Camp Hideaway Wedding in Gruene, Texas | Maria & Ray

A Camp Hideaway wedding is something really special, and this one will forever live in my heart. When a wedding planner, someone who knows every photographer in the industry, trusts you to document her engagement photos, bridals, and wedding day, it is the highest honor! I’m still on cloud nine thinking about it!

Maria and Ray planned a wedding that felt grounded, personal, and deeply intentional. Every choice they made centered on presence, guest experience, and actually enjoying their own day. Their Camp Hideaway wedding weekend was full of meaning from start to finish.

Getting Ready at Camp Hideaway

Maria got ready in the main house at Camp Hideaway with her bridesmaids, while Ray got ready in another house on the property. We started with layflat detail photos, including Maria’s shoes, rings, invitations, and personal items she thoughtfully chose. Since she is a wedding planner, I knew she’d have a ton of amazing details and these did not disappoint!

Camp Hideaway Wedding Venue in Gruene, Texas

Camp Hideaway is a Texas Hill Country wedding venue located in Gruene, just outside of New Braunfels. Couples choose Camp Hideaway because it offers something rare. Space to slow down with onsite lodging. A full-weekend experience where the wedding party can stay together and the day doesn’t feel rushed.  From a photographer’s perspective, Camp Hideaway weddings feel relaxed. When everyone is already onsite, timelines breathe easier and couples are able to stay present instead of feeling pulled in a hundred directions.

 

Maria’s bridesmaids all had matching getting ready shirts. On the hem of each shirt, Maria had the year she met them sewn on.  The details of this day didn’t stop!

Maria and her mom have matching tattoos.  You can tell that they’re super close.  Maria gave her mom a purse that had some childhood pictures on the inside flap.  When her mom started crying reading the card, Maria laughed and said “I know what I wrote.”  The banter in this family is so cute!  Maria gifted her grandma a sketch of her and her mom and her grandma in their wedding day attire. Maria’s grandma made her outfit of the day, as well as Maria’s rehearsal dinner dress, and the puppies’ wedding day attire.  (I may have asked her grandma for sewing lessons!)

Why the First Look Changed Everything

One of the decisions that had the biggest impact on how smooth and peaceful Maria and Ray’s wedding day felt was choosing to do a first look.  As a wedding planner, Maria understood the logistics. But emotionally, she and Ray were on the fence. After booking me, we talked through what a first look could actually offer them, beyond the timeline benefits. I shared something I’ve seen again and again. If you’re nervous on your wedding day, the person that will be able to ground you and bring you back to center is your partner. Waiting hours to do that often means carrying those nerves all morning.

 

Maria later shared this reflection from her perspective, and it perfectly captures why the first look mattered so much to them:

“When we first got engaged, we were 50/50 about doing a first look. I knew it helped logistically, but I wasn’t sure if it was really what I wanted. After booking our photographer, Mylah Renae, she reframed it for us. She explained that if you’re nervous on your wedding day, the only person you’re probably going to want to see is your partner. If you can’t do that until halfway through the day, you’ll spend the whole ‘before’ process feeling nervous.

As a massive introvert (my husband) and an anxious planner (myself), that really resonated with us. Doing a first look was 100% worth it. My husband was able to react authentically, we shared letters with each other, and we got to spend the rest of the day by each other’s sides.”

If you want to hear more about Maria’s experience planning and living her Camp Hideaway wedding day, you can read her full perspective on the Lila Lane Events blog in her post,
When an Austin Wedding Planner Gets Married (and who they hired for their own wedding)

Their dogs were also part of the day, dressed in custom wedding outfits lovingly made by Maria’s grandma. These fur babies are their children and I loved making sure they were documented with the same care as the rest of the family.

         

   

Ceremony at St. Francis by the Lake Episcopal Church

Maria and Ray were married at their home church, St. Francis by the Lake Episcopal Church in Canyon Lake. The ceremony was deeply personal, with one of the officiants being a family member. Maria’s other love is music, so she handpicked their ceremony music. It was also a great day to sit in the church, as she and her Maid of Honor have angelic voices that were made to be heard! She and Ray picked the bible verses that were shared and they picked couples who have marriages that they admire to read those verses over them.  Instead of flower girls, Maria’s grandma was their Flower Granny!

Photography Planning Tip for Camp Hideaway Weddings

Camp Hideaway loses light earlier than most venues.
Because of the tree line at the back of the property, golden hour light disappears about 45 minutes before the scheduled sunset time. Since I’ve photographed at Camp Hideaway before, this was at the top of my mind all day. I did not want to miss golden hour for our beloved Maria. As guests exited the church, I made the call to use that time for just married photos. Those few minutes gave Maria and Ray the golden glow they dreamed of. This is one of those moments where experience quietly makes all the difference.

   

The tiniest peek behind the scenes of me photographing their wedding.  If you’ve ever wanted to see how the under the veil photos are taken, here you go!

A Cocktail Hour That Guests Loved with Mini Golf and Sketch Artist

As a wedding planner, Maria refused to have a boring cocktail hour. Guest experience mattered to her, and she wanted the evening to feel interactive and fun from the very beginning of the reception. During cocktail hour, guests had more to do than just grab a drink and wait for dinner. A mini golf course was set up as a nod to Maria and Ray’s first date, giving guests a playful way to connect and move around the space. Alongside it was a build-your-own mac and cheese bar, which quickly became a favorite. Comfort food always wins, especially when it’s customizable.

 

Maria and Ray brought in a sketch artist who illustrated guests in their party attire. Watching friends and family receive their drawings and tuck them away as keepsakes was such a special touch. These weren’t favors that get left behind at the end of the night. They were personal keepsakes.

 

This is exactly why planner-led weddings feel different. Every choice had a purpose, and every detail added to the experience instead of distracting from it.

Wedding Planning Takeaway for Couples Reading This

A great cocktail hour isn’t about doing more. It’s about giving guests options. Maria’s background as a wedding planner showed here. Instead of relying on one form of entertainment, she layered the experience. Something interactive, something comforting, something creative, and something that kept energy high later in the night. Guests could move, mingle, snack, laugh, and connect in a way that felt natural. When couples ask how to make their celebration memorable without forcing a packed dance floor all night, this is the answer.
Thoughtful variety creates a better experience for every type of guest.

Reception Details and a Room Reveal

The reception reflected Ray and Maria’s personality so beautifully. Floating candles inspired by Harry Potter created an intimate glow above the tables, and she even had a wand moment to turn on the lights. Guests loved it because it gave them the sense of being in the Great Hall at Hogwarts!

Maria built a room reveal into her timeline, which is something I love. Most brides never see their fully styled reception space before guests enter. This gave her and Ray a quiet moment to take it all in and really feel the beauty of what she had planned and designed herself.  She also has a Harry Potter wand to “turn on” the floating candles. LUMOS!

 

 

                 

Moments That Made the Night Unforgettable

Maria and Ray used the same cake cutting set as his parents.  Their names and wedding anniversary on one side with Maria and Ray’s on the other.  It was a sweet way to honor the legacy of love.  Their cake plate was also a date night keepsake that they made together at a pottery class. It was a fun way to tie in their story and have an everyday item remind them of their wedding day. These are the details that I love!

The reception was filled with meaningful moments. Maria surprised her mom with a special dance, a beautiful way to honor everything moms do behind the scenes. During Maria & Ray’s first dance, my second photographer captured one of my favorite images of the night. It was Maria’s mom hugging Ray’s dad during their first dance. These are the moments that matter, and they’re exactly why having two photographers allows the story to be told more fully.

Nighttime Details and Thoughtful Touches

Later in the evening, a coffee cart rolled in to keep the energy up and the dance floor full. It was the perfect transition from dinner into dancing and one more thoughtful way Maria and Ray made sure their guests felt cared for.  The coffee cart was able to print pictures of their dogs on top of lattes!

One wedding trend Maria loved and made a special request for was a nighttime layflat photo. These images are meant to feel a little messy and completely full of life, pulling together all the textures and details of the party as it’s happening.

They had so many fun elements to include. Their place setting with both of their names sat alongside the table number, which matched their wedding date. Maria’s heart-shaped “Mrs. Nuss” sunglasses made an appearance, along with all three cake flavors and three additional mini desserts. I also made sure to include their mini golf scorecards and personalized pencils, a nod to one of the most playful parts of the night.

Sketches from the artist and photo booth prints were scattered throughout, because by that point they were everywhere in the room and part of the story. Coffee cups and koozies featuring their dogs’ sweet faces rested on napkins that doubled as the backdrop for the image.

These photos are creative, layered, and intentionally imperfect. The process of building them, pulling pieces from across the reception and freezing the energy of the night, genuinely makes me so happy.

 

Why I Love Photographing Camp Hideaway Weddings

Camp Hideaway in Gruene is ideal for couples who value connection and experience. It’s perfect for wedding weekends with its onsite lodging and timelines that prioritize being present.

Maria trusted me with every chapter of this season of her life, and that means everything to me. Here is what she had to say about having me as her Camp Hideaway Wedding Photographer in Gruene:

“If you are considering booking Mylah, DO IT!! You will not regret having her document your perfect day! … Her energy brings just the right amount of excitement and peace to what could be a stressful day.”

That trust, especially coming from a wedding planner, is something I’ll never take lightly.

Late Night Whataburger Run

The perfect ending to Maria and Ray’s wedding day looked a lot like their first date. After the music wound down and the celebration settled, they headed straight to Whataburger. Still dressed in wedding-day glow. Still riding that just-married high.

Late-night snacks are always a crowd favorite, but this one meant something. Whataburger wasn’t just food. It was familiar and very them. A full-circle moment that felt so Texas.

There’s something about ending the night with fries and your favorite person beside you that makes the day feel complete. No schedule. No expectations. Just a quiet exhale after one incredible celebration.

Camp Hideaway Wedding Venue Map

Camp Hideaway is located in Gruene, Texas near New Braunfels, making it a beautiful Texas Hill Country wedding venue that feels like a retreat while remaining easy for guests to access.

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Camp Hideaway Wedding FAQs

 

Vendor Team

Central Texas Wedding Planner: Lila Lane Events
Wedding Photographer in Austin TX: Mylah Renae
Venue: Camp Hideaway in Gruene
Ceremony Location: St. Francis by the Lake Episcopal Church
Austin Wedding Flowers: Emily Reynolds Designs
Rentals: Bright Event Rentals
Hair & Makeup: Kiss by Katie
Wedding Content Creation in Austin: Content by Clarice
Cakes & Desserts: Serendipity Cakes
Catering: Vestals Catering
DJ: Bat City Beats
Live Wedding Sketch Artist: Vogue Vignette
Mobile Coffee Cart for weddings: Reunion Coffee
Mini Golf Setup provided by: Game Plan Entertainment

 

Planning a Camp Hideaway Wedding?

If you’re planning a Camp Hideaway wedding and want a photographer who knows the venue, understands the light, and truly cares about your experience, I’d love to connect. Reach out here.