Let's Start at the Beginning

Our Hello! Texas team was asked to create an unforgettable final night reception for 600 guests of a leading educational publisher. The client was “at a loss” for what to do; the final night had always been a big hit with their attendees and coming up with a unique experience each year was a consistent challenge. With many of the venues that could accommodate groups of their size already booked, the only feasible option was the Circle R Ranch. It couldn’t have worked out better—the venue was the perfect size for the group, the perfect distance from the hotel, and the perfect price based on the client’s budget.

Keep Calm and Ride On

The Circle R Ranch is a traditional ranch that prides itself on genuine Texas hospitality, making it one of the most charming western venues in town. With it having the perfect size, proximity, and budget…where’s the challenge?

The client wanted to steer clear of anything western, rustic, or Texas-inspired.

The conference theme was “MINDSET,” which focused on thinking into the future, remaining innovative as a company, and shifting perspectives from the old to the new. The client felt that sticking with a country-western theme in a country-western venue was in direct conflict with the message they wanted to impress upon their guests. We needed to completely transform this western venue into a modern, edgy space that inspired creativity, challenged guests’ mindsets, focused on the future, and defied the status quo. Needless to say, we had our work cut out for us.

The client had hosted one of their last conferences in Miami, and they wanted to keep that vibe for the reception. We chose the décor based on this love of bright color and modern design, creating a hot Miami club feel. Our lighting team installed custom fabric panels to cover the rustic poles and hung over 150 lighting tubes as well as various wave panels and colorful starbursts.

The overall effect of all this modern lighting on a rustic canvas inspired what we now call “Cowboy Pop” or “Electric Rodeo,” our twist on the everyday western event that has been tremendously popular with many other clients.

The Final Exclamation

The client and their team were overjoyed with the transformation. As the buses unloaded you could hear the guests getting excited and pulling out their phones to capture that “Instagram-able” moment. The client was still in awe at the end of the event and raved about the success of the evening.

Country-western to Miami-modern? It’s what we do!