Steps to the Wedding: Q & A Wedding Planning, with Lauren and Brent.

After the ring goes on, the questions begin to flood in. “Where? When? Will it be an evening or day wedding? Who’s the maid of honor? Where are you going for the honeymoon? Who’s making your cake? Have you looked at venues? Are you having a D.J. or band?” While some brides have been planning this since they learned to make a veil out of a pillowcase, the actual execution can be overwhelming. Factor in the possibility of a destination wedding and the day you’ve been dreaming of can become one you can’t wait to conquer.

At Pecan Springs Ranch, we want to provide guidance in any way that’s helpful. Being the only family owned venue in our area, you’ll know that our vendor suggestions come without strings attached and are based solely on experience when working with different vendors. Whether you are using a wedding coordinator, or you’re braving the planning on your own, we’re always happy to make suggestions when it comes to trustworthy and unique local vendors that will make your wedding the one you hope for and deserve.

Once a year, Pecan Springs Ranch hosts an open house to help introduce clients to possible vendors. We bring in some of the best vendors in the business and hope our couples have a great, and informative, afternoon while putting faces and artistry to business names. (For a peek at our most recent open house, and what you can expect at the next one, head here to see what it’s about: https://pecansprings.wpenginepowered.com/wedding-venue-open-house/.)

Since we are getting to share the wedding ride with Lauren and Brent in the shotgun seat, we wanted to get their first hand account when it came down to planning. In the first part of our Q&A we’ll see how they made the choices they did, and which vendors they decided on to make their special day go off without a hitch (while they get hitched)! In the second part that’s coming soon, we’ll explore the people and parties that define the months before the wedding. But, for now, let’s see how their planning has taken shape!

Q: Hey guys! Your wedding is in just a couple of weeks- I can’t believe it! Since you’re almost at the finish line we wanted to get your take on the planning side. What would you tell new couples about the behemoth that planning a wedding can turn into unless there’s clear direction? Would you recommend getting a wedding coordinator? If so, why?

A: It’s a lot right from the start! We would highly recommend getting a wedding planner. We used Katelyn Lakey with Kate Rose Creative Group. She was extremely helpful, giving great suggestions and keeping everyone on task. She’s made this process so stress free and enjoyable!

Q: What criteria were you considering when you were looking for a venue since it sets the tone for the entire day? In the end, you decided to book Pecan Springs Ranch for your wedding after looking at numerous other possibilities. What does Pecan Springs Ranch offer that convinced you and your fiancé that it was a fit for you?

A: We loved the outdoor rustic feel of Pecan Springs Ranch. That was exactly what we were looking for. The donkeys were of course what made us seal the deal! Our guests are going to love the Beverage Donkeys!

(Pecan Springs Ranch is the only Austin area venue with Beverage Donkeys that live on site, and are a part of the PSR owner’s family! Sassy and Opie are a special pair. Check out their sweet story and adorable friendship: https://pecansprings.wpenginepowered.com/beverage-donkeys-a-lot-of-love-and-a-cheers/)

Q: What makes a vendor stand out? What influenced your vendor choices (did you check them out because of other vendor recommendations, provided lists, websites, blogs, vendor parties…)? What vendors are you working with for your upcoming wedding that you’re most excited about?

A: We have some amazing vendors, and our wedding planner recommended most of them after she knew what we were looking for. She helped us when it came to a group of recommendations, then we chose based on the best fit for our needs. The vendors we’re using for our wedding, and are really excited about, are:

• Planner: Kate Rose Creative Group
• Flowers: Wild Poppy
• Catering: CJ’s Catering
• Photographer: Janeane Marie Photography
• Videographer: Moonlit Weddings
• Cake: Simply Delicious Custom Cakes
• DJ: 1st Class Entertainment
• Rentals: Monarch Rentals and Pecan Springs Ranch
• Dress: Signature Bridal
• Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaids
• Rehearsal Dinner: Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery

Q: In the planning process there’s a word that some cringe at, but it’s pretty necessary. Regarding the (dun, dun, dun) budget, what did you all learn?

A: The budget is very difficult to follow because the second you mention “wedding” the price seems to increase! I think you ultimately need to consider “do I need this to make my day special?” If the answer is no, it could potentially save us a great amount of money by leaving it out. I feel like we ended up cutting a lot of things out that we originally thought would be great ideas, deciding in the end to keep things simple. We still managed to go over budget, so maybe I’m not the best bride to answer this question, haha!

Ultimately, having trusted recommendations and a solid direction makes a big difference when it comes to planning out your day. We always hope the value that a family owned venue like Pecan Springs Ranch provides our clients, when they know their wedding isn’t just a calendar spot to us, is the chance to make it all about them and their day. We know that when you book with us you’re trusting Pecan Springs Ranch to deliver on our promises and make your wedding everything you deserve. We look forward to always making that a priority for our couples.

If you find yourself in need of an expert wedding coordinator to handle everything from start to finish, Pecan Springs’ own, Paige Smith, will guide your wedding to extraordinary: http://purelovestyle.com.

Thanks to these Instagram posts from different vendors and wedding parties at Pecan Springs Ranch!

Credit @amandahartfield

Credit: @rebeccataylorphotos

Credit @altaregoweddings

Credit @silvercloudtrailerevents

Credit @thecherylbailey