The summer of 2013 was a Texas scorcher – so hot, in fact, that it instantly ignited a flame between Lynette Byler and Rowdy Parrott. He, a steer wrestler in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, was working with her brother and cousin, spending a great deal of time away from his home in Mamou, Louisiana. Lynette remembers the immediate spark between the two when they spotted each other and promptly did some research on her new love interest. “I immediately asked everyone who knew him 1,000 questions. I made it very obvious!” she gushes. Rowdy adds that he was in awe of the native Texan’s beauty, and they became a couple soon after they met.

A little over a year later, the lovestruck young man mustered the courage to ask his girlfriend’s father for his blessing. “About September, I decided I wanted to propose. I went to [Mr. Byler’s] office in Houston and asked him if he would let me marry Lynette,” shares Rowdy. Knowing he wanted both of their families to be present for the proposal, Rowdy waited to pop the question until Thanksgiving weekend. When his family joined hers to celebrate the holiday at the Byler family ranch in Uvalde, Lynette didn’t suspect a thing. The bride’s brother and the groom’s sister quietly slipped out to cover the couple’s favorite spot on the property with countless rose petals. Relives Lynette, “We went ‘on a ride’ to go check some things and when we pulled up to a certain spot, he told me to get out and walk with him... When I saw the rose petals, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!”

Throughout their 11-month engagement, the bride was enthusiastic about the coordinating process. She relied heavily on her mother for inspiration and support, divulging that she was her “interpreter.” “If I could explain to her what was in my head, she would make it happen,” says Lynette. When looking for a location that would accommodate their 850 guests, Lynette, her mother, and event planner, Ann Whittington, decided on a picturesque country club known for its ideal proximity and alfresco charm. It was pertinent to the sweethearts that their wedding maintain a rustic motif, working with the natural elements of the property instead of altering or disguising them. “I wanted to use the trees, moss, and greenery to [provide] most of the décor, [as well as] an immense amount of white flowers! I felt like the flowers would make it feminine and delicate,” the bride muses. “The way [the florist decorated] the big tree branch over the altar was breathtaking.”

Attendees flooded the open-air glen, finding their seats on wooden chairs adorned with clusters of fresh blooms and green foliage to match the setting. The bridal party made their way down the blossom-strewn aisle. All 10 bridesmaids stunned in custom-made, metallic ensembles: each embellished with a distinct, intricate pattern. At long last, Lynette – clad in a striking Monique Lhuillier gown and carrying a bouquet of roses, peonies, and olive leaves – made her grand entrance. “The preacher made me turn around really early, so I wouldn’t see Lynette before she walked out of the chapel,” Rowdy reveals. “The most important part to me was waiting to see her walk down the aisle.” The couple penned a few sentences describing why they’d chosen to commit to one another for the rest of their lives; reading their sentiments aloud after they made their traditional vows. “We also wanted to include our parents in the unity ceremony, so we selected the salt covenant and each poured a vase of salt into one big vase,” says the bride of the Christian custom.

Following the “I dos,” friends and family adjourned to the lush reception area for food and fun. Wooden tables topped with assorted perennials and an array of simple candles lined the expansive countryside. “The flower arrangements and centerpieces were all different,” says Lynette. “[Additionally], I am obsessed with rose gold, so we tried to incorporate it into every detail.” In accordance with the bride’s favorite hue, all décor elements – from the delicate linens to the decadent chandeliers suspended overhead from trees – contained rose gold in some fashion. Continuing the aesthetic from the service, guests were delighted by the towering beige branches bedecked with lanterns and complex bundles of greenery. A unique lighting fixture, featuring an eclectic collection of lightbulbs, illuminated the dance floor as the newlyweds swayed to Chris Young’s “Who I Am With You” for their first dance.

The groom was in awe of the celebration his new wife had designed along with the personal touches she integrated into their event – including an ice sculpture made to whimsically represent their family name. “I loved how they incorporated our last name, ‘Parrott,’ into the wedding [by crafting a] parrot ice sculpture in the tent area. I had never seen anything like it. People are still talking about it,” he adds.

Upon reflection, Lynette and Rowdy encourage anyone preparing to tie the knot to enjoy every minute of their wedding. Exclaims the bride, “It was all over before I could blink!” As for the planning process, Rowdy has very poignant advice for future grooms: “She’s always right!” he affirms.