MARCH 2022
A month of learning and love
February was a busy stretch for us (at this point, which month isn’t filled to the brim?!), but it was also a period for both learning and loving.
A couple of weeks ago, we hosted our second wedding. This time it was a full wedding with ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Furthermore, there were 150 guests in attendance – our venue’s maximum capacity!
We went from taking baby steps to a full-on marathon in the matter of one event.
Photo Credit: David Levi.
I’ve heard many entrepreneurs speak through podcasts, live events, books, etc., and a common theme amongst many business owners’ journeys is that an acute moment arrives where they don’t feel ready to take a big leap (e.g. to launch the new product, to quit the day job and work on the business full-time, etc.), but they end up taking the leap because simply put, it’s time. They grab the bull by the horns and jump two feet into the task at hand, even if feelings of fear, anxiousness, and trepidation seemingly outweigh the excitement and potential success to come.
Hosting this wedding was one of those moments for us. We felt utterly underprepared to host a full wedding at capacity given our newness and the mountain of to-dos we still want to accomplish in the venue to “feel ready.” However, we ripped the Band-Aid off and saw our space transform into a gorgeous wedding venue for a stunning couple.
We were fortunate enough to work with amazing vendors, from a top-notch caterer (LEC Kosher Catering) to a well-oiled valet team (Magnum Parking Solutions) to a kind and talented photographer, David Levi. The bride also had some incredibly crafty friends who could turn lead into gold, like Laila, head florist at Lilac Fleur.
Mike and I were all at once elated, relieved, in awe, exhausted, and grateful by the end of the wedding. In addition to a successful event, we were able to gain some helpful lessons that we’ll take with us for future gatherings in our venue:
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Simple can be beautiful. Before starting the venue, I often thought of weddings as super elaborate and super expensive productions. Sure, there are plenty of weddings that fall under both of those categories. However, there are also a myriad of ways to keep the wedding décor simple and fairly inexpensive while still looking fabulous. For example, the bride trimmed her own eucalyptus branches and used them as table décor for the dinner reception. It was such a personal touch and made for picturesque centerpieces.
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The caterers were immeasurably helpful. We realize we need to expand our cement area for caterers to give them more space as well as create a second pathway so that there is a separate entrance and exit route. We want our venue to be a space where not only hosts and guests love to spend time, but also where our partnered vendors feel comfortable providing their services.
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We need to buy an ice chest so that party hosts and/or caterers have extra storage for ice. Ice is a quintessential component of an event, so therefore, ice storage is essential.
There were many more tidbits we garnered for future events, but I won’t bore you with the nitty gritty. Overall, we appreciated this opportunity immensely, and we’re fortunate to have worked with another great couple (plus an awesome family and friend group to go along with them)!
To wrap up “my musings” for this month (and in the spirit of attempting to maintain balance, which I often discuss in our newsletters), February wasn’t all about work. Mike and I were able to take a quick but much needed vacation. What was supposed to be a visit out to snow hike and camp in Colorado, turned into a kid-free drive up to Disney World. It was certainly a different experience going this time without the kids, but the beauty of it was we were able to spend long moments admiring the architectural details of the buildings and sets – and gathering inspiration for our venue!
What could have been a ruined vacation when all our plans went up in flames, ended up being a fun and relaxing time at Disney. As we’re learning in the event world, curve balls can happen at any time, but with some patience, problem-solving, and creativity, any experience can be phenomenal even when things don’t go according to plan.
Updates for TheGoWM…
Last month we:
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Hosted our second wedding!
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Landscaped (finally!!) in front of the couple’s production suite
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Added more hedging plants to separate parking from the hosting spaces
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Continued to fill in the back corner of our venue with sod, another area that will become a hosting option
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Started cosmetic renovations on our luxury bathroom trailer
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Bought a 40’ x 60’ tent to have an in-house rain option
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Bought the remainder of the tables and chairs – we now have 150 white Chiavari chairs and 23 rectangular tables
This month, we plan to:
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Host our third wedding!
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Plan our official launch party, which will be June 16!!
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Do an Instagram giveaway if (when!) we reach 500 followers – help us get there by sharing our content!
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Continue furnishing the production suite
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Continue landscaping in all areas of the venue
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Build a sign for our entraceway
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Build a SEO strategy for the website (send help!)
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Go wedding dress shopping (we’re getting married and I’m finally going to start looking at dresses!)
Our Asks…
This wouldn’t be a community space without the help from, well, our community! If you can assist us with any of the following, we’d greatly appreciate it.
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Please subscribe to this monthly newsletter if you haven’t and share if you like what you read!
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Please follow us on our social media pages: Instagram (@thegardenswm) and Facebook.
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Please engage (share, like, comment, save) with our posts on social media if you feel inclined!
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Help us brainstorm events we can host in our space outside of private parties (e.g. wellness events, art galleries, concerts, gaming events, etc.).
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Book a tour if you’re in the area and would like to see our space!
Thanks for tuning in this month, and happy Valentine’s Day!
-Emily, Co-Founder, The Gardens of Weber Manor
“You will find that most times you have a vision of what it is that you want to accomplish and that’s most important. It allows you to work backwards and make cuts and changes that will still reflect the overall outcome you wish to achieve. What good is splurging on one particular item if it doesn’t result in the overall outcome you were trying to create?
-Emily, Co-Founder, The Gardens of Weber Manor
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– Alianne Valladares-Prieto
– Fernanda Rodriguez