Gardens at Old Town Helotes

n the first place. Every other part of this review is a full on warning about the new management company, Bluebonnet Events, and how their mismanagement, poor communication, and disregard for agreements ruined our wedding day. When our original venue canceled with less than six months to go, The Gardens felt like a blessing—it was stunning, close by, and run by kind, professional people who truly cared. We worked with Vickie, who was everything a bride could hope for: responsive, flexible, and understanding. She helped us stay within budget and even got approval from the owner to use our own caterer and self-serve setup, which we had already paid for elsewhere. Everything was perfect—until three weeks before our wedding, when I received an unexpected email from Amanda at Bluebonnet Events, introducing themselves as the new management and informing me they would now be my only point of contact. The email claimed all existing agreements would be honored—that turned out to be false. Within days, they demanded an additional $600 for security, which was already included and paid for, and cleanup crew, which had been previously approved to not have. When I challenged the charges and showed proof, they removed the fee for the security but insisted that our catering approval was invalid since it wasn’t in writing. Despite our prior verbal approval directly from the owner, we were forced to pay another $400 for their required cleanup crew, just weeks before the wedding. They knew we had no choice at that point—they had us cornered. Then came the wedding day itself, which should have been joyful and stress-free. Instead, Amanda interrupted us ladies while we were getting ready to complain about parking (for cars that weren’t even ours). Then a “day-of-coordinator” appeared, also interrupting me getting ready, even though I had been told that service wasn’t included unless we paid extra—yet she didn’t follow my instructions at all. She ignored my plan walking the flat, accessible route and forced me in heels and a ballgown and my uncle escorting me down an uneven set of rocks they considered stairs when neither of us are good on stairs. It was awkward, unsafe, and humiliating. The ceremony itself was lovely thanks to our family and vendors—but the reception quickly became chaos. From the moment we walked in, we were rushed nonstop. It made no sense until later, when my husband was told that “by contract,” the event had to end by 9 p.m. and we’d need to pay another $400 to continue—even though our signed contract clearly stated we had the venue until 11 p.m. By then, we were exhausted and out of options. The staff began pushing guests out early, ruining our last dance and cutting short the night we’d dreamed of for years. When we looked back at the contract later, our suspicions were confirmed: management had simply scheduled their crew until 9 p.m. and tried to pressure us into paying more so they could leave early. Our guests felt uncomfortable, our timeline was destroyed, and one of the happiest nights of our lives now carries a permanent stain. In short—the venue is beautiful, but the new management is absolutely not trustworthy. If you’re considering this venue, I strongly urge you to verify every detail in writing and triple check who you’re dealing with.

ded but not limited to wedding coordinators, caters, DJ, Bartender, hair and makeup, and bakers. Communication with Ms. Vicki throughout the entire process went smoothly. We were able to set up an appointment to view the venue, she sat down with myself, and my day of coordinator and she assisted with holding items that were accidentally left behind on our big night. Any and all questions I had regarding information needed for vendors, decorations, and do's and don'ts she was always very quick to respond. This venue helped my childhood dream wedding turn reality. If you're looking for fairy garden whimsical, or secluded and intimate, this is the place to book.

y nice touch and a great place for my bridesmaids and I to get ready before the wedding. Everyone had an amazing time and I'd highly recommend this venue for weddings! Also, I'd highly recommend going with Thirsty Bear Bartending, the preferred bartending service for The Gardens At Old Town Helotes. The bar was full all night!

tails covered to ensure my wedding day went off without a hitch! The scenery was perfect for every photo and video we captured, the bridal cabin was beautiful! I was extremely pleased with everything about my pick!