Whata Gwon, Islanders?
Don't go playing crazy, you know what it means. We've talked about 'whata gwon' a kajillion times as recently as here.
Anyhoo, do you recall the rustic wedding I first mentioned here? The on-trend barn wedding that we've all seen all over Pinterest? I found the perfect venue for my bride's vision and budget, The Barn at Aspen Grove:
And then they decided to build an entirely NEW facility for receptions!
Yes, you pay for a venue and months before your date, they announce they will perform some renovations to the facility and landscape. A few weeks after the initial announcement, you receive an email that says the RECEPTION venue is well underway. I'm sure you can imagine the panic. As a matter of fact, my initial post spoke to the panic. Well, I shared a sneak peak of images (here) so you know all went well day-of.
Now that it's over, I can share the level of panic when we showed up just two weeks before our wedding and saw the old barn was now for the bridal party:
Bridal Suite
Groomsmen suite
The old reception space had become living space for the owners:
Islanders, brace yourself. What you are about to see is what we saw exactly two weeks from our wedding date:
O no, that finished building up there is actually the OLD barn... Check out the landscape... dirt.
Here's the location of our ceremony:
The owners promised that we would have a stone terrace and a freshly painted arch for the wedding. O and grass. There would be grass. I got looks from my clients and I tried to remain calm and trusting but when you see this as your ceremony space:
View from the arch.
It's hard not to panic. O, can you see that building up there... The one without a finished roof or doors? Yes, that one. THAT's where our reception will be. in. two. weeks.
Our owners brought us inside and explained the plan for the space.
Islanders, they were talking about paint colors and granite and lighting and custom photography canvases... meanwhile, I'm just praying for floors.
You want to tell me being a wedding planner is easy?
Try absorbing this information and telling this Daddy:
... to trust you. It will be done or we will have a back-up plan. O, my job of absorbing a bride's stress is easy? Yea, try looking these concerned clients in their face and trying to come up with a way to calm their nerves.
I'll just tell you. THAT ain't easy.
I tried to focus on how lovely the stone fireplace was.
Or how great the bar (that wooden structure in the back of the below photograph) will be:
We talk about the layout because (it will be done, it will be done, it will be done) that was one of our goals of the walkthrough.
O, wait. Where are the bathrooms, you ask?
The bathrooms.
O. OK. So, in 13 days, if there's no rain, the contractors plan to roof, paint, install floors, build a bar, hang artwork, finish the plumbing, complete two bathrooms, landscape, install a stone terrace and walkway AND have it all set-up for our arrival on SATURDAY, May 3?
OK. What else can I say?
In addition to the stress of the venue, I had my own stress. First, I was the sole event coordinator for this event (no interns, no Sheena, just me). That would be fine BUT I was the SOLE vendor outside of the caterer and photographer. That means all décor, all flowers, all DJ-ing, all everything was on me. OMG! Of course, I referred Misty to bake the cake but I picked it up and I (as the florist) was in charge of using the flowers to decorate it.
I was nervous. NOT because I don't believe in my ability to do what I do. NOT because I recommended a venue that was a construction zone days before the wedding. NOT because there was mud everywhere. NOT because we were on a budget... I was nervous because this client is a close friend and her guests would be close friends and church members. I couldn't afford to have ALL of this fall through the cracks... everything rested on my name and my reputation.
I accepted the challenge but did I deliver?
Stay tuned!
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