2021 can be described as the year of pivots, emotion, non-stop changes and rollin' with the punches. I had never in my life imagined that I would need to check a list of rules and regulations (Public Health Orders) when helping guide my couples through their special days. It was a wild, eye-opening ride, and I am so happy to have been a part of all of the changes because they inevitably allowed me to learn & grow.
Above Photo: Janique Tessier
Here is a look back at 2021, and the 39 weddings we coordinated and saw come to fruition, so you can come along for the wild ride!
January-
We started off the year by hiring Carley P, our newest lead assistant. She has been with us for 1 year, working remotely on office tasks and helping us with all of our weddings this year. Normally, we would have been a part of the Wonderful Wedding Show at this time of the year, but unfortunately, COVID kept that from happening. We did however host our in-person Engaged WPG Workshop, which was amazing! We also took part in 2 weddings, which at the time were outdoor only, no photo/video and a maximum of 5 people (myself included). They were emotional, heartfelt and a little chilly, but I am eternally grateful to have been a part of those special moments.
February-
We still saw quite a few restrictions in February surrounding events, but it was a month of planning over here. We crushed out so many in-person vendor meetings with our clients, it felt super productive and energizing. We also did a pretty amazing styled shoot at the Manitoba Club! You can see more of that here.
We also finally got to see our Modern Elopement with House of Silk take place at Breezy Bend. This was a postponement from December of 2020 and it turned out so great!
March & April-
Two months FILLED with online learning, education, training and curbside marriage licence sales. We feel that these two months were pivotal milestones in our business as we invested SO much time to ensure that we could do nearly everything safely & effectively from home.
In April, we took part in a massive training event with Academy Florist. It was the most detailed and incredible styled shoot you could have ever imagined at St. Boniface Golf Club. You can see more of that here & here.
May-
We took part in a handful of weddings in May, one of which was at Whitetail Meadows. We did a "drive up" ceremony so they could have all of their family members and friends involved. It was so emotional and I can't wait to be back there next may for the reception!
We also took a trip up to Elkhorn for a weekend getaway for our 11 year wedding anniversary. It was so relaxing, restorative and peaceful.If you are planning a clear lake wedding, just sign me up!
Above Photos: Brenna Faris Photography
June-
Despite the restrictions, June was smokin' busy. We had 6 weddings (Hitch & Post Ranch, Manitoba Club and two private property tent weddings) along with a styled shoot, completely organized by Carley at Bella's Castle. Stay tuned to see this beauty up on the blog in the new year!
July-
July was the month of quick planning. We were brought on-board fairly last minute for all of our July weddings. The most memorable one took place at Ashgrove Acres and we planned nearly all of it in 2 weeks. Thanks to the ever changing restrictions we were able to secure a last minute tent and proceed in the yard at Ashgrove Acres.
We also officiated 3 ceremonies at St. Boniface Golf Club in their tent space outdoors. One of the couples was actually booked in at a hotel and ended up needing to change venues to be outdoors very last minute. The ever changing plans sure kept us on our toes!
Photo Above: Christina Kroeker
August-
August will forever be in my mind as a very emotional month. We helped so many couples pivot again, find new (outdoor) venues, reduce guest lists & make difficult decisions as we powered through another set of changing public health orders.
We took part in weddings at Qualico, Starlit Point, private properties & the white poplar. We also took a few mid-week camping trips to soak in the last bit of summer!
September-
Changing leaves, changing restrictions, no changes to the weather. September felt like July this year and it was glorious. We took part in a two- day wedding on a private property, a huge wedding at the gates on roblin, a wedding at Fort Gibraltor and one in Gimli.
October-
We had a HIGH number of outdoor weddings in October and thankfully the weather completely cooperated. We took part in 6 weddings in very different locations from St. Vital Park, private properties, Starlit Point, The Inn at the Forks and St. Boniface Golf Club. We had couples move from Churches to venues, from venues to private properties and become very creative when we were only allowed 10 people at a time.
November-
We only had one wedding in November, which as a nice change of pace. We celebrated in the restaurant portion of the Gates on Roblin for an intimate wedding ceremony. November also officially kicked off our engagement season and we met with SO many couples and completely filled our 2022 calendar.
Over at Engaged WPG we launched our first digital e-course and shop page full of goodies. Learning how to create digital materials, an entire course and online sales was a huge learning curve- but we made it! Check out Engaged Wpg's shop page and snag a checklist or two!
December-
We were delighted to be a part of 4 weddings this month. From Saddlery on Market, to Breezy Bend, to the Waterfront Parlor, we were everywhere. It was an incredible way to end the 2021 season, that's for sure!
To all of our 2021 couples, you were the most amazing, resilient, kind humans. We know it wasn't easy and we know that the ever changing restrictions really tested your emotions. We are forever grateful to have been a small part of your journey.
To our 2022 couples, all 56 of you, we are INCREDIBLY excited to be a part of your journey. We are ready for any curve-balls that might be thrown our way, with back up plans upon back up plans.
To my team, THANK YOU. You may never know how much I appreciate you. Words can not describe how happy I am to have met you & watched you grow. It is incredibly humbling to watch you interact with our clients and work so hard to make everything incredible for them. It's often a thank-less job with long, long hours in the sun on your feet and you are truly my rocks.
To my husband, words can't quite describe the appreciation I feel for you. The extra time you put in with the kids to ensure that they never feel sad or lonely when I am not there is amazing. The housework, the cooking and the cleaning you do, just so I can do what I love, is not unnoticed. I am so grateful to be on this journey with you, and eagerly look forward to crushing dreams and goals with you in 2022.
- Tricia xoxo
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