Brides suggest their perfect wedding day picks for Texas venues and vendors

When planning a big beautiful Texas wedding—or even an intimate ceremony for two — many brides turn to the scenic Hill Country and South Central Texas for inspiration.
 
“We chose the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center because we wanted an outdoor ceremony and reception, and the space was beautiful with blooming bluebonnets and a strong connection to Texas through the former first lady,” says bride Chloe Colby Stern.
 
“When I was a child, I went to summer camp in LaGrange, and I’d sit at the Hillside Chapel at Lutherhill and think, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to get married here.’ We visited that outdoor chapel when we were planning the wedding, and a tingle went down our spines. It was meant to be,” says newlywed Carrie Daniels Lalley.
 
“Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs was the first and the last place we visited when deciding where to get married. It was everything I ever dreamed of… from the Hill Country vistas to the gorgeous Old World buildings, the site had just enough culture mixed in with a home-like feel,” says Stephanie LaFerrara Thomas who was married in Camp Lucy’s French Colonial Vietnamese chapel that was dismantled and moved to that sublime Hill Country spot.
 

Trois Estate at Enchanted Rock
This enchanting venue is a hand-built artistic village inspired by San Miguel de Allende and located in the Texas Hill Country just outside Fredericksburg. The Courtyard and Rooftop terrace seat a combined 200-plus guests for weddings year-round, and the Rooftop Veranda is tiled in an intricate mosaic design and overlooks the courtyard, offering breathtaking views of Enchanted Rock. 300 Trois Lane, Fredericksburg, 830/685-3415.
www.troisestate.net
 
Printing experts nearby?
Custom design your hand-printed invitations with Guten Co.,
Fredericksburg. www.gutenco.com
 
The Abbott House
Just 35 miles from downtown San Antonio in Seguin, the Abbott House is a Victorian mansion with a large shaded backyard venue offering all that a bride needs for the perfect wedding, including tables, chairs, elegant décor options, a photo booth, gazebo, outdoor grill and more with affordable rates. 907 North Austin Street, Seguin, 830/998-8580, www.TheAbbottHouse.com.
 
Best local wedding gifts?
Gift & Gourmet, Seguin, 830/379-1242
 
Villa Antonia
An elegant Old World estate with Hill Country views in the lake country just above Austin (near Lago Vista), this sprawling Mediterranean-style villa with sweeping terraces, a lush rose garden, a little white chapel and dance hall and grotto dining room provides a romantic and memorable setting. 19039 Adrian Way, Jonestown, 512/689-2157.
 
Great florist in the area?
David Kurio Designs, Austin, 512/929-8807
www.davidkuriodesigns.com
 
Kendall Plantation
So close to San Antonio, so Old World in style, Kendall Plantation is an antebellum-style mansion on a private ranch outside Boerne surrounded by stands of shade-giving Texas oaks, with a sweeping central staircase. 20 Guthrie Road, Boerne, 830/229-5090.
 
Great cake creations?
Bumdoodlers, Boerne 830/249-8826
 
Camp Lucy
Near Dripping Springs, just outside Austin, this sublime Hill Country venue features a French Colonial chapel, a large events hall, a pavilion, great lawn and more, and its adjacent magical Sacred Oaks venue offers a shade-tree-canopied ceremony site, Great Hall and Bell Tower. 3509 Creek Rd., Dripping Springs, 512/894-4400, www.camplucy.com.
 
Good casual rehearsal dinner spot in area?
Pieous Pizza Dripping Springs, 512/394-7041
 
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
In South Austin, this venue makes the perfect spot, especially in spring, for a natural Texas wildflower-inspired wedding. With several indoor and outdoor ceremony, cocktail hour and reception spaces, the Wildflower Center is an attractive place to hold an unforgettable wedding and reception. 4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin.
www.wildflower.org
 
Horseshoe Bay Resort
Weddings are popular year-round at Horseshoe Bay Resort with its numerous scenic and versatile wedding and reception venues located throughout the large lake-front resort property. With support from the on-site wedding planning team, couples can plan their dream wedding at this waterfront resort only 45 minutes west of Austin overlooking Lake LBJ. Horseshoe Bay, 830/598-2511.
www.hsbresort.com
 
Camp Lutherhill and Retreat, LaGrange
This unique secluded property just outside La Grange is a summer camp site featuring several outdoor chapels and a large wedding and reception venue with outdoor decks surrounding towering glass and limestone walls overlooking a valley. Although it’s mainly a summer camp and family retreat center, like many such properties, it is available in the fall, spring and winter for weddings, corporate retreats and family reunions. 3782 Lutherhill Rd., La Grange, 888/266-4613.
 
Great cakes?
The Best Little Cake Shop in Texas, LaGrange, 979/702-9126.

By Janis Turk