Brides plan most weddings. Oftentimes the groom’s primary job is to sport a nice tuxedo and ensure that all of his groomsmen show up clean shaven, wearing similar attire. Roles reversed at the Bryan Chaney and Emily Motl wedding, where the groom took over the reins and planned everything down to the acid green and wine colored programs.

According to Bryan, his previous experience in the floral industry made him the natural choice for interacting with the various wedding vendors. “Since I was a florist for seven years, I have seen my share of weddings and understood the process,” he said. “Whenever a vendor asked us a question and initially looked at Emily, she inevitably looked at me for an answer. Eventually the vendors realized that I was the one fielding most of the questions.”

Chaney of Houston and Motl of Leander share a love for all things creative. A website designer and interior designer respectively wanted a wedding that reflected their personalities and brought together family and friends.

The couple met over four years ago at a TGI Fridays restaurant in the Arboretum. “This knockout blonde turned and looked at me for what seemed like a full five seconds,” said Bryan. He asked his friend, Bryan, if he should make a move to meet her. “My buddy pondered the idea and then told me to forget about it. “I thought about his response and promptly walked over to Emily’s table to introduce myself,” he said. “After a 30-minute conversation, I learned that she had just endured a bad breakup and had sworn off men for the next year. Bryan kept tugging my shirtsleeve, urging me to leave. We started walking away and I had to go back to get her phone number. That’s how it all started. Emily’s anti-men vow lasted about an hour.”

Emily and Bryan dated for three years when Bryan purchased a house in Cedar Park. He decided that the house warming party on June 4, 2005, would be the perfect time to propose marriage. He bought a ring and shared his plan with close friends who would be attending the soiree. “An hour into the party, everyone was relaxing and enjoying themselves when I invited them inside for ‘the moment,’” said Chaney. “I gave a toast and thanked Emily for accepting my morning looks and that I hoped she would be tolerating them for the rest of our lives. She went along with the speech and then appeared shocked when I finally presented the ring. She started to cry and accepted my proposal. It was special to share that moment with our close circle of friends.”

The couple planned a September 30, 2006 wedding at the Hamilton Twelve Event Center. “Since we are both artistic, a traditional country inn didn’t make sense. Hamilton Twelve has a European modern feel that really matched our tastes,” said Bryan. “Since we have designer sensibilities, we were able to give our vendors more creative freedom.”

The couple’s ceremony was traditional, with their church pastor, Bill Sappenfield of Peace Lutheran Church in Cedar Park performing officiate duties. “Our ceremony felt so connected as we stood in the courtyard circle, with everyone surrounding us and offering support,” said Bryan. The couple’s 140 guests hailed from various parts of the States, including Louisiana, Texas, Chicago, and even Afghanistan. “A friend of the family who is working in Afghanistan was able to arrange a week leave to attend our wedding,” said Bryan. “He definitely came to farthest to share in our day.”

Emily carried a bouquet of exotic flowers, with cymbidium orchids as the main flower. The four bridesmaids and five groomsmen carried and wore dendrobium orchids, and the table centerpieces included the same flower. The wedding party wore acid green and wine colors, which coordinated with the programs, favors, and other special touches.

“The florist, as with all of our vendors, was phenomenal,” said Bryan. “The designer was as excited as us and had so many ideas. Her enthusiasm really sold us. All of the vendors were really impressive and gave us a meaningful, flawless wedding.”

After the ceremony, the celebration continued at the Hamilton Twelve Event Center, where a buffet-styled menu was served. A variety of foods were displayed, including stuffed zucchini filled with oregano, penne pasta with asparagus spears, and grilled chicken stuffed with sun-dried tomato pesto. In lieu of a groom’s cake, they provided a chocolate fountain and the bridal cake was chocolate and vanilla flavored with a dark chocolate raspberry truffle.

Frank Sinatra and Etta James crooned throughout the cocktail hour and meal, creating a classic mood. During the party segment, the DJ played a variety of energetic tunes. Emily tossed the bouquet from a balcony and made their getaway to their honeymoon suite at the Renaissance Hotel in a shiny white Jaguar. The Chaneys jetted away to Costa Rica for a seven-day honeymoon that included rain forest tours, volcano visits, and swims in healing hot springs.

“I’ve seen all kinds of weddings and I thought ours was magical,” said Chaney. “Emily trusted my planning abilities and in the end, we were able to relax and enjoy the experience.”

Austin Resources

Cake:
Sansalone’s Bakery

Chocolate Fountain:
The Chocolate Cup

Florist:
The Flower Studio

Honeymoon Suite:
Renaissance Austin Hotel

Music:
DJ-RJ – Music4Life DJs

Officiant:
Pastor Bill Sappenfield of Peace Lutheran Church

Photographer:
Tania Cowher of Big Shot Photography

Venue & Catering:
Hamilton Twelve Event Center