From Surprised Proposal to finding the perfect Wedding Venue with On Site Lodging
- hiddengemofgruene
- Apr 7
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 7
A story of two college friends that became inseparable and their journey to destination wedding venue in New Braunfels, TX.
Meet our Hidden Gem of Gruene Couple: Rhiannon & Tyler!
Hidden Gem of Gruene: Tell us how you and your fiancé met!
Rhiannon: Tyler and I met during our freshman year of college in 2011. I was only 17, and Tyler was 18. We met through my roommate and were inseparable ever since. Since 2011, everyone kept asking us when we would date, but we always thought they were crazy and we would always just be friends. It took us 11 years to decide to give things a chance, and we are so happy that we did.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: How was the proposal? We want the details!
Rhiannon: Tyler proposed when we closed on our house in February 2023. It had been a really long day, and I was a little grumpy, but Tyler kept pushing for us to go to our new house that night. I thought we were just coming over to change the locks and iron out our to-do list. I spent the whole time at the house on FaceTime with my friends showing them the house, and Tyler was secretly begging me to hang up the phone so he could propose. Once we had wrapped up what we were doing for the night, as I was gathering up my things, Tyler got down on one knee and surprised me! We had only been actually dating for 6 months, so it was a big surprise and I felt bad for being upset with him earlier that day. It was very sweet and intimate with just the 2 of us present 😊
Hidden Gem of Gruene: Did you have your wedding planned out since you were a little girl?
Rhiannon: Honestly, I was never one of those girls that dreamed of having a wedding. We weren’t even planning on having an actual ceremony at first. We wanted to elope and then have a reception with our closest friends and family. Tyler’s mom talked us into a small wedding which totally threw us off track. In order to get some ideas we went to a bridal fair without even a wedding date in mind. When one vendor asked us for a wedding date, we threw out a date on the spot and it seemed to resonate with us. Ironically, it was also the anniversary of the best hosts at Hidden Gem. After that bridal fair, things all started to fall into place like we were meant to actually have a ceremony with all the people who matter most to us.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: How did you find the Hidden Gem of Gruene?
Rhiannon: We met Joey at the Bridal Extravaganza in Downtown San Antonio. He invited us to come for a tour, and then to one of the Wedding Wednesday events and we signed then and there. We loved the space and the versatility it provided, as well as the relationships we developed with other vendors who just ranted and raved about Hidden Gem.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: With so many beautiful wedding venues to choose from, what attracted you to the Hidden Gem?
Rhiannon: We first wanted to tour Hidden Gem from our first interaction with Joey. His knowledge on the wedding industry, and his welcoming presence, made us feel at ease about all the decisions we had to make. We also loved the idea of the on-site lodging since we had so many guests coming in from out of town. It made it easier for us to provide them with a place to stay that was close to the venue.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: Who were your favorite vendors to work with ?
Rhiannon: It is very difficult to choose a favorite. We met everyone we used either at Hidden Gem at Wedding Wednesday, or through recommendations of other vendors that we met at Wedding Wednesday. I think what made it so special was how many nice things everyone had to say about each other. And they all feed off of each other’s energy. Lomonico Photography was so fun to work with, especially with Christine’s crazy energy. Koby with Southern Standard Bar is a great bartender and showman. At Last Entertainment has a great selection of DJs, who are all very talented. Brooke with Cat Haus Designs has a great eye for decor and is great at bringing your vision to life. Even Macy, with Team One Luxury, knocked it out of the park with her great organizational skills that kept everyone on task and on time.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: What did you love the most about the Hidden Gem of Gruene?
Rhiannon: I loved Hidden Gem’s attention to detail that they provide. They made sure to work with us to get a plan laid out that worked best for our needs. They are responsive, and very understanding. They are very involved in the whole process to help you keep on track, and guide you when you are feeling lost. They just made the whole experience so much better than we could have imagined.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: Did you stay at our onsite lodging? If so, what did you think about it?
Rhiannon: I did stay one night at the lodging with my friends. The condos are very nice. They are spacious and very clean. The proximity to the venue is definitely the best part. It made it easier to store stuff we needed for the day of and go back and get things that I might have forgotten at home.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: What was the Best moment that you will always remember from your wedding?
Rhiannon: I am a very planned out individual. I like things to be on schedule, and go exactly according to plan. I was so anxious leading up to our wedding day thinking that things were going to go awry, but at the end of the day, it didn’t matter. My favorite thing about our wedding day, was just being there with Tyler. Being able to celebrate what everyone has seen about us and hoped we would find for 13 years. The small details, and things I would normally stress a lot about, didn’t even cross my mind. All that mattered was us.
Hidden Gem of Gruene: What is one piece of advice that you would give a future bride when booking a venue?
Rhiannon: Find a venue that has your best interest in mind, not one that is just after your money. Find vendors that will show up for YOU. Find vendors that you connect with, even if you have to pass up some that could have been a good fit. Your experience will be so much better when you feel like you are getting the help you deserve to make your day what you always imagined it would be.
As a locally owned wedding venue, we take great pride in creating an experience for all of your guests. That’s why customer service and attention to detail are amongst our top priorities at the Hidden Gem of Gruene. From our friendly and knowledgeable Venue Hosts to our Security and Vendors that represent our venue, we strive to always give you the best of the best. Our venue hosts are more than just hosts, they are actually professional and experienced wedding planners that truly understand the logistics of how a wedding and event should flow. Our team comes with a lot of experience in local & destination weddings. Our vendors are vetted and only make the vendor list after completing 30 plus successful weddings here at the Hidden Gem of Gruene. Because we understand the “how to” in weddings, we know what the couples are truly looking for. When it comes to guest experiences, we understand how important safety and convenience is for our couples’ guests. Most of our couples have family traveling from hours away to states away. That is where our onsite resort makes the Hidden Gem of Gruene, the perfect destination wedding venue in the Texas Hill Country. The convenience of having your wedding and lodging in the same place, is why couples love saying their “I Do’s” at the Hidden Gem of Gruene. To book your next tour of our Texas Hill Country Wedding Venue, make sure to contact us today. For all your wedding inspiration for your dream destination wedding venue, make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, & Pinterest! Keep an eye out on our stories! Lots of behind the scenes & your perfect chance to get to know the entire team!
Thanks so much for stopping by our blog! We hope you found this information helpful. We’re passionate about using our blog to shine a light on locally owned wedding venues. These venues often bring a higher level of expertise, service, and dedication to your big day. Plus, with less staff turnover than corporate or investor-owned venues, they’re able to provide a more personal touch. As you plan your wedding, we’d love for you to consider a locally owned venue like ours! Check out this wedding venue map to discover amazing locally owned venues across the country. And a big shout out to all the incredible locally owned wedding venues out there!
Huge thank you to one of our amazing and approved wedding photographers: Christine with Lomonico Photography! Thank you for the amazing photos and taking great care of our couples.
Creating unforgettable moments, one beautiful wedding at a time. Your dream wedding starts here, at your New Braunfels Wedding Venue: The Hidden Gem of Gruene
Joey and Katie Medellin
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