The Wild Onion Ranch | Exotic & Intimate Texas wedding venue

Austin Wedding Wild Onion Ranch Pic 01 reception

For those of you who aren't familiar with Austin, the personality of our city is often defined by an artistic expression that is simultaneously extravagant and humbly charming.  The Wild Onion Ranch is a treasure among the gems that define the look and feel of the hill country region. It is a gorgeous ranch-style location for weddings with exotic, carefully crafted landscaping, stately rustic architecture, gardens, and that true Austin casual feel.

 Take a look around:

 It's no secret that we're huge fans of the Edgerton family (we've filmed both of their daughter's weddings there).  We've filmed several other special occasions & charity event videos there over the years, and it is consistently beautiful.  Under the artistic vision of the Edgerton family, the landscape is always evolving and becoming even more detailed.  It will certainly fill your guests with a sense of wonder as they walk around the intimate gardens.

Some of the features include:  two covered patios with a grill/outdoor kitchen/bar, a stone table where desserts are often displayed, many pathways winding through the garden, small putting greens where tables can be easily placed, a pool, outdoor pergola grandstand and dance-floor, several well-shaded porches, benches, and resting areas, and a sunlit Tuscan Hall where ceremonies can be held, or other indoor activities can be staged. It is fantastic to see.

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There are many details that still astound us--like the benches constructed entirely from driftwood, and the details in the stone pathways (there's colored glass, fossils, and marbles cemented together--so beautiful!).  You'll enjoy any event (whether it be wedding or corporate) that you choose to celebrate there.

- kourtney amelia

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Great Gifts for Guests

new orleans nola wedding video pic 13 favor

Bubbles and sparklers are great for exits, but if you're looking for a unique party favor, we have some great ideas that our Mason Jar Brides have done in the past.  A party favor is your way to send guests home from your wedding with the charm and memories from the day still in their arms. 

Above, Celeste & Michael had beer koozies made for their backyard wedding reception in New Orleans.  The tree emblem is a nice touch--it is an image that will remind people of the great time they had in that backyard.

It's easy to feel pressure about giving gifts--but simply consider how you'd like to thank your guests for attending.  Instead of thinking of wedding details like guest favors as something that pinterest commands from you, consider your gifts as an expression of thankfulness and joy-- through your creativity and thoughtfulness, you can really set the tone for hospitality and fun.

Wedding Favors Can Show Hospitality.

Favors and gifts can be given to guests at any point, not just at the end of a wedding.  Allison & Ryan are from Florida--so their Texas destination wedding at Rough Creek Lodge was quite a trek for all of their guests.  They had these cute bags made with a hand-illustrated map drawn of the resort.  When guests checked into their hotel room, they were given the bags, which were filled things that were both fun and useful--water bottles, sweet, salty & healthy snacks, some emergency things like individual packs of gum, advil, tums, and an itinerary of the weekend.  

a rough creek lodge jewish wedding video pic 45 guest favor 2

a rough creek lodge jewish wedding video pic 45 guest favor

Their wedding reception also had a picture booth, and as guests took photos, they were given a personalized envelope to protect the photos.  The outside of the envelope read "Thank you for making our day picture perfect." What a fun couple!  You can watch their full film from their wedding here.

 Give Gifts that Create an Experience.

Often, we see brides and grooms giving things to their guests that create memorable moments.  This bride and groom  had a cute DIY sign encouraging guests to put on their "dancing shoes," exchanging heels for wedding flip flops, and have a great time dancing together. Watch the Film

Escondido Horseshoe Bay Wedding Pic 13 DIY dance flip flop sign

Another couple we filmed last year created the coolest environment at their reception:  while the band (Blind Date) was rocking out the ballroom, in the foyer they had a photobooth with props, and on the balcony, they had a flipbook booth with props, a caricature artist, and a cigar table where a professional was rolling cigars right there in front of guests.  Pretty amazing!  Watch the Film

four seasons hotel austin wedding pic 23 caricature artist

 The caricature artist was provided by Victoria Barclay with Best Entertainers in Austin, TX.

This father of the bride wanted to create a really special memory to his daughter's wedding, so he surprised her with fireworks--which was of course, a wonderful surprise for the guests, too! 

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I love the look on Sidni's face as she turns around and sees the fireworks lighting up the sky--you can tell her father's face is just beaming with pride as he stands next to his beautiful daughter.  It didn't stop there, either--as the bride and groom left the wedding to a sparkler exit, fireworks went off in the drive as they pulled away in their get-away car.  You can watch their film here, but make sure to grab a handkerchief!

Escondido Clink Events Austin Wedding Video Pic 11 fireworks

Now, that's a finale!  The spectacular show at this particular wedding was organized by Clink Events, and they timed the final fireworks to go off at this wedding right as the band hit their final note for the night.

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For a fun New Orleans vintage wedding in the winter, Mary & Aaron gave their guests christmas cookies & personalized embroidered handkerchiefs to wave inthe second line parade as their guests left.

This was a snippet from the final portion of their film.  If you've got time and access to your own hanky, click here! (You may need that hanky for tears OR for waving and dancing during the second line from your own home--we don't judge!)

Give them something they can enjoy later.

Whether or not you choose to have something monogrammed, personalized, dated, or engraved, sending your guests home with something they can enjoy later is sure to remind them of the great time they had when they were with you.

Below, one of our couples got married at a vineyard.  To commemorate the wedding celebration, they had a bar tool for opening wine and beer bottles personalized with the date from their wedding. Another couple sent guests home with a fresh water bottle (guess they knew they'd be dancing a lot!) and a cake ball sampler from their favorite bakery.  Our last pic is from a couple that gave a bottle of olive oil to each guest--made from their own fields!

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Austin Wedding Wild Onion Ranch Pic 22 bubble exit

Escondido Clink Events Austin Wedding Video Pic 10 reception favor

No matter what you do, southern hospitality means that you let the people who are celebrating your relationship know that you cherish them in return.  We trust that you'll enjoy the memories from your special day for years to come.

Have you seen a cool wedding favor? Share with us!

Please join us on facebook, or check out our vimeo channel to sit and watch all of our films in "couch mode." It's a pretty neat feature!

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Groom's Cake Ideas that your Husband will LOVE

While groom's cakes are not a tradition all over the USA, here in the south, we see cooler and cooler desserts at weddings and events every year.  We just wanted to take a second to brag on all the great dessert makers and the brides and grooms who imagined these fabulous treats for their guests to enjoy.

Groom's cakes can fit the decor theme of your wedding.

This cake was from a wedding we filmed in Maui, and the couple wanted to have tropical elements at their reception back here in Texas, and this is what the folks at Blue Note Bakery put together for them:

 Pistachio. Buttercream. Honey Rum. and beautiful to look at?  Great work by the folks at Blue Note Bakery  in Austin.

 Reflect his Interests. 

This cake is all about Hunting, Fly Fishing, & Dogs -  Sidniis a preppy southern bride, and she loves to go fly fishing with her husband Jay.  They have three dogs that they love, too!  You can watch their full film from their Outdoor Escondido wedding here.

Hunting Dog Groom Cake

Laura's husband Marcus loves to golf.  In fact, people joked at the wedding about how strong his love for Laura is because of the tournaments he was missing for the wedding.  Laura embraces his passion for the sport, and so she teamed up with her wedding planners DFW Events and the well-loved bakery Creme de la Cookie (Dallas, Texas) to create a golf themed table with cake balls made to look like golf balls. Of course, Marcus loved it.  The couple's monogram is on the flag. Click here to watch their full film.

escondido groom cake golf sport

Join your groom in his school spirit:

Other university themes we have seen:  Baylor University Football and a Law school building where the groom spent so much time studying!

groom cake baylor university

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The Baylor Cake was created by Sophie's Choice Bakery for a rustic outdoor wedding near Fredericksburg, Texas. (Planning by Viridian Design from Kerrville, TX.)  There was a pretty big Baylor crowd in attendance, and the  indoor bar at the Mansion at Riverhill Country Club heard many "sic 'em"s that night as the reception guests filed in to watch moments of the football game between dances.

...and A Carolina Tar Heels Cake! This cake was made by The Cake Plate in Austin and was a part of an event designed by Clink, an event and party planning company. They are top-notch.

Escondido Clink Events Austin Wedding Video Pic 09 sport groom cake tarheels

A cake to reflect how dapper your gentleman can be:

(This cake was also from a Clink Event!)

Clink Events Austin Bastrop Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort Wedding Pic 17 groom cake

 We hope you enjoyed looking at these cakes and got some ideas for parties of your own--and you should trust us--they were delicious!

You can watch read more about our wedding videos on our blog, or watch them all on vimeo.