAC Angel lipstick and set the whole thing with Fix+ setting spray.

I am so happy to report that the extensions matched her hair perfectly! After clipping them in, I prepped the lengths and the ends with hydration since her hair was on the dryer side. I used the Moroccan Oil Leave-In Hydrating Conditioner and prepped the roots with a little bit of dry shampoo for grit and started the curling process. Glam waves can be a tricky hairstyle to wear because if you touch your hair a lot, they won’t stay, and if there is any moisture in the air, the curls will fall. I got the curls to have longevity and bounce by using a pump spray hairspray by Paul Mitchell and combing through the hair before curling. Then, using the SexyHair Texture Powder, I sprinkled it onto each curl and used it to provide more grit when fluffing the curl out and combing. Erika loved it and looked absolutely gorgeous! Our conversation during her preview was comfortable and easy, and I got to learn all about her and her fiancé, their love story, and their life in Ohio. It was like sitting down with an old friend versus someone I had met that morning. After Erika left, I couldn’t wait to see her again on her wedding morning at her grandmother’s house.

Lake Travis Wedding Day

On March 30, Jamie (my hairstylist extraordinaire who helps me with wedding party hair) and I traveled almost two and a half hours to Lake Travis, and it was worth the drive. Atlas had painstakingly designed the ceremony space in the front courtyard and the reception space in the back. The table decor was simple and elegant with candles, and the outdoor fireplace was an absolute show-stopper with flowers and many candles in the fireplace. They were so sweet to check in on Jamie and me to see if we needed anything and if the bridal party needed something. As a fellow vendor who often gets overlooked as someone who would need something, this was the extra touch that meant a lot to Jamie and me; they truly took care of everyone and everything. The team from Atlas steamed her bridal gown, was on hand to answer any questions, and ensured the bride could drink a mimosa and enjoy her morning with her family. Erika’s photographer, Miranda Marrs Photography, also made the day so fun and enjoyable because she walked around, scouted the perfect locations to do portraits, and played around with her drone to get the most out of the day. Miranda popped in and out of the room where all bridal party members were getting ready, took candid shots, chatted with everyone, and helped support Erika and the planners to keep on the timeline with gifts. Miranda could shoot the bride giving gifts to her mom, grandmother, sister, and soon-to-be stepdaughter in a timely manner, but more importantly, knew the bride would cry and wanted to get that all out of the way before it was her turn to get ready. I was still able to maintain the timeline I created for the bridal party members while still getting the shots she needed. I enjoyed working with the entire vendor team.

Erika’s family was an absolute joy. Her whole bridal party, which consisted of all the ladies mentioned above, were happy, generous, kind, and came prepared to their appointment with clean hair and skin as well as inspiration photos of what they wanted. What a dream!! When it came time for Erika to get ready, we had a well-established game plan with feedback on Erika’s eyebrows (she wanted them a little softer), and I got to work. I always allow two hours to get the bride ready, but creating glam waves with a tighter wave pattern can be painstaking, so we allotted a little more time to Erika on the wedding morning.

When it was finally time for me to turn over the mirror to Erika, I couldn’t wait. She was absolutely the most stunning bride, and I was SO EXCITED to show her the final look. Miranda was able to get a photo of me handing over the mirror, and you can tell I am excited. Erika LOVED IT, and after we finished, it was a quick goodbye and handing over the touch-up kit as she was whisked away for more photos and time to get into her gown.

I was able to see the finished photos, and Miranda did a wonderful job capturing the joy of the day, the candid moments, the beautiful ceremony space, and the reception area. Erika and Hussein’s Lake Travis wedding was absolutely gorgeous, and the joy they experienced that day was immense. Erika’s hair and makeup, I am happy to report, looked absolutely gorgeous the entire day, and this wedding counts as one of my favorite weddings I have done this year. Thank you, Erika and Hussein, and all your family and vendors, for making this such an enjoyable day!

Here are some of my favorite shots