So, it turns out that when you're intensely focused on building your business, blogging takes a back seat!
When I (Ashley) started Delight back in 2019 I had every intention of blogging weekly and thank goodness I had an awesome intern in 2020 who took the reins of blogging and made it happen. But when she left? LOL... Mama couldn't keep up!
So, let me catch y'all up on what we've been up to since we last blogged in 2020... (yikes)
2020
2020. I feel like I should just leave it at that. It happened. We survived... actually thrived! We weathered a worldwide pandemic that wreaked havoc on the wedding and events industry.
July 29, 2020 I had my babe, Auggie, and life was never the same. I actually emergency had him the week of a client wedding and thank goodness for my trusty intern turned assistant and my HUSBAND... yes, my husband went in my absence. Thank God for them both.
I was back at it in the thick of fall wedding season 5 weeks later with a double header wedding weekend and loved every single minute of it!
We had an incredible 7 weddings and a handful of events. Finished the year so so pleased with our first year of business and excited for what was to come!
2021
The first months of the year found Auggie and I on the road a lot traveling to see my husband as he worked in Florida and Arizona. We were back and forth A LOT but loved soaking up the warm sun!
The late spring found us in wedding season during a very hard time personally and while I was helping care for my grandfather who was suffering from Lewy Body Dementia. I will never be able to thank those clients enough for being so gracious and kind as I navigated a very emotional time in my life!
In the summer of 2021, it became apparent that I was going to be able to make this my full time focus so I went ALL IN on building our team that fall!
We brought on two awesome interns for the INSANELY BUSY fall season!
We successfully dipped our toes into the multiple weddings a day pool, opening up our calendar to more and more couples for our team to serve!
We teamed up with The Atrium to host a holiday themed styled shoot in a hardly utilized space and made some serious magic alongside awesome vendors!
Delight ended the year with 16 weddings, 1 non-profit gala, and a few small personal celebrations we were able to be a part of!
2022
This was officially my "Year of Yes"... I don't think I said "no" very much and my calendar reflected it! I was determined to hustle and that was exactly what I did!
I should've known that it would be a crazy year on NYE 2021 when our couple for the next day had to emergency cancel their wedding 10 hours before HAMU was to start thanks to that gross illness that showed up in 2020... it really set the bar for the rest of the year, haha!
I hired a wedding industry business coach to help me get my head wrapped around things since we grew so dang fast... best investment ever as it brought me one of my all time favorite people!
We got invited to host a styled shoot at the gorgeous Emerson Fields again with my bestie girl Toni Wieberg and goodness gracious, it was gorg!
Weddings in Missouri typically happen in May-June and September-October... 2022 was a cute and funny little year with weddings or events EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH.
We massively grew our team to around 10 awesome team members and added more and more value to our client offerings with all that they bring to the table.
Delight ended the year with 26 weddings, 16 events, and a second company that offered themed tent sleepovers!
2023
We've made it to where we are currently! Wow! Its hard to believe we're into February already!
Started the year off by hosting our team for a photo shoot, brunch, and favorite things gift exchange. It was SO DANG FUN having (most of) the team together in one place! I forget that just because I know everyone, not everyone has worked together! Tons of laughs were had and quite a few bottles of champagne accompanied...
I partnered with Schaefer Photography to plan an amazing editorial styled shoot at the beautiful Chatol House in Centralia, Missouri... I'll save that blog post for another day, but you can check out what Shannon and Scott had to say here!
We brought on 3 awesome spring semester interns who have been such a great addition to our team and taking on some really awesome projects this semester! I can't wait to share more!
Once again, Toni Wieberg, my assistant Monica, and I have teamed up with the beautiful white barn at Red Oak Valley to host a winter themed styled shoot this month and I can't wait!
This month we are partnering with Coopers Ridge again to host our annual Galentine's Day event! We were also asked to help plan the inaugural "red dress, black tie - You Have My Heart" gala for a new non-profit, First Responder Support that is also this month.
We are rocking and rolling this winter with all of the planning that goes into the upcoming wedding season and can't wait to see so many beautiful designs and lovely days come together.
A huge thing that I've added to our offerings is venue consulting! Having been at A LOT of venues and had great experiences and not so great experiences, this is something I'm so excited to do more of!
All of that in a month?! Wowza! 2023 is shaping up to be SO FUN!
If you made it through all of those milestones, good for you! :)
I am so excited for the future of Delight and all that is to come this year and beyond.
I've been so incredibly blessed with an amazing team that loves this just as much as I do, a ton of vendors who have become some of my closest friends, dependable partners in the industry who I absolutely love working with, and an amazing family who supports me being gone so many nights and weekends and never complains about it.
Here's to all the wild, crazy fun we'll have this year!!!! The blog is back baby :) I think... haha!
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