Love blossomed in the bleachers for Madison Glendenning and Caleb Lavey, who met in grade school and fell in love during high school football season. Undeterred by different colleges, they nurtured their relationship over the miles: Madison traveled from TCU to Oklahoma State to watch Caleb play college football. In February 2016, they celebrated a major win at their wedding.

For a couple who had known each other since fourth and fifth grade and shared many of the same friends, deciding on a wedding venue was the easy part. They chose the bride’s family ranch in Celina, where Madison’s sister had also gotten married. They hired Todd Fiscus for his wedding playbook—and the magic began.

The wedding day unfolded with healthy doses of sentiment and surprise. The ceremony was held in the First United Methodist Church of Celina—a touching moment, considering it was the last wedding in the old church before moving to a new location. Then guests traveled to the Glendenning ranch, guided by charming signage on hay bales made by the bride’s father, Rex—a throwback to football days when the “hay man” would create signs before all the games. Once at the ranch, guests were entertained in a spacious tent accented with shades of rose gold, antique gold, and navy. The color palette added sleek, modern touches to the rustic charm. The bride’s favorite flourish was something she had no idea was coming, a fantastic rose wall behind the band. “On Saturday morning, I peeked at the tent, and it was like, ‘Whoa, hello floral!’” recalls Madison.

Madison chose a column gown by Berta and added a dramatic train for the ceremony. The bride and groom chose a first look rather than first seeing each other among their 300 friends and family members. “I knew I would be anxious because all I’d want to do was see Caleb. I didn’t want to ruin the moment,” she says. “We went to the church and he was standing at the end of the aisle. Caleb is not a crier or emotional person, but he was more emotional than I was. It really hit him at that moment. Right when we saw each other, every nerve just went away.”

The first look allowed the couple time to take photos before the ceremony with family and friends and to enjoy the party. “I had no regrets with the first look. You’re on such a high once the ceremony’s over, you just want to enjoy this party you’ve been planning for a year.”

They danced with their guests into the night, then enjoyed a fireworks show before being whisked off in a vintage Rolls-Royce. After a honeymoon in Europe, they settled in Frisco and now work with Madison’s parents in the family’s commercial real estate business. Now, they relish their kickoff to married life.

—Connie Dufner