Briscoe Manor is a beautiful wedding and event venue situated on 50 acres in Richmond, Texas, just outside of Houston. The property has been in the family since 1835, but, in 2004, they decided to share the estate with others by turning it into an event destination. Owners and operators, Jorden and Stephanie Mahler, felt the community they lived in had a need for an upscale wedding venue. And 14 years later, it has become West Houston’s premier wedding locale.
It may be in part due to its country setting. Jorden said, “We’re 30 minutes from the heart of Houston, but still in the country. So when guests arrive, they appreciate the country feel as they enter the property with longhorns in the pasture.” Briscoe Manor definitely has it all. Couples can exchange their vows in the unparalleled limestone chapel or the private courtyard under the stars. Guests can dance the night away in the grand ballroom or relax in a rocking chair next to the outdoor fireplace overlooking a private lake.
New to the estate are two Morton buildings—The Barn at Briscoe Manor and Ella’s Décor Barn. When it came time to build, there was really no other choice but to build Morton. “This was our 5th building with Morton, so we’ve had a great relationship for the past 13 years,” said Jorden. “Once material hits the ground, get ready…it’s going to go up quick. For us, timing is everything and Morton understands our operations here and tries to accommodate as much as possible where they can.”
“With our first building in 2005, we weren’t exactly sure who to go with, but we did our research and picked Morton based off of their image and what people were saying about their experiences.”
Built in late 2017, The Barn at Briscoe Manor was built to serve as a quiet space to hold those special rehearsal dinners and luncheons, bridal and baby showers, and anniversary parties. Guests enjoy the laid-back atmosphere along with its one-of-a-kind private courtyard that has yard games, fire pits and relaxed seating. The Barn can accommodate up to 100 guests, has both women and men’s restrooms, bar and buffet area and a relaxing porch overlooking the courtyard area.
Ella’s Décor Barn is a space that was built in reaction to noticing how many specialty items their brides seem to be using lately. For example, those 15 lanterns that lined the ceremony aisle or the two wine barrels topped with a rustic door used for a cake table. Some brides might have a special place for that in their home after the wedding, but for many, that time and effort ends after the event.
“For us, we want to provide the same things, but at a fraction of the cost. If we can rent a bride a $50 wine barrel and save her from purchasing one for $160, then we have accomplished our goal,” said Jorden. “Even after events where we see something that we may want to add to our inventory list, we ask to purchase it from the bride so it can be used again for the same purpose.”
“We host around 115 events per year, including corporate Christmas parties. With this new Morton Barn, we can now accommodate smaller type events such as wedding showers, rehearsal dinners/luncheons, baby showers, and retirement parties,” said Jorden.
