Taylor & Sam: A Texas State Love Story
- Jun 15
- 4 min read
Tell us how you and your fiancé met!
My husband and I met during our freshman year of college at a party—true Texas State fashion!
How was the proposal? We want all the details!
I had a feeling he might propose soon, but I was completely surprised in the moment. His family was in town for a river trip, and we all gathered at their condo to hang out and play games. He hid the ring in the pieces of a Monopoly set, and when we were choosing our pawns, he said he would be the “ring.” He picked it up, got down on one knee, and proposed.
Did you have your wedding planned out since you were a little girl?
Not really. The only thing I dreamed of as a kid was finding someone whose last name started with “T” so my initials could be TNT. I got exactly what I wanted!
How did you find the Hidden Gem of Gruene?
Funny story—I had a dream about our wedding about six months before we were even engaged. The next morning, I woke up and immediately started researching venues in our area. I found the Hidden Gem on The Knot and requested more information that day. When we officially started planning eight months later, it was one of the three venues we toured.
With so many beautiful wedding venues to choose from, what attracted you to the Hidden Gem?
Several things stood out to us: The owners, Katie and Joey, were so personable and welcoming when we met them. The venue itself was very neutral—not too rustic and not too modern—giving us the freedom to create our own theme. The on-site lodging sealed the deal.
Who were your favorite vendors to work with?
Our favorite vendor was definitely our DJ. At Last Entertainment and DJ Daniel were amazing to work with. Honorable mention goes to Caketini!
What did you love the most about the Hidden Gem of Gruene?
It’s hard to choose just one thing, but if I had to, I’d say the location and the overall vibe of the venue.
Did you stay at our on-site lodging? If so, what did you think about it?
Yes! We rented two condos for two nights. The night before, we split our wedding party between the guys and girls so everyone could stay on-site. On the wedding night, our party stayed in one condo while we stayed in the other, which worked out perfectly. We also had family and our florist stay there since they were from out of town—it was so convenient!
What was the best moment that you will always remember from your wedding?
It’s impossible to pick just one, but a moment that stands out was right after we finished taking pictures. We snuck away to the bridal suite for a private moment, ate chips and queso, enjoyed our signature drinks, and just soaked it all in together.
What is one piece of advice that you would give a future bride when booking a venue?
Think about the big picture and everything you’ll need to bring your event to life. The venue is the foundation—it will be in all of your photos and set the tone for your theme.
Thank you so much for stopping by our blog, we hope you found this information helpful. We want to use our blog to increase awareness and support for locally owned wedding venues. Locally owned wedding venues tend to provide a higher level of expertise, service and dedication. They also have far less turnover than corporate owned or investor owned venues. As you plan your wedding we hope you will consider a locally owned wedding venue like ours. You can find locally owned wedding venues on this wedding venue map. Below is a shout out to fellow locally owned wedding venues around the country!
Thank you all so much for reading our blog. 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!
Creating unforgettable moments, one beautiful wedding at a time.
Your dream wedding starts here, Joey and Katie Medellin Hidden Gem of Gruene
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