Upcoming and Pasts Events at Hidden Creek

Leave a Comment / Flowers, Hidden Creek Events, Insurance, Organizing, Wedding Advice, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Planning, Wedding Venue / By Shakira Del Toro

Are you still searching for the venue of your dreams? Have you decided who your wedding caterers will be? Come check out our events at Hidden Creek to help answer some of these tough questions and to see our lively venue in action. We host open houses and catering tastings throughout the year, so feel free to bring your family and friends to our beautiful venue. We are here to make the wedding planning process as easy as possible!

Open House

Hidden Creek’s open house is a favorite of ours. We have a vendor from every category come in, such as a DJ, caterer, photographer, bartender, and the list goes on. These resources are great because you get to meet the vendors in person, ask about pricing, their availability, and many of them offer discounts or promotions at our open house event.

Hidden Creek has the venue decorated so you can see some different wedding ideas, such as where to place the sweetheart table, and you get a chance to check out our ceiling draping. We have open houses every two to three months, and we recommend that you check out this event at least once during the wedding process.

It’s a very fun event. We have an open bar, live music, free food, and twinkle lights outside. It’s super romantic and a great date night. You get the opportunity to envision yourself in the venue, dream about the decorations, and get a feel of the area. We just had our open house on Sunday, March 20th, 2022, and we had a wonderful turnout. Be sure to catch our next one!

Catering Tasting

On April 1st, 2022, we will be having a catering tasting event. It’s an in-house catering event, where our chef prepares a bunch of delicious entre and appetizers to sample. We will have that in a buffet style. For this event, you have to be booked with Hidden Creek to come. Every couple gets two complimentary tickets and any additional guests will be $40 a ticket to help cover the costs of the food.

We will have many catering options, some rentals available, and our chef will be here to answer any questions. We will also have booking deals and specials at this event. So, if you are booked with Hidden Creek, we highly recommend that you come to both events. If you already have a different caterer booked, then you only need to come to the open house. If you already booked our caterer, still come to our catering tasting event so we can talk about our different packages, maybe add an appetizer, or discuss a change in your guest count, etc.

Hidden Creek Is Here For You

Whether you are still looking for the perfect wedding venue, or you already booked with us and want to check out our in-house catering, Hidden Creek has you covered. We offer open houses throughout the year to give you the opportunity to check out our venue, get a feel for the space, and speak with some vendors before making any big decisions. We also give our clients the opportunity to try our different plates and appetizers to help with their catering decisions. And if you would like a more personalized visit, feel free to schedule a tour with us!

Wedding Flower Shortage Explained and Hidden Creek’s #1 Trick for Getting Affordable Flower Arrangements

Flowers / By Meria

Carefully selected wedding flowers can signify the things you love about your partner and the traits you hope your marriage will have. Red roses for love and passion. Alstroemeria for devotion and support. Violets for faith and affection. Hydrangeas represent togetherness and unity. Sweet Peas for friendship and blissful pleasure. The Lily of the Valley signifies happiness and youthfulness. There are multitudes of flowers in this world with endless meanings– or at least there were before the flower shortage.

In theory, you could choose the perfect blend for a beautiful floral arrangement that says exactly what you feel. But what do you do when the flowers start disappearing? Well, the best thing you can do to ensure you get your dream bouquet is to schedule a florist a year before your wedding. This increases the likelihood that they’ll have time to find the best vendors and prices.

Unfortunately, the flower market is struggling right now, making prices skyrocket. There are a lot of contributing factors that led to the flower shortage, which we’ll explain more about in this guide. The good news is that if you read to the end, you’ll be able to find Hidden Creek’s preferred wedding vendor list. Every florist on there has been vetted and will strive to find the perfect flowers even amid mass flower shortages.

Climate Change

Earth is getting hotter every year. Not to mention we’re already seeing the consequences of generations worth of global emissions and pollution. One side effect you might not have been expected? A flower shortage.

Entire countries are being ravaged by fire, hurricanes, tsunamis, and floods. While things are obviously worse for the inhabitants of those regions, it’s also affecting the flower trade as many wholesalers and florists buy flowers from those countries.

As for domestic flowers, California produces about 75% of American flowers, earning itself the name “the cut flower capital”. Unfortunately, flowers in Cali are getting more expensive as entire farms are destroyed by the wildfires and demand continues to increase as couples who postponed their weddings because of COVID-19 and newly engaged couples try to buy flowers at the same time.

COVID-19

Yeah, yeah, yeah– we’re all tired of talking about Coronavirus. But aside from ruining our plans and causing major public health concerns, it also led to mass layoffs. Unfortunately, many people were fired or laid off meaning they had to seek out other ways of making an income. Once COVID restrictions were lifted, a lot of the flower farmers never returned, meaning there’s no one to grow, harvest, or ship the flowers to the wholesalers that keep florists stocked. On a grander scale, entire flower farms went out of business during quarantine because no one was buying flowers and they were hemorrhaging money.

Demand Skyrocketed

Many couples were planning to get married in 2020, but their plans were nixed after the pandemic started. The CDC reports that the pandemic likely started in the United States in January 2020, and by February, nearly everything had shut down. Things didn’t really go as planned so now all of the couples who postponed their weddings are now trying to book in the same season as newly engaged couples. This means there’s 2x the demand and only half of the resources.

Costs Have Risen

As if things weren’t hectic enough already, overall costs have risen. Fuel costs are high so it makes transporting flowers more expensive. There have also been well-documented staff shortages in the service industry so businesses are having to pay more to keep operations running.

Dallas Event Venue and Wedding Vendor Recommendations

Hidden Creek is a top Dallas wedding venue with a view and a staff of experienced wedding planners. We know there’s a lot of obstacles to jump over when finding the perfect flowers to carry down the aisle and adorn your wedding venue, but Hidden Creek is here to help. You can check out our list of top Dallas wedding vendors here or call today to discuss it in person.

How to Host an Enchanted Forest Wedding

Flowers, Hidden Creek Events, Organizing, Wedding Advice, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Planning, Wedding Venue / By Jingle

Step into your own fairytale with a Hidden Creek wedding. Our ethereal venue is off the beaten path and offers a private escape for your wedding. Our venue is located on an acreage surrounded by shady groves and lush foliage in every direction. The event center is also near a babbling hidden creek that overlooks Lake Ray Hubbard in Heath, Texas. When you book the Hidden Creek wedding venue, you can be sure your wedding will be a magical affair.

Wedding Invitations

One of the first wedding planning tasks you’ll need to take care of is selecting wedding invitations, and deciding who to invite. Rest assured, our event center has ample room for up to 300 guests so it’s just a matter of deciding if you want a small private affair or an elaborate wedding with a lot of friends and family.

As far as invitations go, try to keep with the theme of your wedding. If you want an enchanting wedding, full of natural beauty make sure your wedding invitations reflect that. Invitations with watercolor elements, green and jewel tones, and components from nature like pressed flowers can be beautiful personalized options.

Wedding Attire

Your preferred wedding attire will largely depend on your personal style. You can plan a whimsical forest wedding while still incorporating a touch of your own style preferences. Whether you’re a chic fashionista, a rustic southern belle, or a free-spirited bohemian gal your wedding party’s wardrobe should reflect that.

If you prefer more of a chic and traditional look, try out a stark-white ball gown to stand out against the deep woodsy tones all around you. If you have a young spirit and an eclectic style, spring for something more unusual. You can incorporate a vintage style, elaborate beadwork, and jewel tones into your wedding day look. This also gives your groom a chance to veer away from the classic black tuxedo and experiment with warm neutral tones and patterns. If you are a classic southern belle, then maybe a simple yet elegant lace gown is just what you need. Play around with different styles, cuts, and colors to discover what’s right for you.

Natural Altar

Our venue has a wonderful walkway and a wooden wedding arch. You can decorate this area to your heart’s content and really lean into the enchanted forest wedding theme with just a bit of creativity. You can decorate the altar by layering chopped tree stumps, regaling the area with fairy lights, draping vibrant cloths along the arch, sprinkling flowers about, and just about a million other things! Use your imagination, and if it’s at all possible, we’ll help you make it happen.

Wedding Decorations

The natural beauty provided by our location will take care of the bulk of this task. When you’re selecting decorations for an enchanted wedding, let the natural environment guide you. You can either stick with neutral or jewel tones, or go for a vibrant color to stand out against all of the green (especially in the spring!) You can also use different lighting to add to the ambiance of the environment. Candles and sparklers are great selections, as long as you follow our event venue’s safety guidelines.

Floral arrangements and centerpieces will be an important part of decorating for this kind of wedding as well. Vibrant flowers are beautiful, but some other popular choices are Baby’s Breath, Texas Wildflowers, or an assortment of local foliage.

There are so many places to find beautiful decorations. Ask us for a list of our preferred vendors when you book to start the planning process!

Hidden Creek Events

We are so excited that you’re considering Hidden Creek as a possible venue for your special day. Schedule a tour with us so we can show you all that we have to offer. While you’re visiting we can tell you all about our amenities, catering options, and the best vendors around. We look forward to meeting you, and helping you make your dreams a reality!

Wedding Traditions and Where They Originated

Flowers, Wedding Advice, Wedding Dress, Wedding Traditions / By Jingle

Why does a bride carry a bouquet down the aisle? Why are wedding cakes tiered? Why are wedding dresses white? There are so many wedding traditions, but most people don’t know where they originated. Personalizing your wedding to make it fit your style and personality is important. Part of the planning process is deciding which wedding traditions you want to keep, and which ones you would rather skip. Whatever you decide, get to know the history behind some of the most common American wedding traditions.

The Dress

Fashion evolves every year, and this includes bridal gowns. Bridal gowns tend to blend and reflect traditions, customs, and current events. Queen Victoria of England popularized white wedding gowns. She wore the first white wedding dress on her wedding day in 1840. After that, the white wedding dress as we know it today became the standard. Now, 182 years later, people still follow her example.

Matching Bridesmaid Dresses

In ancient Rome, matching outfits meant good luck and were a common wedding tradition. People believed evil spirits would attend the wedding and attempt to curse the bride and groom. Bridesmaids acted as decoys by dressing identically to the bride to confuse malevolent spirits. They thought that the spirits would be unsure which one was the bride, and would leave her alone. They believed the matching dress would allow the couple to wed in peace.

The Bouquet

Flower bouquets originated in ancient Greece and Rome. Women carried aromatic bunches of garlic, herbs, and spices to ward off evil spirits. Many people also believed that the natural bundles would help prevent wedding guests from contracting the plague. Brides carrying their favorite flower is a tradition that became popular in 1840. This was because Queen Victoria carried a bouquet of snowdrops when she married Prince Albert. Queen Victoria’s love of the flower influenced coming generations of brides. Today, brides generally select a flower arrangement that holds sentimental value, matches their wedding theme, or is simply beautiful.

Ring on Ring Finger

This traditional western placement of the wedding ring can also be attributed to the Romans. They believed that the fourth finger on the left hand was connected directly to the heart by a vein called “the vein of love.” For years newlyweds have placed their wedding bands on this finger during their nuptial ceremony. However, this signifier of everlasting love and commitment isn’t the status quo around the world. Other cultures have been documented placing the ring on another finger, or even the other hand. This particular tradition is typically honored in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Something Old, Something New

This English tradition revolves around the items a bride should have in her possession at her wedding. The old English rhyme goes, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe.” It was generally believed that these items would bring luck and prosperity to the marriage. “Something old” honors the bride’s ancestry and her past. It also serves as a protective talisman to protect future children and promote fertility. “Something new” offers hope for the newlywed’s future. It’s typically a gift that offers a dose of optimism. “Something borrowed” is also meant to bring good luck. Traditionally, the bride borrows a small keepsake or jewelry from someone who is happily married. “Something blue” signals love, purity, and fidelity which are some tenants of a healthy and long-lasting marriage. “Sixpence in your shoe” is a token to promote security and stability in your future home with your spouse.

The Wedding Cake

The tradition of a wedding cake dates back to ancient Rome. The guests broke a loaf of bread over the bride’s head to symbolize fertility. The newlyweds would share a few bites while guests would gather up the leftover crumbs for good luck. In medieval England, the bride and groom would try to kiss over a pile of stacked spiced buns, scones, and cookies. This supposedly ensured a prosperous future if they were able to successfully smooch without toppling the whole thing over. This was a precursor to the tiered wedding cakes of today.

Hidden Creek Events

There are a lot of fun wedding traditions to explore while you plan your wedding. There are also some quirky and crazy options that may just make you giggle. Regardless, of which traditions you choose to uphold or skip our coordinator at Hidden Creek events can help you plan a dazzling and memorable day. We can help you prepare for your wedding, and we offer a romantic wooded getaway to host your storybook wedding. Give us a call or book a visit online to explore our venue further and get more information from our capable and dedicated staff.

Best Podcasts to Help Plan Your 2021 Wedding

Flowers, Hidden Creek Events, Organizing, Wedding Advice, Wedding Planning / By Jingle

It can be hard to find time to plan your wedding while trying to keep up with all of your other responsibilities. The stress continues to build when you don’t even know where to start looking, or you’re not sure what you don’t know. Podcasts can be a fun and simple way to get some foundational information and start planning your perfect wedding day. You can learn how to make a budget, select floral arrangements, and where to find your bridesmaid’s dresses all on your commute to work. We’ve compiled a list of popular wedding planning podcasts to help you get started.

Almost to the Aisle

This is a Dallas-Fort Worth-based wedding planning podcast hosted by the owner of Hitched Events, a local wedding planning company. The owner, Kimberly Rhodes hosts the podcasts and shares her extensive knowledge of the wedding planning process. She is joined by one of four other local wedding planners to take a deep dive into the wedding planning process. They cover topics from vision boarding on Pinterest to formulating a backup plan if something (god forbid) goes wrong at your wedding. This podcast is useful to brides because these industry professionals have years of combined experience, and are sharing it in a fun podcast you can listen to on your way to work.

The Bouquet Toss

This freshly launched wedding planning podcast advises listeners on how to host the wedding of their dreams while keeping a budget. They have honest discussions about weddings, and where you can pare back to save money. They still know how important this day is though, so they’ll help you find ways to have a beautiful wedding that feels authentic to you and your future spouse. This podcast is hosted by Jessica Bishop, the founder of TheBudgetSavvyBride.com, and Real Weddings editor Sari Weinerman. Brides who are planning their weddings are drawn to this podcast because the show is informative, entertaining, and authentic.

Bridechilla

The Bridechilla podcast is hosted by Aleisha McCormack, and she’s dedicated to helping you plan the wedding you actually want. She helps you step away from the bridezilla stereotype by breaking down stress-reduction tactics and offering advice about logistics. She’s the virtual bridesmaid every bride needs to get through her big day without any mishaps. She offers wedding planning tips, and also has a series of Q&As, which means she may have already answered your questions at some point. Listeners love the humorous way Aleisha calms their wedding planning jitters with a dose of humor and on-point advice.

Inclusively Yours

This podcast is perfect for couples who don’t identify as the traditional bride and groom. This podcast is designed for LGBTQ+ couples seeking wedding planning advice. Brittny Drye launched this podcast in 2013 to fill an information gap, left by an industry that caters to heterosexual couples. Podcasts cover topics like wedding stories, budget tips, and proposal ideas.

Woman Getting Married

This podcast is great because it’s run by a husband and wife team, so you get two perspectives! Each Thursday, Lindsay Jones, the founder of WomanGettingMarried.com sits down with her husband Cory to answer your wedding planning questions. In the past, they’ve given advice about creating guest lists, making budgets and registries, destination weddings, and floral arrangements. This is a fun podcast with lots of banter to keep you entertained while you nail down your wedding plans.

Hidden Creek Events

These podcasts are a great way to get started on your wedding planning process. When you’re ready to take the next step, our outstanding wedding coordinator will help you book the beautiful Hidden Creek venue for your special day. Our venue is nestled in a charming wooded area, where you can hold a gorgeous outdoor ceremony, before finishing up your magical night dancing in our indoor barn-style ballroom. With Hidden Creek, you can let go of some of the wedding planning stress. Our wedding coordinator will create an itinerary, finalize vendors, help with decorations, and every other minute detail. Contact Hidden Creek today, to start planning the first day of your happily ever after.

10 Ethical Cosmetic Brands for Your Eco-Friendly Wedding Events

Bridal Beauty Tips, Flowers, Hidden Creek Events, Wedding Advice / By Jingle

When you’re getting ready for your special day, cosmetic and skincare products are your best friend. If you’re looking for cosmetic brands you can feel good about supporting, it’s best to go for eco-friendly brands that try to reduce their impact on the environment and don’t test on animals. Here are ten eco-friendly brands to support when shopping for your wedding day products.

Tarte

Tarte walks the line between drugstore and high-end with its reasonable price and stellar performance. Tarte is completely cruelty free, and they only use sustainably harvested ingredients in their products. We recommend Tarte’s Amazonian Clay foundation and concealer line for the polished, smooth look you want.

LUSH

LUSH is one of the powerhouse brands behind the cruelty-free cosmetics movement, and they make a point to cut unnecessary packaging and recycle their empty containers. LUSH bath bombs and bubble bars are great for treating yourself to a relaxing bath the night before your wedding, and their all-natural skin and hair products are sure to make you feel like a goddess before you walk down the aisle.

True Botanicals

True Botanicals was born out of one woman’s frustration with the beauty industry after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She dedicated her life to creating potent, natural beauty products with the consumer and the planet in mind. True Botanical’s skincare line is simple, natural, and effective, and their glass packaging can easily be reused or recycled.

Ilia

Illia is a brand truly dedicated to improving the beauty industry’s impact on the planet. Not only do they use recyclable materials for all their packaging, but they also take mailed in makeup packaging from any brand and recycle them responsibly to keep more waste from ending up in landfills. If you live in the US and wand to declutter before your wedding, you can mail in up to five empty makeup packages a month.

Each & Every

Each & Every is a proud vegan and cruelty free personal care brand that only uses clean and natural ingredients and sugarcane packaging, so you can feel good about supporting their business while treating yourself before your special day.

Pacifica

Pacifica is a more affordable option for radiant makeup and skincare products. They’re 100% cruelty free and vegan, and they use natural ingredients with no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or other nasties. We recommend Pacifica’s gorgeous eyeshadows and lip colors.

E.l.f Cosmetics

There’s no shame in going drugstore, especially when the brand is cruelty free. E.l.f is one of the most well-known cruelty free cosmetics brands out there, and their vegan makeup brushes are great for anyone shopping on a budget.

Authentic Beauty Concept

Authentic Beauty Concept is a haircare brand that values sustainability and natural, effective ingredients. Their products are free of microplastics and mineral oils, and the guar used in their products comes from the guar bean farmers of the Sustainable Guar Initiative of India.

Lilah B.

Lilah B. was founded with the goal of helping people declutter their makeup routines. This brand’s cruelty free products come in minimalist all-white packaging, perfect for your wedding day lineup. They also offer a mail-in recycling program so you can declutter your makeup and skincare products without contributing to landfills.

PRIIA

PRIIA is a cruelty free and vegan brand focused on making acne-safe mineral makeup products. If you’re prone to acne, PRIIA’s products are designed with you in mind. Their products don’t clog pores or inflame acne like other cosmetic products, and even the most sensitive skin won’t be irritated by these products.

Have the Wedding of Your Dreams at Hidden Creek

If you’re planning the perfect wedding day, make it even better at Hidden Creek. Our gorgeous outdoor venue gives you the privacy you need and the fairy-tale feeling you want. With separate bride and groom lodges, gorgeous trees decorated in soft string lights, and an open meadow for photoshoots, you’re sure to have the wedding of your dreams at Hidden Creek. Schedule your virtual tour on our website today!

Modern Spins on the Bridal Bouquet Toss

Flowers, Wedding Planning, Wedding Traditions / By Jingle

It’s your wedding, and everything about it can be customized to suit your tastes, including traditions like the bouquet toss. Originally a good luck tradition from England, the bouquet toss was a way for the bride to distract guests and make her quick getaway before they tore at her dress or veil. (It was considered good luck for guests to touch the bride, and they sometimes clamored for mementos.) The bride threw her bouquet at them instead and made her exit with her clothing still intact.

At Hidden Creek Events in Dallas, our job is to give you an unforgettable wedding experience tailored to you and your betrothed. From first-rate wedding planning to a beautifully scenic backdrop for your photos and videos, we give you everything you need to make your big day truly special. If you’re not crazy about the idea of tossing your bouquet, here are some modern alternatives that are growing in popularity.

Single Ladies’ Dance-Off

Who will win possession of the bouquet and the luck it signifies? Settle this question the way they settled all disagreements in the 1980’s – with a dance-off! Have the bride and groom serve as judges to see which single lady has the best moves on the dance floor. Or have your DJ hype the crowd and declare the woman with the loudest applause to be victorious. Once the winner is named, she can claim the bouquet as her prize!

Use a Breakaway Bouquet

Instead of sacrificing your bridal bouquet, try having a breakaway bouquet made specially for your single guests and bridesmaids. Breakaway arrangements can break into many small bouquets or they can explode into a shower of flowers and petals that everyone can grab. This way, you get to keep and preserve your own bouquet, and your guests can all get their hands on some good luck.

Honor Lasting Love

Who says the single guests should get all the luck? Consider changing things up by calling for a couples’ dance in lieu of a bouquet toss. As the song proceeds, newer couples will be asked to take their seats, leaving the couples who have been married the longest on the dance floor. When only one couple remains, present them with the bouquet to honor the length of their committed partnership. There’s a good chance you could be presenting your bouquet to your grandparents or great-grandparents.

Congratulate New Love

It’s your wedding day, but there are still other couples who are just falling in love or planning to formalize and celebrate their connection by getting married soon. It would be a touching and meaningful gesture to present them with your bouquet as a symbol of your wishes for their happy future together. Pair this with a toast to honor the newly engaged couple, and they will undoubtedly feel loved and accepted.

Spread Seeds of Joy

A greener alternative is to create small gift bags for your guests that contain seeds they can plant and nurture on their own. Then they’ll remember your wedding day every time they look at the beautiful blossoming flowers. Pick seeds that represent something special to you and your partner. Perhaps you have a favorite plant, herb, or succulent that you’d like to share with your guests? Bonus points if you include a note explaining why this plant is so meaningful to you.

Hidden Creek Events: Modern or Traditional, Our Weddings Shine!

The most important thing you can do on your wedding day is make sure the ceremony and reception represent who you are as a couple. Don’t follow a tradition “just because”. Do what brings you joy, and your guests will join right in! Call Hidden Creek Events to start planning your 2020 Dallas wedding now.