Clay and Hannah Hebert
TELL US ABOUT YOUR LOVE STORY!
How did you meet?
We met at Oakwood Church in New Braunfels, Texas, through the Singles Small Group on Sundays.
How did you know he was “The One”?
Clay and I were friends for about 6 months before we started dating. In those 6 months I really got to know him and his character, so when he asked me out on a date, I already knew he was The One! My sister can attest to this. We went to Chili’s the night before our first date, and I told her I was going to marry him!
How long did you date?
We dated for eight months and were engaged for just over five months.
How did he propose?
Clay planned a date night for us at Huisache Grill in New Braunfels which is where we had our first date. On the way to the restaurant, Clay drove us through Landa Park for a “walk” to the Gazebo where flowers were waiting on the bench, and he got down on one knee!
Describe your wedding planning process
Who helped with the planning?
My mom was a huge help in the planning. I think I talked to her almost every day while Clay and I were engaged! She helped me stay focused and was definitely my rock during the planning process.
Did you hire a planner or day-of-coordinator?
Yes, we worked with Peyton at The Perfect Day and would highly recommend this route to anyone who is on the fence about hiring a day-of-coordinator. It was such a weight lifted off of us and our families to have someone orchestrating the activities of the day.
Did you DIY any aspect of your wedding?
We had a few signs here and there that we DIY’d. Mainly bar signs, our sign-in table signs, and our Generations of Love table. We also brought in our own plates, silverware, and napkins.
Did you have a specific theme?
We like to think our theme was a good mix of western and chic! We kept it simple with decor and leaned into the rustic aspects of the venue by incorporating a lot of greenery and candles.
Where did you save the most?
We saved the most with the venue and the DJ! We were under budget on both, and they were each AMAZING!
Where did you splurge?
We splurged the most on the open bar, but we have zero regrets!
Why did you choose your venue?
We felt right at home as soon as we toured. We wanted a venue that felt like “us” and The Allen Farmhaus could not have been more perfect! It was a big plus that we could do everything at the venue from getting ready in their large Bridal and Groom Suites, to the ceremony, and reception, they do it all!
Did you incorporate any special traditions or sentimental details in your ceremony or reception?
We had handkerchiefs made with personal notes to each of our parents, and I dedicated my bouquet to my mom during the reception. It was a special way to say thank you to her for all that she has done for me.
What was your most stressful decision?
Deciding our guest list and bridal party was very stressful for us. We are very blessed to have such a big circle of family and close friends, so making those decisions was really tough for us.
What turned out to be your best decision surrounding the big day?
Besides choosing each other (cheesy, I know – but SO true), our best decision was us doing our best to “DIY” as little as possible. We did our best to choose vendors that took care of a majority of the setup so really all that was left was to coordinate on the day of were some logistics around decor placement, alcohol pickup from Specs, and the drop off of gifts after the wedding.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
We really don’t have any big regrets! I think I would have liked to slow down and take breaks from wedding planning more often. It can be very overwhelming especially with a short engagement!
Tell Us About...
Your dress:
I am still so in love with my dress! I wanted a dress that felt romantic and timeless which my dress fully captured. It was an A-line dress in sleek satin with a banded waist, pleated skirt with a high side slit, and a V-shaped back with buttons. It had a long train that showed off all day in the wind. I would 100% choose this gown again.
Your flowers:
We went with white, cream, and light rust-colored roses paired with greenery for our personal florals and cross arrangement for the ceremony. We then covered the tables and hanging baskets in the reception hall with tons of greenery! We opted to re-use our cross arrangement at our sweetheart table and placed the bridesmaids’ bouquets at guest tables as well.
The Food:
We are still having our guests tell us how much they loved the brisket and jalapeno mac-and-cheese served by Jesus and his team! We wanted good BBQ and we definitely got it!
The cake:
Our wedding cake was a 4-tiered traditional wedding cake with almond cake and alternating raspberry and strawberry filled layers with buttercream icing. Our florist saved flowers and greenery to add decor to the cake. The Groom’s cake was a huge hit as well. Clay’s one request was that his sister, Shelby, would make her famous lemon blueberry cake for his Groom’s cake. She outdid herself and our guests are still raving about it!
Recap your big day for us
What made you laugh?
We have so many memories that we still laugh about from our wedding day. The best one being our wedding party’s entrances. My sister’s ability to do the splits on the dance floor, the killer dance moves from our friends and families, and the speeches from our Maid of Honor, Best Man, and my dad to list a few.
What made you cry?
I cried only tears of joy! One of the sweetest moments that made me cry was my mom praying over me while being surrounded by my bridesmaids and Clay’s mom before the ceremony. That moment is one that I will cherish forever. I still get chills and teary when I think about it.
What were the most memorable moments?
Definitely the private vows Clay and I shared before the ceremony. We chose to remain “hidden” because we wanted our first time to see each other that day to be when I walked down the aisle. Our photographer had us placed on opposite sides of a barn door where we held hands and exchanged personal vows to each other. It was a beautiful moment that Clay and I got to share in the midst of a whirlwind day.
Did anything unexpected happen?
Outside of a few minor hiccups, there really is nothing that was unexpected! Clay and I are both very detail-oriented and love to plan, so we felt really prepared for the “what if’s” going into the big day. We also kept our focus on what the goal of the day was: getting married. As long as that happened, we could call it a success!
What’s the best advice you can give a bride and groom planning their wedding?
Talk about your vision for the big day and what is most important with your future spouse. Use these priorities in budgeting and planning. Keep it simple, and don’t get too wrapped up in the details. Keep a to-do list, and do your best to make progress on it each day. Lastly, don’t forget what marriage is really about.
What did you look forward to most as Mr. and Mrs.?
We look forward to living together and never saying goodbye again!
We have to give a shout out to our photographer, Asiah. We chose her package that included our engagement, bridal portraits, and wedding day photos and she absolutely killed it! She is extremely efficient and knows how to set up the photo timeline for the day in a way that makes sense and flows well. She made Clay and I feel comfortable having thousands of pictures taken of us, and turned around our sneak peaks and full galleries SO quickly. We are in love with our pictures and will be using her for all of our future photo needs!
Local Vendors:
Wedding Venue: The Allen Farmhaus
Reception Venue: The Allen Farmhaus
Photographer: Asiah Erbe Photography
Caterer (Happy Hour): Sweet Cart Creations
Caterer (Dinner): Jesus’ Heavenly BBQ
Florist: HEB Blooms
Cake/Dessert: Naegelin’s German Bakery
Decor/Signage: Accents & Events
Rentals: Accents & Events
Bridal Shop: Bridal Connection at Stone Oak
Makeup Artist: Vixen Hair & Makeup
Hair Stylist: Vixen Hair & Makeup
Bartending/Beverage Service: BarKeep Bros
Getaway Vehicle: Team One Luxury
Music/Entertainment: CrossRoads DJ
Wedding Coordinator: The Perfect Day NB
Wedding Music:
Processional: More Than Me – Instrumental by Ian Munsick
Bride’s Entrance: Goodness of God by Remi Collins
Recessional: I’m a Believer – From “Shrek” Soundtrack by Smash Mouth
First Dance: There’s the Sun by Zach Top
Father/Daughter Dance: Just Fishin’ by Trace Adkins
Mother/Son Dance: Tennessee Waltz – Instrumental by Mark Howard, Stuart Duncan
Last Dance: 10-90 by Muscadine Bloodline
