Tom Richey PhotographyNewly Engaged? Let’s Start Planning!
Being newly engaged is an exciting and joyful time for any couple and their families. After the engagement, questions begin about the proposal and the ring. However, a little stress can enter into this Cloud 9 moment as thoughts turn to when and where the nuptials might take place.
Planning a wedding can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be a wonderful time of dreaming of the endless possibilities with your fiance and families. Talk to one another about what you want in your big day to help align your vision.
Are you thinking an outdoor ceremony?
Maybe you prefer an indoor ceremony?
What about the reception?
The same choices loom and, of course, you do need to make sure that your venue has a Plan B.
As newly engaged couples begin to tour venues, many bring along their family and friends to help them with this big decision. They begin to envision their day, but sometimes they forget about a very crucial element. Most are focused on the size and the cost which are important, but the level of service should receive equal attention.
- Does the venue provide planners to help you choose vendors and stay on track?
- Is a day-of wedding coordinator included to help you facilitate your flawless day while your friends and family simply enjoy being together and celebrating?
- Does the venue help with your decor?
- Who is setting up and breaking everything?
Old Glory Ranch has all of these elements and more! Prime Winter and Spring dates are currently available, so book a tour with us today and allow us help you turn your dreams into a reality.
OGR’s New “Antique Truck”
An Antique Truck as Something Old?
Old Glory Ranch’s latest “Antique Truck” addition allows us to continue the bridal tradition of something old and something new. Our 1954 International Harvester R112 purchased originally by a farmer living outside St Louis was once a farm truck. I am quite sure it did not have an inkling of what the future might bring. It has now become a treasured vehicle at our Texas Hill Country venue, Old Glory Ranch, in Wimberley
Interesting facts about our Antique Truck:
- Bryce Engelhart purchased the truck in December 1985 for $3600.
- In the first four years, Bryce drove the truck 100,000 miles around the United States.
- It visited Steamboat Springs, Las Vegas, California, and all over Texas as well as the Midwest.
- The truck has attracted a lot of attention and has been well photographed and has even received a few movie offers.
- Bryce purchased tires for the truck in 1990 for $95 each and they lasted for 27 years. They had to finally be replaced in 2017 for $265 each.
- The truck was once maroon and at one time lay in pieces before becoming transformed into today’s version.
- Many adventures and memories made before Bryce finally made Wimberley his home in 1994.
The truck then became a popular departure vehicle for our newlyweds at Old Glory Ranch and as even helped a bride reach her ceremony at the Wedding Deck.
One of our most beautiful and popular departures involve the Antique Truck and gerbs.
Bryce recently retired to begin a new chapter in his life. He deemed Old Glory Ranch as a worthy place to leave his antique truck. We are so glad that he did so it can continue send our Old Glory Ranch couples off to their own unique adventures. We warmly welcome our new addition and look forward to all the new memories we will make together.
Bluebonnets Arrive at Old Glory Ranch
Spring is Here!
The bluebonnets have arrived at Old Glory Ranch. We know that spring is here when we peer out the front door of our hill country chapel and see an exquisite field of blue. Our Texas state flower, the bluebonnet, transforms our beautiful venue into a breathtaking portrait that adds a special touch to any wedding or event.
Wimberley brides choose April in hopes of having the field full of bluebonnets at their Texas Hill Country wedding. They do their research and try to lock in the perfect weekend for their dream wedding. Alas, only Mother Nature can choose the lucky one. Bluebonnets may bloom at the end of March or hide until April. It really is a gamble as to which weekend will prove to be the best and which bride is the luckiest. 
Bluebonnets are a huge part of Texas much like the clover is synonymous with Ireland. People love to drive around the hill country to find the perfect field of flowers for a quick photo.
We love the bluebonnets so much that we have “Miss Texas Moobonnet” watching over our bluebonnet field throughout the year.
Indian folklore called the flower a gift from the Great Spirit. Many of the men of the 27th legislature in 1901 wanted to go with the cactus or cotton boll. Instead they bowed to the ladies’ wishes and voted in the bluebonnet as our state flower on March 7, 1901. It was definitely a lady, Lady Bird Johnson, that played a major role in making sure we all have bluebonnets to enjoy every spring.
However it came to be, we eagerly await their arrival each year at Old Glory Ranch and love the unique hill country touch they add to all of our spring weddings and special events.
A New Year for the Wedding Deck Tree
A New Year for the Wedding Deck Tree
It is hard to believe that we are beginning a New Year. New beginnings are often a time of reflection to contemplate what we have achieved and things we have missed. We reminisce about the good times and try to regroup after the curve balls thrown by Mother Nature.
As we begin this New Year, we begin to think of our beautiful tree that has graced the Wedding Deck over the years since Old Glory Ranch was founded in 1997. We wonder about the stories it could tell.
The Wedding Deck Giving Tree
It has seen many beautiful weddings and witnessed the thrill of new and old relationships and whispered dreams and promises. The magnificent tree has also seen the change of many a season and the tragedy these seasons sometimes bring.
It experienced the Memorial Day flood in May of 2015 withstanding the powerful surge of water as it watch the destruction and devastation that followed. On a more positive note, it helped create a Winter Wonderland during the Wimberley “Blizzard” of 2017.
As we usher in the New Year, we hope to be as steady and strong as our beautiful Wedding Deck tree while we embrace whatever the year may bring. It makes us want to better prepare for the future and be the best I can be. We wish the tree could share and hold its own breakout session at our Old Glory Ranch Wellness Reset as we believe it has much to share and we have much to learn. Instead, we will place the future of our health in the hands of the very accomplished professionals that will be presenting on January 24th and 25th.
In the meantime, we hope the New Year will bring all of you multitudes of joy and happiness and endless memories of love and laughter. And if you should have time, please join us for our Old Glory Ranch Wellness Reset and perhaps visit our tree for a dose of wisdom as well. This estimated 500-year-old bald cypress is indeed “The Giving Tree.”
Tips for the Perfect Sparkler Exit
Perfect Sparkler Exit
Sparklers not only make a wonderful wedding exit for a Texas Hill Country wedding, but also great wedding photography. Old Glory Ranch found these very helpful tips from one of our preferred photographers, “Photo Jennette”. We wanted to share her perfect sparkler exit tips with you:
Today, we want to take a few minutes to highlight the best strategy for your perfect sparkler exit on your big day!
The big sparklers work best –
The larger sparklers last up to 4-5 minutes, and will give your guests time to light them and then give you time to make your exit before they go out. The shorter ones will do the opposite. Half of them will be extinguished by the time the other half are lit.
Lighters are bad, sparklers are good. –
We are certain if you have a wedding planner, they will already know this, but lighting on all 4 ends of the line with a lighter, and then having your guests light them off one another is the most effective way to spontaneously light 100 sparklers. For some reason, sparklers light each other almost instantly, while lighters take far to long!
Bride and Groom should be ready, but hidden.
Before anyone lights a single sparkler, all of your guests should line up and be ready to light their sparklers, and you (The Bride and Groom) should be in a designated, hidden spot that gives you easy access to your exit.
Have good help.
If you want to have a successful sparkler exit, you must have help. If you choose not to have a wedding coordinator, that’s O.K. but you still need good friends with organizational skills to help everyone get ready and lit.
BEST PRACTICE – Have at least two people from your wedding party who are “designated lighters.” They each light two sparklers and then put away their lighters. “Designated lighter one” starts at the front and “designated lighter two” starts at the end.
Using their lit sparklers, they should light a sparkler ever 6-8 guests and inform your guests to light off each other until they meet in the middle. Note: They should also let people know to hold the sparklers up and not to wave them around.
Make sure everyone is standing back.
These two helpers should know when their job is done, they need to give you the thumbs up and step into the line! It’s best not to start walking until your designated lighters are free and clear and you can have a clear path for your exit.
GO, GO, GO.
NO, NO, NO. Take your time!! Take all the time you want. You should happily mosey through the sparklers (soak it up and enjoy!), maybe stopping to smooch along the way if you feel like it.
This gives your wedding photographers plenty of time to capture the sparkler exit photograph that you are expecting. It also ensures you will safely make it through the line for sparklers.
So these are our most important tips for having the perfect sparkler exit from your wedding. Will they work perfectly every time? Maybe not, but if you follow these steps, your bride and groom exit will be far better than if you don’t. In the end, you will have an amazing memory from an amazing day and all will go safely and smoothly.
Take a look at Meredith & Toby’s wedding through Photo Jennette’s lens as she photographed a sparkler exit at Old Glory Ranch!
For your Old Glory Ranch sparkler departure, we recommend the ’36” Gold’ for a longer burn time. Our staff distributes the sparklers to your guests and assists with getting them all lit, providing instructions along the way. During that process, our day-of-coordinator has the couple tucked away awaiting their cue that the sparklers are all ‘sparkling’ and the guests are instructed by our staff to ‘hold them high’ for the couples safe exit on their wedding day!
Outstanding Texas Hill Country Venues
“Outstanding Texas Hill Country Venue”
We’re taking a walk down memory lane with Lisa on Location, a Hill Country Wedding Photographer, who posted an awesome article on her blog about Old Glory Ranch. We love that she started her Outstanding Texas Hill Country venues with Old Glory Ranch! We’ll call it our TBT “Throw Back Thursday” blog!
3/11/11 – Lisa had this to say about Old Glory Ranch:
“When you get right down to it, Central Texas is fortunate to have some of the best wedding venues anywhere. It’s an embarrassment of riches, to be honest. As a Central Texas wedding photographer based in New Braunfels, Lisa has been blessed to photograph weddings all over. From historic Fredericksburg in the Hill Country, to San Antonio’s famed River Walk to the sunny shores of Lake Travis–and she loves every minute of it!
Brides and grooms ask her about potential wedding venues more often these days. So she decided to begin spotlighting some of the outstanding Texas Hill Country wedding venue locations and what each venue offers. We are starting with the indoor and outdoor options at Old Glory Ranch in Wimberley. Old Glory Ranch is located just south of Dripping Springs, as the Wedding Capital of Texas.
The Chapel
The first thing that hits you when you emerge from the wooded drive onto this hill country ranch is the gorgeous, honey-golden chapel, which may be used for ceremonies and receptions. The exterior is smooth-cut cedar planking, and the result is a magical combination of rustic charm and elegant dignity. I’m serious folks, when the sun shines down, the chapel literally glows.
It is exceptionally roomy inside, too. The wood surfaces are all polished smooth, and rows of windows on either side of the chapel fill the space with a warm glow. Any wedding photographer will tell you this is some of the absolute best light to shoot in–it gives everyone healthy, attractive skin tones and adds a rich warmth to all the photos.
The Patio
There’s a lovely covered back patio area for receptions surrounded by magnificent oak trees. For a more formal dinner. the chapel hall can be converted to that in short order as well (a neat trick if the weather doesn’t cooperate!) Stained glass and detailed painting on the interior beams complete the picture, with old-world, Germanic charm.
Owner Suzanne McCord (who just became a grandmother this week–Congratulations, Suzanne!) contains more than 2,000 acres on the grounds which she’d developed impressively. The Gatehouse Pavilion is an outdoor venue suitable for smaller gatherings.
Outdoor Sites
What’s most impressive, however, is the two miles of riverfront access along the Blanco. Here McCord has built two fantastic outdoor wedding venues. The wooden Wedding Deck is bordered by a large grassy lawn suitable for up to 500 guests. The smaller Stone Landing is the second, which can accommodate smaller gatherings of 75 or less.
Both outdoor venues are literally right on top of the Blanco River, surrounded by spectacular old-growth Montezuma Cypress. For lovers of outdoor weddings, it doesn’t get any better than this for your big day.
Staff
Suzanne works with Liz Danna, general manager, and Gina McClure, the marketing and artistic director. Any one of them will do you right.
So if you’re looking for a genuine Texas Hill Country wedding venue or event center, give the fine folks at Old Glory Ranch a call. Inquire about their wedding packages and request a tour. Better yet, give Lisa a call first, so you’re guaranteed great wedding photography.”
See the blog here: Lisa on Location
Old Glory Ranch highly recommends Lisa as one of our preferred photographers for your special day.
Weddings in Houston features Old Glory Ranch event
Weddings in Houston features Old Glory Ranch Real Wedding
First and foremost, it is always a honor to host a wedding at Old Glory Ranch. To have a Real Wedding featured in the Weddings in Houston Magazine is the icing on the cake. Therefore, the Texas Hill Country wedding of Sarah Fabian & Logan Prewett in the July/August issue of Weddings in Houston Magazine made us feel doubly blessed.
“We are very pleased with the publishing of Sarah & Logan’s wedding. It is an excellent representation of an Old Glory Ranch wedding,” said Suzanne McCord, OGR owner.
All love stories have a beginning, and Sarah and Logan are no exception. They met at a Houston middle school as classmates. After that, they attended separate high schools. Not to worry though, they reconnected in college and the rest is history.
Sarah & Logan have many family and friends. In fact, over 300 guests attended the wedding.
The couple looked for a venue where they could celebrate with all of their guests in a private setting surrounded by natural splendor. Old Glory Ranch was a perfect decision. We loved hosting their special day.
“The theme for our wedding was ‘shabby chic’ and rustic,” explains Sarah. It was a picture perfect fall wedding. Beautiful flowers” , “delicious food” and “mismatched vintage china” added to its charm. Best of all, Sarah adds, was enjoying the evening with our family and friends.”
Vendors for the memorable evening included:
Venue, Floral, Decor & Wedding Coordinator: Old Glory Ranch
Photographer: Anthology Photography
Videographer: X Horn Productions
Bridal Carriage: Decotah’s Dream Team Carriage Co.
Buses: Transportation Consultants
Reception Band: Blind Date
Guest Gifts: Tiny Pies
Bridal & Groom Cakes: Simon Lee
Catering: Gourmet Gals
China Rental: JenMarie Vintage Rentals
Special Effects: Starlight Fireworks & FX
Invitations: Bering’s
Wedding Dress: Matthew Christopher from Weddings by Debbie
Registry: Bering’s
Honeymoon: Bahamas
Please join us in wishing this very special couple years of joy of happiness. To learn more, go to Weddings in Houston magazine , on pages 170 thru 172.
Top 10 reasons to choose Old Glory Ranch
The Texas Hill Country is a very popular destination choice for weddings hailing from the Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and the Permian Basin areas. Here are top 10 reasons brides choose Old Glory Ranch as the ideal location:
1) Service
Our number one priority is YOU and making sure your event happens exactly as you envision! The main comment we hear from clients are rave reviews of the service they receive before and during their event. Our goal is for the couple, their families and guests to completely enjoy celebrating with their guests. Let us take care of all the details which include set-up, room transition, break-down and everything in between. We offer assistance in many areas during the planning stages of each event and meet with clients for one-on-one consultations. Unlike many other venues, we provide unlimited phone calls and emails. We are here for you.
2) Experience
Old Glory Ranch has been providing the ‘ultimate’ Texas Hill Country wedding experience for hundreds of couples – for decades! Over 400 newlyweds have crossed the Old Glory Ranch threshold since their opening in 1997. Many of the staff members have been on board since the very beginning. Clients and guests are treated with professionalism, courtesy, and welcomed with warm smiles and accommodating spirits.
3) Wedding Coordinator
We welcome Outside Wedding Coordinators, but for all of our Chapel Hall weddings and receptions we include an experienced Day-of Wedding Coordinator in our facility fee. She is in charge of the execution of the timeline and taking care of all the needs of the couple the evening of their event. She offers extended services for clients which could include tuxedo rental, finding invitations, booking lodging, etc.,
Our Day-of Coordinator has many ‘behind the scenes’ duties throughout the night. She prepares plates for the bride and groom and guides them through the timeline. Towards the end of the night she will load up a designated vehicle, and departure vehicle, with all the couples belongings. She will also pack up a ‘to-go’ package for the couple in case they were having too much fun meeting, greeting, and dancing, and didn’t get an opportunity to dine!
4) Preferred Vendor lists
Clients rave about our preferred vendor lists which help them tremendously in the planning stages of their event. Whether you are looking for officiates, accommodations, caterers, bakers, photographers, videographers, ceremony musicians, bands, photo booths, transportation needs, beverage providers, or something unique, Old Glory Ranch has a list of what we refer to as our Texas Hill Country “tried and true.” Rest assured that each vendor has ‘made’ the list by providing quality service to previous clients. We assist in scheduling appointments for tastings, checking their availability, or researching to find someone or something new that might not be on our list, etc.
5) Ceremony & Reception Options
Old Glory Ranch offers a variety of options when planning your event. And since we only hold one event at a time, you receive our utmost attention to assure that yours is executed beautifully. Your ceremony can be held inside our historic Chapel Hall, on the Wedding Deck on beautiful banks of the Blanco River, in our ancient Oak Grove, or the open air Gatehouse Pavilion.
With 2,200 acres, finding the ideal Texas Hill Country spot for your ceremony is a breeze! Take advantage of our full service venue, or if you are on a smaller budget with 100 or fewer guests, you may prefer a more ‘do-it-yourself’ approach. Either way, you have choices for consideration.
Receptions may also be held inside Chapel Hall or around our covered Patio and under the giant Oaks. Many clients like an “in-out” experience offering their guests the best of both worlds. We can accommodate larger groups than many venues in the area, yet intimate events are just as easily handled. Naturally, air conditioning and heating options will be welcomed during some months, we have the ideal solution for that as well.
6) Inclement Weather Plan!
If you are planning an outdoor event, perhaps at one of our riverside ceremony sites, along with a patio reception and Mother Nature has a different idea, we have you covered, so to speak! We are always ready with a Plan B. We watch the weather very carefully and will work with you if we think one of our indoor options might be more suitable for you and your guests comfort.
7) Location & Views
Lots of ‘Ooooos’ and ‘Ahhhhs’ take place as soon as guests enter the Old Glory Ranch gate. The lovely Texas Hill Country comes to life serving as a backdrop for the rustic appearance of Chapel Hall. With nearly 2 miles of the emerald green Blanco river cutting through the property, and unobstructed views of the hills, along with no ‘city lights’ to water down the scenery, Old Glory Ranch is truly a gem in the Wimberley valley. It is also conveniently located between the Austin, San Antonio, Houston, San Marcos, Dallas and Permian Basin areas.
8) Flowers
“Gorgeous”, “Stunning”, “Amazing”, “Beautiful”, are all comments we hear from our clients, and their guests. The OGR Floral Team executes each bride’s vision into fruition for their events. Whether personal flowers, centerpieces, or indoor-outdoor decor. the team is top notch. With a huge inventory of varied styles of containers to coincide with any bride’s vision, it is easy for her to pick and choose the perfect look she is trying to achieve. We provide clients with a private online link to the OGR floral gallery before having a one-on-one meeting with our designer.
9) Donkeys
Need we say more?! These little guys and girls are very popular among our clients and adored by their guests. Tons of ‘selfies’ are taken at each event when our miniature donkeys are present. It is easy for guests to grab a beverage from their charming floral lined saddle packs. Want to take a unique photo to share on social media? Our donkeys are happy to oblige.
10) Child Care
Not many venues offer the option of child care for wee ones attending a wedding. Here at Old Glory Ranch we offer experienced adult childcare attendants and an ideal location adjacent to the venue. This area includes restrooms, changing station, baby bed, and pack-n-play. Children can watch a variety of movies or participate in age-appropriate activities, while their parents enjoy a ‘worry-free’ fun evening of celebration.
