WEDDINGS

MARCH 2023: THE MUNDANE AND EXCITING

My musings…

The big day is over! Or so I thought. But it is not really over, not even two months after the date. There are so many things that require attention after a wedding finally ends that it begs the question: What am I supposed to prioritize when it’s all over? Going on a honeymoon? Clean up? Disposing in some form all the wedding-specific décor? Sorting finances? Thank you cards? All of the above?

I am a member of a few different Facebook groups that focus on weddings. I see some common themes among many of the posts: questions about what gifts brides and grooms should give to their wedding party, last-minute planning tips and reminders, advice for dealing with bridesmaid drama, bachelor/ette party and honeymoon travel advice and recommendations, and tales of post-wedding blues.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I can’t relate to the folks who – for lack of a better word – go through a post-wedding withdrawal. I see posts like, “What am I supposed to do with all my time now that my wedding is over?” That’s a valid sentiment, but I feel like it has been quite a mission for us since we tied the knot to get caught up on “real life” and to-dos following our wedding.

Photo Credit: Michelle and Pete Photo & Film.

Much to the chagrin of my mother, I am just now sending out thank-you notes, something I should have done a month ago. We also just finally finished getting our house back in full order after the mayhem it went through during the holidays and our wedding.

Of course, it didn’t help that I quit my job and have been knee deep in the launch of my new financial planning practice. And it’s our busy season for the venue on top of that (the Miami busy season for events is roughly October through April given the weather). And we have kiddoes and a dog and three cats (kind of) and friends and family.

Part of me feels like we should have gone on a honeymoon shortly after our wedding, as that is generally the expectation. As much as I’d have liked to have done that and look forward to the time when we can, I could not fathom leaving for a week during this chaotic (but rewarding) season.

All that to say, much like with the wedding itself, I had many visions in my mind for what I’d be able to accomplish once the wedding was all over, but that vision hasn’t played out exactly how I expected it to. We’ve both accomplished so much over the past two months and simultaneously feel like we don’t have a whole lot to show for it (especially when I look at the “Updates for TheGOWM” section from last month’s newsletter and realize just about every single one of those items is still on our to-do list).

I could go off on a long tangent regarding all the analogies, takeaways, and lessons this busy time has brought, as there are many, but I am going to stop here for now and simply appreciate that I have this space where I can cathartically reflect on both the exciting and the mundane that’s comprised our life over the past six months.

Updates for TheGoWM…

This month, we plan to:

Continue hosting regularly scheduled open houses and tastings on Sundays at 11:00 am (check out our schedule) – this is perfect for newly engaged couples and party hosts who have yet to book any vendors or who have booked us but want to meet some of our preferred vendors!
Host a birthday party, three weddings, a rehearsal dinner, and a large-scale styled shoot
Continue to work on some of the projects we have around the venue, such as the Live Oak Bar and the Woods Tribute Library, both of which are almost done
Launch our new website along with some amazing resources and materials for party hosts and engaged couples!
Revamp our preferred vendors list + resources to help booked clients more easily navigate wedding and event planning
Create an inventory of the décor and rentals items available to booked clients who use our in-house rentals
Brainstorm ideas for hosting more community events in 2023
Get our Pinterest page back up and running

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.

If you have been to our venue and enjoyed your experience, a review for us would go a very long way! If you feel inclined, these are the sites on which we get the most traffic: Google, Wedding Wire, and TheKnot.
Please subscribe to this monthly newsletter if you haven’t and share if you like what you read!
Please follow us on our social media pages: Instagram (@thegardenswm) and Facebook.
Please engage (share, like, comment, save) with our posts on social media.
Help us brainstorm events we can host in our space outside of private parties (e.g., wellness events, art galleries, concerts, gaming events, etc.).
Book a tour if you’re in the area and would like to see our space!

Thanks for tuning in this month!

Blog News: We love to connect with our clients and friends, and we publish a special newsletter every 1st Thursday of the month. We also provide a lot of wedding tips from our preferred vendors.

“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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THE GARDENS OF WEBER MANOR LOCATION

“ When I say that pictures and videos do not do this space justice, that is an understatement!! The Gardens of Weber Manor, in all of its whimsy and magic, is truly a perfect little nook in the heart of the Redlands. No matter what the vision or mood board, this venue and its versatility will allow you to transform it to match your wildest dreams. Add to that the fact that Mike & Emily are the absolute sweetest owners & venue managers, and there should be NOTHING holding you back from booking a tour and picking your wedding date that same day. It is clear that they have put their heart and souls into building up The Gardens from the ground up. So whether you’re planning a wedding, anniversary, birthday or corporate event, you need not look further. ”

– Alianne Valladares-Prieto

“ The Gardens of Weber Manor is a hidden gem. This venue is magical. I can’t express how amazing it was working with Emily and Mike. They answered every question I had and made me feel that they had everything under control at all times. The staff was awesome!!! The rooms looked beautiful!!! I want to give a special thanks to Emily it was an absolute pleasure working with you. Everything went smoothly, easily and successfully thanks to Emily and Mike and the rest of the team. We felt like family from the time we started to plan the wedding and especially on our wedding day. Thanks to the Gardens of Weber Manor for the wedding of our dreams! ”

– Fernanda Rodriguez

“ We cannot say enough good things about this venue and the owners, Emily & Mike! It is truly a hidden gem. The garden is absolutely gorgeous – you really don’t even need to decorate because the scenery has so much beauty all itself. There are so many spots throughout the venue that could be used for different parts of an event, and no matter where you turned it was a perfect photo backdrop. Our friends and family kept telling us how beautiful the venue was and wondering how we found it. ”