For Austinite, Meagan Green, a chance meeting in 2004 at her father’s Tom Green & Company Engineers Christmas party would later become more significant than an annual holiday celebration. At the event, she met her future husband and Harlingen native Cameron Labunski, while on break from attending graduate school at Duke University.

“I was pursuing a Ph.D. in art history, focusing on medieval Italian architecture and was commuting between North Carolina and Verona, Italy much of the 2005,” said Meagan. “Our relationship was very long distance, but we survived.”

It was only appropriate that Cameron would propose marriage to his jet-setting girlfriend at the airport. “I was returning after three months spent in Italy just before Christmas in 2005,” said Meagan. “Cameron purchased tickets for himself and his sister to get past the gate to pick me up. When my flight arrived, I was shocked to see Cameron standing there with a sign that read ‘Will You Marry Me?’ I agreed, and his sister captured the moment by taking photos. It was all so surprising. I knew that he would ask – I just didn’t know how.”

Since the flight had been delayed, Meagan had been traveling almost 24 hours by the time Cameron asked the big question. “We celebrated with our parents, who were in on the plan,” said Meagan. “It was a happy, but shortened gathering, since I suffered jet lag and longed for sleep. I had good material for my dreams, though.”

Three weeks after Cameron proposed, Meagan returned to Duke University to take her Ph.D. qualifying exams. “I wanted to marry at the Tarrytown United Methodist Church because my grandfather ministered there, it’s where my parents were married, and I was also baptized there. Since I wasn’t in Austin, I left reception scouting duties to my mother Heidi, and Tom. Westwood Country Club was a great choice.”

The couple chose September 16, 2006, as their wedding date, and ensured that it didn’t conflict with a University of Texas home game; many of their friends are die-hard fans and alumni. The wedding was planned for noon – Meagan’s favorite time of the day. “I thought a daytime wedding would be different from many of the weddings that we had attended,” she said. “I love how the natural light flows in through the church windows at that time of day. I wanted to capture that moment during our wedding.”

The only challenge to a noon wedding is it requires earlier preparation. Early Saturday morning, Meagan and her three bridesmaids arrived at the church for hair and makeup preparations. It was a time to swap stories and partake in last-minute female bonding before the activities began.

The ceremony was steeped in tradition, including the vows and music. Meagan wore an ivory, strapless, silk dupioni gown; it contained a chapel-length train. She carried a compact collection of orange roses and tulips. The bridesmaids wore coffee-colored dresses, set off with red and orange flamed calla lilies.

After the ceremony, the Labunskis held their wedding reception at the Westwood Country Club. A tea party theme pervaded throughout the affair, with personalized tea bag gift set favors, hot teas, scones, and lemon cookies circulating throughout the setting.

The couple offered their 250 guests, from Oregon, California, Philadelphia, North Carolina, and Texas, an extensive buffet. It included crab cakes, various cheeses and fruits, prime rib, chicken crepes, and pecan-encrusted salmon.

The four-tiered bridal cake was covered in ivory icing, with a touch of leman. The top was decorated with a camel-colored Swiss dot pattern. Cameron’s cake was a three-tiered chocolate dessert with a matching ivory-colored Swiss dot pattern.

“Since we hosted a daytime reception, we wanted our guests to enjoy themselves and be able to graze the buffet,” said Meagan. “For this reason, we didn’t want to overwhelm our guests or the space with loud music. Sparks and Friends was able to keep people dancing, but it wasn’t too loud for conversation.”

Meagan raved about her event planner, Linda Dryden’s work. “Linda was phenomenal, and able to capture my ideas perfectly,” she said. “I really needed to be able to trust her to be self-sufficient, creative, and organized and Linda was all of those things and much more.”

Photography was important to the Labunskis and Alisa Marrow was able to capture the event remarkably. “I had been to so many weddings where you could always feel the photographer’s presence,” said Meagan. “This wasn’t the case with Alisa. She managed to be everywhere at our wedding, without me realizing it. It felt so natural and I actually look like myself in the photos. Alisa is so talented and has a unique ability for combining posed and candid photographs in an artistic and natural way.”

At the reception’s end, the couple waved goodbye amidst a downfall of rose petals, from a white, vintage Bentley. The Labunskis spent their wedding night at the Renaissance Hotel, and enjoyed a brunch planned for the out-of-town guests. “We decided to leave for our Grand Cayman Island honeymoon on the following Monday, instead of Sunday, so that we were not rushed and had ample time to enjoy our guests,” said Meagan. “Everyone traveled so far to share on our special day and it was important that we soaked in as much time together as possible. As most people will tell you, the wedding itself flies by, and the brunch allowed us a more intimate setting to be with our loved ones.

Austin Resources

Bridesmaids’ Dresses:
Jim Hejlm

Bridal Gown:
Carmela Sutera

Bridal Party Hair:
Chelsea Cooper of Granite Hair Studios

Bridal Party Make-up:
Christina Smith of Trish McEvoy, Saks Fifth Avenue

Bride & Groom’s Rings:
Benold’s Jewelers

Cake:
Better Batter Bakery by Gregg and Melody Parsons

Caterer:
Westwood Country Club

Ceremony:
Tarrytown United Methodist Church

Ceremony Music:
Elaine Dykstra, organist and Robert Cannon, trumpetor

Event Planner:
Linda Dryden of Linda Dryden Weddings

Flowers:
Keith Burnham of Westbank Florist

Flower Girl Dress:
David’s Bridal

Groomsmen Tuxedoes:
Men’s Warehouse

Invitations & Save-the-Date Cards:
Alegra’s Bridal and Invitations

Officiant:
Rev. Ron Campbell

Photographer:
Alisa Marrow Photography

Reception Music:
Sparks and Friends

Rehearsal Dinner:
County Line on the Hill

Reception Venue:
Westwood Country Club