The ornate Renaissance Revival structure of Hotel Emma isn’t the only cool thing about it—its history is an extremely unique piece of San Antonio, Texas. Built in the 1800s, Hotel Emma was once a brewery. When Prohibition took hold in the 1920s, thanks to the brewery’s innovative leader and namesake, Emma Koehler, it was the only one to survive.
If you’re looking for stunning and impressively decorated event rooms, an expansive courtyard, an exhibition kitchen for your guests to get a behind-the-scenes experience, and more, Hotel Emma is the perfect venue for you.
The Facilities
Hotel Emma offers an exquisite setting for couples with up to 250 guests seeking a memorable wedding experience. With a range of event spaces tailored for weddings, the hotel provides the convenience of hosting both ceremony and reception on-site. With multiple reception spaces available, you can select the perfect ambiance to complement your wedding vision, whether it be the elegant Emma Koehler Room or the intimate Elephant Cellar.
However, it’s the hotel’s stunning courtyard that truly steals the spotlight, offering a picturesque backdrop for exchanging your vows or dancing the night away. The outdoor space is beautifully landscaped, featuring lush greenery and charming architecture for you and your guests to enjoy.
Located within Hotel Emma, the Sternewirth and Swiggle Key are two areas that you can also use for your celebration. Sternewirth is a historic space reimagined as a tavern and club room and offers a cozy yet sophisticated ambiance. While your guests enjoy the atmosphere of exposed brick walls and vintage decor, they can also savor craft cocktails, fine wines, and artisanal beers. Swiggle Key is another one of my favorite spots because it sits adjacent to Sternewirth and features a wall of windows and a thoughtfully decorated space. It also has a charming outdoor patio that overlooks the river and Pearl’s amphitheater—these spaces combined will allow your guests can unwind while enjoying the overall experience.
Food and Beverage
If you’re a foodie and want the culinary experience to be top-notch for your wedding, look no further than Hotel Emma. It’s as exceptional as the venue itself and makes the entire wedding experience truly unforgettable. The hotel’s food options are a highlight, featuring the unique exhibition kitchen where guests can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the skilled chefs working throughout your reception. They offer a wide variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres and gourmet entree selections, so you can’t go wrong when creating your menu.
The bar offerings are equally impressive, with the ability to craft signature cocktails and choose from an extensive selection of wines and spirits. They focus on quality, creativity, and amazing service, so I guarantee that you’ll be ecstatic with your choice to celebrate at Hotel Emma.
Accommodations
By choosing a venue that offers on-site accommodations, your wedding planning experience will become that much more seamless and stress-free. Hotel Emma has a variety of beautifully decorated rooms and suites, which provide an air of luxury to your hotel stay. As the bride and groom, you can book a special bridal suite for both your pre-wedding prep and post-celebration relaxation.
Your guests can choose from a range of accommodations including both cozy guest rooms and spacious suites if they are traveling in a group. Each room has modern amenities and is sure to provide the perfect experience for your guests from the moment they arrive through checkout.
Special Considerations
When considering Hotel Emma as your wedding venue, it’s important to note a few things. The hotel’s popularity as a wedding destination means that early booking is key to securing your desired date and overnight accommodations.
The hotel is committed to excellence, so coordinating with their experience planning team will ensure that every detail of your wedding will be flawlessly executed. However, pricing may be at a premium compared to other ensues in the area because they offer so much in their wedding packages and provide a truly unforgettable wedding experience.
Are you ready to choose your wedding venue? Read about my other favorite venues on the blog.
Want to check “hire photographer” off of your wedding to-do list? Learn more about my available packages here, and get in touch or fill out the inquiry form below!
the latest
It’s no secret that wedding planning can be stressful–there are a million decisions, big and small, to make in such a short time. It’s vital that create a wedding vendor team that is not only capable of creating your vision but is also supportive and encouraging throughout the process. To help you choose the best vendors for you, I’ve compiled a list of all of my favorite wedding vendors in Austin, Texas. Happy planning!
Venues
Wish Well House
Are you in search of a venue that’s the perfect combination of modern and historic charm? Look no further than the Wish Well House, located a short distance outside of Austin, Texas. With high ceilings, exposed beams, beautiful windows, and an expansive outdoor courtyard, this venue is a photographer’s dream. There are so many amazing benefits to choosing the Wish Well House that I had no choice but to include it on my favorites list.
The Arlo
With the rental of The Arlo, you and your guests will enjoy the stunning landscape surrounded by a classic and elegant space. With a light and bright design, the venue will complement any vision you may have to celebrate your wedding day. The indoor spaces are full of large windows and modern touches, and the outdoor spaces showcase beautiful views of Texas Hill Country providing a picturesque background for your wedding photos.
Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa
If your wedding vision is a mix of Southern hospitality and total luxury, Omni Barton Creek is the perfect choice for your special day. The resort caters to both intimate weddings and large-scale celebrations with up to 400 guests in attendance and offers a variety of available spaces to explore. Not only are the grounds and event spaces beautifully designed, but the on-site staff is extremely professional and highly trained, making Omni Barton Creek one of my very favorite wedding vendors in Austin, Texas.
Planning + Coordination
All in the Details Events
All in the Details is a wedding planning company serving Austin, Texas that will help you to produce a beautiful, custom celebration. Specializing in event design and flawless execution, you can trust their team to effortlessly bring your wedding vision to life. With a variety of services and wedding packages available as well as their commitment to reflecting each couple’s personal style, they’re my go-to choice for planning and event coordination in San Antonio.
Three Strand Cord Weddings by Marie Miller
If you need a helping hand with wedding planning and coordination that can also make you feel confident and relaxed, look no further than Three Strand Cord Weddings. Marie offers a variety of packages from month-of coordination to full-service planning — as well as à la carte options — so there’s something for every bride. Confidently and comfortably bring your wedding vision to life with an expert by your side.
Bridal Boutique
Blue Bridal Boutique
Located in South Austin, Texas, Blue Bridal Boutique will provide you with a seamless and fun wedding dress shopping experience. Women-owned and operated, the boutique offers a collection of hand-picked gowns from both well-known brands and up-and-coming designers. They embrace inclusivity and will support you in the search for your perfect dress with kindness and positivity. If you book an appointment at this boutique, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Bridal Beauty
LUX Beauty and Bridal
Whether you’re hosting a small wedding or you have a huge bridal party needing hair and makeup, LUX Beauty and Bridal is a fantastic choice. Their team includes over 60 professionals and offers a wide variety of services to people of all skin tones and hair textures. LUX Beauty and Bridal is a four-time winner of the Wedding Wire Couples’ Choice Awards and it’s not difficult to see why. Their team is perfect for couples who are looking for a high-touch experience and are looking for support throughout the planning process.
Blush N’ Bangs
Another one of my favorite wedding vendors in Austin, Texas is Blush N’ Bangs, an award-winning bridal hair and beauty salon. As a talented team of hair and makeup professionals, they can offer services to bring any look to life, and can also help you with pre-wedding beauty services as well! They will come to your venue so you can stay put and enjoy your day and even offer mobile tanning if you’re looking for a beautiful bridal glow.
Videographer
Reverent Wedding Films
As a photographer, I believe that telling the story of your wedding day is invaluable. When I came across Reverent Wedding Films, I loved that they felt the same way. Capturing every moment of your wedding day is special, and their cinematic style will perfectly showcase your love story on film. Their award-winning team creates a highly personalized experience for each couple with dedicated wedding film coordinators and customizable videography packages.
Florals
Reverie Floristry
Whether you’ve found floral inspiration on Pinterest or you’re looking for an extremely unique design, Reverie Floristry can bring your vision to life. They specialize in contemporary and romantic floral design, making every event space they work with truly impactful. You can line your ceremony aisle with gorgeous blooms, create large-scale floral installations for your reception, or focus on one stunning bridal bouquet–they’ve got you covered.
Native Bloom Floral and Design
If you’re interested in distinctive florals for your wedding that are unlike anything you’ve seen before, Native Bloom is the vendor for you. As owners of multiple wedding venues in the area as well, their team is well-versed in creating well-rounded designs to complement large, modern spaces. They emphasize working closely with couples and take their inspiration from the breathtaking native surroundings in the Texas Hill Country.
Music and Entertainment
Exodus Sound Co
There’s nothing that sets the tone for your wedding more than your entertainment. Exodus Sound Co is one of my favorite wedding vendors in Austin, Texas because they combine live music with a DJ to create well-rounded events that offer variety to the guests. Their team loves to create interactive experiences throughout each wedding so there’s never a dull moment and the party keeps going until the very last moment.
The great city of Austin, Texas offers so many amazing vendors that are highly professional and ready to take on your wedding. No matter who you choose, you’ll be supported throughout the entire planning process and will have the perfect team to create your once-in-a-lifetime wedding experience.
Looking for vendors closer to San Antonio? Read about them here.
Need to check “hire wedding photographer” off your list? See my services.
In need of engagement session inspiration? Find it here.
