Any Cakies out there have a Texas wedding in the works? Allow us to introduce you two The Salt Lick, which is not just a tasty spot to indulge in some incredible Texas BBQ, but a historic property featuring two completely different wedding venues right in Texas Hill Country. The crew behind Salt Lick’s weddings offered up a little tour of Pecan Grove and Thurman’s Mansion… And yep, they sure do come complete with mouthwatering BBQ for guests to enjoy while celebrating your nuptials.
PS: Don’t forget to use the promo at the end of the post for your own venue reservation!
If you’re not familiar with The Salt Lick, they’ve been serving the Hill Country + Austin area barbeque for generations—ever since Thurman Roberts and his sons built their legendary BBQ pit (which still stands at the Driftwood Restaurant) back in 1967. Now, the restaurant feeds more than 800 guests at once and serves more than 4,000 diners from across the world over any given weekend.
The best part? They have two private wedding venues on the very same property. Pecan Grove is an expansive space (the reception site seats 350!) where you can say I Do underneath pecan trees on the banks of Onion Creek, enjoy cocktail hour by the water, and retreat indoors for the reception. Did we mention that you’ll enjoy a BBQ buffet and beer by the firepit as part of the festivities? Pecan Grove also has onsite bridal suite & groom’s room, plus bonus communal room for wedding parties.
The Salt Lick has a pretty fascinating story behind it, too: In 1967, Thurman Roberts took a leap into the restaurant industry by opening The Salt Lick. Originally it was a roadside stand centered around an old-fashioned smoke pit built with rocks from the 500 acres of Driftwood property Thurman purchased when he first moved to Texas. He would sleep on a cot, under the stars, next to his BBQ pit and sell meat throughout the weekend until it was gone. His wife, Hisako, made side dishes and brought them to the stand to sell. There was no running water, no electricity, and no restrooms. Eventually, as the restaurant grew, Thurman began to place picnic tables and build walls around the pit to create what is now the original restaurant. This BBQ pit still stands in the main restaurant today and remains the heartbeat of the entire operation.
Now, onto venue no. 2! Thurman’s Mansion sits atop a hill overlooking the restaurant. It’s got panoramic views of the hill country and even Salt Lick Vineyard.
A wedding at the mansion often involves I Do on Thurman’s lawn, cocktail hour on the veranda overlooking the vines, and family style dinner + dancing in the main hall.
Terracotta tiles, wooden ceiling beams, an antique armoire from the Blanco Courthouse, stained glass and stone walls are just a few features of Thurman’s Mansion. It also seats 150 and has an onsite bridal suite + groom’s room.
Major bonus, it all looks pretty darn magical once the sun goes down.
Of course, you won’t want to book these venues without offering some tasty barbeque to your guests, so The Salt Lick is the exclusive caterer and bar service provider for each venue. You can even book a private dining room at Driftwood Restaurant M-F if you’re looking for a Texas-style rehearsal dinner. Yum!
Head on over to saltlickbbq.com to learn more and mention this ad for $200 off your venue rental rate through 2019.
*This post was sponsored by The Salt Lick. Big thanks to them, and to all of our sponsors, for allowing us to share inspiring content every day!