Tag: groom

Engaged in Austin? Your First Steps to Planning a Magical Wedding
What do Austin, Dripping Springs and Texas Hill Country Newly-Engaged Couples Need to Know To Do Next?

You just got engaged! This is an exciting time filled with love, joy, and anticipation for the future. But once the initial euphoria settles, you might find yourself wondering, “What next?” Planning a wedding can feel overwhelming and scary, but taking it step by step will help ensure you enjoy every moment of this beautiful journey.

Here’s How to Crush Wedding Planning in the First 30 Days After Getting Engaged in Austin!

1. Share the News

Before you rush into wedding planning, take a moment to savor the engagement. Share the exciting news with your closest family and friends first. Consider how you’d like to announce your engagement to the wider circle—through a social media post, mailing out cute announcements, sending digital announcements, or even throw a fun engagement party!

It’s a great idea to immediately schedule a professional engagement photo shoot, so you’ll have the perfect pics for your announcements, and later for your Save the Dates.

Get your professional engagement photos taken quickly!
Picture by Naomi Phelps Photography

2. Set a Date (or a Range)

One of the first questions people will ask is, “When’s the big day?” While you don’t need to have an exact date immediately, having a rough idea can help during the initial planning stages. Consider the season, the venue availability, and any special dates that are meaningful to you as a couple.

In Austin and Central Texas, considering the season is VITALLY important! Weather is a huge factor here. It’s HOT. Miserably hot during the summer and into fall. Storms can wreak havoc. Big events like South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, F1 Races, and big Texas home football games can dramatically affect your wedding logistics and planning. Our blog on Fall Weddings offers helpful hints on our–hands down–most popular wedding season.

3. Discuss Your Wedding Budget

The foundation of your wedding planning should be your budget, and must be established first. Sit down with your partner to have an honest and open discussion about how much you’re willing and able to spend. You also may need to have a conversation with your parents or other people who may be willing to help with wedding expenses. Your budget will guide all other decisions, from the venue to the guest list.

Most couples have no idea of how much to budget for all the elements necessary to host an event, because they have never hosted one! This is where a wedding planner is so incredibly helpful, as they can give you expert guidance on how to allocate your budget properly.

At the end of the day, a wedding is just an event, with extra elements specific to the wedding that don’t happen at regular parties and other events. There’s a feeling out there that vendors gouge couples just because it’s a wedding, but mostly that’s not true. ALL events are expensive, not going to lie! For example, catering a fajita bar, BBQ, or prime rib buffet will be the same price per person, regardless of what kind of event where it is served. Most other expenses are the same regardless of the event, and are simply based on the amount of guests and costs/work involved.

Some vendors do MUCH more for weddings than they do for other parties–like DJs for example. Their wedding responsibilities are FAR greater and more crucial to the timeline of a wedding than just playing bumping music at a party, so yes the extra work means extra expense. Weddings have some elements that don’t happen at most events, like the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets, the wedding dress and veil, special ceremony floral arches and aisle decor, etc. Those drive the overall cost up more than a similar-sized event, but it is not ‘gouging’.

Remember to account for unexpected expenses (which WILL happen!) by setting aside a small contingency fund.

4. Start a Guest List

Drafting a preliminary guest list will help you decide on the size of the venue and overall scale of the wedding. It doesn’t have to be final, but having a rough estimate is crucial in the early planning stages. Discuss who you’d like to invite and consider any family obligations. Think about who will need to travel in from out of town and how likely they are to attend.

In the Austin and especially the Dripping Springs/Hill Country “Wedding Capital of Texas” area, we have a huge percentage of destination weddings, and our couples are often surprised at how many of their guests will travel for the wedding. But Austin and the Texas Hill Country are a huge tourist draw anyway, so many guests will jump at the chance to come and stay a few extra days to enjoy our gorgeous countryside, fun activities, and amazing amenities!

Does your budget allow for a big bash of a few hundred guests? Or will you need to keep the guest list very small? The absolute best way to save on the budget for a wedding is to limit the guest list, but that can create emotional issues and very tough decisions. Decide whether you will allow children or not, as they do count as a guest for budget purposes.

5. Research Venues

Your venue will set the tone for your wedding day, so start researching locations as early as possible. Do you envision a chic Downtown Austin hotel, a Texas Hill Country retreat, a historical setting, a rustic barn, a Lake Austin view, or a glamorous ballroom?

How many guests will you need to accommodate? You don’t want your venue to be either too cramped or too big so everything looks lost in a giant room.

Does your venue have a rain and weather plan? You may be dreaming of an outdoor ceremony, but that can be very tricky in the Austin area. The heat is no secret, and always the first consideration. We can have terrible storms pop up with no warning. Thunderstorms with huge hail and tornados have been a problem in Central Texas over the past few years. Carefully consider a weather plan.

What does your budget allow? Be sure to thoroughly research what is included with each venue rental, so you’re comparing apples to apples. The venue rental may be just the start, and some have a lot of hidden fees that may cause budget issues later. Some require big food and beverage minimums and that you use only their vendors. Some include tables, chairs, and other rentals, and some do not.

Even with a limited budget, you can still curate a luxury wedding experience. For example, Chapel Dulcinea, a stunning Tuscan-style wedding chapel on a hill with breathtaking views, can actually be FREE if certain parameters are met. Rose Haven is a preferred reception venue partner of Chapel Dulcinea. It’s a perfect combination! Many of our couples hold an intimate ceremony at the chapel, and then a larger reception here at Rose Haven, less than ten minutes away. Or you can enjoy your ceremony in our beautiful rose gardens, then come inside to our comfortable climate-controlled venue and eat, drink, and dance the night away!

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, schedule visits to see them in person. There is no substitute for experiencing the venue yourself. Each one has a different vibe, and you will find the one that resonates with your heart.

Your venue often will have a thoroughly vetted and experienced preferred vendor list to share with you once you’ve booked, and those resources are invaluable to the rest of your planning.

6. Hiring a Wedding Planner

Hiring a wedding planner can save you time and stress, and very often—money. Planners bring expertise, vendor connections, and can ensure everything runs smoothly by knowing how to craft perfect timelines and coordinate vendors. They have seen hundreds of weddings and crazy scenarios that can pop up, and know how to avoid issues before they even arise. They will also think of MANY things that you would never even have thought to consider, because they are well-schooled in the logistics of events as well as the aesthetics.

The prices of wedding planners are often a sticker shock at first, but the value and peace of mind they provide is priceless. And by expertly guiding you on your budget allocation, they may even save you enough money to offset the cost. Even if you choose not to hire one for the full planning process, a month-of coordinator is crucial. The venue coordinator is NOT your day-of coordinator. They are there to ensure everything works well from the venue side, but your timeline, vendors, guests, etc are not their responsibility. It’s important that you have your own planner who knows YOUR wedding inside and out.

Interview several planners, check their references and reviews carefully, talk to former clients if possible, and most importantly see how well you relate to them. They should be like a really knowledgeable best friend with your best wedding day experience at heart.

7. Create a Vision Board

To make your dream wedding a reality, you need to visualize it first. Create a vision board with wedding themes, color palettes, and decor ideas that resonate with your personal style. Platforms like Pinterest can be a treasure trove of inspiration.

8. Book a Photographer

Photographers can book up fast, especially ones in high demand, so it’s wise to start your search early. Look for photographers whose style matches your vision and check their availability for your chosen dates.

Definitely review their portfolios, social media accounts, website galleries, and read reviews. And again, a great photographer will become a good friend during your wedding planning and on your wedding day.

A great photographer can make magic happen! Just LOVE this
incredible ring capture by Studio Galvan Photography

9. Choose Your Wedding Party

Decide on who you want to be in your wedding party. These are the friends and family members you want by your side throughout the planning process and on the big day. Once chosen, you can start discussing responsibilities and involving them in planning.

10. Explore Wedding Insurance

While not the most glamorous part of planning, wedding insurance can provide peace of mind. Look into coverage options that protect against unforeseen circumstances like venue/vendor cancellations, weather issues or travel disruptions. Many venues have started to require it, as it’s so affordable and covers wedding-specific issues that nothing else will cover–like your florals being damaged, or catering not arriving. You should purchase your insurance as soon as you have booked your venue. Rose Haven does require wedding insurance, and we have a specific proprietary link on our website to easily obtain it.

A couple tied the knot at a wedding venue in Missouri that had been
struck by a tornado two days before. (Mindee Malloy Photography)

Enjoy the Process

Planning a wedding is a memorable experience, not just a checklist of tasks. Enjoy this unique time, lean on your loved ones for support, and remember that the ultimate goal is to celebrate your love with those who matter most.

For more wedding planning tips and advice, stay tuned to our blog. We want you to have a beautiful engagement and a wonderful wedding day!

Locally Owned Wedding Venues in Austin, Dripping Springs, the Texas Hill Country….and around the USA!

Before you choose a wedding venue, please consider a locally owned wedding venue! If you love Austin, Dripping Springs, San Antonio and The Texas Hill Country as much as we do, you will consider a locally owned wedding venue because these are small business owners who treasure our community. These small business owners live here (often AT their venue!), invest in our community, and care about their employees and their wedding couples. The experience you get when you choose a locally owned wedding venue is drastically different than the experience you get at a corporate owned or investor group wedding leasing company.

We pledge to support our fellow fabulous locally-owned wedding venues around the country!
About Me:

My name is Christy Seguin. I created amazing cakes in Austin, Dripping Springs and the Texas Hill Country for over 10 years as the owner of Cakes ROCK!!!. But I recently retired from cakes and am now passionately working on my new venture–the most unique and charming event venue in Central Texas, Rose Haven Event Venue!

For Rose Haven Event Venue Information, please contact us HERE.
August 26, 2024
Planning the Perfect Rehearsal Dinner in the Austin and Texas Hill Country Area
Let’s talk about planning the perfect rehearsal dinner that fits your style and helps make your wedding day flow smoothly. Over the last decade of creating cakes for weddings in the Texas Hill Country, Austin and Dripping Springs areas, I’ve seen thousands of weddings and been involved in many rehearsal dinners as well. As you start planning for your big day, don’t forget about the many smaller celebrations leading up to your wedding. One of the most important is the rehearsal dinner. This is where you’ll rehearse your wedding ceremony, and then celebrate with your closest family and friends before the wedding.

How to Plan Your Perfect Rehearsal

The first step in planning a rehearsal dinner is to determine the guest list. Typically, the guest list includes immediate family members, wedding party members, close friends, and out-of-town guests. Will it be a small, intimate affair, or do you have a lot of out of town guests you’d like to include? Make sure to send out invitations well in advance to give guests enough time to RSVP. Cute themed invitations help make the occasion even more special and exciting for your guests!

Traditionally, the rehearsal is a walk-through of the ceremony at the actual ceremony site so that all members of the families and wedding party will know their roles in the wedding ceremony and work out any last-minute adjustments to help make the actual ceremony flow flawlessly. Some wedding venues even include rehearsal time in their packages.

In the recent past, it has become more difficult to have the rehearsal at the wedding venue, as many venues are booked for another wedding or event the day before the wedding. In that case, the practice may be done at another location that has enough space to mimic the actual ceremony site. The actual rehearsal can even be on a different day to have access to the wedding venue, and the dinner held the night before the wedding at another venue.

Next, choose your venue for your rehearsal dinner.

First, you’ll want to decide the ‘vibe’ you want for your rehearsal dinner. Do you want it to complement or maybe contrast with the theme of the wedding? Choose a venue that works with the ambiance you want, or one that is so versatile it can be anything you’d like with simple décor accents.

In Austin, Dripping Springs, and the Hill Country, there’s an abundance of fun and funky restaurants, breweries, distilleries and wineries that are popular rehearsal dinner choices. The drawback to many of these venues is they are not private, which can make them crowded, noisy, and cause difficulty finding parking. Downtown Austin venues often have no parking at all. Also many of them are not climate-controlled, and with the Texas weather being so unpredictable–and often very uncomfortable with the typical heat and strong winds for most of the year–as well as sudden thunderstorms which can even bring lightning, hail and tornadoes. Carefully considering a weather plan is mandatory!

A true private, climate-controlled, affordable rehearsal dinner venue with free, adequate parking, is rare in the Austin, Dripping Springs and Hill Country areas. That’s one major reason I wanted to design a venue that was perfect for the rehearsal dinners, showers, and other events leading up to weddings that eliminated the drawbacks associated with the public venues. I saw so many of my former wedding cake clients and favorite wedding planners struggling to find affordable, versatile, well-designed venues for the smaller events. Thus the idea for Rose Haven was born, and it took me over three years to find the perfect venue for these types of events.

Choose Your Cuisine

Most couples want the cuisine at the rehearsal dinner to be different from the menu of the wedding, to allow the wedding catering to shine on its own with no redundancy.

Is your wedding going to be a fancy plated dinner? Maybe you want to have a true Texas Barbecue in contrast. Or are you going with traditional barbecue at the wedding? Maybe consider Italian, Mediterranean, or Asian cuisine for the rehearsal dinner. Is the budget tight and you’re looking for an affordable option? Some of the most cost-effective catering options are fajita bars, pasta bars, pizza, and spaghetti.

Consider a theme and match the cuisine to it:
Having a fiesta? Tacos would be perfect.
Hawaiian luau? Make it a tropical treat!
Nautical theme? Seafood is the natural catch.
Mardi Gras? Cajun would be perfect, I GAR-ON-TEE!
Love to Travel? Around the world samplings of ethnic cuisines
Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? Omelet stations, French toast, waffles……
Bridgerton? Let’s have afternoon tea, or a feast fit for a king!
Lord of the Rings? “Meat’s back on the menu, boys!” (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)

Will your venue allow family to bring in their own food? At Rose Haven, one of our couples’ theme for their rehearsal dinner is ‘Family Recipes’. They are asking each guest to bring a homemade dish of their favorite recipe and to gift a written recipe of that dish to the couple, who will compile a cookbook of family recipes for them to cherish forever. I LOVE that idea!

Many restaurant locations have mandatory food and beverage minimums, and lock you in to one type of cuisine. That’s great if it’s your favorite restaurant anyway! But if your favorite restaurant doesn’t have an ideal space, another alternative is to have them cater the meal at another venue that has an open vendor policy for catering, like Rose Haven does. This can be more affordable than dining at the actual restaurant as well. Look for a private venue that will allow you to cater in any cuisine you would like. Don’t forget to consider any dietary restrictions or preferences when selecting the menu for the evening!

A big consideration is the beverage package. Bar tabs can add up quickly, and minimums are commonplace at most venues. Many couples are looking for venues where they can BYOB to help control costs, and that can be very difficult to find. Also, please be considerate of your guests that avoid alcohol (as well as any underage guests). Offer ‘mocktails’ or other popular non-alcoholic selections so that they have plenty of choices as well. Water and iced tea are a must! Rose Haven allows BYOB and also has an in house bartending partner, Peak Beverage, who provides outstanding service at very reasonable pricing, and awesome mocktails too.

Next, plan the details of the rehearsal dinner.

When it comes to decorations and ambiance, how do you want it to feel and look? You can use floral arrangements, candles, string lights, or personalized signage to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Balloon sculptures are wildly popular and create big impact at cost-effective pricing. Consider incorporating elements from your wedding theme into the decor to tie everything together seamlessly and save money by repurposing decor.

Entertainment is also an important aspect of planning your perfect rehearsal dinner. This is the time to have some fun, as the rehearsal dinner is meant to be relaxed and enjoyable for everyone involved. You can hire live musicians or DJs for energy and engagement, or curate your own playlist for the perfect background music.

There will likely be lots of toasts and speeches, so be sure you have an adequate sound system and microphone so everyone hears and enjoys every word. Consider the acoustics of your venue and the ambient noise you may have to overcome if in a public venue. Rose Haven was formerly a historical Texas dancehall that featured many types of bands and performers, so we have an acoustical ceiling that enhances both speeches and the music!

Cornhole on the Antique Rose Veranda following a delicious rehearsal dinner. The Best Man custom made the cornhole boards for the couple as a gift, with his own hands! How thoughtful and impressive!

Ideas for an Epic Rehearsal Dinner

Definitely plan some fun activities like games or photo booths to keep guests engaged throughout the evening. Think outside the box, like maybe having a karaoke night after dinner, arcade games, a cornhole tournament, bouncy house for the kids (and big kids), lawn games, trivia and more! Make sure your venue has enough space and privacy to accommodate your ideas. Choosing a venue with both climate-controlled and outside spaces makes it much easier to plan epic activities.

A slideshow of the couple and their friends and family is always a big hit, and can be playing on a continuous loop during dinner. This brings many smiles, laughter, and memories. And it’s a great way to honor those who are no longer with you. Check to see if the venue has available TVs or screens you can access.

Another idea is to have a fun, themed, Food-Network-worthy cake at the rehearsal dinner instead of the wedding. You’re paying for some kind of dessert anyway, so that budget could be reallocated to an ‘impact’ cake that also doubles as a décor centerpiece, plus it frees up some of the wedding day budget. ALL of your guests watch and enjoy the cake TV shows, so it’s often the biggest hit of an event that guests talk about for years to come!

One of our recent rehearsal dinners used a wild, lit-up limousine service from Limos On Demand for the bride, groom, and wedding party to go out after the dinner for more time on the town! It was so crazy cool and different!

RELAX and have fun!

Rehearsal dinners are a great opportunity to have a blast and work out some of those pre-wedding jitters. Planning the perfect rehearsal dinner doesn’t have to add more stress to your wedding planning. If you have a wedding planner, they will help you plan the rehearsal dinner as well. Look to your venue for help in planning. Lean on their preferred vendor lists and trust their expertise. Your vendors want you to be ecstatically happy with their services, and to help you create memories to last a lifetime!

Here is a list of locally owned wedding venues around the country! We are dedicated to supporting small owned wedding venues, so in every blog we write we will celebrate at least 5 locally owned wedding venues.
About Me & Contact info

I created amazing cakes in Austin, Dripping Springs and the Texas Hill Country for over 10 years. But I recently retired from cakes and am now passionately working on my new venture–the most unique and charming event venue in Central Texas, Rose Haven Event Venue!

For Rose Haven Event Venue Information, please contact us HERE.
July 17, 2024