Love at First Sight: A True Fairytale Forged at Barr Mansion

October 20, 2015 Admin

Shanna and Thomas Hunter are dear friends of Terra Vista Strings. Their story is an inspiration for why we do what we do!

It Began With a Wink

Thomas was a professional chef was working at Arro, a modern French restaurant in Austin when he decided to go in a different direction. He hatched a plan with a friend to move from Austin to North Carolina to start a restaurant of their own.

Although he had other plans, a friend convinced him to move his going away party to the Parish, a music venue on 6th St. in Austin, TX. It was a good thing he did!

Although it is normally a packed club, the Parish was quiet that night. As Thomas walked past a group of friends sitting by the bar, he was caught off guard when a cute brunette winked at him. That brunette was Shanna.

Sitting nearby was a mutual friend. Thomas got a quick introduction, and they spent the next three hours immersed in conversation.

The following morning, Shanna asked, “Why do you have to move today?” Thomas replied, “I don’t know.” They spent the remaining few hours in town talking, but eventually, it was time to go.

Navigating Long Distance

The moment he arrived in North Carolina he called Shanna. They spoke by phone, morning and night, when after a couple weeks, Shanna came to visit Thomas in North Carolina. Thomas was a man on a mission: he was determined, not only to win Shanna’s heart but also to convince her to join him in North Carolina. However, not long after her trip Shanna was given an offer she couldn’t refuse: Wedding and Event Coordinator at Barr Mansion.

A Different Direction

Shanna was clearly thrilled with her new career, which meant Thomas would have to change his tactics. He left his dream in North Carolina behind for something much more grand and returned to Austin in July 2014.

Per usual, Thomas landed on his feet. During a cocktail hour at Barr Mansion, Melanie, the owner informed him that they are looking for a chef. He began his new career that next month. A few months later, Thomas invited Shanna up to the roof of the mansion, took a knee, and asked her to marry him.

The Wedding

Shanna and Thomas exchanged vows on August 21, 2015, at the same mansion that had become so central to their lives and their story as a couple. We were thrilled when they asked us to provide the perfect soundtrack for their wedding.

Because the lyrics of the song had come to describe so much of their relationship, Shanna chose to walk down the aisle to Mellow Mood by Bob Marley. Writing and performing a string version of this reggae song was a lot of fun for us.

As wedding professionals, they both noted how surreal it felt to be on the other side. However, because of they took advantage of the world-class, all-inclusive service that Barr Mansion provides (and because they had a great soundtrack) the time flew.

Because of their unique place as wedding professionals and newlyweds, we asked them if they had any advice to share. They said ”find five things that are important to you and will make your day special and unique, then forget about the minor details.” They also suggested “Do a majority of your pictures before the ceremony so you can enjoy more time with your guests.”

We’ve witnessed first hand how much love Shanna and Thomas pour into every wedding at Barr Mansion. It was great to have an opportunity to love them back.

All the best!