Winter Weddings at Camp Lucy

WHY A WINTER WEDDING?

Winter is the slower season for weddings BUT it’s a wonderful, and in our opinion, overlooked time of year to get married. The scenery is magical, the decor is unique and there is love in the wind during the holidays. We love a winter wedding, regardless of its popularity. In fact, our owners, Kim & Whit Hanks’ got married during this season and Kim is joining us to share her experience and absolute love of her winter wedding! Keep reading…

Q&A with our owner, Kim Hanks:

What were some of the benefits of having a winter wedding?

• “I felt really spoiled because the planning process was so easy. Everything from booking my honeymoon to securing all of my wedding vendors. I really got a lot of attention because I wasn’t just one in a crowd of brides.”

What did you love most about having a winter wedding?

• “I loved the way the sky was soft all day for our photos. It was the kind of light that you get inside a studio. I also loved the way my bouquet played against the landscape.”

Did you have any trouble booking your venues or vendors?

• “I secured all of my first-choice vendors. This is a real joy because that usually isn’t the case.”

Did the weather concern you and/or affect your wedding day? 

• “I wasn’t concerned about the weather when we chose January. I knew I was going to do all my photos outdoors, before the wedding, and have our ceremony in a beautiful tent with the reception indoors. We actually had beautiful weather, but you can’t count on that. Texas can be unpredictable and we had a backup plan…but we went with Plan A with our candlelit dinner party spilling out into the yard.”

What kind of feedback, if any, did you receive from your guests about having a winter wedding? 

• “Mostly, they commented on how great our wedding food was. Since we married in a cooler month, I played with different foods that would stick to your bones in a good way.  We had Osso Bucco and polenta with the kind of gravy you want to drink if no one was watching, blackberry mulled wine and hot buttered bourbon, and our version of a wedding cake fashioned from different types of cheeses in wheels and wedges stacked like the traditional dessert.”

Ultimately, what made you decide to host your wedding during this season?

• “We were wildly in love and didn’t want to wait to get married.  He asked me to marry him in October and the thought of waiting six months to “wedding season” didn’t make any sense to me. We had a fairytale wedding planned in less than three months because all of our vendors were open and my guests had an open schedule in the wintertime.  It was perfect…..I even got married to the song, “January Wedding”, by the Avett Brothers.”

12/21 Wedding at Sacred Oaks. Photographer: Jen Dillinder Photography

BENEFITS OF A WINTER WEDDING

UNIQUE STYLING POTENTIAL

Weddings during the winter tend to be more unique and stand out among your other seasonal events; from decor to ceremony spaces. During winter at Camp Lucy, enjoy ambiance from our Ian’s Chapel fireplace, twinkle lights under Sacred Oaks that give a nod to the holiday season, or stay warm inside one of many inside Event Halls on property.

Photography: Courtney Cope Photography

NO PLAN B’S

During the Fall and Spring seasons, rain plans are usually accounted for in case of the unexpected. But during the winter season, the weather is expected and there usually isn’t much of a need for a ‘plan b’ when a beautiful tent is involved.

Ian’s Chapel Great Lawn Tented Reception. Photography: Kayla Barker Photography

DATES & VENDOR FLEXIBILITY

One of the biggest benefits to scheduling during the colder seasons is not having to compete for vendors and dates that may be booked up already due to the busier season.

Sacred Oaks Events Hall. Photography: Jayleigh Daniel Photo

FEWER BUGS

As the old saying goes, ‘Everything is bigger in Texas’ such as the bugs and their overpopulation during the warmer months. No need to worry about flies, mosquitoes, or ants. Enjoy a bug-free wedding and just one less thing to worry about when planning for your big day.

Photography: Jayleigh Daniel Photography

NO GUEST WEDDING FATIGUE

Give your guests peace of mind when responding to your invitation without the worry of clashing with other weddings on their calendars. Guests won’t be overwhelmed with ‘wedding fatigue’.

Photography: Carolina Lima Photography

EXPLORE DIFFERENT FASHION

From coats, and shoes to hats, new styles are endless during winter and can be a way of glamming a layered look without the ‘sweat’.

Photography: Carolina Lima Photography

WARM COCKTAILS

Explore warm cocktails for you and your guests such as spiked hot chocolate, Irish coffees, or anything involving whipped cream! Your guests will indulge in a seasonal libation while warming up their hands and stomachs.

Photography: Chris Bailey Photography

If you weren’t sold on a winter wedding at Camp Lucy, we believe you are now! You can expect anything from snowy landscapes, soft skies, whipped cocktails, warm fireplaces, tented receptions and more. We have the team to make a winter wedding happen in a few short months. To inquire about a winter wedding, please reach out to our events team at events@camplucy.com, call us at 512.858.4057 or visit us online HERE!