We would be absolutely remiss if we didn't mention Camp Lucy as a favorite wedding venue of ours! Yes, this is outside of our home-based area here in Houston, but it is just too spectacular to not mention. Dripping Springs is the home of Camp Lucy, which I consider to be one of the best wedding venues in Texas! It's right in the heart of Texas Hill Country and very close to Austin, which is home to some of our best friends, so we love to go visit any time we can.

Check out this beautiful inspiration board of a few of our favorite Camp Lucy wedding photos we have taken!

So now you get it, huh? Camp Lucy is just magnificent.

Here's 3 things to love about Camp Lucy!

1. It's exquisitely designed.
I don't know who designed this venue, but they have outstanding taste. The bridal suite is a perfect little house, (see the dress hanging picture) the ceremony site is breathtaking, and the reception hall is perfect. There's also a separate place available for cocktail hour, and a separate area for the groom to hang out. And these buildings are beautiful... styled... no detail is left out.

2. It's a Photographers Dream.
Or at least it's THIS photographer's dream. You can see in the bride/groom portrait in the bottom left that the ceremony site is positioned where the sun sets just behind the couple. This is our absolute favorite lighting scenario and gives us the warm and glowy couples portraits that are a signature characteristic of our style.

3.) They *know* how to put on a grand event.
Wedding blogs go crazy over events at Camp Lucy, and it's easy to see why. Being so close to Austin, their brides are able to work with an amazing team of florists, event rental companies, stylists, and event designers to put on heavily styled weddings. Jana and Clint's wedding had a very long vendor list and I can honestly say it was the best team I've worked with.

We're glad to showcase another one of our favorite venues! This is a newer Houston-area venue that is located a little outside of the big city... perfect! Olde Dobbin Station is a hidden gem!

I'll never forget how I first found out about Olde Dobbin Station. One of our amazing 2012 brides, Meg, contacted us about shooting her wedding. I hadn't heard of the venue yet, but I typed it into Google and got very excited, very fast! This is truly a very unique venue!

Here's 3 things that I love about Olde Dobbin Station!

1) The Industrial Chic Stlyle.
Yes, I made that term up. But that's my best way to describe it. Olde Dobbin Station has a lot of concrete buildings, rusty rooftops and light fixtures, and for lack of a better term... old stuff. And something about that just strikes a beautiful contrast with all that is soft and pretty and wedding-related.

2) The little things.
Throughout the venue are little touches that make a BIG impact when you consider them all together. In the bridal suite is a little bulletin board with Bible verses and quotes pinned on it. The concrete arches in the ballroom are stamped with a damask pattern. It makes things very memorable. You can tell that whoever designed Olde Dobbin Station paid attention to the details. That's something every bride should be able to appreciate!

3.) The Cutest Little Hut Ever!
Some might call it the bridal suite, but I'm officially calling it "The Cutest Little Hut Ever." It's charming! You can see the little hut lit up at night in the collage above, and also the interior of the picture of the dress hanging. The building is cement (hello Hurricane Shelter) but the interior is decorated with adorable shabby chic/Victorian inspired furniture. It's cozy, and it's the perfect place for a brides' last minutes as a single lady.

Olde Dobbin Station... if you haven't heard of it before, go visit their website and see what the fuss is all about!

So the next venue we're excited to feature is Katy's off-the-beaten-path treasure, Agave Real!

You've probably heard us talk about Real's sister venue, Agave Road, which we are fans of too, but we're absolutely in love with the new Agave Real! We shot our first wedding over at Real this past fall and we couldn't get over what an outstanding place this is.

Here's 3 things we love about Agave Real!

1) The Nighttime Ambience
I mean, if you're familiar with Agave Road, this is no surprise to you. Agave Real is gorgeous during the daytime, but at night, it really transforms into a candle-lit haven, the perfect setting for a romantic wedding reception. The entire property is strategically lit with torches and fires throughout, and the flowerbed has lighting that casts dramatic shadows through the Agave plants. It's magical!

2) The Southwestern Style
This is really a unique place. Now, I haven't ever actually been to a southwestern hacienda for real, but my guess is that you aren't going to get much closer here in the Houston area. Stucco, heavy antique doors, and magnificent chandeliers... oh my!

3) The Native Landscaping
Whoever the mastermind is behind the Agave Real landscaping is a creative genius. Not many venues will make your jaw drop on a day when there's not a wedding going on. You know what I mean - lots of places only come to life once the chairs, table linens, and flowers arrive. Don't get me wrong, with an appropriate linen and flower budget, Agave Real is quite a sight to see, but they've done their own homework already with the landscaping around the venue. Flowering bushes, agave plants, huge terra-cotta pots of every color, waterfalls.... I could go on and on.

Check out Agave Real's website in your internet piddling... do it!