Missy Harman and Drew Benedict’s Picturesque Hill Country Wedding at Camp Lucy
The night he chose to propose, Drew had everything planned out: the ring was ready, the dinner reservations were made, and the hotel room was booked. The plan was, he and Missy would look at a house, probably the 30th house they had considered buying in Oklahoma City, and then they would walk down to a nearby park. There, Drew would ask Missy to marry him.
Unfortunately, Drew couldn’t control Oklahoma weather. As the rain started to fall that evening in March, Drew started to panic – Missy would be off work soon and headed to Oklahoma City. Thankfully, though, the hotel where he booked the room, The Skirvin Hilton in downtown Oklahoma City, had an umbrella at the front desk. Drew’s plan had changed, but it wasn’t ruined.
“It wasn’t tornado weather or anything, but it was coming down a little bit,” Drew said. “We were not damp afterward – but the umbrella was key. Without the umbrella, it would have fallen apart. It actually added a little bit of Breakfast at Tiffany’s to it.”
That day in March, Drew asked Missy if she could see building a life together. She said she could. “Well, marry me then,” he said. In hindsight, Drew realizes he didn’t ask Missy to marry him. “She hasn’t said no yet, although I don’t know if she ever said yes, so maybe it’s still up in the air,” he said with a laugh.
Missy and Drew met through a mutual friend while they were both attending the University of Oklahoma College of Law. They ended up having a class together, and Drew sat in front of Missy. Drew quickly started to notice that when he came into class, Missy immediately started talking to her friends. “I was so awkward,” Missy said with a laugh. “We had met, and I thought he was cute – and I wouldn’t talk to him.”
Throughout law school, they had classes together, and finally, in one of those classes, Drew used the opportunity to ask Missy out. He texted her while sitting across the room. Missy didn’t answer for what felt like a long time. She was trying to play it cool. “I wasn’t taken off guard, but I was definitely like ‘Oh my gosh, he wants to make me dinner,” she said, “and I got real awkward.”
They “officially” started dating in 2013. Two years later, Drew proposed on March 13, 2015. Originally, Missy wanted to get married in the fall in California. That meant she and her family had to start planning the wedding quickly. “Right after we got engaged, my parents and I jumped immediately on stuff,” Missy said. “My advice to brides is to not do that. It was really overwhelming, and it took away from some of the fun of it.”
The positive of planning early, though, was that Missy found a venue that she and Drew loved. In the midst of trying to plan a wedding in California from Oklahoma, Missy saw an ad for Camp Lucy, a Hill Country ranch-turned-wedding-venue in Dripping Springs. She was quickly overtaken with the beauty of the venue, which features ancient oak trees and a 19th Century chapel, shipped from Vietnam and rebuilt at Camp Lucy. “I also liked the fact that it was an outdoor venue with a distinct indoor space used for receptions,” Missy said.
To help ease the stress of planning a destination wedding, Missy enlisted the help of the wedding experts at Brock + Co. Events. The couple was amazed by their innovative ideas and knowledge.
“Be definite about your ideas – what you want, what you like, what you don’t want,” Missy said. “And if they have an idea about how to make your idea a reality, trust them.”
The couple hosted their rehearsal dinner at the Rattle Inn, a bar and live music venue in downtown Austin’s West 6th Street District. They agreed that they wanted the reception to be low key. Several guests were traveling from out of state, and they wanted the opportunity to see everyone in a more relaxed environment.
When the big day arrived Missy and Drew took a moment before the excitement began to have a first look photo, and are so glad they did. It helped calm their nerves and gave them a more personal moment they will never forget. “It was nice to be able to see him and talk to him before being in front of 350 of our closest friends,” Missy said. “It’s a day about you all, so it’s nice to share that first moment just between you all and actually have a chance to see each other.”
For their ceremony, Missy and Drew chose the Sacred Oaks venue at Camp Lucy, which features ancient oak trees with branches that create a picturesque canopy. “It’s like they plopped down a brick walkway in the middle of a forest,” Missy said. “It’s really pretty.” Missy made her way down the candlelit aisle in a beautiful Monique Lhuillier gown, featuring intricate floral lattice beading. By her side, her three bridesmaids wore light pink dresses with gold beading. The couple said I do in front of a stunning floral archway.
Originally, Missy and Drew planned include their dog Harvey, a Labradoodle, in the ceremony. Even though Harvey didn’t end up attending the wedding, Missy’s mom surprised them with a little Harvey design poking out of the bottom of their five-tier wedding cake. “My mom used to ask me if I was in love with Drew or Harvey,” Missy said. “I would say both.”
For the reception, guests made their way to long tables underneath a soaring tent, where they enjoyed a delicious meal that included herb and pepper crusted beef tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted Brussel sprouts. After the meal, everyone danced, partied and celebrated love. Missy and Drew were incredibly happy with how their wedding turned out. Throughout the night, Drew took brief moments to pause and look at how much fun everyone was having. It was advice his brother-in-law gave him, and he’s glad he listened.
“I would slip away to get a drink real quick and just stop,” Drew said. “Everyone was having an incredible time, the setting was beautiful, and to realize – everyone is here to celebrate this and to celebrate us – and it turned out the best we could hope for, that was great.”
FEATURED VENDORS
Wedding Planner | Brock + Co Events
Venue | Camp Lucy
Catering, Decor/Rentals, Lighting | Whim Hospitality
Bridal Gown and Accessories | Julian Gold
Cake | Simon Lee Bakery
Florist | Wendee Sawran Petals and Decor
Videography | The Bird and The Bear Photography and Films
The Grooves, Hill Country Strings, Senon at Salon Be, Taylor Tompkins, Transportation Consultants, Jenny DeMarco Photography
Other Local Vendors:
Julian Gold, Simon Lee Bakery, Transportation Consultants, Camp Lucy, The Bird And The Bear Photography & Films, Botanical No. 9, Brock + Co. Events, Jenny DeMarco Photography, Hill Country Strings, The Grooves Dance Band, Whim Hospitality
