Texas Love Stories That Shaped History And Hollywood

This Valentine’s Day, we’re looking at Texas sized romances!

Love in the Lone Star State

Texas may be known as the Lonestar State, but there is nothing lonely about the famous couples that have called Texas their home. From law breakers and law makers to storytellers and headline makers...many love stories can be found deep in the heart of Texas.

Law Breakers in Love

Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow became famous during the Great Depression as they traveled across the central U.S. on a crime spree between 1931 and 1934 that included 13 murders. There are a bunch of stories about how the two met, but the one many find most credible says the two met in 1930 at the West Dallas home of Clarence Clay. Bonnie was 19 years old and Clyde was 20 years old. Bonnie and Clyde met their demise on May 23, 1934, on a north Louisiana highway in Bienville Parish. The two were ambushed by a law enforcement posse led by retired Texas Ranger Frank Hamer.

Lawmakers in Love

Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara headed up a Texas political dynasty. Even though George and Barbara were both born on the east coast, they eventually made Houston their home. The two met for the first time at a Christmas dance in Greenwich in 1941, marrying in 1945 while George was on leave from the Navy. Their long marriage produced six children and a future President of the United States.

Former President George W. and Laura Bush knew they had met “the one” from the get go. The two met at a backyard barbeque and married three months later in 1977. The couple now live in Dallas but still visit their 1,500-acre ranch in Crawford, Texas.

Former President Lyndon B. and Lady Bird Johnson  were married in San Antonio, Texas after he completed one semester at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington D.C. As the story goes, Johnson asked Lady Bird to marry him on their first date. She said yes several dates later. The jaded version of the story says he asked her to marry him because she came from money.

Storytellers in Love

Ask anyone on the street to name an actor from Texas and nine times out of ten they will say Matthew McConaughey. It makes sense. The guy has starred in a ton of movies. From his breakout role in 1993’s Dazed and Confused to his rom com movie era in the early 2000’s, to his Academy Award for Best Male Actor in 2013’s Dallas Buyers Club, McConaughey has made a name for himself in Hollywood. But like all good Texas boys, he returned home. Like his slow, Texas drawl, McConaughey took his time with getting married. He met model/designer Camila Alves in 2006, became engaged on Christmas Day 2011, and got married in 2012 in Austin. The couple have three kids and live in Austin.

Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst are both known for their work in the film industry. Dallas born and now Austin resident Plemons has appeared in many films. His latest work in the film Bugonia, earned him a BAFTA, Actor Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Lead Actor. His wife Kirsten Dunst also has a long resume, with roles in Interview with a Vampire, Little Women, Jumanji, and Spiderman. The two began a relationship in March 2016,and got engaged a year later. Children soon followed with a son in 2018 and a second son in 2021.

Jared and Genevieve Padalecki met at work on the set of The Supernatural. Jared played the character Sam Winchester while Genevieve played the role of Ruby in the series’ 4th season. The two have lived in Austin for years and own several businesses there.

Sissy and Bud

They may be fictional characters, but you cannot talk about a Texas sized romance without talking about Urban Cowboy’s Sissy and Bud! The two characters in 1980’s Urban Cowboy experienced a love-hate relationship at the beginning, but it all worked out in the end. The movie soundtrack also ushered in a mainstream revival of country music. Throw in a huge honkeytonk called “Gilley’s” and you have the perfect love story!

Headline Makers in Love

Chip and Joanna Gaines of Waco Texas redefined the process of the home remodel and showed us that you can work with your spose without killing them.The couple both attended Baylor University in the 90's, but they didn't meet on campus. As the story goes, they were introduced when Joanna worked at her father's tire shop, and Chip recognized her from the commercials for the business. They started dating in 2003, married and had 5 children, and the rest is Texas history.

Whether you believe it was true love or a little bit of gold digging, you have to admit that the relationship between Anna Nicole Smith & J. Howard Marshall made some waves. Model and reality tv star Anna Nicole Smith was still Vickie Lynn Marshall when she and 86 year old oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall met at a Houston strip joint in 1991. They two married in June of 1994 and in 1995, Marshall passed away.