For the young couple who built a new, countryside wedding venue at the edge of New Boston near the winding Red River, the name Four Fifteen Estates represents pretty much everything.
For Shelby Stephens, a chemist at Red River Army Depot, and her husband Caleb, who restores homes with his family, those numbers signify a few important things: their anniversary date, a favorite Bible verse from Ephesians and even the address where the enterprise sits along Bowie County Road 2101.
Together they have created a wedding venue with a modern feel but also a timeless appeal. Four Fifteen opened in mid-April.
Caleb is from New Boston and Shelby is originally from Maud, just a few miles away. He's the muscle, she's the brains.
"One day at church, our preacher spoke on Ephesians (which happens to be my favorite book in the Bible) and really focused on Ephesians 4:15. 'Instead, speak the truth in love, so that we become more like Him, who is the head, that is Jesus Christ.' Boom, that was it. It spoke to me and I knew I wanted to incorporate it in the name," Shelby wrote in her blog.
Also unique is the style of the venue, blending the old with the new.
Included at Four Fifteen Estates is the bridal suite, a white chapel and the reception hall with a groom's loft above the vast, open-air space.
"It's very modern but it's also very traditional because we have the white chapel where you can have your ceremony and then in the same location you can have your reception where it's complete night and day," Shelby said. "A lot of brides, they want that traditional wedding but they also want to party afterwards."
In addition to three buildings for wedding festivities and preparation, the outdoor setting provides a natural accompaniment.
"We have different backgrounds so you can get married anywhere out here," Shelby said, noting she and Caleb married at Anthony Chapel in Hot Springs. With their marriage, the wedding world became an obsession.
For a few years, they scouted for a location and then came across this land, which had three unsalvageable houses they tore down. "We kept parts of the fireplace and we're going to rebuild the fireplace with that brick and with other brick to make it safe," Shelby said.
That fireplace was part of the original house. They slowly cleared the land but originally didn't plan on starting construction so soon.
"But with COVID and weddings getting canceled and everything we kind of thought this was a sign saying, let's go ahead ahead and build this thing while we have a good opportunity to take advantage of COVID," Shelby said.
The wedding venue is a natural extension of their shared interest in refurbishing homes to sell.
"My grandpa was a general contractor in Texarkana, like forever, and we grew up around job sites all over. Learned how to swing a hammer and do the job right," Caleb said.
Shelby has the other part of it: design. An additional connection is Gracyn Elizabeth Bride in Texarkana, which her mother bought. After their marriage (four years ago this April), Shelby started working weekends there.
"I just had this bright idea and I told Caleb about it, and with his experience on flipping houses and me being obsessed with the wedding world it made sense," Shelby said.
The space is rental, so a couple can bring in whatever caterers and vendors they wish. Four Fifteen Estates provides tables and chairs. Several backdrops are available, and couples can marry outside. Gracyn's Chapel has a 250-guest capacity, while 300 guests will fit into the reception hall.
"For Caleb and I, I just think our goal is to put New Boston on the map, to make New Boston a better place," Shelby said.
(On the Net: Fourfifteenestates.com. Physical address: 415 County Road 2101 in New Boston.)