Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Dalton.
Hi Gina, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
It was the end of May in 2017 when we were invited to a wedding. At the time, I’ll admit — I didn’t even know what a wedding venue was. So, like anyone would, I Googled it. The images that popped up were breathtaking: a beautiful bride and groom standing under a gazebo. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of magical place we were heading to.
But when we arrived, I was… surprised. Instead of the fairytale setting I had imagined, there stood a simple metal building with no landscaping. There was a corral pen next to it, a dog running around, and a whiskey barrel full of weeds by the door, I had all that but knew I wanted lots of flowers and landscaping. I remember standing there, taking it all in, and then turning to look at my husband. We had been in another industry that was dying and our Greyhound farm — sitting empty for years — flashed in my mind. We could either leave it to fall down and become worthless or repurpose it into something of value.
I said to him, “I think I know what I want to do with the farm.”
He looked at me with a deer-in-the-headlights expression and said, “What do you mean?”
I smiled and told him, “Why can’t Abilene have a wedding venue? People shouldn’t have to leave town to find a beautiful place to celebrate.”
He pointed his finger at me and said, “If you can pay for it, you can build it.”
And that was all I needed to hear. Two weeks later, I started tearing down old buildings and chain-link fences — transforming the same farm we’d lived on for thirty years into what would become something truly special. We opened May 1st and had our first event May 5th, 2018. I did all the work that I could do myself. Staying late into the night staining wood or painting ship lap, taking tin to the carwash to power wash to reuse on walls. We repurposed and reused ever bit of materials we could.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The first obstacle was convincing my husband to let me turn our family dog farm into a wedding venue. It wasn’t an easy sell — this land had always been used one way, and I was dreaming of something completely different. Once I got him on board, the next hurdle was the bank. I had to prove that I could make the mortgage payment and that this little dream of mine could actually work — especially living in a small town where everyone knows the history of the property.
That part was hard. People knew what the property used to be, and they knew me. So getting them to see the vision — to believe that this could be something beautiful, something worth celebrating in — took persistence and faith. Now when they see how I transitioned the dog farm into something so beautiful, they can hardly believe it.
After finishing the venue in 2018, we had a great start. Six months in, things were rolling, and 2019 brought a full year of weddings and joy. Then came 2020 — the year everything changed. Weddings were canceled, rescheduled, and rearranged. Coordinating with brides and other vendors to make new dates work for everyone was one of the hardest seasons we faced. But we made it through — and every challenge taught us something about resilience, community, and the heart behind what we do.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a premiere wedding and event venue. We host roughly 45-55 events a year with 98% being fabulous weddings.
We are known for high attention to detail, and our service. Warm, family-rooted, and genuine hospitality. We try to make everyone feel like family
— not just another booking.
Our space is versatile, where you can have your wedding inside or outside.
Luxurious bridal suite for day of getting ready. We offer a great value with our rental with inclusion for versatile budgets. We include with your rental FREE access to our décor trailer filled with every style and taste option you can imagine. Also a bartender is included with ice so you are not having to pay to hire someone or ask a friend.
Repeatedly people highlight how our venue’s architecture, décor and the landscaped grounds are “gorgeous,” allowing minimal decoration because the space itself already makes a strong impression. Open for your vision of the special day when you say “I Do” Sand Springs Venue is waiting for you.
What matters most to you?
A few years into the business, I realized I wanted this to be more than just a hobby — I wanted it to grow and become something truly successful. But I also realized I couldn’t do it all on my own. At the time, it was just me, a part-time helper, and a little bit of help from my husband. I knew I needed direction, guidance, and support.
So I took a venue course to learn everything I could about building a lasting business. I sat down with my husband and our oldest daughter and told them, “I can’t do this alone. If we’re going to make this work, I need you both with me.” And they said yes. Our daughter quit her job and came to work full-time by my side. My husband took on more than he ever did in the beginning, and now, this business has truly become a family affair. Along with three amazing women who help us, we make a great team — one I’m so grateful for every day.
What matters most to me is the heart behind what we do. We take pride in our hands on service we give our couples and in the memories that are made here. I have a heart for serving others, and it means everything to me to make sure each couple’s most precious day goes off without a hitch. Also that this is a family business and I get to spend my days working with my daughter, grandchildren and my husband, who all I couldn’t do without!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sandspringsvenue.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandspringsvenue/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandSpringsVenue
