Glamorous Camp Hideaway Wedding in Fredericksburg
Timeless & Modern NYC-Style Wedding
Set in the Scenic Texas Hill Country
Emily and Matt’s love story began when they met at a bar in Houston. After dating for a while, they both moved to New York City. For their wedding, they wanted to bring the easy elegance and glamor of the city to the picturesque Texas Hill Country. While searching for a Texas wedding venue, Camp Hideaway quickly became the one. The Fredericksburg wedding venue had all the timeless simplicity and stunning natural views they were looking for.
Since Matt and his family are Jewish, converting to Judaism was an incredibly meaningful process for Emily leading up to their wedding day. From every intentional detail to all the special Jewish wedding traditions, their Texas Hill Country wedding was modern, glamorous, joyful and filled with all the warmth and love.
Read on to see why it instantly became one of my favorite weddings to date.
The Wedding Location | Camp Hideaway in Fredericksburg, TX
A short 10-minute drive from downtown Fredericksburg, Camp Hideaway is a stunning Hill Country retreat set on 25 acres. With peaceful rolling fields, a gorgeous indoor/outdoor wedding space and overnight lodging, the venue is a wedding oasis. Fredericksburg, Texas is known for its hospitality and welcoming, small-town charm, which made it the idyllic setting for Emily & Matt’s special day.
The Getting Ready Details
Camp Hideaway offers two separate getting ready suites for their couples which include mini fridges, mirrors, private bathrooms and Sonos sound systems. While getting ready for her first look with Matt, Emily had some of the sweetest moments with her flower girls and the rest of her bridal party. She donned a stunningly simple Jenny Yoo wedding dress with a pearl-encrusted veil, absolutely radiating timeless NYC glamor.
When I was photographing Matt getting ready with his dad and groomsmen, it was immediately obvious how excited they all were for him. He was so supported the whole time. You could tell it was a special moment for all of them to share together.
This was a recurring theme woven throughout Emily & Matt’s wedding day. You could feel the love surrounding the couple, and it was an honor to witness and freeze every emotion into lasting photographs.
The First Look
Emily & Matt have such a deep connection that shone through their entire day, but especially during their first look. As soon as they saw each other, you could see their nerves fall away. As if from that moment on, they had each other and didn’t need anything else.
It was a moment that encapsulated the essence of their love – pure and profound.
The Chuppah Wedding Portraits | Jewish Wedding Traditions
During traditional Jewish weddings, a chuppah is the heart of the ceremony. Not only is it a structure symbolic of the home the couple will build together, it also holds biblical meaning. Like the tent of Abraham and Sarah in the Bible, the chuppah is open on all sides, symbolizing that everyone is welcome and will be treated with warmth and hospitality. Which is the perfect way to sum up the love and joy radiating throughout their day.
Jewish wedding traditions have many beautifully symbolic details that have been passed down throughout the ages. Every one of them adds depth, meaning, gravity and emotion to the wedding day. It was an honor getting to learn about and document all of these enduring traditions near and dear to Emily, Matt and his family.
The Ketubah Ceremony | Camp Hideaway Event Hall in Fredericksburg
Another important element of their Hill Country wedding was signing the Ketubah (the traditional Jewish marriage certificate). In Hebrew, the name translates literally as “something written,” and this ancient document outlines their commitments to each other as husband and wife. They promise that “everything I have is yours, down to the shirt on my back.”
It was a sweet, intimate moment for the couple. Their Rabbi read their Ketubah, they signed their names, and sealed their vows with a kiss.
The Outdoor Hill Country Wedding Ceremony | Camp Hideaway in Fredericksburg, TX
You may think a white and green Hill Country wedding is nothing new, but Emily had a fresh vision for every detail of their elegant wedding at Camp Hideaway. With the help of her Fredericksburg wedding planner & florist (Taylor at TBW Creative Studio), they brought in white orchids, daisies and more modern flower choices to elevate the classic white wedding floral palette. Y’all, her bouquet was gorgeous.
These chic details paired with all the symbolism of their traditional Jewish wedding made this one of my all-time favorite weddings of the year (which is saying something because it was HOT outside).
I loved being able to capture different angles of them under the chuppah as they went through the various Jewish wedding ceremony traditions. Both Emily & Matt were beaming with love the entire time, and it was a deeply moving experience to witness.
Their ceremony included many Jewish wedding traditions, including The Circling, The Seven Blessings and The Breaking of the Glass.
The Classy & Chic Cocktail Hour | Fredericksburg, TX Wedding
After saying I do and taking family portraits, the couple mingled with their guests on Camp Hideaway’s covered outdoor patio while enjoying stunning cocktails from 512 Boutique Events.
The Wedding Reception | Glamorous NYC Vibes
Emily & Matt kicked the reception off with a grand entrance through the event hall’s vintage sliding doors. Once they made their entrance, they joined Matt’s dad for the blessing of the challah (a beautifully-braided traditional bread).
Afterwards, everyone dined together while being serenaded by the swinging sax and melodies of a live Jazz band. With flickering glass tealights, taper candles and sprays of sophisticated white flowers, the ambiance of this Camp Hideaway reception was nothing short of Great Gatsby-glamorous.
The Sunset Portraits | Scenic Hill Country Views
Set among the rolling grass fields of Camp Hideaway in Fredericksburg, TX
After dinner, Emily and Matt snuck away for a quiet little pause and portrait session. With the sunset turning the grass golden, the sprawling fields at Camp Hideaway created the perfect spot to get lost in the moment and let them savor their incredible day so far.
The Celebration | Toasts, Cake Cutting & Dancing
After spending a moment to soak up that golden Hill Country light, Emily and Matt rejoined their guests for toasts. Just like so many of the Jewish traditions they wove into their day, the warmth and love radiated not only from the bride and groom, but from all their family and loved ones.
After toasts, the couple cut their vintage, heart-shaped wedding cake. Emily really wanted a nontraditional wedding cake that felt fresh and timeless. I love this fun twist she and Mackenzie (Feel Like Baking Love) came up with for the cake. It fit the NYC glam meets Hill Country charm effortlessly.
Once the cake was cut, the couple took to the black-and-white-tiled dance floor for their first dances.
The Hora | Jewish Hill Country Wedding
An iconic Jewish tradition, the Hora (chair dance) kicked off the couple’s party. It was amazing getting to witness the energy (and serious stamina) it takes to pull off the Hora. This festive dance catapulted the rest of the evening into one epic dance party.
From the Hora, the dancing began in full swing with live music from the Password Music Band. During the dancing, Emily, Matt and some other guests wore bedazzled white cowboy hats as a playful ode to their love’s roots. A love that all started in the Lone Star State.
The Flower Petal Grand Exit
Emily and Matt ended the night showered in white flower petals and surrounded by their loved ones. Everything about their day was a beautiful blend of modern elegance, warmth, tradition, happiness and so much love.
Love Note from the Bride:
“Leah was wonderful to work with from start to finish!
I knew I had to book her for my wedding after seeing her beautiful work documenting a mutual friend’s wedding. Leah was very friendly and easy to communicate with from the moment I reached out to her. Prior to the wedding, I felt like she really went above and beyond to get to know us and learn about what we were looking for and most excited for her to capture about our big day!
The day of the wedding, she was PHENOMENAL. Not only are the pictures stunning and everything we hoped for, Leah helped with every aspect and was great at helping direct us throughout the entire day. My husband and I were both super thankful for this because we were nervous and it makes such a difference to feel comfortable with the ones you choose to document these big life moments! I thought it was really cool that multiple of my vendors and Leah were all familiar with each other and everything seemed to go extra smoothly for this reason. I can’t recommend her enough! We will definitely be re-booking her for future big life events!”
Emily
As soon as Emily came to me with her visions of a glamorous NYC-style wedding set in the Hill Country, I could not wait!
Emily, Matt (and their families) were the kindest people to work with, and I am deeply honored to have been entrusted in capturing such profound, ancient traditions for them.
Their Camp Hideaway wedding in Fredericksburg is one I will never, ever forget.
Looking for a Fredericksburg wedding photographer? As a photographer based in the Texas Hill Country, I’m dedicated to making your love feel seen and celebrated with timeless and modern photography. I’d love to grab coffee and learn more about your big day! Get in touch here.
The Wedding Vendors
- Venue: Camp Hideaway | A Fredericksburg Wedding Venue
- Photographer: Leah Thomason Photography | San Antonio & Fredericksburg Wedding Photographer
- Planning, Design & Florals: Taylor at TBW Creative Studio | Fredericksburg Wedding Planner
- Catering & Bar: 512 Boutique Events | Austin Caterer
- Band: Password Music
- Cake: Feel Like Baking Love | Kerrville, TX
- Wedding Dress: Jenny Yoo Marnie Gown | Anthropologie
- Pearl Veil: BHLDN
- Bridesmaid Dresses: Birdy Grey
- Hair & Makeup: Lola Beauty | Austin, TX
- Custom Matchbooks designed by: The Laldie.
