Pflugerville venue creates scenic backdrop

Tanner and Joanna King said brides often panic on their wedding day at The Plantation House, the wedding venue the couple owns, but not for the reason most people would expect.

"They worry that it's almost too easy," Joanna said. "They keep thinking, 'Should I be doing something?' Should I be asking different questions? But because we are so hands-on, and it's our place, we have everything ready to go."

Since Joanna's parents opened The Plantation House in 1998, the venue has hosted nearly 900 weddings, Tanner said. In 2011 the Kings bought the house and the business from Joanna's parents.

The wedding venue sits on 5 acres and includes a large house wedding guests can use, a climate-controlled wedding reception area, a small gazebo for the wedding ceremony and a meticulously groomed landscape that Tanner said makes every photo a great shot.

The Plantation House was built in the '80s for a family with 10 children. In 1995, Joanna's family bought the house and, three years later, turned their family home into a wedding venue. Joanna said her parents had been entrepreneurs for most of their lives—her dad owned Video Austin, a video store, off Cameron Road for many years—but had no wedding business experience prior to starting The Plantation House.

"They just thought this would be a great place for weddings," Joanna said.

Joanna said she was drawn to buy the business from her parents because she enjoys how the job changes on a daily basis.

"The wedding day itself is such a rush," she said. "There is a lot of adrenaline, a lot of emotions and everything moves quickly; I love that pace. It's also very rewarding work because we are trying to produce the best day of their lives."

The Plantation House has a maximum capacity of 200 people, and Joanna said the ideal amount of guests is 125 to 150. The Kings have a list of vendors they can recommend to brides and grooms-to-be for services such as food and music. However, Joanna said they are happy to work with any vendors the guests of honor want.

And although every wedding is different, Joanna said the couple's philosophy for each one remains the same.

"We try to take care of all the details so they don't have to worry on their big day," Joanna said. "We want their wedding day to be family- and friend-focused so they don't have to do a lot of work."

Book ahead

The Plantation House co-owner Joanna King recommends anyone considering a fall or spring wedding at The Plantation House reserve their date between a year to 18 months in advance.

She added that 2015 summer dates quickly filled up after a climate-controlled wedding reception area was added.

Wedding tips from the pros

Tanner and Joanna King said they have helped put on hundreds of weddings, and they have a few tips for anyone planning for their big day.

Hire professionals: Joanna said that although couples sometimes think they can save money by taking a do-it-yourself approach, she often sees these couples spend more money than if they went with a professional from the start.

"[Hiring professionals] just takes a lot of the anxiety and a lot of the work out of it," she said.

Spouses should work together: Tanner and Joanna said they often see a bride take on most of the planning and responsibilities and the groom has little involvement.

"It needs to be more on guys to say, 'This is my future, too,'" Tanner said.

No such thing as perfection: Joanna recommends that brides and grooms not worry about having the perfect wedding.

"I think the best memories are made in the imperfect part of the day sometimes," Joanna said. "Regardless of what happens, you're getting married, so keep that the focus."

3603 Kelly Lane, Pflugerville, 512-990-3800, www.plantationhouse.us