Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe & Mona Elliott.
Hi Joe & Mona, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Inspired by the ideas of minimal living and intentional gathering spaces, Wild Roots was brought to life in 2024 to provide a relaxing, unique and affordable experience for those looking to celebrate a wedding, special occasion or just unplug with friends. This 45 acre property with its wooded backdrop, cozy container homes, and inviting glamping accommodations, reimagines what weddings and gatherings can be like.
After 20 years of marriage, we decided to test our entrepreneurial DNA and secured a piece of raw land in Lockhart, Texas in early 2021. Excitement and vision around what could be kept us up at night. Mona has always had a talent for connection in meaningful, authentic ways with others. I (Joe) was the risk taker in the relationship, confident in my ability to run a business and navigate all the details. The truth is, we rarely talked about weddings in the beginning. We wanted to create a space that families and friends would LOVE to gather in and if a wedding was something they wanted to do, so be it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
To bring a vision like this to life was the most difficult thing we have ever had to endure as a couple. What we thought would be an 18 month, 1 million dollar build out, turned into a 39 month, multi million dollar struggle that weighed on our family, our finances, our faith and our marriage. There were many points along the way we deeply discussed pulling the plug. But thankfully, we had a good support system surrounding us that we leaned into for wisdom and encouragement.
After years of struggle, to still be faced with a mountain of unknowns was overwhelming. Would anyone even like the space we built? Would we be able to be profitable? How would we manage this venue AND keep the full time jobs we are working? Are we located too far away from a city? With weddings being booked 12 to 18 months in advance, would we be able to survive that long without the cashflow? Everyday a new concern seemed to arise. All we knew to do was to pray, take deep breaths, and just focus on the one thing we could control that day.
We began to book our first weddings in June of 2024. Tours of the property started to slowly flow in that summer. Each couple or family we toured helped give us a deeper understanding into what it was that people really valued at Wild Roots and their excitement fueled ours. By September of that year, we had hope and confidence that maybe the vision we had to create the ultimate, affordable gathering space, was really coming to life. Momentum continued to build and we ended 2024 with over 30 booked events.
As we got into 2025, the feedback we got from couples began to resemble everything we had wanted to bring to life. The emphasis on the outdoor beauty and the container spaces were a huge hit. From pickleball, basketball, and sand volleyball to heated pools, hiking trails and fishing, our guests were so excited about the variety of things there were to do. Brides fell in love with our ceremony spaces and families loved the idea of a wedding or gathering that allowed everyone to really connect and spend quality time together. Most of all, everyone deeply appreciated the flexibility we gave them to make our property and their event, their own.
By mid May, we had already matched our bookings for 2024 and while we heard other venues talk about how slow things have been, we were experiencing the opposite.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
This amazing place would not have been possible without the tireless dedication of THE BEST contractor we have ever worked with in our lives, Chris Kennedy. When we were at our lowest point, Chris stepped in and stepped up. His work has been nothing short of miraculous and he still continues to be our lead developer on the property.
We also must give credit to our oldest daughter and brilliant wedding photographer, Faith Risinger (Faith Elliott Photography) Faith had been a successful photographer right out of High School and her creative talents and industry insight have continued to steer us in the right direction.
Finally, we are blessed to be surrounded with an amazing assortment of friends and family who have all pitched in and left their personal touches on Wild Roots. This includes our son-in-law, Dawson Risinger, who put his own personal ambitions on hold to work with us full-time for a season and get this place off the ground.
Pricing:
- Peak Season Weddings $4,400 to $6,700
- Off Season Weddings $3,000 to $5,700
- Hourly Event Pricing from $150 to $250 per hour
- Bar Services Available
- Overnight Accommodation Packages for up to 28 guests start at only $1,250
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wildrootslockhart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildroots.tx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildrootslockhart/
