Fiddle and guitar music welcome soon-to-be brides and their wedding parties to the expo. In the entry way, there’s a limo and two little donkeys – named John Wayne and Annie Oakley.
Dripping Springs is cashing in on this country charm – and it’s helping to build its wedding business.
Sherrie Parks is Executive Director of the Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce.
“Better views. Just far enough out that people feel like they’re away from the city but close enough to still enjoy city life and get the country feel with it,” Parks says. “We have about 36 wedding venues within a 17 mile radius – so it’s a lot of people who are doing destination weddings and the Hill Country is the hotspot.”
Parks says the industry has grown even since the city trademarked the “Wedding Capital of Texas” name late last year.
Hunter Connor has seen it. She owns The Terrace Club.
“We did 75 wedding last year and we have 96 booked for this year so far which is better than we’ve ever done in the history of our 15 years,” Connor says. “We were one of the only venues, we started out here of course. And now there’s a lot. But, it’s good, there’s enough brides for everyone.”
Whim Hospitality supplies everything from flowers and candles to tents and chairs. It’s been around for three or fours years. And, in that time, employees says business has doubled or tripled.
“We actually met with a bride and groom last week that were from upstate New York,” Whim employee Whitney Wilkes says.
“Yeah, we also get California, we get the West Coast a lot. I think it’s just growing in popularity,” Luke Johnston added.
Alexis Perakos is getting married in June.
“I’m really excited and nervous at the same time,” she says.
Perakos moved to Austin last year – but most of her friends and family will be traveling in from Wyoming.
“So it’s kind of a destination wedding for them and it’ll be a lot of fun. A lot of them are excited to travel,” Perakos says.
She’s looking for a little of that rustic, Hill Country chic. But Lacy Goertz of Buda wants something a little more modern when she says “I do” in December.
“Everything was kind of barn-ish and rusty and I didn’t really like it but then I found Camp Lucy – which is also in Dripping Springs – loved it,” Goertz says. “If it wasn’t for them or the Terrace Club I probably wouldn’t be getting married in Dripping Springs but I fell in love. So they have something for everyone, I know that.”
But everyone in Dripping Springs will tell you the best part of a Hill Country wedding is the views. What could be more romantic than pledging eternal love while bathed in the warm orange glow of a Texas sunset – with carpets of wildflowers at your feet – and the ancient and twisted live oaks standing witness?
