Janie and Jake’s love story is the stuff that rodeo dreams are made of. Janie (a WPRA barrel racer and reporter for the Cowboy Channel) met Jake (a professional Bronc rider) after roping one night in Amarillo. The two hit it off, and although Jake was living in Oklahoma, he kept coming back to Texas and the pair went on a real date. Dinner led to a drive to the canyon rim on her grandmother’s ranch, where they sat and talked for hours. It was at that same spot that he proposed. When it came time to picking a wedding venue, it was also the only spot that made sense.
The couple wanted to celebrate their love story and the ranch in every way. Tinged with western style and bright colors, it would still be elegant, welcoming, and fun. From the beginning, Janie and her mother wanted horseshoes incorporated. Not only because of their love of the animal, but because of the bride’s family tie to Binion’s Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. The color palette began with tones of teal, pink, and sage, and evolved to include fuchsia, mauve, and rust to blend with the colors of the canyon and the red dirt that West Texas is known for. Finally, a range of browns were folded in to honor Janie’s love of Ralph Lauren.
Guests were invited with a custom painting of the canyon. Spade-like designs on the corners of the invitations were a bit of a wink to Vegas, while a metal buckle with silk ribbon tied the components together and paid homage to the couple’s rodeo roots.
The celebration began with a ceremony in the canyon. The 100-foot aisle was lined in fresh flowers, which met in a circular area to anchor the setting. A rodeo announcer served as the officiant, while a guitarist and fiddle player provided the soundtrack, playing as the bride arrived on a stagecoach pulled by 6 black horses (that had belonged to her late grandmother).
Once hitched, the true fun began. Cocktail hour was a Western paradise, with a large bar, a chuck wagon dubbed the “chuckuterie” station; it also honored the groom and groomsmen’s nickname of “chips and salsa” with those very items (plus, the always necessary guacamole). Plus custom popcorn bags, food stations set in large tee pees, and a one-of-a-kind seating display. Inspired by the “million dollar display” at the casino, escort cards were made with engraved buckles sewn onto turquoise escort cards and hung like the money on the original. A horseshoe made of rust-colored blooms surrounded it, with a neon sign reading “Lucky in Love” at the top.
Once testing their luck and grabbing their seating assignment, guests moved towards a bronze frame tent, that felt like a permanent fixture, but was erected just for the occasion. They entered through a floral installation surrounding the door, topped with cow horns that formerly hung in Janie’s grandmother’s home. An oversize lounge setup greeted them, before they continued to their tables. The bars were set with rodeo memorabilia and family photos, bronze statues, and even chaps. And the stage boasted a 4-foot horseshoe replicating the monogram first seen on the couple’s invitation. The entire space was a fresh take on Western, with bronze accents, a mix of patterns and materials, and a unique use of color.
After dinner and dancing, it was time for the after-party, where everyone drank out of light-up cowboy boots and enjoying the songs of country singer Corb Lund.
Photographer: Charla Storey Photography
Venue: Private Ranch
Planner & Designer: Shannon Rose Events
Flowers: Wedfully Yours
Rentals: Party Dallas
Tent: Sandone Productions
Tee Pee: Under the Sky
Linen Rentals: BBJ Linen & Nuage Designs
Hair & Makeup: Pure Beauty
Catering: Two Knives Catering
Cake: The Cake Company
Band: Ray Johnston Band
Paper: Hazelwood Paper Co