Why You Should Wait Before Taking Off On Your Honeymoon

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

There are many details to think about when planning a wedding, and one of those details is the honeymoon. Where should you go? What’s the budget? How long will you take off from work? When should you leave? The last question is what Hidden Creek is here to address today. Although you might want to leave for your honeymoon the day after your wedding (like it seems like they always do in movies), we discourage you from doing that. We recommend waiting for a day or two after your wedding before you leave for your honeymoon. Here’s why…

Exhausted After the Wedding

We can guarantee you that you will be exhausted after your wedding. Even if it ends at 8 or 9 pm, you will be pulled in every direction throughout that day. From the very morning, you are getting your hair and makeup down, taking pictures, and chatting with the bridesmaids, and throughout the wedding, you will be interacting with all of your guests. A wedding is a beautiful celebration, but it will also be an exhausting day.

Take the next day off to recover, enjoy your husband, and take in everything that happened the day before. By taking a day to relax, you will get to enjoy your honeymoon even more. If you were to leave for the honeymoon the day after the wedding, you would waste that day recovering, sleeping in your hotel room.

Marriage License

If your officiant isn’t mailing your marriage license and you need to turn it in yourself, the last thing you want to do is take that marriage license out of the country. If you don’t turn that license in, then you are not legally married. So, if you lose that license, you are not married. Therefore, do NOT take that marriage license with you on the honeymoon. Instead, use this extra day in between to turn it in or to give it to a family member that can take care of it for you while you are away.

Brunch with Guests

If you have guests that traveled from out of state, it would be nice to do brunch with them on the day after your wedding. Or, instead of brunch, you could have them over at your house or your family’s house for another mini celebration. This gives you an opportunity to spend some more time with your guests before they travel back home.

Start the Next Chapter in Life at Hidden Creek

Hidden Creek is a top choice for couples looking for a Dallas wedding venue with a view. Our vintage wedding barn comes complete with an open floor plan, lush gardens, breathtaking vistas, and a natural wooded landscape.
Our event coordinating team will ensure that your special day is magical, and an event your guests will remember forever. We want to help you pull off the wedding of your dreams, which is why we offer wedding planning services, a honed vendor’s list, gourmet catering, and designer favorite wedding decorations. Our dedication to perfecting weddings is exactly why so many engaged couples entrust us to host their special day. Give us a call to schedule your tour!

Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Locations in Rockwall, Texas

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

There are probably millions of questions running through your head when trying to plan your wedding. There are many moving parts, and that includes the rehearsal dinner. Some of the questions that might come up include: “When do you do the rehearsal?” “When is the dinner?” “Where are the dinner and the rehearsal at?” “What’s going on?” Hidden Creek is here to give you some clarification and help you choose a great location for your wedding rehearsal dinner in Rockwall, Texas.

The Wedding Rehearsal

The rehearsal is usually done a day or two before the wedding. Hidden Creek will confirm the date and time at the final walk-through appointment, one month before the wedding. The reason that we wait until then is that we have people booking dates and times up until that point, so we want to make sure we give you the correct availability.

The rehearsal lasts about one hour. You come with your family, your wedding party, the officiant, and anyone that is going to be active in the processional and at the ceremony. It’s okay if there are people that can’t make it. This rehearsal is for the people that can make it.

You will practice the ceremony a couple of times, so everyone knows where they are sitting, standing, and going, and all of those fun details. Then, to celebrate, you go out for dinner afterward.

The Wedding Rehearsal Dinner

Many people think the wedding rehearsal dinner takes place at the venue, but it doesn’t. If you are having your ceremony and reception at Hidden Creek, you want to save that dinner experience for the special day.

Location Recommendations

Instead, we have compiled a list of excellent locations for your wedding rehearsal dinner.

The Yacht Club

This location is only 5 minutes from Hidden Creek and is a stunning place. It is newly remodeled and overlooks the water.

The Rockwall Golf and Athletic Club

This is a country club that overlooks the gulf course and the lake.

Luigi’s Italian Cafe

If you are looking for something more casual, there is a Luigi’s in Rockwall that has a private dining room in the back.

TLC on the Lake

This restaurant has an outdoor patio that you can reserve that also overlooks the lake. There is also an indoor space to rent out too.

Giovanni

This Italian restaurant is delicious and is located on the harbor. There is a boardwalk and it’s perfect if you have guests that are staying at Hilton or the other hotels at the harbor.

The Oar House and Culpepper Steak Houses

These two restaurants are also located on the harbor and are high-end steak houses. So, if you and your party are meat lovers, these restaurants are a perfect choice.

DFW Harbor Lights Boat Ride

You can rent out this boat and it fits up to 90 people. It’s BYOB and it takes a sail in the water around sunset. It is also located at the harbor.

Your Beautiful Wedding at Hidden Creek

Hopefully, some of these locations caught your eye, and if you need more recommendations, don’t hesitate to give Hidden Creek a call. We are glad you chose us as your wedding venue and we are here to help you plan out the most perfect celebrations.

How to Honor a Loved One On Your Wedding Day

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

Your wedding day is a very important event in life and you want to celebrate it with all of your loved ones. However, sometimes, not everyone you love is around anymore. That doesn’t mean they can’t be there in spirit. If someone special in your life has passed away, and you want to honor a loved one on your wedding day, Hidden Creek has come up with some creative ways to do it. But remember, there is no correct way of doing it, so listen to your heart and follow your instinct. Your loved one will be happy to be thought of, no matter how small or big the gesture is. Do whatever makes you happy.

Picture at the Ceremony

Put a picture of your loved one in the front row of the ceremony. Place them on the first spot on the first pew and you can place some flowers around the picture or right next to it. Then, the person walking you down the aisle will sit right next to the picture. The flowers don’t have to be in the color scheme of your wedding– you can choose flowers in their favorite colors.

Memorial Table

A memorial table works best when you are honoring multiple people that have passed away. You can place a bunch of pictures of them scattered throughout the table. You can also add some of their belongings or anything they gave you, such as a book, a necklace, a letter, etc.

Candle

You can use a candle to honor a loved one as well. All you have to do is light it, and you can place a picture next to the candle too, or just a name. The candle can go right at the entrance of the venue, near the head table, or on a memorial table.

Toast

Another great way to honor a loved one is by mentioning them in a formal toast. So, when your maid of honor, the best man, or a parent gives the toast, they can mention your loved one. They can either tell a story or mention how much they would have loved to be there and are looking down at you with happiness.

Incorporate a Family Heirloom

If you have a locket, a wedding ring, a handkerchief, or any other special item that belonged to your loved one, you can incorporate it into your wedding dress or accessories.

Charm on Bouquet

You can also add a charm to the bouquet with your loved one’s name on it. Then, they can be right there with you, walking down the aisle.

Hidden Creek Is Here For You

For more wedding planning ideas or for a beautiful rustic venue, get in touch with Hidden Creek today. Schedule a tour with us, so you can envision your dream wedding. We are located in Heath, Texas, tucked away within luscious greens. We also have an amazing event manager, Brett Welch, who will help you bring your ideas to life and give you advice for fulfilling your ideal celebration.

The Importance of Hair and Makeup Trials

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

You may be wondering if a hair and makeup trial is worth it. After all, they are artists and know what they are doing. However, there are many factors that can arise and things that need to be considered before your wedding day. That’s why Hidden Creek definitely recommends having at least one hair and makeup trial if not more.

Every bride has a specific vision of how they will look and feel at their wedding. You need to know what you will look like before the big day because not looking like how you pictured yourself can be a big disappointment. Having these trials will guarantee that you feel the most confident and beautiful on your wedding day. Here are some tips as well as reasons to do these trials.

Get the Most Out of Your Money

Hair and makeup trials are usually $120 to $250 depending on the company. That might seem like a lot of money, but you can put those trials to good use. If you have an engagement party, bridal photos, or a bridal shower, you can use those as reasons to have hair and makeup trials and experiment with the looks. That way, you are getting started early and you can book the hair and makeup team that creates your ideal look.

What to Ask the Company

There are many questions a bride has when planning out her wedding, and that includes when choosing the right makeup and hair company. Be sure to ask “is the artist that is doing my trial the same artist that will be doing my makeup on my wedding day?” It is important to know that it will be the same artist, or else it defeats the purpose of the hair and makeup trial.

This is also the case if you connect with the artist. They are going to be right in your face for a couple of hours on your wedding day, so you want to ensure that you connect with that person. You don’t want them to be a drainer or a negative person or someone who adds more stress to that morning. Bigger companies may have multiple artists, which is why it’s important to verify that you will be getting the same one.

Discuss Your Options and Purchase Accessories

There are so many different looks out there, some more subtle than others. Everyone has different tastes and desires. Additionally, every person has a different head shape, face structure, skin tone, hair texture, and the list goes on. Therefore, one look does not fit everyone. When you do a trial, you can test different looks, the artist can get an understanding of what they are working with, and you can decide if you will need any hair extensions or specific hair products, or specific makeup products in case of allergies.

Start Your Happily Ever After at Hidden Creek

If you are still looking for a venue and a beautiful place to have the wedding ceremony, Hidden Creek is a great destination. We are booking fast, so make sure to schedule a tour with us as soon as you get a chance!

Why You Should Do a Fake Grand Exit At Your Wedding

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

During the wedding planning process, have you thought about the grand exit? Or a fake grand exit? Maybe you have thought about the exit after the wedding ceremony when you and your partner walk down the aisle. Whether it’s rice or bubbles that your guests throw, the moment is always documented. But what about the grand exit from the reception? This one is harder to organize since it happens at the end of the night. However, Hidden Creek has a secret for you to capture this beautiful moment. Plan a fake grand exit at your wedding reception.

What Is the Grand Exit?

The grand exit is when you exit the venue while the guests line up, wave at you– or use the grand exit items, and escort you to your car. The exit items include bubbles, sparklers, glow sticks, or rice. Your guests cheer you and your partner on, wishing you the best as you begin your new chapter in life.

The Perks of Doing a Fake Grand Exit

Although every wedding has a grand entrance, many weddings don’t have a grand exit. Why is that? It’s not that the lovebirds don’t want one, it just involves more planning and creativity to get it done. That’s why Hidden Creek suggests doing a fake grand exit. For example, if the reception is over at 11 p.m., do the fake grand exit at 9 p.m. Why would you want to do a fake one? Keep reading to find out!

Guests Are Still There

Most guests don’t stay until the very end of the reception. If you want to ensure that you have pictures with all of the special people that celebrated with you, then we recommend having the grand exit earlier in the night. That way, all of your guests can enjoy that moment with you. Not to mention, your pictures will look a lot fuller, and your elderly guests won’t feel the need to stay until the very end. They can go home after the fake grand exit and rest with peace of mind.

Ensures That Your Photographer and Videographer Can Capture the Moment

Your photographer’s and/or videographer’s shift might end before the end of the reception. Therefore, if you wait until the end to do the grand exit, you won’t have the professionals to document it. You want to ensure they can get pictures and videos, so your photo album and wedding video are wrapped up nicely with the grand exit.

You All Will Still Be a Little Sober

If you have an open bar at your wedding, who knows who will take advantage of it. By doing the fake grand exit at 9 p.m., you can rest assured that you and your guests will be soberer than at 11 p.m. Get all of the cute grand exit pictures done as early as possible, so you can let loose for the rest of the night!

Celebrate Your Love at Hidden Creek

If you are in the process of looking for a wedding venue, schedule an appointment at Hidden Creek. We would love to host your wedding and help you plan out the day as smoothly as possible!

4 Clever Wedding Bar Tips

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

A lot of your guests are looking forward to the bar at your wedding. It’s the hangout zone– it gives your guests some courage to get on the dance floor! With that said, you might have a lot of questions concerning the operation of the bar. Hidden Creek has some wedding bar tips and tricks for maximizing its efficiency and making it a pleasurable addition to your wedding.

When Should the Bar Open?

The first of our wedding bar tips is that we recommend opening the bar immediately after the ceremony. That’s how you get people inside or how you get them to arrive at the reception on time. This gives your guest some direction on where to go next. There’s a reason it is called “cocktail hour.” If you have your wedding at our venue, we include security that operates for five hours, while the bar is open. If you want to keep the bar open for longer, you definitely can! All you need to do is add more time to your bar service and we will add those additional security officers.

How Long Should the Bar Be Open?

Five hours of open bar is a sweet spot! That’s plenty of time for your guests to loosen up and get on the dance floor. We all know how people can get when there’s too much alcohol in their system–you don’t want them to push their limits.

If your reception is six hours long, you might be wondering about that extra hour. No drinks for a whole hour? Although your guests might miss the free drinks, it’s a good idea to give them the last hour of the reception to sober up, drink some coffee, and be ready to roll out safely.

If you want to increase the amount of time the bar is open, you definitely can. We just recommend at least having the bar closed for the last 30 minutes before your grand exit. This will save you a lot of problems, guaranteed!

How to Stay Within Budget

If you are dealing with a tighter budget, you can limit the drinks your bar serves. For example, having a beer, wine, and signature cocktail bar will save you lots of money compared to a full bar. You won’t need to buy all the different mixers and hard liquor. Instead, pick out your two favorite wines, your three favorite beers, and then your favorite signature cocktail and your partner’s favorite cocktail. Then, you can have cute signs that say “His” and “Hers” signature cocktails, and you will only need to provide the liquor and mixers for those two drinks.

Late-Night Snack

One of our last wedding bar tips is to consider providing a late-night snack if you are providing alcohol at your wedding, especially if the bar is going to run for longer than 5 hours. People are going to need a little bit of something in their stomach if dinner was 5 or 6 hours ago, and they’ve been drinking that whole time.

Create Lifetime Memories at Hidden Creek

We hope these wedding bar tips were useful and we can’t wait to help you plan out one of the best days of your life. Schedule a tour at our venue today, and give our wedding tips and tricks a shot!

4 Questions You Should Ask Before You Book a Vendor

Leave a Comment / COVID-19, Hidden Creek Events, Wedding Advice, Wedding Planning, Wedding Venue / By Shakira Del Toro

The wedding planning process is long, but it’s a beautiful journey. Hidden Creek will guide you through the steps, to relieve as much stress as possible. Choosing a vendor is a big step in the process, and we have some great advice to ensure that you choose the right vendors. When you are interviewing them, whether emailing them or meeting them in person, there are certain questions you need to make sure you ask.

Hidden Creek is here to run you through the questions that no one else tells you to ask. We aren’t talking about the basic questions of asking if they are available on your wedding day or what the price is. Instead, these questions will help you understand the vendors’ experiences and their reliability.

How Long Has Your Business Been Open?

If one vendor tells you that they have been in business for twelve years, and the other vendor tells you they have been open for two months, but they are charging you the same price, something is not adding up. Newer vendors should start off at a lower price to gain experience, and then over time once they develop those skills, invest in their equipment, and invest in themselves, then their prices increase.

So, just asking this simple question will let you know a lot about the vendors and help you make informed decisions.

How Many Weddings Have You Done?

This circles back to question number one. If a vendor has been in business for 4 years but they have only done a wedding per year, but another vendor that has been in business for 4 weeks has done a wedding each week, then both vendors are on the same level. Asking this question helps you paint a better picture of your vendor options and figure out how much experience they have. Experience is invaluable and is an important aspect of choosing a vendor.

Do You Have Insurance?

Ask your vendors if they have insurance. For example, if the vendor breaks their camera, are they going to try and sue you for it? If your DJ sets off a sparkler or fog machine and it damages the floor of the venue, do you want to be liable for that? No! When a vendor has insurance, these mistakes are covered by the insurance company. That means that you won’t be liable for any of these accidents, which will relieve a lot of stress.

What Happens If You Get Sick Right Before My Wedding?

Due to COVID-19, this has been a more prevalent question during the wedding planning process. Many people choose to hire independent contractors instead of companies, but what happens if the vendor gets sick or has a family emergency? Do they have backups? Any good vendor will tell you that they have connections and a replacement in case they can’t make it to the wedding. If they don’t have a plan B… run! This shouldn’t become a problem that you have to worry about right before your wedding.

Hidden Creek Has Your Back

Make sure you ask these four important questions before choosing your vendors. This will take away a lot of stress and reassure you about their experience. Check out our YouTube channel to learn more tips about the wedding planning process, and come check out our beautiful venue!

Wedding Budget: How Much Does a Wedding Cost?

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

One of the most common questions Hidden Creek gets is “what does the average wedding at your venue cost?”. That’s a tough question to answer because every wedding is different and the cost depends on each person’s circumstances, needs, and desires. Let’s go over what an average wedding in Texas costs and what factors influence your wedding budget.

Texas’s Average Wedding Budget

If you were to Google, “what does the average wedding in Texas cost?” you would get $30,200 as the answer. The price has gone up in the past couple of years because of COVID and many businesses being short-staffed. However, that is just the average price. That doesn’t mean that you can’t go for a way cheaper wedding, or a more extravagant one. The same goes for the weddings at Hidden Creek. We have had weddings at our venue that ranged from $10,000 to $100,000. As you can see, the price range differs greatly, so there is no easy answer to what the average wedding at our venue costs. It all depends on you.

What Factors Affect the Cost of Your Wedding?

You have a huge influence on how much the wedding will cost you. Some of the factors that affect the costs are listed below.

The Wedding Date

Your wedding date plays a big role in the cost of your wedding. If you want a Saturday wedding or a Saturday wedding in October and in Texas, that will cost you quite a lot of money. That is the prime time for weddings here in Texas, so your vendors, the venue, and other factors will cost a lot more. However, if you are okay with doing a Thursday wedding or a Sunday one, then you can save a lot. August is a good time to have your wedding too, and there are usually a lot of offers during that time since it’s not as busy.

Guest Count

Whether you are feeding 30 people or 300 people will make a huge difference in your wedding budget. Honestly, your guest count has the biggest influence on the cost of your wedding, other than the date.

How much alcohol will you buy? How much food do you need? What about the number of plates, silverware, cups, and other rentals? And the cake? How big does it need to be? The answers to all of these questions depend on your guest count.

How Elaborate Do You Want Your Wedding to Be?

Will you be hiring a DJ? What about a live band? What’s your wedding theme? Do you want centerpieces with real flowers? There are so many options to choose from, and your wedding budget will depend on the route you decide to take.

Have Your Dream Wedding at Hidden Creek

As you can see, your wedding budget depends on your preferences. If we absolutely had to give an average, we would say it is around $30,000 at Hidden Creek, which falls within the average wedding range in Texas. However, that is not to say that you can’t have an amazing wedding that is $10,000 cheaper. Don’t compare your wedding to any average. Instead, focus on your own desires and needs and let the magic fall into place. Schedule a tour with Hidden Creek, and let’s make your dream wedding come true!

Biggest Challenge Brett, Our Event Manager, Faced During Her Wedding Planning

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

Wedding planning is a very stressful time. There are many decisions that need to be made and services that need to be scheduled. It’s no surprise that some factors might slip your mind, such as breaking in your wedding shoes. Brett Welch, Hidden Creek’s event manager, will relate her biggest challenge during her wedding planning, as well as how to overcome the obstacles you may face during this journey.

Finding Available Vendors…That She Loved

Brett’s biggest challenge was finding vendors that she loved that were also available on her wedding day. Let’s give her a little back story. She got engaged in January and started looking for a venue in February. She booked her venue for October of that same year. Therefore, they only had eight months to plan the entire wedding. This is a short time frame. These months went by very quickly and Brett felt a little stressed during these busy times.

October is a very popular month for weddings in Texas. That made finding vendors even harder. Additionally, Brett took her time looking for vendors. She believed she had a lot of time to research these vendors, so she didn’t book them right away. Instead, she searched for them online and went to open houses, and by the time she found vendors she loved, they were all booked. However, her biggest challenge now allows her to help people avoid the same mistakes she made.

Tips to Help Avoid These Wedding Planning Obstacles

The fall season is very popular for weddings in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It is a time that isn’t too hot, and when the weather isn’t much of a threat. If your wedding is planned for those months, make sure you pick your vendors way ahead of time. Even if your wedding is planned for a different time of the year, make sure you book your vendors as early as possible.

It’s really hard to move on to a different vendor when you have already fallen in love with one. For Brett, the vendor she was most upset about not getting her first pick was the hair and makeup vendor. She had gone to three different vendors until she found one that could create her vision. However, when she told them her date, they were not available for it.

Ask for Availability First

So, the first thing you should do before you sample or do a trial with a vendor is to ask them for the dates of availability. If they aren’t free on your wedding day, don’t waste your time or fall in love with their services.

Prioritize Vendors

Some vendors might say you don’t need to book them until 3 to 4 months before the wedding. However, it is okay to book them even earlier, especially if it’s a vendor you really love. Make a list of the vendors that are a priority to you, and book them right away.

The Magic Begins with Hidden Creek

The main priority during the wedding planning process is booking your venue. Be sure to check out Hidden Creek. We are a beautiful venue nestled between luscious greens. We offer the comfort and privacy that you deserve on your special night.

All You Need to Know About the Wedding Dress Code

Leave a Comment / Organizing, Wedding Advice, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Dress, Wedding Planning, Wedding Traditions, Wedding Venue / By Shakira Del Toro

Some people have been dreaming about their wedding since they were little kids. Their dreams are so vivid and detailed that they even know what they want their guests to wear. You need to let your guests know if you want them to dress for a glamorous ball, in long flowy dresses, or dress casually for a country-themed wedding. This information should be included in the invitation. It avoids any confusion and allows your vivid dreams to become reality. Your guests will be thankful too, for they won’t be left wondering what to wear or second-guessing their choices.

Different Types of Wedding Attire

Although formal/black-tie optional is the most common type of wedding dress code, there are dozens to choose from. Hidden Creek has explained some of the popular ones, to help you envision your wedding and your guests. The venue oftentimes sets the tone for the dress code, so keep that in mind when deciding the theme.

Black Tie

This is one of the most formal types of wedding dress codes. Men wear tuxedos and bow ties. A black vest or cummerbund, and patent leather shoes are also recommended. Women wear gowns that are long and cover their ankles. They can also wear elegant pantsuits.

Formal/Black-Tie Optional

This is a little less formal than the first dress code. Men don’t need to wear tuxes; they can get away with a dark suit, a white shirt, and tie. Women wear elegant dresses, but they don’t need to wear dresses that go over their ankles. They can wear dresses that are just below their knees or nice pantsuits.

Semi-Formal/Cocktail

Semi-formal and cocktail dress codes are fairly similar, which is why we have grouped them together. During these wedding dress codes, women can wear dresses up to their knees. Men don’t need to wear a tie, but they still need to dress appropriately. This can include khakis, slacks, and a button-up shirt. The semi-formal dress code gives your guest the flexibility to dress comfortably, but not too casual.

Casual

A casual wedding dress code usually means that the wedding will be held outdoors or on the beach. This means your wedding will be much more laid-back, especially when it comes to what your guests wear. People will most likely be showing up in jeans if you put casual on your invitation. If you don’t want your guests showing up in jeans, then do not list it as casual. When it’s casual dress, ties aren’t required but they are still welcomed. Summer sundresses and wedges are appropriate for the ladies.

Live Out Your Dream Wedding at Hidden Creek

So now that you have a better idea of what the different dress codes are, you can help your guests decide what to wear. Make sure to include the wedding dress code on the invitation, to avoid any confusion. This way, you can have the wedding that you envision. If you are in the process of looking for the perfect venue, schedule a tour with Hidden Creek. Our elegant venue is tucked away within the woods, offering privacy and the ability to celebrate all night long.