Frequently Asked Questions

That’s easy! All you need to do is sign our contract and pay 50% of the basic rental fee. Of course, you will want to meet us first and tell us what you are dreaming of, so schedule a visit here!

You have the facilities for the whole day – 10 am- midnight! Whether we are doing the setup and decorating for you or another professional, it is fun to be onsite to see it come together while you and your girls are enjoying your time together, getting all dressed up. Our gorgeous French chairs and square tables, plus a few other tables and the mahogany folding chairs for your ceremony, are all included at no extra charge. We also do the final cleaning for you. Other accessories and more may be available for you, too. Please see our Rates & Amenities page for more details.

You will be able to set up to 160 guests inside the ballroom and still enjoy the dance floor. Weather permitting, you can expand the patio with another 60 or more onto the lawn. Of course, if you are looking for an outdoor reception or celebration, the courtyard is a half-acre of mostly open space and is simply beautiful.

Yes! We believe in marriage and love weddings! Weddings should be about celebrating this special day with your friends and family, but shouldn’t break the bank! Renting the venue only* is an option, with you doing everything yourself. However, our Onsite Catering and Simple Elegance Plan are customizable to work with most budgets, plus super convenient. Check out the details on our Catering & Design page to see if one of them might work for you. We are also flexible and would love to work with you in any way we can!

We really only have a couple. For your own benefit (and your mom’s), we ask you to hire a “day-of” coordinator. By now, you probably know that “day-of” does not literally mean that day only, but it is somewhat limited and allows the planner in yourself (or your friend or mom) to do as much of the “fun” stuff yourself and leave the final details and hard work of the day to us, or the planner of your choice.

The other is that all alcohol is conveniently handled onsite through our licensed bar, and with guest counts of 100+, we do require Security for your event. You will be surprised at the great value and convenience of our bar services!

Experience has taught us that your wedding day has many complicated details and timing issues! This is a very special day that you and your family and friends should thoroughly enjoy without needing to worry about whether the cake is here on time or making sure your guests, DJ, and photographer are all present at the traditional or unique moments of the day. They help you make that timeline and then orchestrate it. If you have read any of our reviews, you will see that our team loves to take care of you and your details!

They will also help you with crucial planning details and even do the table decorating for you. We love planners and what they bring to an event or wedding… fresh ideas, good organization, and so much more. We can even recommend full planners who can do everything from designing your tables and invitations to helping you pick out your dress if you want more than we can offer onsite. They all offer a range of services from which you may choose. Whether you use your own coordinator or our preferred planners, we are here to make your day a day to remember.

Yes! We have a Collection of Great Services that fit almost any circumstance! Our Simple Elegance Package is customizable to fit your dreams and budget and includes catering, linens, staffing, plus more. Please see our Catering & Design page for more details.

We do not. All the DJs we have consulted with prefer to bring their own.

Yes! Ask for details. We work with what works for you. Credit cards may be accepted, but our prices are cash prices.

No, we do all that work for you! Thistlewood Manor carries a Mixed Beverage with a Food and Beverage alcohol license so that we can handle all of your alcohol needs onsite without you needing to bother with it. Our bartenders are TABC certified and complimentary with our bar packages. We have a variety of great alcohol packages available to fit your needs and budget. We can also help with a variety of non-alcohol options.

Yes, we do! You may use almost any professional vendor you want, but since the quality of your wedding is important to us, we work to keep a list of those that we trust will go above and beyond for you.

We are available for you – at least during office hours, and will get back to you as soon as possible if tied up with another client! In our Package, we have a logistics meeting about 6 months before your big day. Our brides walk away from this meeting relieved – feeling like all is well and under control – with a solid direction and usually a bit of laughter! Of course, assuming we are doing your catering, you will have an opportunity to come for a tasting to help decide on your menu. Then, a final meeting is held about 30 days before your wedding to clarify all details and arrange for your rehearsal.

Yes, of course; however, since we are committed to hosting only one event per day, we do not offer a discount for reception-only events. Many of our brides have loved being able to come early to dress, plus perhaps work on decorations, then go to the church and return for the reception. They do not have to lug their belongings around and have the fun of being here that morning. Sometimes, we do, however, offer an hourly rate, with several restrictions, for smaller non-wedding gatherings that are not more than a few hours, including their own setting up and cleaning up.

Oh my, there are lots of options! Guest lodging is next door, as well as guest houses within a few blocks, and there are new hotels recently built in Kyle! Plus, we are just 20–30 minutes from south Austin and even less to San Marcos, with a variety of options available. If you need group transportation, we do have some great recommendations for limos, buses and specialty cars.

While we hope that everything goes on as you dreamed, we do recommend that you purchase Wedding Liability Insurance, for accidents, as well as Wedding/Event Cancellation Insurance. Your individual insurance carrier will be able to provide specific details, or we can recommend a provider. We will work with you in every way we can to reschedule or relocate if necessary. Details will be provided in your contract.

Generally, complete setup is included in our package options. We can help you with the layout.

An hour for rehearsal is included in your venue rental and may be scheduled 30 days prior to your event, pending availability, or you may schedule it for 9 o'clock the morning before your event at any time.

One can never be sure about the weather, but honestly, it rarely ruins a wedding. To be safe, though, we do have the ability to flip the ballroom, and of course, there are various options for tent rentals. Some of them are gorgeous, too! However, since it rarely rains all day, using the Patio for the ceremony has been a great option for our past brides and grooms, enabling them to keep their outdoor ceremony.