Wedding Venue Shopping!
Updated: Mar 4, 2020
One of the most important things to check off your wedding to-do list is pick the venue! Once you chose your venue, then you can find near by vendors that you will need to put on one of the best days of your life!
One month after we got engaged, we started shopping for venues. We are in no rush to get married, but venues fill up years in advanced! I didn't want to find a venue I loved and they didn't have our date. Speaking of, picking a date was the first thing we did. Pick a season you like and then go from there. For us, I knew I have always wanted a spring time wedding. We started looking at the spring time and how it fit into our personal and work schedules. Both our birthdays are in the spring, so we ended up picking a date that was in between them and a month that is usually pretty weather here in Texas.
Living in Austin, Texas, we are so lucky with numerous of gorgeous venues to choose from. We decided to make a day of it and visit as many Austin area venues as we could.
1. Vintage Villas
http://www.vintagevillas.com
First up, we headed to the lake. I have always dreamed of getting married in front of water. The ceremony site here was absolutely breath-taking. The alter is on a cliff that overlooks Lake Travis. I could already see me walking down the aisle here as we view the ceremony site. Then we continued to the next part of the tour, the reception and bride and grooms quarters. The reception hall wasn't totally breath-taking. Pretty, but not breath-taking. I instantly started thinking of how I could transform the place with draping and flowers. Then we went to see where I would be getting ready and where our guests would be staying. Being from two large families, we knew we would need a place with lodging. This is where I knew this venue was not the one. The bride's suite was small and along with the lodging decor jus not my style. It was a bit rustic and country. Being form Texas, you would think I would like a rustic touch.. but I don't. There is nothing wrong with it. It is simply just not my style. We got back to our car and I threw the folder in the back seat. Next.
2. Ma Maison
https://www.themamaison.com
Next we went to Ma Maison. Now this venue had us both drooling! I knew just from looking at pictures online that this one was going to be a heavy contender in our quest for a venue. Another dream of mine was having some kind of French chic or Italian styled wedding and this venue had both rolled into one. I love everything about European style and I felt like a princess walking around this venue. Not to mention the many, may gorgeous chandeliers! I was seriously in heaven! We both loved so much about this venue. Mitch had only one concern. The grooms suite was a bit small. The brides suite was huge! But the grooms suite was a tad small. In its deference, it had a patio with games for all th groomsmen to play while they waited. However, Mitch still thought it may be cramped with all his groomsmen who are white big men in there. Totally a small concern. We spoke to the consultant for a long time and asked a lot of questions. We added this one to the top of the list and left very excited about it!
Little pit sop for lunch and drinks, we're celebrating after all! :)
3. Camp Lucy
https://www.camplucy.com
Lastly, we visited Camp Lucy. This is the venue I always thought I would get married at when I moved to Austin 7 years ago. It is so fairytale like. I have attended only one wedding here but now it was time for my official visit and to actually picture myself and Mitch getting married there.
Funny how things work out though.. I was convinced about this venue for yers and always thought it would be a dream to get married there. Although the ceremony site is just as gorgeous as ever, the reception hall reminded me a little of the first venue we looked at. Not because they looked alike, but for the fact that it just wasn't my style. The unstained wood gave it a bit of a rustic feel. Once again, still beautiful, just not my style.
Overall, Ma Maison was definitely the winner. But I have one more place I would like to look at.. ;)