One summer, Alison Gross and Pete Dale both found themselves on a party bus headed to Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth for a Robert Earl Keen concert. Despite having many mutual friends, their paths didn’t cross until this fateful night.

After dating for six years, Alison, Pete, and their dogs made their way to Flippen Park one night, and to Alison’s total surprise, Pete proposed under the gazebo. Then, it was time for the planning to begin.

With the ceremony set at Highland Park United Methodist Church, the pair decided on Brook Hollow Golf Club for the reception because of its effortlessly beautiful (and fun) weddings. “It’s nice to be in a space that is beautiful as is,” Alison says. “Before you add anything else.”

Alison enjoys the outdoors, so they complemented the venue with nature-inspired decor: The band background was a take on a pool cabana, and they completed the set with a boxwood wall. “I love being outside, so I wanted the reception to feel like you were in someone’s amazing backyard.”

Picking out her dress came as easy as choosing the ceremony and reception sites. The second place Alison visited in pursuit of the gown was Stanley Korshak. As she was trying on other options, she eyed the one while it was still hanging on the rack. With its unique lace work and ivory coloring, she knew she had found her match before she even slipped it on.

After all the preparations were in place, Alison and Pete said “I do” on September 15, 2018. Out of the whole day, it wasn’t the pomp and circumstance that meant the most to the duo but the little moments in between. “Right when they opened the doors to the ceremony, my dad and I waited a few seconds to walk,” Alison says. “I loved taking a moment to look out into the church and see everyone there. I was in tears shortly after-the feeling of so much love in the room was overwhelming.”

Once the nuptials were complete, the party began. Alison and Pete had planned to add a few of their own twists to typical reception tradition. With Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Woman in Texas” as their first dance, they used an ice cream cart from Baldo’s as their groom’s cake, and mini, plastic, black and white labradors for drink stirrers—an ode to their dogs.  

Now as a married couple, Alison and Pete (and of course their dogs) reside in Dallas. With Alison as an interior designer and Pete as an oil and gas attorney, they don’t find themselves on party buses headed to Fort Worth for Robert Earl Keen concerts too frequently anymore, but they do enjoy escaping to West Texas and Lake Athens during the summertime.