by DIY Bride on Apr 30, 2015

Texans go big in just about everything, don't they? Jessica and Andy are no exception with their ultra down-home DIY wedding held at Hideout on the Horseshoe in New Braunfels, TX. Andy and Jessica chose their beautiful hill country venue as a way to bring their families (who'd never met and many were out of state) together in a single space that provided lodging, resort activities, and great venue space to that they could completely take over for a weekend.

As Jessica tells it:

Andy and I are those people who never thought they'd get married... and our family/friends definitely though that too. So, when it just so happened that we decided to marry each other, we knew it would be the most anticipated party of the year!

I am often accused of being cheap, though I prefer the terms resourceful and thrifty, and with a guest list of over 200, I knew I was going to be doing most of the wedding decor myself. We got engaged in August 2013 and with a wedding at the end of September 2014, I gave myself plenty of time to procrastinate.

We absolutely LOVE all things Texas so I definitely wanted to incorporate subtle and not-so-subtle hints of the Lone Star State. I designed our invitations, which where in a folder with a Texas shaped cut out, to set the tone. I also knew I wanted to maintain the natural/ rustic beauty of the venue so I stuck with a neutral palette of blush, grey khaki, and ivory. I decided on the centerpieces early on. I drink a lot of wine, so I figured I could recycle the bottles into centerpieces. This was obviously the most fun DIY aspect. I filled the bottles of various shapes and sizes with river rocks (picked up throughout the year when we would visit the venue), white and pink roses and baby's breathe that I ordered online from Sam's Club. The bouquets were made by myself, my mother and sister the morning of, with hydrangeas from Sam's as well. I also made baby's breath boutonnieres that same morning. We purchased the table linens and my mom made the program fans and the ceremony arch decor. Probably the most cumbersome DIY project was the mason jar favors, but they were my favorite part of the wedding. Guests were able to use their jars to drink either the Texas made (Llano) or Beer (Shiner!). I personalized the bridesmaid/groomsmen glasses with their first and last initials.

My favorite personal and "DIY" touches of our wedding were from our wonderful and talented friends. Our officiate was a dear friend that knew us both individually and as a couple. She did an absolutely amazing job and it was so special to have her marry us. The fabulous cake was made by another sweet and talented friend and she surpassed my expectations! I am still getting compliments about the cake today! My garter was made from my mother's wedding dress and was also worn by my sister at her wedding. Lastly our best man's father made the cake topper and flower girl wagon which completely stole the show!

We tried to do what we wanted and represented our personalities, as opposed to what tradition dictated. We did a first look, not because Pinterest says to, but because I wanted to take my wedding party to Gruene Hall for some pictures and beer before the ceremony! In my dream world, I would've been able to afford a wedding at Gruene Hall, but since I couldn't I was going to make sure I at least had a beer and a dance there in my wedding dress! I walked down the aisle to Tom Petty's "Here Comes my Girl", which I was so excited about! I wrote the ceremony so that it would reflect how Andy and I personally feel about each other and marriage. Our vows were actually the lyrics from our first dance song, Bruce Springsteen's "If I Should Fall Behind". Andy and my nephews, the ring bearers, wore suspenders, again not because it's trendy, but to honor my late grandfather who wore suspenders every day of his life. My uncle actually surprised us by bringing a pair of my grandfather's suspender for Andy to wear, which was so special.

Our wedding weekend was an absolute BLAST! From the popcorn bar to the keg stands and fireball shots, people are still talking about how much fun they had! The party didn't stop until well after midnight... we just kept paying the DJ to keep going! All in all, it was an absolute amazing experience from start to finish, I wouldn't change a thing and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! There will always be something that can go wrong, either it will rain, a groomsmen will have the wrong suit, flowers will arrive late, etc...all of these things happened and none of them mattered or affected the day in any way except that we now have a few good stories to tell!

I am pretty sure this is the first wedding we've published where the bride and groom are photographed doing keg stands. Good times, indeed!

Jessica & Andy
Hideout on the Horseshoe, Texas
Event Date: Sep 27, 2014

Photographer: Lindsey Thorne Photography//Event Planner: Clearly Classy Events//Reception Venue: Hideout on the Horseshoe//Caterer:River City Catering// Submitted via Two Bright Lights