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Julianna Beathard had a crush on Donald “Lee” Siratt all throughout college at Texas Christian University, but it wasn’t until her wig-themed 22nd birthday party during her final semester in January of 2018 that she finally met him in person. Lee spotted Julianna in the crowd and decided to introduce himself. “Upon walking up to Julianna, the only words that came out of his mouth were, ‘Hi, I’m Lee,’” the couple recounts. “And then, he was speechless!” Luckily, the two of them crossed paths again two weeks later, and Lee managed to get Julianna’s phone number. A month later, they went on their first date.
After two years together on November 20, 2020, the couple had plans to grab dinner at Joe T. Garcias, a Mexican restaurant, with friends who were visiting from out of town. “When arriving at the courtyard of the restaurant and turning the corner, Julianna saw a sea of familiar faces, and her heart started beating fast,” the couple remembers. “She knew something was going on, but shock was setting in, and what was really going on hadn’t quite hit her.” Before she knew it, Lee was down on one knee, asking to take Julianna’s hand in marriage. Since Lee had invited all of their family and friends to the surprise, they spent the rest of the evening drinking margaritas, eating Mexican cuisine, and dancing. “It was such a fun, love-filled weekend,” they summarize.
Once the duo got engaged, they locked in their venue: The Retreat at Balcones Springs in Marble Falls, Texas. This 250-acre locale in Texas Hill Country was a no-brainer for the couple because Julianna’s aunt started the camp. The bride-to-be even spent nine summers as a camper on the site and frequently visited the spot for holidays and family gatherings. “When Lee came into the picture, Julianna was thrilled to show him what it was all about,” the couple says. “Since then, Julianna and Lee have created many wonderful memories at camp and were so excited to share its magic with their favorite people.”
To capture the full essence of the camp for their 312 guests, the pair knew they wanted to host three days of events. “With so many enjoyable components, such as beautiful cabins for our guests to stay in, a lake, a beach, pickleball courts, a workout studio, a zipline, we knew the retreat would be the perfect venue for a weekend-long celebration,” they share. Because Julianna and Lee had many moving parts to account for, they found the planning process to be overwhelming at times. “However, we had such great support from our team, all of whom shared a similar vision, which made it organized, fluid, and prepared to pivot when needed,” the two explain.
With planning by Lexie Perez of Pearl Events Austin, photography by Caroline Lima Photography, and videography by Peyton Frank, Julianna and Lee were able to pull out all the stops on October 30, 2021. Keep scrolling to see all of the stunning details from their big day.
For their wedding, the couple imagined an aesthetic that captured their style and personality. “We envisioned a unique mix of elegant, classic, comfortable, and most importantly, fun,” they share. They helped bring this vision to life with a vibrant color palette that highlighted the bride’s favorite color, pink. To set the expectation for the upcoming series of events, they selected bright invitations with a floral border and even integrated a custom crest into their stationery suite.
The couple’s welcome bags were a big labor of love. “Because this was one of the first items guests would receive upon arriving at camp and would set the tone for the weekend, we spent a lot of time making them perfect,” they express. They filled each bag with custom “Camp Siratt” merchandise, including a baseball hat, a water bottle, a koozie, tortilla chips, and a hangover kit. “To this day, I still see our friends and family wearing their ‘Camp Siratt’ hats around, and it makes us so happy,” they exclaim. For a sentimental touch, they also added a jar of salsa from Joe T. Garcias as a nod to their engagement and personalized M&Ms engraved with their names and wedding date.
Julianna had her hair and skin polished with her bridesmaids by her side. For her special day, she embraced a natural makeup look featuring shades of soft pink, rose, and plum. “We wanted to emphasize my eyes while maintaining soft lips and sun-kissed, dewy skin,” she adds. To complement her dress, the bride had her hair pulled back in an elegant low bun.
When I tried it on for the first time, it fit me like it was made for me. That’s when I knew.
Julianna embodied a true bride after she slipped on her silk faille ball gown with floral appliqués and an illusion neckline by Oscar de la Renta, a design she had been dreaming about for years. “I had seen this dress years prior online and fell in love with it,” she expresses. “I thought, ‘One day, when I get married, I am going to wear that dress.’ When I tried it on for the first time, it fit me like it was made for me. That’s when I knew. It was just perfect.” Stuart Weitzman sparkly leather sandals, Sophie Buhai silver and pearl drop earrings, and an Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. diamond bracelet completed her look.
After getting dressed, the bride debuted her dream gown to her bridesmaids with a first look. It was also a chance for Julianna to see how her crew’s champagne-colored Jenny Yoo ensembles turned out. “I wanted some variety with their dresses—but not too much to where it looked chaotic and all over the place,” she states. “I also wanted to make sure that the dress color meshed well with the bright florals we had.”
For his attire, Lee sported a custom navy suit by Canali, whole-cut oxfords by Ferragamo, and a Rolex watch. He further personalized his look with pieces from his grandfather. “Right before the ceremony, Lee’s grandmother handed him his late grandfather Papa Bear’s handkerchief and socks,” Julianna recounts. “Papa Bear was one of the most influential people in Lee’s life, so this was very special and meaningful to Lee.”
To match Lee and the camp venue, the groomsmen were also clad in navy. “The color of their suits looked beautiful with the florals we had going on,” Julianna notes.
The couple traded vows in front of a vibrant floral arch on a stone stage, which was lined with more colorful flowers. With a scenic lake backdrop and a towering oak tree, the setting was idyllic.
Julianna and her dad linked arms while they marched to the tune of “Canon in D” by Pachelbel, which a string quartet performed.
After Julianna met Lee at the altar, the couple recited traditional vows, exchanged wedding bands, and shared their first kiss as husband and wife. Then, friends and family cheered while “Wedding March” by Felix Mendelssohn sent the newlyweds on their way.
Since the bride is Italian, she put a unique spin on the classic Italian wedding tradition of serving limoncello. Six months before the wedding, Julianna and her grandmother made the drink from scratch and then poured it into glass bottles that served as escort cards. “It is quite a lengthy process, but it was so much fun to do together,” Julianna shares. “It tasted delicious and was a fun treat for guests to sip on as they made their way to their seats at the reception.”
The bride and groom served an abundance of drinks during cocktail hour. For one, beer burros greeted guests at the onset. Then, they had a choice of two signature cocktails—his was a tequila-based Hemingway, and hers was a spiced-cranberry rosé spritzer.
Before guests even set foot in the tented reception space, they were blown away by the entrance. A string of silver lanterns lined the walkway, leading to the focal point: a four-tier white floral cake displayed on a velvet pink tablecloth. Strands of greenery and tea lights in globes framed the dessert.
Another statement-making display? A hanging installation above the dance floor. “David Kurio’s team came in to create true magic with beautiful colorful flowers and tea lights hanging in globes to make you feel like you were dancing under the stars,” Julianna remarks.
A runner of white taper candles and a hedge of vivacious blooms lined the head table, which was draped in white. For their nearly 30 guest tables, Julianna and Lee wanted to switch things up to create visual intrigue. “We had a variety of linen colors that we mixed throughout the space so that each table wasn’t the same, as well as three different centerpieces to create dimension throughout the space as well,” the bride notes.
Gold-rimmed plates inspired by Spanish tiles added a pop of color to the tablescape, which also included gold flatware, white velvet napkins, and monogrammed menus. “The second I saw a picture of these, I couldn’t get them out of my head,” Julianna admits.
Julianna and Lee swayed beneath the illuminated ceiling while “Feet Don’t Touch the Ground” by Stoney LaRue drifted around them. “This was a special song since the very beginning of our relationship,” Julianna remarks. “I always told Lee while we were dating, ‘If we get married one day, this will be our first dance song.’” The pair finally saw the idea came to fruition.
After savoring a slice of white cake amaretto, friends and family flocked to the cookie table. “My grandmother is known for her cookies, so she made an array of Italian cookies that guests enjoyed on display, and brought in little to-go bags so they could take some home with them,” Julianna describes.
At the end of the evening, guests lined up with sparklers in hand to guide the newlyweds to the next phase of festivities, which included a fireworks show and late-night burgers and fries from P. Terry’s Burger Stand.
Just when everyone thought the night was over, Julianna and Lee led them to the after-party pavilion, which was filled with silver streamers, disco balls, zebra rugs, and velvet lounges. Since Julianna and Lee met at her wig-themed birthday party years before, it was only fitting that they ended their wedding night in a similar fashion. For a full-circle moment, “I wore the exact same wig that I was wearing that night he noticed me for the first time,” Julianna reveals.
In addition to her hairstyle change, Julianna also revamped her attire for the after-party. She changed into a one-shoulder mini dress covered in sequins by Balmain and a pair of sparkly sneakers.
Since the newlyweds made sure to savor every minute of their nuptials, it ended up being an unforgettable experience. “Take a few moments throughout the night to step aside—either by yourself or with your new husband—and just take it all in,” Julianna recommends. “It really does go by so fast, and then, it’s gone forever. With so much going on, it can be easy to get lost in the time.”