Colin and Shelby Stovall
TELL US ABOUT YOUR LOVE STORY!
How did you meet?
Colin and I met on the dating app Hinge. At first, I joked that we’d have to come up with a different story to tell people, but now we fully embrace it. I was still living in Alabama at the time but planned to move to Texas the following month to be closer to my family. I changed my location on the app from Florence, Alabama to Florence, Texas, and that’s how Colin and I “found” each other.
When he learned I still lived in Alabama, he admits he wondered if I might be a catfish. We started texting and talking on the phone while I finished teaching summer school in Sheffield, Alabama. We met for the first time the very day I arrived at my new home in Texas. Colin helped me move in and even met my parents that same day.
How long did you date?
We dated for one year before getting engaged, and we were engaged for about a year before getting married on May 10, 2025.
How did he propose?
Colin proposed on July 4, 2024, on Faust Bridge in New Braunfels, and I was completely surprised. I thought he would propose during an upcoming trip to Alabama and Orange Beach, so I wasn’t expecting it at all. He planned lunch at the Root Cellar with both of our families and then a Fourth of July afternoon at the river. That morning, I kept trying to change the plans, but Colin finally put his foot down and insisted we stick to the original schedule. After lunch, we walked across Faust Bridge to “find a spot” by the river, and that’s where he proposed. Our neighbor and friend, photographer Lauren Ward, was there to capture the moment.
Describe your wedding planning process
What planning tools did you use?
I used The Knot and purchased a Google Sheets template to organize all the details. My mom also created a binder for me. She jokingly became my wedding planner.
Did you hire a planner or day-of coordinator?
I didn’t hire a full planner because my venue provided a 60‑day coordinator. Our coordinator, Carey Millington, helped with all the details I hadn’t thought of and created a seamless day‑of timeline.
Did you DIY any aspect of your wedding?
Yes! I learned how to make wax seals for our invitations and designed the entire invitation suite myself. My first‑grade students even decorated the place cards for the reception.
Did you have a specific theme?
My inspiration was spring garden‑party meets vintage, traditional Southern romance.
Where did you splurge?
I splurged on my dream dress. We also added a champagne cart outside the chapel for a celebratory toast and photo moment before guests walked to cocktail hour.
Another splurge was the floral napkins for the head table. I originally considered mismatched china but ultimately brought that vintage, floral feel in through the napkins instead.
Why did you choose your venue?
I fell in love with the stained‑glass windows in the open‑air chapel at Gruene Estate years before I even met Colin. I always knew I wanted a chapel wedding, and it felt like God’s timing that we ended up moving to New Braunfels just ten minutes from the venue.
Did you incorporate any special traditions or sentimental details in your ceremony or reception?
Yes, several. My mom had a bridal robe made from her wedding dress and gifted it to me at my bridal tea. I gave my mom and grandmother engraved bottles of Chanel No. 5 — the perfume my Poppa always bought my grandmother.
Colin’s younger sister, Shannon, passed away in high school, so in her honor, I danced with Colin’s father, Charlie, to “Angels Among Us” by Alabama.
What was your most stressful decision?
All the small, last‑minute details became overwhelming. As a first‑grade teacher, I couldn’t take the entire week off before the wedding, so I had a lot to finish in a short amount of time. Thankfully, my family and friends stepped in to help.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
I wish I could have taken the whole week off leading up to the wedding. Having more time would have eased the stress of those final details.
Tell Us About...
Your dress:
I found my dress at Blue Bridal Boutique in Austin with my sisters, my mom, and Colin’s mom. It was such a fun day of trying on gowns. I chose the Cameron Crepe gown by Made With Love Bridal. I loved the beaded bodice paired with the simple crepe skirt, and the bow sleeves were my favorite detail. I wore the long bow sleeves for the ceremony and the shorter ones for the reception.
Your flowers:
Misty Acres Floral Design created the most beautiful arrangements with my favorite blooms — hydrangeas and garden roses. I’ve always loved hydrangeas. We added ferns as a nod to my 100‑year‑old home in Florence, Alabama, where I kept hanging ferns on the porch. We also included orchids in honor of my grandmother, who always loved them.
The Food:
We served peppercorn‑crusted beef tenderloin and pan‑seared butter chicken. The three‑cheese scalloped potatoes were a huge hit — we knew we wanted them from the moment we first tasted them. For cocktail hour, we served caprese skewers, bacon‑wrapped shrimp, and Colin’s favorite: jalapeño poppers.
The cake:
Cathy Young created our beautiful cakes. I wanted a three‑tier vintage‑style wedding cake with traditional ruffle icing, plus a heart‑shaped cake like the ones my mom made for my birthdays.
The tiered cake was champagne with raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream. The heart‑shaped cake was strawberry with cream cheese icing, and we also served a pistachio cake with buttercream. I ate leftover cake for days.
Recap your big day for us
What made you laugh?
A train went by and blew its horn in the middle of our ceremony — we couldn’t help but laugh. Then, on our way out of the chapel, I misstepped and the bow on one of my shoes fell off. You can see it missing in some of the photos. It felt stressful in the moment, but now it’s a sweet reminder that the day was perfectly imperfect.
What made you cry?
My sister Kelsey, my maid of honor, gifted my mom, my youngest sister, and me matching signet rings engraved with our monograms. I tied mine to my bouquet. I cried when I saw my dad for the first time in my dress — he said it reminded him of seeing my mom on their wedding day. And of course, I cried when I saw Colin waiting for me at the end of the aisle. All happy tears.
What were the most memorable moments?
We received so many compliments about how personal and meaningful our ceremony was. That meant the world to me because it reflected our love for God and for each other. Our first act as a married couple was taking communion together.
The sunset was also stunning — our photographer captured some of our favorite photos then.
Did anything unexpected happen?
It rained right before the ceremony, but I was too busy getting ready to worry about it. I also forgot to get rose petals for our flower girl, so my sister’s boyfriend made a grocery‑store run for white roses, and we pulled the petals off in the bridal suite.
Advice and Looking Ahead
What’s the best advice you can give a bride and groom planning their wedding?
Prepare as much as you can ahead of time so you can truly enjoy the moment, your fiancé, your family, and your guests.
What did you look forward to most as Mr. and Mrs.?
We were excited to begin this new chapter as husband and wife. When people ask if marriage feels different, I always say yes — there’s something special and holy about the covenant of marriage and God’s anointing over it. We’re also excited and praying to start a family soon.
Local Vendors:
Wedding Venue: Gruene Estate
Reception Venue: Gruene Estate
Photographer: Allison Jeffers Photography
Caterer: River City Catering
Florist: Misty Acres Design Studio
Cake/Dessert: Cakes by Cathy Young
Rentals: DPC Event Services & Premiere Events
Bridal Shop: Blue Bridal Austin
Makeup Artist: Jolie Belle Beauty Bar
Hair Stylist: Jolie Belle Beauty Bar
Bartending/Beverage Service: Bartenders 4 You
Music/Entertainment: DJ for Hire
Wedding Coordinator: Gruene Estate – Carey Millington
Wedding Music:
Processional: Joy of My Life – Chris Stapleton
Bride’s Entrance: Goodness of God – Bethel Music, Jenn Johnson
Recessional: History in the Making – Darius Rucker
First Dance: I Love the Way You Love Me – John Michael Montgomery
Father/Daughter Dance: Always Be My Baby – Alan Jackson
Cake Song: The Painter – Cody Johnson
Last Dance: Blue Clear Sky – George Strait
