A PERFECT WEDDING
Whether large or small, in a church or at the courthouse, traditional or trendy, every couple contemplating marriage wants to have their vision of a perfect wedding materialize into reality and memorably preserved. In their pursuit of the ultimate wedding many couples are opting for the idyllic settings and services provided at bed and breakfast inns.
Three reasons to consider a bed and breakfast inn for your wedding are:
1. Inn keepers give it their all to arrange an unforgettable wedding experience
2. Couples can find a bed and breakfast to fit their budget
3. No such thing as a “one size fits all” wedding experience
Because of their characteristic individual charm and customized levels of service, B&Bs allow couples to be innovative in providing their guests with an unforgettable event. Tired of the cookie-cutter effect seen in many weddings today created by countless couples employing the wedding trend of the moment, bed and breakfast inns allow couples to create and enjoy a one-of-a-kind intimate wedding experience.
Another benefit of having your ceremony at a B&B is that there can be several cost savings. Most bed and breakfast inns have meticulously manicured lawns, magnificent flower gardens, butterfly gardens, and mature, professionally maintained landscaping. Budget costs customarily allocated for floral arrangements at the church and reception areas can be minimized or even eliminated, by taking advantage of the lush surroundings at an inn. The interiors of B&Bs are typically inviting and professionally decorated. Depending on the locale, most offer elegant and exclusive accommodations with amenities typically spotted in four and five star resorts.
B&Bs also offer privacy and seclusion which is difficult to accomplish at most hotels, resorts and reception halls. When selecting your site consider if there will be other events going on at the same time as yours. Do you really want to hear the karaoke-loving crowd next door belting Carrie Underwood's latest hit while you're just beginning your wedding toasts? Or, how do you feel about sharing the hot-air dryers in the bathroom with another party? Should you have to deal with the couple in the flowered shirts and Bermuda shorts that decide while on their vacation they'll just drop by your event?
When you utilize the setting and services of a bed and breakfast inn, what you have is the ultimate backdrop for a weekend of treasured wedding festivities. Each of the bed and breakfast inns featured in this article delivers its own brand of charm and personality. All of them feature specialized services which can be tailored to the wedding couple's needs and those of their guests.
Bed and breakfast inns cover a variety of styles from southwestern ranch to southern antebellum charm or dramatic oceanside settings. The three inns selected by the Valley Morning Star showcase the variety that local bed and breakfast inns have to offer.
In addition to the day-to-day guest services found at B&Bs, each of these inns is capable of creating a magical experience for wedding couples and their guests. Whether it's the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, the reception or a complete wedding events package, each lends their own brand of kidglove treatment to the wedding party and its needs.
Please read on and discover the highlights of these uniquely beautiful and romantic properties:
The Inn at
Chachalaca Bend,
a Luxury Inn
Los Fresnos, Texas
Looking for an unforgettably dreamy wedding? Consider the Inn at Chachalaca Bend. “Our goal is to create a custom event, tailored to the bride and groom's specific needs,” says Angie Anderson, Manager of the Inn at Chachalaca Bend. And the Inn is meeting its goal. From the time the wedding couple selects the Inn for its nuptial events, Angie and her staff treat the prospective bride and groom like royalty.
mesquite oak, and palm trees all of which lead to a dock area on the Resaca. The professionally illuminated grounds come alive at night through the assistance of a John Watson Landscape Lighting system.
The Inn has nine guest rooms with common living and dining spaces in the main house. Each of the guest rooms has a private bath, Jacuzzi and shower, king-size bed, direct line telephone, individually controlled heating and cooling and television/VCR. Two rooms are downstairs, and four are upstairs with French doors opening onto an eight-foot wide balcony/porch encircling the building. In 2002, the Inn was expanded with the construction of the “lodge” which provides a private suite with entertaining space downstairs. The Inn can also offer additional accommodations with its private casitas which open
The Inn offers wedding packages to suit every group size and budget. The grounds can accommodate up to 250 guests at a reception with spectacular facilities that easily seat groups for rehearsal dinners and wedding ceremonies. A popular package is the “Wedding of a Lifetime Package”. This package allows the bridal party to take over the entire facility for two nights. “This allows them to experience a five-star inn with Texas hospitality, elegance and romance, as if the property was their own,” states Anderson.
The Inn at Chachalaca Bend is located only minutes away from Los Fresnos, Texas, and is situated on a bend in Resaca de los Antonias. Over 40 acres of natural landscaping with two butterfly gardens and a private 27- acre prairie offers its own pond to attract hundreds of species of birds. The main grounds are profuse with native Mexican olive trees, A Perfect Wedding,
onto a spectacular swimming pool and gourmet outdoor kitchen and bar.
A gourmet breakfast is served daily to all guests. The Inn serves the freshest of coffee beans, grows its own fruit along with many of the vegetables served and the eggs can't get any fresher---straight from the Inn's own hens.
Casa de Siesta
South Padre Island, Texas
If planning a destination wedding to South Padre Island Texas, wedding couples should consider booking the Casa de Siesta. Ron and Lynn Speier are the resident owners of Casa de Siesta.
From the moment you arrive they and their helpful staff welcome you into their oasis within an oasis. Ron and Lynn have done their best to offer you a relaxed atmosphere amid Spanish-Southwest surroundings. As described by Texas Monthly, “Casa de Siesta feels more like a villa in San Miguel de Allende [Mexico] than an oceanside inn.”
Lush landscaping and a splashing fountain will greet you in the interior courtyard, complete with a swimming pool and tropical flowering plants. There is also a pergola in the center of the courtyard which offers the perfect venue for a wedding ceremony. All the rooms are built facing this tranquil setting.
The rooms are designed and decorated using “vigas” and carved spiral posts with corbels. The ceilings are tongue and grooved Ponderosa Pine. All rooms boast saltillo tile floors, hand-painted tile from Mexico and are furnished with antiques from Mexico and Texas. A large stained glass window is a special design feature in each room. These windows are framed in carved stone and bring in just enough outside light to fill each room with a cool radiance. All guest rooms are equipped with cable televisions, telephones and small refrigerators.
Ron and Lynn serve an “upscale” breakfast daily to each guest. Menus vary, but are always innovative and never boring!
If planning a destination wedding to South Padre Island consider Casa de Siesta. Many options are available to the bride and groom as to how best to utilize the facilities---vows may be exchanged on the beach and then retire to the inn for the reception; vows may be exchanged in the courtyard setting of the inn and a reception held on the grounds, or exchange vows at a local church and have the reception at the inn.
Casa Rama Bed
and Breakfast
Harlingen, Texas
Visitors to the Casa Rama Bed and Breakfast will enjoy the luxury and ambience of this beautiful historic home on Taylor Street, dubbed “Silk Stocking Row” in the 1930s. The women in the families of the wealthy business owners that chose to build their homes here were said to be the only ones who could afford silk stockings. Built around 1931, its original owners, R.L. and Ola Hill owned prosperous ice plants throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Hill became a partner in building a huge food processing factory with H.E. Butt, a successful grocer, whose namesake, HEB is today a huge grocery chain throughout the state of Texas. Eleanor Roosevelt was a guest at the house as well as Gov. W. Lee O'Daniels.
The home has notable architectural elements that include arched doorways, a winding staircase, stained glass windows and a 550 pound mesquite front door. The panels of the hand-carved door depict four scenes of how the Rio Grande Valley evolved from brushy area inhabited by Indians to the present day Valley with citrus and palm trees.
The home is furnished throughout with antiques collected from around the world. A trunk created for a sultan, Ming and Ching Dynasty vases, and Old World antiques create an aura akin to being in one's own castle. In addition to the formal living and dining rooms, there is a Breakfast Room and five, professionally decorated guest rooms. Each of these charming rooms has its own distinctive name and decorating style. The Breakfast Room extends from the grand, formal living room and from there, one can partake of the breathtaking view of the swimming pool and flower garden---a perfect setting for a catered rehearsal dinner or wedding reception. Casa Rama serves a breakfast that would suit any gastronome. Luncheons and private parties can also be arranged by appointment. There are unlimited choices when choosing a bed and breakfast inn for your wedding venue. Let your imagination be your guide and discover the allure of one of these beguiling treasures.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
The Inn at Chachalaca Bend 20 Chachalaca Bend, Los Fresnos, Texas 78566 (956) 233-1180/Fax (956) 233-1932 www.chachalaca.com/ E-mail: inn@chachalaca.com Casa de Siesta Bed & Breakfast 4610 South Padre Island, Texas 78597 (956) 761-5656/Fax: (956) 761-1313 www.casadesiesta.com/ E-mail: info@casadesiesta.com Casa Rama Bed and Breakfast 1102 East Taylor Street Harlingen, Texas 78550 (956) 440-1552/Fax (956) 440-1592 E-mail: casarama_bandb@yahoo.com
