"Could I get back into the business of happily-ever-afters?"
Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved all things weddings. I remember sitting for hours looking at bridal magazines and saving photos of the most beautiful, large, puffy, 80’s style gowns. Not only were the dresses in the 80's and 90's big and dramatic, but the makeup as well- and I was enchanted by it all! To be honest, I still get butterflies when I see photos of those giant puffy dresses. Fast forward a decade, and I unexpectedly found myself working in the wedding industry as the owner of a high end bakery, where my inner child was just as excited to go to work everyday as I was.
Weddings are about love, pretty things and spending the rest of your life with the person who is the ying to your yang, so what’s not to love? Making wedding cakes was stressful but wonderful all at the same time- Pittsburgh potholes vs. being chosen to play such an important role in a couple's big day. I loved meeting with my couples and creating an over the top design and working out the challenges of turning their cake dreams into reality. Every cake was a special, unique work of art. Eventually our family grew and it became too challenging to raise our three daughters and create artistic, over the top cakes, so I chose to close my bakery. I moved onto a career that was less demanding and offered a better work/life balance. However, there was still a part of me that desperately missed the wedding industry.
About a year and a half ago, after a conversation with a friend, I stumbled upon the red barn that we now own. It was almost 150-years-old, had a fascinating history and peaked my interest. My husband and I had spoken over the years about opening a wedding venue, nothing serious, just conversation. Could this old barn be my next career? Could I get back into the business of happily-ever-afters? One of the disappointing parts about being the baker is that I would deliver the cake and miss the reception. Sure, I would see the beautifully decorated venues, maybe catch a glimpse of the bride in her dress
(I am still dress obsessed), but I missed out on the fun and excitement of the real party. Could this old barn allow me to fulfill that dream of seeing these celebrations from beginning to end? The conversations with my husband immediately became more serious. Was this the right move for me? The right move for our family? We decided it was and said "Yes" to this new adventure! New Year’s Eve of 2020 we signed the lease, started renovations and six months later we hosted our very first event.
It’s been a little over a year since we signed the lease and things are going well. That’s not to say there haven’t been hiccups along the way but our strength and perseverance has carried us through. We have a fantastic team which I could not live without. We all have a deep love for all things weddings. We now have eight weddings under our belts, and we have been teary eyed watching every bride and groom on their wedding day. I love that I am not just delivering the wedding cake, but I am able to be with our couples for the entire day.
For the couples who have chosen to also be married at our venue, I love watching the way the groom looks at the bride as she’s walking down the aisle. I love hearing the speeches made by family and friends. I love talking to parents, aunts and uncles, and learning more about our couples from the hearts of those that love and support them most. Every wedding and reception that we are lucky enough to host, our team is part of one of the most important days of that couple's life… and I find myself both humbled by and honored at how beautiful the process is.
