Venue Highlight: Spring Creek Estates
Photo courtesy of Shelby Chante Photography
We had the opportunity to film at Spring Creek Estates in Republic, MO last October and we definitely loved how it was setup! The bridal and groom suites offered great natural light and you could get pretty creative when all the lights are turned off. The ceremony and reception areas are interconnected as well (a logistical favorite for any videographer!) You can check out our highlight video here. We caught up with Shauna, the co-owner of Spring Creek Estates, to get to know her more and learn how she is helping serve her couples in the community.
*Can you describe the history and background of Spring Creek Estates?
Spring Creek Estates was established in 2015, originally known as “Spring Creek Venue.” The haybarn located at the top of the hill was given a makeover with an addition for extra space, covered patio for the ceremony, and an office trailer converted to bathrooms nearby. Weddings were held a few times a year in the early years. In October 2021, we (Shauna and Benjamin Mitchell) bought the venue, rebranded to Spring Creek Estates, and have continued to upgrade the beautiful space monthly and have 60 weddings booked for 2023!
*What inspired you to start this business, and how long have you been operating the venue?
My background is in Criminal Justice- I was a private investigator for 10 years! I had a few other side jobs but ultimately, I always wanted to run my own business. Wedding venues had just begun to become very popular and our original intent was to build new until prices skyrocketed around the time Covid hit. Spring Creek Estates was listed for sale in October 2021 and we put an offer on it first day on the market! We fell in love with the space and have poured our hearts and investment capital into improving it!
*What sets your wedding venue apart from others in the area?
We have an outdoor covered ceremony space directly attached to a modern barn – which couples love because their ceremony can be held outside rain or shine! We also love that it’s on 20 acres and while it feels so private and peaceful, we are still only a few minutes away from stores if anything is needed.
*Can you describe the different spaces and amenities available at your venue for wedding ceremonies and receptions?
First off couples love the land and ample photos spots. We just installed a pond so nearly everyone takes photos by the pond as a backdrop. We also boast of one of the most spacious get ready cottages for couples – with a kitchen and décor room included for the day. Lastly a favorite of couples is our outdoor ceremony that can transition to a dance floor. Having 200 people dancing under the string lights at night is just SO fun!
*How do you work with couples to ensure their wedding day is everything they dreamed of?
We have multiple resources in order to make sure couples are prepared and ready for their wedding day. We have on our website many resources including frequently asked questions, measurements for items onsite, décor items, and a planner they fill out a few months before so we can best prepare for the wedding day. They can also come to monthly open houses to bring planners, friends/family, vendors, and that really helps in the planning process for them.
*What are some common mistakes or oversights that couples often make when planning their wedding, and how do you help them avoid these?
One of the most valuable things I think a couple can do is to have a wedding coordinator or someone in charge during the day of the wedding (that preferably is not not family). So much less stress to know someone else is handling details and timeline of the day so the couple can enjoy getting ready and experience all the fun moments with family/friends.
Photos courtesy of Shelby Chante Photography
*How do you handle unexpected issues or challenges on a wedding day?
Something will always come up! We never promise perfection but we will always do what it takes to make the day amazing for our couples! Last fall, one hour before the ceremony, I was contacted about the outdoor drapes falling down (it was a crazy windy day). There’s always a solution and for this one it was getting a nail gun and securing those drapes so they definitely were NOT going to fall down anymore! I guess I’d say we will always come up with a solution!
*Can you discuss any partnerships or relationships you have with local vendors, such as caterers or photographers, to enhance the wedding experience for couples?
We’ve been fortunate to have so many great vendors (including Salcedo Films) over the past year at our venue! We know these relationships are important and love creating new ones. The vendors who have displayed exceptional work at our venue are listed on our website (www.springcreekestates.co) as Vendors we Love so that our couples have a “go to list” for vendors who have been on site and we definitely recommend!
Lastly, if your venue was a celebrity, who would it be?
Haha! Good question! I’ll go with Audrey Hepburn as far the spirit and environment we try to create at Spring Creek Estates! Audrey was known for being beautiful, charming, accepting, and adaptive! These are things we embody at our venue. In her own words, ““They say love is the best investment; the more you give, the more you get in return.”
We hope to film more weddings at Spring Creek Estates, and if you’re inspired by barn style weddings, we highly recommend giving Spring Creek Estates a consideration! If you’d like to know more make sure to visit their website here.
We are Jian and Camille, a husband and wife wedding videographer team based in Springfield, Missouri. With a background in filming music videos and YouTube content, we discovered our love for capturing the beautiful moments of weddings.
We are truly passionate about our craft and are always striving to improve our skills as wedding videographers. Our goal is to provide each couple with a unique and personalized film that reflects their personalities and style.
As a husband and wife team, we understand the importance of love and commitment, and we strive to capture that essence in every wedding film we create. We are honored to be a part of your special day and look forward to creating a beautiful film that you will cherish for years to come. Check out our work here.
