4.9 out of 5 stars and 16 reviews
4.9
(16)Austin, Waco, Belton, Killeen, Temple
About this vendor
Dove Nest Estate is a unique rustic industrial wedding venue with a lot of character nestled in the hills of the charming TX countryside just outside Gatesville, minutes from Temple, Killeen, Belton, and Waco. Newly renovated, this unique property embraces nature and the classic southern country style while offering sleek amenities in abundance. Here, industrial aesthetic and plush meadows abound, providing you with endless opportunities for your everlasting union.
Every inch of Dove Nest Estate is tailored and designed for large weddings of up to 300 guests. Between The Nest's flexible 7,500 square-foot climate controlled interiors, outdoor patio, courtyard and ceremony site, along with The Saloon and 4,500 square-foot Pavilion, you will find ample space to enjoy your big day. The grounds are just as stunning, its wide expanses filled with mature oak trees, cactus beds, and vibrant bluebonnets. If you wish to stay immersed in the cool Texas breeze for the entirety of your day, this incredible space effortlessly transforms into a live music arena. Meanwhile, The Nest offers the ultimate contemporary barn setting, enriched with high steel beams with floor to ceiling windows. The space has been expertly designed to optimize light and air, allowing guests to flow inside and out easily. The adjacent Saloon is the real gem of the property, paying perfect homage to the décor of the Old West. Here, you can find a 1,600 square-foot full-service bar, an industrial smoker, and an enticing fireplace. Further features include the dressing rooms, outdoor ceremony site and courtyard, lounge areas, tables and chairs.
Located only a 70-minute from Austin and a 45-minute drive from Waco, Dove Nest Estate is ideal for weekend-long destination weddings in central Texas. Five fully-furnished cabins are available on-site, with ample space for up to six guests, including four-legged VIPs. In addition to the extensive event spaces, the property also features an off-road track, hiking trails, and all-terrain vehicles to discover the grounds.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Business Attributes
- Asian-owned Business
- Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Settings
- Barn
- Farm & Ranch
- Estate
- Industrial & Warehouse
- Trees
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Bar Rental
- Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
- Planning
- Wedding Design
Awards and Affiliations
2025 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9
out of 5.016 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 5
This is an absolutely beautiful venue!!!!!!! Everyone was so helpful and accommodating. Thank you for everything!
Dove Nest Estate is a one of a kind venue! Such a gorgeous property with many great amenities. The Dove Nest is stunning for receptions/events and features multiple ceremony locati...
ons outdoors and indoors in case of bad weather. We loved the bride and groom getting ready suites! The guys loved the Dry Bean Saloon with the pool table and foosball! I especially love that there’s overnight accommodations for family and friends! The owners Toan and Nhi are amazing and will help you plan the wedding of your dreams! Thank y’all so much! 🥰👰🏼♀️🤵🏻♂️
Excellent experience, very nice and huge venue, the character of the property is one of a kind and very nice.. great people and they want to make your experience great
Very friendly and professional service. Good food and drinks. Beautiful venue
Owner's are great people to work with. Also go above and beyond to meet your needs
A beautiful piece of Texas
You can bring family and friends to have the best time riding and camping in there really cool cabins .
Best hospitality ever.
Great staff.
Super cool facilities.
Beautiful grounds and venue. Ideal for the perfect backdrop and real Texas feel wedding or event.
The owners are amazing and so caring! Truly make sure you are welcome and try to accommodate anything you need.
Super friendly.
Outstanding service
Beautiful location, super friendly staff and top notch accommodations!
Was a very pretty venue, but the rules were always changing with management, and it was very dirty.
We just had our wedding at Dove Nest Estate, and it was better than we could have dreamed of. We explored many different venues, and nobody was as accommodating as The Dove Nest Es...
tate. They provided ample time and access to the venue in the months leading up to the wedding. This included rehearsal and set up the day prior, and morning of the wedding. We did not use a wedding coordinator, so the access and assistance Stephanie and Rene provided really made everything run smoothly. Aside from the venue being gorgeous inside and out, the lack of unnecessary rules enabled us to have everything just the way we wanted. Our dog is a big part of our lives, and we wanted him to enjoy the wedding just like everyone else. Almost every venue we spoke to would require him to be in a crate, which was unacceptable for us. This was not an issue at Dove Nest, and he was able to wander around celebrating our big day just like everyone else. Stephanie and Rene were incredibly helpful before, during and after our wedding. They remained on site for the duration and were eager to assist with anything that came up such as lighting, music, seating etc.
There are multiple ceremony sites to choose from, all boasting unique backdrops. The area for the groom and groomsmen is a unique tavern with a space to grill out and ample room to get dressed. The bridal suite was equipped with plenty of mirrors and space from the girls to get ready as well. We especially loved the elegant floor to ceiling windows which created the perfect lighting for photos.
The Dove Nest also included tables, chairs, and furniture for lounging, whereas they must be rented at many other venues. Everyone loved that there were multiple spots outside to relax and enjoy the Texas spring weather. We highly recommend the Dove Nest Estate for your special day.
Beautiful venue with amazing staff & owners! Their beautiful hall is a blank canvas that can fit any event style. Perfect for weddings, any celebrations or corporate events! We lov...
e the ATV track on-site that makes it so unique from all the other venues in the area. They also have cabins in the property, perfect for a whole weekend of partying. They took very great care of us during our event. If you are looking for a venue for your event, this is the place to be!
This venue is absolutely beautiful! The distance is the perfect way away from Austin, TX. You get the right balance of the country and comfortable amenities, and The Nest is such a...
unique building that photographs beautifully. Plenty of space for all of your guests and acitvities.
Dove Nest Estate has everything you could want in a wedding venue! Their main building has extra large windows bringing in a ton of daylight. There's a saloon off to the side with ...
it's own unique charm. There are cabins on site and outdoor activities too!
Contact
2225 County Road 342, Gatesville, TX | Austin, Waco, Belton, Killeen, Temple
Dove Nest Estate