‘The Canopy’ hosts grand opening, vendor showcase

Last Sunday, The Canopy wedding and event venue held a grand opening that allowed the public to tour the facilities, meet the owners and learn about the venue’s preferred vendors. 

From wedding cake samples and table settings to photo booths and horse-drawn carriage rides, guests could enjoy a variety of event-focused amenities at the scenic and historic venue on Old Church Road.

Although the business is new, the property is not. The 56-acre facility has been in this spot for more than 100 years and has changed ownership three times in all those years. What originally began as a small white chapel has since grown into a multi-building facility with historic charm and modern amenities. 

When five school friends from India graduated college and went their separate ways, they never imagined they would one day become co-owners of an event venue in north Texas. But that’s exactly what happened for Kiran M, Srini K., Pradeep A., Anil B. and Vt R. 

After college, two friends moved to New Jersey, two moved to Virginia and one moved to Frisco. But they all kept in touch, and over time, decided they wanted to go into business together.

Seeing how big the event industry was in Dallas, they felt that would be a good business to go into. But they also noticed that most of what Dallas had to offer were venues surrounded by buildings – there weren’t many options for people looking for a tranquil location for their special events.

“We wanted to own an open-air, countryside venue – something different from Dallas,” Srini said.

So the search began, and it wasn’t long before the group happened upon a beautiful location just outside of Whitesboro. 

“We’re actually the third owners of this property,” Srini said. “This place was established more than 100 years ago. The second owner really maintained its historic significance, and that’s what we aim to do as well. The previous owner sold us this business because she could see we’re passionate about maintaining its history and serenity.”

The property includes peaceful pastures and secluded footpaths through the woods. It is home to a chapel, Osage Hall (which provides indoor space for up to 100 people and outdoor space for events), the Estate Main House (which can be a retreat for families), a guest house (perfect for bridal parties to get ready for the big day) and plenty of on-site parking. There is also a barn on the property which may be later turned into another larger event space if the need arises.

The business partners have named their new endeavor The Canopy because they feel it represents shelter and the comfort of home and being close to family. And that’s really how they want clients to feel. 

“We want to focus on the local community,” Kiran said. “We use a list of local preferred vendors, we want to connect with local people and welcome their feedback. We really want people to have the best experience here.”

Running a business from another state can seem like a challenge, but the partners have put the right people in place to ensure clients have the best experience possible.

Lisa Davis is the Operations Manager who will run the business day-to-day and a local property manager will maintain the landscape and the beauty of the area.  

While The Canopy is picturesque and serene, it’s not specific to weddings. In fact, it’s extremely versatile and offers a variety of options so that it can easily host any kind of event, whether it’s an intimate gathering to a large-scale celebration. From weddings and reunions to corporate retreats and photo shoots, The Canopy is an affordable option for people looking to host a special event.

“Everyone can personalize and customize the venue to meet their specific needs,” Kiran said. “Clients can add their personal touch to make it what they want it to be. It’s all about the experience.”

Owners of The Canopy would like to extend a special thanks to their preferred vendors for being on-site to showcase their services. These vendors include the following businesses from the DFW area: 

Bakery - Sweet By Design
Bartending - Bar In Motion
Beauty - The Drip Sisters
Beauty - WZ Beauty Studio
Carriage Rides - Precious Memories Carriage Services
Catering - Holi Cannoli
Catering - My Daisy Catering
Catering/Wait Staff - E&J Premier Event Services
Content Creator - Velvet Atelier Creative
DJ - DJ Banco
DJ - Paradise Pro DJs
Entertainment and Photo Booth - MagicClick Photo Booths
Florist - Coco Fleur Events
Florist - Praise N Petals
Music - Catherine Beck Music
Officiant - Blissful & Blessed Unions Bilingual Traveling Officiant
Photography - Jamie Huffman Photography
Planner - Lasting Memories Weddings and Events
Planner and Rentals - S&S Events DFW
Refreshments - E&J Premier Events
Rentals - Simply Chic Event Rentals.

The Canopy is located at 608 Old Church Road in Whitesboro. To learn more, visit www.TheCanopyGetaway.com, email [email protected] or call 940-202-9807.