Number 9: Best Weddings of 2009

We hope everyone is having a happy new year so far. The end of the year has left us reflecting on what a great year we had at Number 9. During 2009, we had the pleasure of witnessing 34 couples tie the knot. Our 'Best of 2009' is our tribute to all the love and creativity that went into their weddings. We've listed our picks for each category and then listed our second choice or honorable mention (HM).

We wish you all the best of luck in 2010. Looking ahead, we're excited to see what weddings will make our list next year. We hope the 2009 brides inspire those planning for 2010. Here's our nod to a great year in weddings.

Shortest Road to Marriage: 7 months (Kasey & Michael Schuetz)
HM: 8 months (Alonda & Xavier Cepeda)

Favorite Engagement Session: Wendy Cole & Chase Hoffman (Alamo Drafthouse/Pots & Plants)
HM: Danielle & Mirl (S.Austin)

Favorite Bridal/Groom Session: Darcie Breeden (S. Austin)
HM: Clint Oller (Shoreline Grill)

Most Notable Dress: Chrissy Bevill
HM: Angela Watford

Best Color Combo: Blue/Red/Pink (Ballard Wedding)
HM: Grey/Orange (Payne Wedding )

Best Hair: Jennifer Payne
HM: Kasey Schuetz

Best Makeup: Angela Briggs
HM: Alonda Cepeda

Best Shoes: Danielle Hamilton
HM: Amanda Lang

Best Bridesmaid Dresses: Green Variations (Pecorino Wedding)
HM: J. Crew Fuschia Halter Dresses ( Black Wedding)

Best Groomsmen Wear: Chris Bevill's Brown & Cream combo
HM: Charles Luster’s white suit/colored tie

Best MOB/MOG dress: Luciana’s Mother (Wynne Wedding)
HM: Lindsey's Mother (Rangel Wedding)

Memorable Bridal Detail: Melissa Pecorino’s “Love Is All You Need” Bracelet
HM: Katie Harmon’s grandmother’s hankerchief tied onto her bouquet

Best Ring (Photo): Cook Wedding
HM: Hamilton Wedding

Best Bouquet/Flowers: Mercedes Cook
HM: Lang Wedding

Best Wedding Favors: personalized rocks (Rademacher Wedding)
HM: wedding leis (Lang Wedding)

Best Trend: Brides w/their dogs
HM: bird/nature themes

Best Wedding Theme: Paintball Wedding (Faith & Tim Turnipseed)
HM: Kill Bill (Oller Wedding)

Original Detail: Rock & Roll Reception Details (Oller Wedding)
HM: Message Tree (Fuentez Wedding)

Best Ceremony Venue: Winfield Inn (Breeden Wedding, Belvill Wedding)
HM: Villa Antonia (Falkenburg Wedding, Watford Wedding)

Best Entrance: Horse-drawn Carriage (Shelley Pridgen)
HM: Kill Bill theme song (Nikki Oller)

Best New Last Name: Turnipseed (Faith Burton to Faith Turnipseed)

Best Person of Honor: Morgan Oller (Bridesmaid @ Oller Wedding)
HM: Shelley’s MOH (Pridgen Wedding)

Most Unique Ceremony/Vows: Bob Dylan’s Wedding Song (Pecorino Wedding)
HM: Michael's vow to love Angela more than videogames (Briggs Wedding)

Best Heritage Nod: Scottish Bag Piper (Deborah & Steve Smith)
HM: Mexican Wedding Dance-"La Vibora" aka the Snake(Fuentez Wedding)

Best Non-Dry Eye: Melissa Rutledge (MOB @ Breeden Wedding)
HM: Clark McKay (Best Man to Bride @ Black Wedding)

Best ‘Seal-of-the-Deal’: Chris Bevill’s fumbled vows
HM: Cyndi & Eddie Carbajal high-fiving prior to the kiss

Best Bridal Party Photo: Pridgen Wedding (by the trees)
HM: Wynne Wedding (on the stairs)

Best Groomsmen Photo: Bevill Wedding
HM: Falkenburg Wedding (Groomsmen holding Ashley)

Best Wedding Party Photo: Abbey Road Walk (Pecorino Wedding)
HM: Hanger Hotel Run (Lang Wedding)

Best Couple Photo: Amanda & Rick Lang
HM: Megan & Danny Perez

Best Original Family Photo: Bevill Family Portrait
HM: Destiney Spears female generation photo

Best Buffet/Dinner: PokeJo’s/Amy’s Ice Cream (Turnipseed Wedding)
HM: Gourmet Brisket (Carbajal Wedding)

Best Cake in the Face: Leanne Ballard
HM: Destiney Spears

Best Cake (Taste): Watford bride’s cake
HM: Carbajal cupcakes

Best Cake (Design): Payne Wedding
HM: Fuentez 6-tier cake

Best Groom’s Cake: Brody's "Death Star" Cake (Black Wedding)
HM: Daniel's "Shotgun Shell" Cake (Ballard Wedding)

Best Cake Topper: Erin & Brad Gist (Erin’s grandmother original topper)
HM: Cyndi & Eddie Carbajal’s chess pieces

Best Entry Table: Angela's Published Poem/Guest Photo Sign-In Book
HM: Darcie & Eddie's Baseball Sign-In

Best Reception Site: Airport Diner (Lang Wedding)
HM: Wild Onion Ranch (Black Wedding)

Best Tradition: Reyes Family Tejano Band- Los Regionales del Valle
HM: Cook Irish Promenade

Best Toast: The 'Two Wolves in One Pack' Speech (Fuentez Wedding)
HM: 'Jarrod with the Man-kini chest hair" speech (Murdock Wedding)

Best Dance: Blues Brother Dance w/ Austin & Dad (Rademacher Wedding)
HM: Kazuki Konno’s breakdance (Konno Wedding)

Best Music: DJ mix of R&B, Motown, HipHop Standards, - (Briggs Wedding)
HM: Live Cover Band (Perez Wedding)

Best Photo Slideshow: Kazuki dressed as a geisha girl (Konno Wedding)
HM: Daniel's Star Wars/Renaissance pics (Soza Wedding)

Best Guest Entertainment: Zip Line/Ropes Course/Paintball (Turnipseed Wedding)
HM: ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’ Karaoke group (Falkenburg Wedding)

Biggest Partiers: Payne Wedding
HM: Hamilton Wedding

Best Mishap: Bouquet Tossed into Chandelier (Briggs Wedding)
HM: Fireworks Gone Wrong (Schuetz Wedding)

Best Wedding Dress Abuse: Darcie & Bridesmaid's pool jump (Breeden Wedding)
HM: Faith Pool Jump (Turnipseed Wedding)

Best Exit: Pedicab (Pecorino Wedding)
HM: '57 Cadillac Convertable (Payne Wedding)

No. 9 makes a great gift!

Number 9 gift certificates are now in! Still looking for that perfect gift? How about a photo shoot? Each photo shoot includes up to a 2 hour shoot, photo disc, copyright release, and print options of 8X10, 5X7, or 4X6 prints. Portrait shoots make great gifts for family, friends, loved ones, and even pets. Ask about our portrait options through our contact section. Happy Holidays!

Engagements: Virginia + Jason

After getting rained out of two previous attempts at engagement photos, the weather gave Kim a beautiful cloudless day to photograph Virginia and Jason. They wanted to incorporate some of Austin's landmarks locations namely the 360 bridge, specifically because as a teacher, Virginia can see the bridge from her classroom. Also Jason, a baseball coach, chose to have some photos taken in Red Socks jerseys. But the highlight is their husky Nyla, she did such a good job. Virginia and Jason will tie the knot on June 11, 2010.

Chrissy + Chris inspire Number 9's Best of 2009

On October 25, 2009, Christina English said 'I do' to Chris Bevill with personal, heartfelt vows. Chris was so overcome with the event of the day that he fumbled over his vows, then asked 'Can I just say ' I do'? . It was one of the funniest wedding moments that we've seen at Number 9. So funny, that it's inspired us to do our own list of 'best of' moments from weddings we've covered this year.

The Number 9: Best of 2009 is our own way of thanking all the couples we've met in 2009 and giving the brides of 2010 inspiration and ideas. In our list we will include nods to vendors, venues, decorations and personal touches. We will also not leave out the couple and their guests by recognizing all the creativeness that makes great photos. Here's a preview of the wedding at the Winfield Inn that inspired us to appreciate all that goes into a wedding day, but reminding everyone that the most important part of the day is saying 'I do'.

Full slideshow to come. Our 'Best of' list will post in the 'This Month' website section for December.

Engagements: Wendy + Chase

Hello everyone! We hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving! While Kim's still hanging out with her family in New Mexico, we wanted to post her engagement session with Wendy & Chase. Wendy wanted their pictures to explore their fun, Austin lifestyle. She told us that her and Chase frequented Book People and the Drafthouse in their spare time, so Kim made sure those influences showed up in their photos. Here's a preview of how the session went. Kim will shoot the Hoffman Wedding in March 2010. View the full session with the password or on our facebook site. Lots more photos to post in the next week.

Password: Hoffman Engage

Number 9 joins Project Santa Gift Card Drive

To kick off the holiday season, Number 9 will join other Austin event vendors to benefit the Austin Children's Shelter in their Project Santa Gift Card Drive. Please join us Thursday, December 3rd, from 6-9pm at the Waterford House as we donate our services for a good cause. Entry, entertainment, libations and food are all free! All we ask is for you to bring a gift card that will be given directly to the Austin Children's Shelter for distribution. See below for participating vendors and suggested store card denominations.

Hosted by: Embellish Events & Arthouse Designs

Participating Vendors:

FILO Designs
Get Flipped
Number 9 Photography
Pink Tulip Invitations
Premiere Party Central
Southern's Fine Dining
Texas Pro DJ, Barrington Miles
Waterford House
XPRESD Coffee
Silpada Jewelry

Stores & Card Denominations

$5-$10 -$15-$20

I-Tunes
McDonald's
Blockbuster
Amy's Ice Cream
Chick-Fil-A
Burger King
Bath & Body Works
Barnes & Nobel
Claire's
TCBY
Tiff's Treats
Starbucks
P-Terry's
Pizza Hut

$25-$50-$75-$100

Westgate Lanes
Ceramics Bayou
Best Buy
Toys R Us
Peter Pan Golf
Payless Shoes
Kohl's
IMAX Theatre
Regal Cinema
Cinemark
Academy Sports & Outdoors
Target
Old Navy
Playland Skating
Austin Parks & Pizza
Chaparral Ice
Footlocker
Main Event
Simon (VISA) Card
Bob Bullock History Museum

Bridals: Shelley Lovell

Laguna Gloria is becoming one of our favorite places to shoot. Since this a popular venue, the trick is making the setting unique to each bride's photo shoot. Shelley Lovell was married back in October to Mathew Pridgen, but we didn't have a chance to display her bridals. Shelley showed up to the grounds during the late afternoon sunlight. While shooting, we stressed the chandeliers, gates and floors. The checkered floor always gives off this Alice in Wonderland-type of vibe. Plus, Shelley loves the nature-setting, so we took advantage of the unique statues and water view. Shelley and Mathew were married on October 18 at Texas Old Town in Kyle, TX.

Number 9 sponsors Dobie Theatre's Twilight contest!

Exciting news for Twilight fans! Number 9 has been asked to sponsor a Twilight 'Brooding' Contest prior to midnight showing of New Moon on Nov.19. The contest judging will start at 10:30pm and conclude just prior to seating. Come try out your best Edward or Bella pout, and win a free photo session with Number 9. If you're not into pouting, then come out and support the Dobie and Number 9 anyway. Members of Number 9 will assist with the judging. The contest is part of the Dobie Theatre's efforts to rejuvenate Austin support for independent movie houses.

American Motorcyclists Association Shoot

The production designer of American Motorcyclist Association magazine contacted Number 9 to do a portrait shoot for one of their articles. The AMA is running a story on Austin activist, Mark Bloschock and his fight against the dangers of highway cable wires. Bloschock states that the cables are more likely to cause serious injury to a rider than to stop motion in the event of an accident. Before all the rain and in the middle of dense fog, Adrian met up with Mark on Sunday morning for the shoot. It was a tight turnaround, but he managed to pull it off. The magazine will come out in January, so we will post images then.

Number 9 joins Rare Weddings

The Number 9 crew will be one of the vendor booths at the Rare Weddings event on November 15th at Laguna Gloria. For those of you unfamiliar with Rare Magazine, it's one of my favorite publications that promotes local art and businesses. The Rare event is designed for the creative bride that's looking for something beyond the traditional wedding. We're looking forward to meeting new vendors and the out-of-the-ordinary fashion show that showcases all types of bridal fashions. Plus, there is a vendor booth competition for the most creative booth. Wish us luck and expect to have fun. Tickets are $25. Check out the website for more info.