Weddingbee boards

OK, So a quick FYI Brides to Be, you'll thank me for saving you this research and headaches... My friend who was my wedding planner, owns a catering business and just shared this with me... Star Hill Ranch out of Bee Cave, is where one of her clients recently hosted their wedding. This is definitely into the Hill Country but offers the "unique" small town feel, very intimate and private venue. Kill Bill, along with several Hollywood films were taped here, for it's village charm, created by the groundskeeper and owner herself. So there's a sense of pride you can appreciate from this place. She leases out sections of this strip to wedding guests, including the bride and groom, who get their own suite/mini house! Supposedly, it's very affordable, according to my planner's wedding clients, who were under a tight-strict budget.

Stay away from Camp Lucy out of Dripping Springs! Yes, it gorgeous and serene!BUT, The day of coordinators, who are included with this venue package deal are a nightmare and a half to work with! Not only has my planner warned me against this being that she went through some hell with them herself while catering a wedding there recently, but a friend of mine had to learn the hard way as well.  She hosted her wedding there just a week ago! Everything was so unorganized, and though my friend is chill and laid back and didn't follow a serious itenerary, the coordinators there were beyond rude, with no social skills whatsoever, and were TOO LAID BACK AND CARELESS to understand the importance of how special the day should have felt. One of the coordinators had the audacity to ask the bride and groom during an intimate walk alone towards the end of the reception, for a check to be filled out right away, written out to a vendor. What the hell kinda wedding planner, stops the happy bride and groom and asks them to pause,  grab a pen, find their checkbook, figure numbers and fill out a check on their wedding day?!?!? A true planner knows to get all these things done a week prior to the wedding day!

Mercury Hall is where I got married and it was beyond amazingly special. The layout and set up were ideal and would be any bride's dream. I don't know how we scraped up the cash but my wonderful husband made it work and it truly was worth every dime. A little steep on the pocketbook for my budget at th the time, last August 2010. But yes, it does truly offer an intimate and quaint hill country feel in lovely south central Austin... Minutes from downtown and my home.

Good Luck Girls! 

@amyisnice: Wow!!! You got a great deal on your venue!!! I paid double that for my summer time wedding at Mercury Hall. It's everyone's dream to host at this medium venue. GREAT JOB at saving some bucks with the wedding planning! I saved in many other ways, thanks to my planner's awesome advice and vendor list. So I still feel fortunate and really lucked out. I got married last August 2010 and had the ceremony outside between the three trees off to the end of the lovely courtyard. It was magical and couldnt have been designed better! I was really lucky to have my planner put it all together for me, so I did not sweat with stresss or literally.

I did, however, notice mosquitos each time I went to put the design lay out together with my planner. They attacked the hell out of me each time through out the spring and summer evenings. As for beatng the heat, I made my programs into personal fans for every guest and had them laid out on top of each chair at the ceremony, to use then and during cocktail hour or during the HOT ceremony.

Acknowledging the heat, I was advised on using airbrush makde up, which turned out perfect and still kept me looking natural and feeling beautiful.

Not once, did I have to run to a mirror and do a touch up! I was pretty much flawless all night long. I highly suggest this to any bride getting married outdoors in this Texas heat. As for the inside, I never noticed the old church feeling hot at all. The whole place felt great into the evening as we all lounged outdoors and took tons of pictures at the booth we created right outside the kitchen's entrance.

Enjoy the venue! It's a lot of fun making memories there!