The Weekend Experience: Dripping Springs

We are continuing “The Weekend Experience” blog series with the most expansive one yet: featuring Dripping Springs, TX! In this series, I am doing a deep dive into the cities in the Texas Hill Country that are perfect for planning a full weekend wedding experience. I believe weddings are best experienced (by both the couple and the guests) when expanded into a full weekend celebration. If you truly value connecting with your guests and creating a “getaway” experience for them and yourselves, a full weekend is the way to do it! In each blog post as a part of this series we will talk about the local restaurants, tourist attractions, and activities you (and your guests) wouldn’t want to miss in the town I’m highlighting.

Dripping Springs has a population of less than 5,000 and is about 25 miles southwest of Austin and is the self proclaimed “Gateway to the Hill Country. It is more formally known as “the wedding capital of Texas”, and it is clear why! Nearly every mile of Dripping Springs is covered in wedding venues and scenic hill country trees and vegetation. In recent years, the commercial development of the town has seemed to catch up with the amount of wedding traffic that comes through with new restaurants, breweries, and activities popping up all over the place. Dripping Springs now has the structure and amenities that will foster a fun, unique full weekend wedding experience for you and your guests!

Venues

There’s no way I can cover all of the wedding venues in Dripping Springs in this one post! There are so many incredible venues in the area and it’s hard to pick, but included here are my favorite venues that stand out in their category based on style, price point, and suitability for a full weekend wedding.

If you are looking for a wedding venue property that will provide you a nearly all-inclusive experience with lodging onsite, your first place to go is Cactus Moon Lodge! Their boho-western styled lodge and venue space accepts only 10 events per year and can accommodate up to 13 guests with overnight lodging. The whole venue is equipped with an in house sound system, while other amenities include an infinity pool overlooking the hill country, a full kitchen and dining area equipped with dishware for all guests, Wi-Fi, and string lights in the courtyard. For a small wedding of 75 guests or less, this property is perfect for a full weekend wedding experience. Other venues that include significant lodging accommodations on property are The Liney Moon, Lucky Arrow Retreat, and Camp Lucy.

For venues with a Texas ranch style atmosphere, the most notable ones in the area are The Alexander at Creek Road, Pecan Springs Ranch, and Canyonwood Ridge. Canyonwood Ridge features in house bar services, an incredible indoor ceremony site that is reminiscent of a white chapel, and a large outdoor patio and greenspace for cocktail hour with sweeping views of the hill country.

Venues with a more modern spin would include Ma Maison, Mae’s Ridge, and the newest addition to Dripping Springs, The Arlo. The Arlo is an upscale French-inspired event space with spacious areas for all parts of your wedding. The venue features two outdoor courtyards, a large indoor reception area, an indoor ceremony space filled with natural light, and a bonus room that can be used for guest experience add-on’s, specialty bar displays, or anything you can think of! As an added amenity of luxury, the bridal suite is the largest I’ve seen in any venue and it has a fireplace, ample seating, and stylish features to decorate the space. The Arlo is truly a top-notch wedding venue for an uniquely styled upscale wedding.

Lodging

Dripping Springs is not abundant in hotels, but has so many additional lodging options for you and your guests. My favorite properties include The Liney Moon, TyRosa Ranch, Hill Country Casitas, and Lucky Arrow Retreat. Lucky Arrow Retreat is the largest of the four properties listed here by accommodating up to 132 guests. This boutique hotel has 5 different types of lodging options and is stylish, thoughtfully designed, and pet friendly! If all of that wasn’t enough, the retreat also has a pool, beer garden, moon grove deck, and private access to the neighboring Bell Springs Winery. Another huge bonus of lodging here is their guest-only excursions of wine tours, brewery tours, trips to local state parks, and more. If you have a large party coming in from out of town and want everyone to be able to stay in one spot and get a true hill country experience, Lucky Arrow Retreat is the place for you.

Restaurants

There’s no shortage of great food and atmosphere at restaurants in Dripping Springs but it can be difficult to find ones with the space to host a larger group of people for a happy hour, rehearsal dinner, or farewell brunch. Restaurants I’ve found that are perfect for your full weekend wedding are Tillie’s at Camp Lucy, Trattoria Lisina, Pieous, and Le Vacher. Tillie’s at Camp Lucy serves “American Nouveau” and has a private dining room that can host up to 20 guests plus you get access to a private porch and restroom. Trattoria Lisina serves classic Italian food and has large spaces for a higher guest count. Pieous is a more casual restaurant, albeit very well known in the area for its pizza. Their new location in Belterra Village has a large patio and turfed lawn area shared by neighboring restaurant The Switch BBQ. Pieous would be the perfect place for a casual welcome happy hour where guests can grab a bite to eat or a drink from any of the nearby restaurants.

Finally, Le Vacher is a brand new family owned restaurant with modern French cuisine, a stylish interior, and several unique spaces to host any event you need. The open air top floor of the space includes a long wall length bar, TV with audio/video capabilities, stylish chairs, tables, and lighting features perfect for a private event. The restaurant also features a smaller private dining room in the back plus a patio. You can choose custom menus anywhere from sharable platters to a 5 course meal. I’ve eaten here personally for brunch and can tell you the food and atmosphere is the best place for your full weekend wedding rehearsal dinner, welcome happy hour, or farewell brunch.

Activities

Fun activities for you and your guests on the wedding weekend include attractions like The Dripping Springs Country Club, Austin Paintball and Axe Throwing, or Dreamland Dripping Springs. Dreamland is the perfect one stop shop for getting your wedding guests together for a fun night of mini-golf, pickleball, bocce ball, disc golf, and even live music. Their property has funky and artistic touches with silos painted by local artists throughout the space. When visiting Dripping Springs, this was one of my favorite places to stop at! Dreamland has two mini golf courses: the Dream Course and the Challenge Course. The expansive 18 holes of each course is heavily shaded by live oak trees, has an abundance of picnic table seating, and has speakers all across the area for a continuous party atmosphere throughout the park. Their large pavilion with picnic-style seating is great for an informal happy hour where guests can come, chat, and grab a drink or snack from the bar.

You also can’t come to Dripping Springs without stopping by a winery, brewery, or distillery. The most notable ones in the area are the Deep Eddy’s Vodka Distillery, Jester King Brewery, and Bell Springs Winery. Consider hosting a welcome happy hour at one of these or even planning an excursion with your guests to tour a few.

As the wedding capital of Texas, Dripping Springs is abundant in wedding venues, stylish lodging options, restaurants, and things to do that your guests will love. Hosting your full weekend wedding in Dripping Springs gives your guests the perfect mix of the charming Texas Hill Country and the funky eclectic vibe of Austin. If you are eyeing this area for your wedding weekend, here’s your sign: Do It! And if you are feeling anxious about organizing the perfect weekend for your wedding, reach out to me and we can get this planning party started.

Happy planning,

Shelby Kirchner

Owner & Head Planner

Plan On It ATX

info@planonitatx.com

I am an Austin based full service wedding planner for the modern, relaxed couple who wants to enjoy their engagement and wedding planning experience. We specialize in full weekend weddings that are centered on a high guest experience.

Email today to learn more about my services and how I can help you and your partner plan the wedding of your dreams!