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The Preferred List: A Wedding Vendor Podcast
The Preferred List is a podcast that pulls back the curtain on the wedding industry, featuring honest conversations with the pros behind the scenes. From planners to photographers to DJs and florists, we dive into the real stories, lessons, and moments that make weddings unforgettable — and what it really takes to earn a spot on the list.
The Preferred List: A Wedding Vendor Podcast
Episode 2 How a Family Built a Luxury Wedding Venue: Historic Ashland
A stunning property nestled between Lancaster and York counties, Historic Ashland isn't just another wedding venue—it's a sanctuary where couples can truly be present on their most significant day. Owner Leah shares the remarkable journey of transforming a historic 1806 property into one of Pennsylvania's most sought-after wedding destinations.
What makes Historic Ashland special isn't just its beautiful mansion, versatile ceremony spaces, or picturesque grounds—it's the philosophy behind every wedding. "The couple can be the couple," Leah explains, describing how their comprehensive approach with day-of coordinators, venue managers, and setup crews ensures that neither the couple nor their families are sweeping floors or moving chairs when they should be celebrating.
Having recently celebrated her own wedding at Historic Ashland, Leah offers wisdom that can only come from standing on both sides of the aisle. Her practical advice cuts through the noise of wedding planning: have honest conversations with your partner before booking vendors, understand what's realistic for your budget, and include only guests who truly matter in your life. "If your electric goes out, would they let you stay over tonight? If they wouldn't, they shouldn't be at your wedding."
The conversation takes a poignant turn as Leah shares how the venue has become a family legacy following her father's passing, making her recent wedding there particularly meaningful. It's this personal investment that distinguishes Historic Ashland in a crowded marketplace—where many venues might offer beautiful spaces, few can provide the level of care that comes when the owner considers the venue "my baby."
Whether you're planning a wedding, work in the industry, or simply appreciate stories of entrepreneurship and family business, this episode offers invaluable insights into what makes a truly exceptional wedding experience. Listen now to discover why the most luxurious element of any wedding isn't what you see in photos—it's the peace of mind that comes from working with people who genuinely care.
Website: https://historicashlandevents.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historicashland/
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Please send all inquires or questions to thepreferredlistpodcast@gmail.com
Welcome to the Preferred List, a podcast about the people behind the best wedding days. I'm James, a wedding filmmaker. I spent years in the industry working alongside incredible vendors, and this show is all about the real conversations with the ones who make it happen. Whether you're a vendor or a couple, you'll get honest insight, good stories and maybe a little inspiration along the way. Let's meet today's wedding vendor. Hey, leah, how's it going?
Speaker 2:Hey, it's going great.
Speaker 1:I'm excited to have you here at Historic Ashland I know, I was just saying how grateful I am that you let us be here to film some episodes of the podcast, and it's really exciting too, because you might not know this, but one of the first weddings that I did that I got paid like what I was asking charging for was here at historic Ashland in 2018. Who? Uh, I think it was like Brittany and something. I'd have to look at my YouTube. So is she blonde?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's so like, and her husband it was in the military. I think so. Yeah, yes, and that's amazing. Yeah, the the. I think so, yeah, yes, and that's amazing yeah, the, the whoever was supposed to do speeches was too drunk to do the speeches um Brittany and Jordan.
Speaker 1:Yep, brittany and Jordan.
Speaker 2:Yeah, isn't that crazy yes, I'm gonna have to tag them in this one. It goes live that was yeah, they were one of my first. I mean, we opened in 2018 as well, so yeah, awesome, so that's great, oh my god. So they have, like one, two children oh really yeah, from what I see on, and I still keep up with them on instagram.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, it was literally like one of my first, like I. I think I might have done like one or two before that, but it was like my first like full real wedding, and it was here um, and I just remember the sunset session was just like fire so good. Yeah, that's amazing um, but we're here at your venue.
Speaker 1:It's obviously not 2018, it's 2025 I know it's wild um, you've been in business for all those years now and I'm so excited to jump in to more about your story and the experience that you have. But we're here at your venue and I'd love for you this is when I would read my little pre-roll ad spot of the venue highlight but I'd love for you to just give us the highlight of what your space is, what it all has and what you're excited about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, heck, yeah, awesome. So the space we're sitting in now is actually the mansion. It's probably one of the most popular aspects of the venue. It is included in our full day package day package. So Historic Ashland is a private venue. We are located about 20 minutes west of Lancaster, so we sit very cute in between Lancaster and York counties. We are about an hour north of Baltimore, so we're able to host a lot of couples that this is a neutral meeting ground for both of their families. The venue is really, I would say, known for the fact that it is private. I always joke to people that I own the place and I do not live here, and they always look at me like is that a thing? And I'm like that's definitely a thing, so do not live here. So that's one of, I think, the biggest perks of why people choose Ashland is because it's just the business we run it. As such, we do one wedding a day, so people really enjoy the exclusivity that provides yeah, I will say one wedding a day.
Speaker 2:You might think like I know, oh, it's not a normal thing, but like no literally, I was just at a wedding this year and like around the corner was another one I know and I was like how I was like how I can't even begin to like wrap my brain around what the logistics of that look like, because, again, one of the things I feel like that we do really well here is it's all about the guest experience as well. Right, I feel like any venue, any vendor can make the couple feel great, but I think you've really surpassed expectations when that starts with the guests. So like for us it's all about there's a very clear parking lot. That is out of the way. We're ADA compliant and accessible. We have paved pathways everywhere. If your grandmother just had a surgery and is in a wheelchair, it is no problem at all. So I can't even wrap my head around what logistically that would look like if I was like it was so funny Cause last weekend we had a wedding and this gentleman comes up.
Speaker 2:He's like we're, we're here for so-and-so's wedding. Is you know where's that located?
Speaker 2:And we're like oh, that's the only wedding you can have right down the pathway, the white chairs, um. But yeah, that was something that was really important to me when we opened Ashland, because there is actually a third floor to this building and a lot of people are like what's on the third floor and I'm like it's a liability.
Speaker 1:So don't go up there but.
Speaker 2:I can't even. I think I'm sure you can attest to this, and I know a lot of vendors listening. When you begin any business, it is very difficult to not have your entire life be consumed by this business. So I think something that has held me steadfast and kept me grounded is like at the end of the day, I leave my office, I close our privacy gates and I go home and I leave work at work. Now you probably you know, you may not know this, but a lot of people do my husband works for me now.
Speaker 2:So it's like when you work with your significant other, you have to have that boundary and I think living here would just be like we need to stay in a hotel for a night, you know so yeah.
Speaker 2:So again back to Ashlyn. So private biggest thing. Another huge thing for us that we're proud of is we have three indoor ceremony locations and three outdoor ceremony locations, so we can really appeal to any aesthetic. I think that's something that I'm really proud of at Ashland is it's such a beautiful blend of estate vibes, country refined vibes, mansion vibes, garden vibes. I feel like it's such a space that doesn't really fit into one specific category.
Speaker 1:Everybody wants to keep branding me as a barn venue and I'm just like well, you do, you do have a big barn, yes, yes, right behind us, yeah, yeah, but it doesn't. And when you're in it, it's not the like. Rustic yeah, it's not like country country vibes, um, and I I feel like, uh, the way that you can dress it up in a way I mean, you could do whatever kind of vibe, you're thinking in there, but you also have all these like outdoor spaces that are so fun yeah, I, I all.
Speaker 2:Yeah, completely agreed. We actually call it the lodge, just because it kind of gives a little bit more like lodgy vibes yeah um, but yeah, I think, and you know, to add to that, couples know there's a solid plan b, like I know, know the wedding that you shot here last June. It was 8,100,000 degrees that day. And that couple actually chose to get married inside in the air conditioning.
Speaker 2:And it's like thank God, so it's like that is a feasible option. We do winter weddings. We're open year round because we do have heat over there, so I think those are pretty big components of kind of what we do here. I would also add um something that people really um talk about and choose us for is my staff. I do have to say, one of the biggest things that people love is every. You know, we provide the day of coordinator, we have a venue manager, we have a setup and teardown crew. Like like here the couple can be the couple. Like I always joke on my tours. I'm like imagine the fact that you get to actually participate in everything you just planned and paid for you know what I?
Speaker 2:mean it's such a crazy concept. But it's like, even like the poor moms and the poor dads and like the siblings, like your mom does not want to be lighting candles, she doesn't want to have to be like setting up a cake or like but it's so true, moving chairs like we're getting sweaty like no, it's like you come here, the setup and the tear down is taken care of for you.
Speaker 2:Um, actually, so behind the scenes, I just had a mom come and give me a check and she was referred to me by another couple years ago and, god love her, she said, the number one thing that this mother of the bride told this other mother of the bride about ashlyn is, she said, I will never forget. After the wedding, they were literally packing our car up with our florals, our alcohol, our leftover cake and, like my husband and I literally could just get in our car and go and we that was something that we had never experienced before with, like all of our past kids weddings. So so, um, I can't always promise it's going to be packed in the manner you or your crazy dad but it'll be in there and you don't have to worry about it.
Speaker 2:So yeah, um, in a nutshell, that is really kind of what we do here and, as I mentioned, I started in 2018.
Speaker 1:Um, so it, I just had my own wedding here, so it's been such a full circle moment and journey so far, yeah Well, and the one thing that I was so excited for the podcast is to be able to highlight local venues in the sort of like Lancaster, pennsylvania area.
Speaker 2:It's where we're at. Yeah, it's a huge market.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but it's so fun to be able to sort of connect the dots. As a venue owner, I mean, you're in contact with so many vendors. And for a day to go smoothly you need everyone to kind of be on the same page and be here for the couple just the same as you guys are as a venue, yeah.
Speaker 2:I would also add I I just had this conversation last weekend.
Speaker 2:I would also add to that, as a venue, we do also have a responsibility to provide um what the vendors need to do their jobs right, I love that like I, I was, so I was talking to a caterer and he was like le Leah, we did a wedding a couple weeks ago and like there was no running water, like we literally had to like bring in our own running water. And you know these couples wonder why we charge more at certain venues. And you know it's not like when we come here, like we know when we come here, we have a point person. You know they go to these other venues and they have to do the tables and chairs. They have to do the tables and chairs, they have to do the cleaning and it's like all of that stuff. Yeah, you might find a venue that's cheaper than what I charge at ashland, but like we aren't just charging these prices because we can like I think that's the biggest misconception.
Speaker 2:I I mean maybe some vendors are, but I mean what it takes to run up an event, like produce an event to this level of what we're doing here is is goes hand in hand with not only making sure the front of the end looks beautiful in the grounds and you know the presentation of the staff and everything and the cleanliness but also like what does that backend look like? Right Like, do the vendors have a place that they can eat in private? You know, um, do they have plenty? Do we have plenty of bathrooms that you guys can use? Do we have parking for you guys? What does the catering prep space look like? So I think that's what kind of separates those of us that have kind of taken this term of a luxury wedding venue to the next level, because it's like to me. In my opinion, that is what makes something luxury.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I was just talking about someone the other day. People are like, oh, wedding mini looks so easy and it's like mm-hmm next Also delete. Literally bye.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I mean, it seems like you've thought through, and maybe this is just over years of experience.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But it seems like you've thought through, like so many different aspects, to get it to the point where it does look beautiful here, but you're also taking care of all these little minute things that all add up to a seamless experience for the couples.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's, it's, it's. It's a crazy concept, but, like, I'm one of those people that and I studied business at the undergraduate and the master's level and it's one of the things that like when they talk about being like a high functioning leader and manager, it's like when you get to something that you have never dealt with, you know there's two types of managers. There's there's the low functioning ones that think well, you know, I already know everything. I can figure this out.
Speaker 2:Or it's the ones that take those steps back and be like you know what? I'm going to admit, I don't know this and I'm going to go ask someone who's been here before. So I think I think that's even from the get-go like I'll shout out Ratu's catering in Lancaster. If you know, jen, but when I first opened my, my mom and dad own a construction building company. Rest in peace to my dad, but my mom still runs this building company. She's in real estate.
Speaker 2:So it's like when we started all of this, like I had such a leg up because I had, like the construction side of it kind of handle, but as far as, like amenity wise and the structure and flow, we had no idea because, like, we don't have a background in catering. We don't. I didn't come. I came from corporate life, I don't. So, anyway, I literally Googled wedding caterers in Lancaster. I was still at my corporate job in 2017 and I called, cold called. I at my corporate job in 2017 and I called, cold called. I was used to cold calling. I cold called Jenra too, and I was like can I take you out to dinner? I want to pick your brain and she's been such a great resource for me because she's the one that helped me design the catering kitchen. She's like you need this? I don't think you need this you know what I mean, because the food and beverage is so important.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, it is the crutch of the day. So, yeah, I think that's kind of what it was such a good. Everyone was open to learning and knowing that we didn't know this industry. You know, my dad was like Leah, we're going to open this as a. You know, it's a business. We're going to make a beautiful space and we're going to price it as such and it will sell. And it's like, yes, definitely. But then the day of the first wedding comes and you're like, okay, so I go there, I lock the door, like what do I do?
Speaker 1:you know what I mean how does this work?
Speaker 2:how does the flow work? Is it my job to coordinate? Well, I'm trying to, you know, drive around grandparents on the golf cart. How am I coordinating? So it's like all of that stuff is just, it's such, it's like a two separate. It's like, okay, we have the venue taken care of, we'll know we'll get buyers, but it's like, what do you actually do when you get the buyers?
Speaker 1:right, yeah, the experience. Yeah, totally yeah. So take me back if you could. Yeah, 2017,. You're kind of starting to paint the picture of you're at a corporate job.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:How does this property?
Speaker 2:come up, it's wild how does this property? Come up.
Speaker 1:It's wild. Tell me about like the process to take it from what it was to what it is, cause I know it did not look like this in 2018 or 2017.
Speaker 2:Because people I meet now like they're they're literally shut. They're like, okay, so you renovated this. And then you know the lodge is new, right, and I'm like, nope, I'm like everything is here from 1806. Like even the trees, yeah. So long story short, I hail from a family of entrepreneurs. My brothers I'm right in the middle I have an older brother and I have a younger brother my dad and mom are completely self-made. My mom didn't go to college. My dad actually dropped out his second day of ninth grade.
Speaker 1:I was thinking you were going to say like dropped out of college, but no, my dad was one of 15. Oh, my goodness, I know.
Speaker 2:So as soon as he was old enough to kind of get out and do his thing, he did, um, but like true, true definition of self-made and like every fashion. So him and my mom actually met super young and my dad kind of like started out as a Mason by trade and then slowly, um, um, they started to build this, this building company. And you know, I remember as a kid I was just talking about this. I remember as a kid like part of my tours were like helping my mom in her office and like this was like way before, like quickbooks online, like we had the hard ledger and we opened it up and you wrote down like check number one, two, three, and like we did payroll. So it it's like cause. My mom always said, and it's so freaking crazy how life works out but my mom always said, like Lee, like I need you to know how to do this, because if something happens to me, like my dad was a dope businessman but like he had, he didn't know how to run QuickBooks you know what.
Speaker 2:I mean, that was my mom, that was what she was good at. So my dad was out in the field, on the job, you know, doing his thing on the site and then, you know, my mom did the office stuff. So she always said I need you to know how to do this, and that happens to me. So, anyway, come from a family of entrepreneurs, my mom started going back like really heavily into real estate when I got, when it's college, and I wanted to be a lawyer, like that was kind of my goal. I actually interned at the Philadelphia district Attorney for my sophomore through senior year in the Northeast major crimes unit. We prosecuted all kinds of stuff and I was like this is my passion, I'm going to be a defense attorney, this is what I'm going to do.
Speaker 2:Well, long story short, I moved back to Lancaster to study, to take the LSAT and go to law school and in that interim I had, you know, got my own place and got like a job, like a big girl job in what I studied and I was, you know, watching my parents do their thing and at the time my younger brother was in college launching a business. My brother was doing the same thing and I'm like I this sucks. You know what I mean Like I am not built for this nine to five life, so 2016,. I decided let me back up up 2014,.
Speaker 2:I decided to pursue an MBA instead of law school Because my parents were like Leah, listen, we're not afraid to invest in your education. Education was super important to my parents. But my dad's like is do you actually want to do this? Like, do you actually want to be a lawyer? And like, pay your dues and, like you know, work with men all the time? Like it doesn't. You know what I mean. Like you don't really seem like a pay your dues kind of gal Like yeah for sure.
Speaker 2:So I was like you know what? Not really Like even to this day. I would love to get a legal education, just to have the knowledge, Um. But so I decided to pursue the MBA, like strictly just for the creds, like just to have the NBA distinction. So, anyway, my younger brother, at the end of 2016, proposed to his now wife and at that time I wasn't married. Like very low prospects. My older brother wasn't married, so it was the first wedding in our family, same on my sister-in-law. Two brothers, not, it's like new, you know no one knew what was going on.
Speaker 2:So they're, they're looking at venues, they're talking to my mom and like they're all just kind of like we can't find one venue we like. So my parents came to me and they're like Leah, here's the deal, we are trying to retire and like we want a return on our investment of what we just pay to get you educated, so we will invite you to go into business with us and this is what our plan is. And they said they had this idea, this wedding venue, and da, da, da, da. And I'm just like, okay, this is cool and stuff. But like I worked in advertising, like I don't know anything about weddings, I hate them, like I'm actually not. It's like you know, those who't do teach, like that's kind of how it is. So, anyway, my mom's a realtor, dad's a builder and we're from Lancaster, so I don't, where are you from?
Speaker 1:Erie.
Speaker 2:Oh God, okay, all right, all right. So I don't know if you know this and all my Lancaster people can drop in the comments, but when you live in Lancaster, you don't cross the Susquehanna to come to York. That is not a thing. Yeah, like we're staying away from the river rats, we're not.
Speaker 1:No, I'm serious, I'm not coming over here, yeah.
Speaker 2:So when my parents sent me the listing they were, you know my dad on his iPad he was like I think I found your venue and he sent me the listing for this place and I'm like, okay, number one, it looks like Amityville horror, like true story. Second of all, wrightsville, york, like ew, you know what I mean. So I will never forget my dad's. Like Leah, just come on, just meet us up here. I think it could be what we want it to be, because my parents, and my dad especially, were so into historic preservation and, like my dad, was such an advocate of like remodeling and preserving the old, even though it's probably cheaper to tear down and build new you know what I mean like my house I live in now.
Speaker 2:We completely remodeled it. Um. So we found this place and it was the end of january 2017 and it was raining. It was horrible, it was disgusting, and my dad's like I think this is it and I was like dad I don't see the. It was disgusting and my dad's like I think this is it and I was like dad I don't see the vision like at all Like my dad could see, like my my mom too Cause she designed. You know, she designed this place.
Speaker 2:But like I'm I'm a numbers person I'm I'm the business gal. Like I'm not a creative I'm not, that's not my thing. Um, so we put an offer in a February 2017, we got permits, we broke ground in April of that year and then we opened in May. I quit my job in 2017 at the end, um, and started here full time. But I mean something that I want to note is it really is a testament to like my parents, because when we started this, like it wasn't in a capacity that, like my parents were like here we're going to fork out all this money and just give this to you. Like don't burn the place down. Um, I think it's important for people to know that, like I put the equity in, I put the time in. Like I was here 18 hours a day. Like we cleaned every after every wedding Cause. We could you know, we know we could. I, my dad, was like Leah you yeah we need to keep costs down.
Speaker 2:Um, so it's just such an interesting, you know, journey and metamorphosis of thinking back to my life, you know, even like six years ago, and how I still lived in Lancaster and I'm like why am I not getting married? Why is everyone else getting married? So like it's just interesting to see like the time and the work, like it did pay off and it's like I think it's a testament to like anybody, especially now, like we were talking a little bit before about the state of the industry right now, and it's like, in my opinion, staying steadfast and keep doing the work, even when it's hard, is is why we continue to be successful and why cause you, because there's lulls in the industry.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:And we're in one right now, and it's like those of us that stay consistent with our pricing, stay consistent with our branding. We'll get through this we always do. But it's like, I think, those people that stay in it even when it's hard because I'm here to tell you it's supposed to be hard.
Speaker 2:I tell people that to everyone tell you it's supposed to be hard. I tell people that to everyone. I just said to someone the other day. They were like one of our friends she's going into college and she's like what's a piece of advice you'd give me? And I'd say you know, girlfriend, I just remind you, it is supposed to be hard, it's not supposed to be easy. And if it is easy, like there's like red flags, but yeah, long, long story, very short, but yeah, yeah, what you know?
Speaker 1:it's so cool to see the, the transformation just like business-wise business growth. I mean, you guys, we were here at one of your first right and yeah, that was October.
Speaker 2:I'm sick that I know that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sick and disgusting that I know it's just so fun to see like how much you've learned and grown from all of that time. But the origin story of like the family kind of vibe it's I mean it's evident in everything that you guys do um, but it's so cool to see like that barn back there. I know did not look like the barn, it looks like now yeah, it was like, um, it was the four walls.
Speaker 2:Yeah, seriously, there was no electric, no plumbing, nothing so was there something that? Why? Why a wedding venue is that we're gonna sort of?
Speaker 1:it's also funny, like when you're talking to me about your family and it's like business owner, business business owner, self-made, self-made business owner. It's so like typical to be like oh, one of us is getting married, so let's just I know we can do it better, we can do it Well no, it's a lot.
Speaker 2:Obviously it's a lot more than that. I know, I know. Well, it's funny because my like my younger brother does not work here Like he runs my dad's company.
Speaker 2:So, um, so yeah, I mean it. It was hard for me at first because weddings was something that I never like. It never crossed like the stratosphere of my mind of like a rational thought, like it it I. I got into this because I love the aspect of business, I love the fact that I have control over what the outcome is, and I think that is what has made Ashlyn successful and will continue to be successful is because it's that sweat equity I've put in.
Speaker 2:It's the fact that, like Leah and Ashlyn are synonymous and like I always tell people, like sure, these wedding factories, like they're way bigger of a scale than we are. You know they have a lot, they have hotels, like they have way more amenities than we do, but at the same time, like you are not, like not many people can message an a wedding venue on Instagram and like talk to the owner. And I think that's what I love so much about this is we operate so buttoned up and professional as if we're doing, you know, 500 weddings a year. We have the processes so down, but it's like the organization is so flat and I think that's what a lot of my couple's parents enjoy. Like you saw, I just talked to one of my bride's moms, like I think a lot of people know that well, leah, like nothing goes on at Ashland that Leah doesn't know about so it's like I co-sign everything well, it's so true, because I messaged you about?
Speaker 2:yes, yeah, and you're like it's.
Speaker 2:Leah and I was like, oh awesome, I know, I know, it's so great well, and I think it goes to show like so a huge thing that we've been, you know, dealing with recently is like how we approach rehearsals. Now we no longer, as a business, offer formal rehearsals the night or two nights before as a business decision and I always tell people listen, you have to understand, this place is my baby, like my parents. Like I don't sit on like a trust fund, like if I don't do my job here, I can't pay my bills Right.
Speaker 1:So or your, your team Correct.
Speaker 2:I can't make payroll a hundred percent, which is the most important. So I am 100, if not 200, including my husband 200% invested in making sure your wedding is successful. And I think that is the huge, huge differentiator, because I always tell my couples if you have something to complain about, you're coming to me and I have enough problems. You know what I mean. So it's like I'm not just some nine to five or that's just like, yeah, we can do that. And then the day of the wedding comes and you someone's working your wedding that you've never seen or heard from before, like I did on Sunday. I had five tours and every single tour said wait, are you going to be here on our wedding day? Yeah, and it's like it's hard because it's like it. I need a day off. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:But, I've found such a good synergy and all of my staff in delegating to them but also still being present for my couples, like Zach and I come to every. My husband and I come to every single wedding. We may you know that that's what I think is what's important. Like I treat people the way I hoped people would treat me on my wedding day. You know what I mean. So it's, it's. I think those are the little things that a lot of us in this small business kind of like boutique venue space, um, kind of have a leg up on a lot of these wedding factories.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, and the yeah, the the personal aspect of what you're doing. You do a lot of weddings, right? You have a lot of couples that come through and get married here but, you still are putting in the time and effort to make it personal and to make it unique and to be here even Totally.
Speaker 2:Well, I'll tell you a story and hopefully no one uses this against me in the future. But we had a couple back. It was a winter wedding and it was Jackie and her husband and they had a pit bull, and she's passed now and I had a pit bull as well. So ever since I met them, I was like these are my people, because you know pit bull.
Speaker 2:Well, anyway, long story short, they you know I do allow dogs here, I'm dog friendly, but of course they have to leave afterwards. They can't like chill in the reception space. So unfortunately they hired a you know it was, I will never forget. They hired a professional dog sitter to come and deal with the dog and something fell through or whatever. So I was like I'll take her, I live five minutes away. And they were like Leah, you don't have to. I said no, seriously, I love her. Like she'll get along with Ginger, it'll be great. So we I took them over to my parents' house and we literally babysat their dog.
Speaker 2:You know, and it's like again, that is not a green light. I am not a babysitting service for dogs.
Speaker 1:You heard it here first She'll watch your dog.
Speaker 2:No, only if it's a golden doodle. But I think those are the things. But it's so hard to keep the boundary and keep it cute and keep it professional, because people can and they will see that as weakness. And then I always say to people I'm cool, I love to kiki, I love to hang out and stuff, but it's like don't, don't mistake my kindness for weakness, because that that is something that I am not. Um, and you know, for the most part I try to be flexible and I always, like me and my staff, always joke. Unless it's like criminal or illegal or like a threat of either we're good with it Um but I think those are the things that people remember, like I.
Speaker 2:I still have couples that are, like my grandmother still will not talking about how you drove her around the golf cart and you gave her a vip tour of the venue on the golf cart and you know.
Speaker 1:So it's like things like that that is what matters so you recently got married? Yes, which congratulations. Thanks, thank you almost. Uh, what's today, 18th, almost two months ago, crazy almost um, I I feel like you had experience, obviously before getting married, like because you've been running your business since 2018, but I'm curious to know what, how your perspective has changed since planning your own yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, first I'm to preface what I'm going to say with. I did not get married till I was 33. Did I meet my husband till I was 30? So for all my single girls out there that think that they have to get married by 30, you do not have to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just 33.
Speaker 2:I'll be 34 next month. So it's like you know, um, but anyway. So I think the biggest thing and I think about this a lot I think the biggest thing that's changed for me in going through it is do not sweat the small stuff. I know that sounds so cliche, but things like, for example, I did not when I walked down the aisle, I missed my cue at the music of the moment.
Speaker 2:I wanted to walk down the aisle. You know like people get so fixated and like how long is my aisle walk? I need to time my song. No, you do not. Yeah, I promise you, your entire world is going to shift the second you go there and you see your partner at the aisle. Because, again, for me, I came down the aisle and I was not at the moment that I wanted to come down the aisle, and it's like it never even dawned on me until like a week later You're like oh, I totally missed that.
Speaker 2:Exactly Nobody noticed.
Speaker 1:Nobody cared.
Speaker 2:And it's like it was still the most amazing, beautiful thing, because I married my person and I think that's the advice I give is everything seems so important. And, for example, I will never forget and anyone that knows my husband knows that he's the complete opposite of me. So three or four days before the wedding, I went up to my husband and I said Zach, oh my God, babe, we have not practiced the first dance, we have not practiced our aisle kiss, we have not practiced, Like I'm saying all this stuff right.
Speaker 2:And he looks at me and he was like Leah, it's okay. Like it's not okay that everything is like so freaking planned out at the second. He's like let's just let it be spontaneous, Like let's just go with it, and that's what we did. We literally did not practice one thing and it was so wonderful and so amazing. So it's like that's the advice I would give for couples is like I know, when you're in the nitty gritty of planning, you're like if they are not, you know if the champagne is not cold and bubbly when we get to our tables, the whole night's ruined. I swear to God, it's not. You're not even going to notice.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know. But but that's not to say the little details aren't important, because they are. But it's just, I think the things that couples are so like wound, so tight about, like it's not that deep, yeah, as like I always used to joke, as long as zach shows up and says I do like I literally don't care if aliens attack um. But I think that's what has changed my perspective now, on my business side, my vendor side, my job, the details don't matter 100, and I'm always going to be that way. But when it comes to my couples, the actual wedding experience.
Speaker 1:The wedding experience.
Speaker 2:I will say, though, I did get a little taste or idea of like how my couples feel, and that was something that, like I think a lot of people will never get to experience Like, cause I always wonder like I would love to come to a wedding in Ashland, like I would love to be a bride at Ashland, because I feel like honestly, like it's so cool and it's so nice here. So to actually get to like compartmentalize that and truly like be the bride which I was like, I think I got a little snippet of like how my couples feel and it's like I'm really proud of that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know. So, um, yeah, definitely changed my perspective on because, like there are some things and I was telling my husband this there's some things at the at my wedding that weren't quite executed the way I thought they should be and like it was literally fine, like I didn't complain about it. We had an amazing day and I still haven't complained about it. Like it it's, it's all good.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like.
Speaker 1:I have to imagine it'd be so fun to be standing up at the at the altar, looking at Zach, looking at all your people, and be like, I don't know, like. Did you think back to like the moment your dad was like this is the spot. No, like, I really think this is a spot. And now you're like here.
Speaker 2:It's, it's even like so you're gonna make me cry, it's even so much more emotional, emotional full circle for me because my dad passed in 23.
Speaker 2:yeah and um sorry that's okay and um, it's such like a full circle moment, like truly, because we got married out here in front of the mansion solely because I planted him. We planted a memorial tree for my dad and some of his ashes are out there, so it's just like I and I also think that whole situation, like even with my photographer I hired like when I told her about the story, she was like I have to be a part of this, like this is unbelievable. So you know, my dad knew my husband and like, of course, like knew we would eventually get married and like we, when my dad got sick, like we actually said, like do you want us to, um, get married while you're still here? And he was no, I want you to do it on your time. Like I'll be there regardless. So it was really cool the days leading up to the wedding and even on the wedding, to like and you know I believe in this stuff Like I knew my dad was here.
Speaker 2:Like I just knew it, like you could feel it and like just certain signs you know, regardless of you know, know your personal beliefs. It's just here, my dad is here, yeah, like there's no doubt about it. So, um, that is what made it even more emotional and more awesome, because my, my family and I we had a very small wedding. We had about 60 people and compared to you know other people's huge weddings, I know 60 people does not sound small, but I think a lot of people expect me to have the 150, but no, we had a very small wedding.
Speaker 2:So it's like it was such an emotional day for everybody because it really truly felt like a totally new book, because we started the journey of Ashlyn. We opened that chapter. My dad got sick, my dad passed away. We grieved that and it's like we all almost felt that we could celebrate again and and not feel that we're doing him a disservice, you know, because some time had passed. It'll be two years in October. So it's um, it was even more emotional for me that day and you know, to anyone who has lost a parent, it's like it. Some people say to me, like how was your day? And I said my day was perfect, except one thing was missing. But it's it.
Speaker 2:there's nothing, anybody could do about it, you know. So I think that combining with you know my dad being such a crutch, you know he was my, he was my go-to like and then when he passed I said to my mom, who's now my partner, I said I have to hire a groundskeeper, like I have to hire a setup and tear down person. I need someone who's going to get rid of bees nest, like I need my. You know you need a dad and my husband was working for the government at the time but he said he would come work at Ashland and I said you, my mom was like you do not have to do that. Mom was like you do not have to do that, like that's not, we don't expect because you're, you're coming as family, like we don't expect you to to do that.
Speaker 1:But he did and he learned from my dad and I think you know I know he feels proud yeah, that's so cool yeah, it's awesome what's it like having him be like a part of the team now and like working alongside your spouse, like yeah, well, it's funny because we don't really like work alongside each other you know what I mean like it was kind of how my parents were like
Speaker 2:my mom was the realtor, the salesperson, like with the clock, it was so funny because my dad would come here. And I swear like it's crazy because when, like when my dad passed away, I got cards and flowers from couples from, like, my very first year in business um, it was, it was unbelievable. So everyone knew who my dad was. But it's funny because, like, if you ask my dad, he would be like, oh, I'm the maintenance guy. And then like the next time, oh, I just take care of the trash. Or like the next time I'm just here pulling weeds.
Speaker 2:Like he was never the owner ever and like my dad was huge, like humble, top quality yeah um, but it's interesting because even when my dad was here, like the only time my dad and I ever like worked together was when we were like, you know, talking about stuff in the office. Like even with Zach now, like it was fine, because my dad goes, I will literally do any job except talk to the clients. I do not want to talk to the customers, that's what your job is for. And and it's funny because, you know, when Zach came in, he was like Leah, I'll go in the septic, I'll plunge a toilet, I do not care.
Speaker 2:He's like I just do not want to talk to the customers. And you're like great, I love that. I know, I know. But it's funny because it's part like the moms and grandmas like love him. Um, but it's interesting because we don't, like I said, we don't really work side by side. Yeah, um, because like, if if there's, you know, wedding days come, primarily it's him, my coordinator and my venue manager who are here, like I'll pop in to make sure no one is like doing something they shouldn't be doing. But like those three are the ones like running the show.
Speaker 1:Running the show.
Speaker 2:Correct. So you know it's definitely tough because you want to make sure you you're not, but he's also so amazing at it, like it takes a very, it takes a very type of man to be married to a female entrepreneur Like it really does, because it, I mean, there's things that Zach forgets and there's things that aren't up to par, just like my other employees, and it's like learning how to, you know, have those conversations with him to see the bigger picture, in that it's not just me telling you what to do and on this, like power trip like it's, it's me as the owner of this company, but that's also what makes him so great at his job is because he knows the legacy, he knows the responsibility, same with all my other staff.
Speaker 2:So it's like there hasn't.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, like I said, he, he does this thing, I do my thing, and I do feel like the wedding space, like wedding vendors, it almost they're not maybe more than other businesses, but there's a lot of like couples that will go into business together and it seems like what you're saying is like open line of communication, allowing it to be business time, having like even what you were saying before, having like a we work here and we don't work here.
Speaker 2:Well, it's separate of like church and state, right, and it's kind of like in any high functioning business, sales and production are separate. Yeah, and that's how I do things here and I think that's what makes it successful. Like, I'm the salesperson, I'm the face of the business. I don't coordinate weddings. That's a completely separate job. And don't coordinate weddings, that's a completely separate job. And I think Nor do you want to Correct Most important but for I would any single venue owner or manager that tells me they're also their venue's coordinator is just a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 2:It is two separate jobs. Venue coordinator and day of coordinator are very separate jobs and I know you, as a vendor, know this. But that's exactly what it is. It's a separation from the sales and the production. It just keeps the circle going round and round. I can't get the sales if production doesn't pull it off. Production can't pull it off unless I get the sales. So you also want to think about I think there's a lot of couples and families that work together in this space because it's small business, right, like every. I was telling I had my state rep down here the other day and we were talking and he was just talking about, like you know the economic impact of Ashland on this small community, and I said well, I mean, if I think about it, you know, for example, this weekend, both of my couples do not live in this area, so they're putting economic impact to all the hotels. And then we have what? 10 to 12 vendors here per wedding, and they are all small business.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:That's a cool way to think about it. Yeah, all my caterers.
Speaker 2:Every single caterer I work with is a small family owned business. Yourself, photographers. The florists huge. They're sourcing all their florals from local farms like you know what I? Mean. So it's, it's cool to kind of be at the top of that food chain and kind of like see how that trickles down. But I would think that's probably a reason why too, because in this business we get one shot, yeah, and you gotta have people you trust on your team, right well, yeah, you gotta show up, yeah, and and I think that's what makes hiring very hard as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah All the things, because it's like.
Speaker 2:That could be a podcast in itself.
Speaker 1:I mean, yeah, that's I've. I've heard people that do hiring well and those that don't, or just finding the right people can be so hard because you, as the venue, owner, I know. I mean, you have all of this history and equity and all this stuff, and then it's like you're pulling on someone who's you've never met before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, but going more on like the uh, couple side of things, what's some maybe advice for couples that they, you know and they're thinking about like hosting, um, sometimes a big party, sometimes a small party. What are some things that, um, you know you'd you'd recommend that they watch out for, that they kind of keep their eyes open for when they're when they're in that planning process.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the. The biggest thing I've been thinking about lately is the first piece of advice I would give to anybody, whether you're planning an intimate wedding or you know, a large wedding would be and I know this sounds it sounds so ridiculous, but like you would be shocked at how many people don't do this. You need to be having conversations with your partner and or families before you actively start planning and recruiting vendors. You have to keep in mind all of us. You don't sit in your video studio all day and just wait for calls. You know what I mean. Same with me with the tours. You have to sit down and have those hard conversations because if you can't do that, that's not a good foreshadowing for a marriage. Like you have to sit down and have this hard conversation to say, look, what do we want to spend on our wedding? What works for us? Are your parents helping? Are my parents helping? Like you need to have a good overall view of what you expect you're going to do and what you're willing to pay for those things, because I promise you what you think you're going to do and what you're willing to pay for those things. Because I promise you what you think you're going to pay for what you think you want is very, very, very different.
Speaker 2:And I'm seeing, because I'm a venue, I get people on the first stop and I mean they're not even talking to their partner, they're not saying like, babe, when do you want to do this? How much do we want to spend? Let's ask Chad GB, chat, gbt. Like I know the averages is like super, super low balled. But I mean because I I on that same note instead of thinking of, okay, we want to have 150 person wedding, we want the full Monty. You know what I mean and it's like what I think like the average now is like I would say the average is like 40, 45 K for what these people think they want to have. Instead of thinking that way, I challenge everybody and this is not easy I challenge everybody to flip the situation and think a little bit more critically, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Instead of trying to fit a square peg into a, you know, a square peg into a round hole, think okay, listen, we, we are trying to save for a house. We do not want to spend 40 grand on a wedding. 20 sounds comfortable for us. What kind of wedding could we have for 20,000? And that's probably going to mean a micro wedding. So people there's some people out there that have an unlimited budget can spend whatever they want, but for most of us, we're not spending a hundred grand in Lancaster on a wedding, you know. So I challenge couples instead of saying we want, want, want, want this, what does that look like realistically? Because in, I mean, I, uh, who, who is I? I was listening to something yesterday and I think I shared it actually and she was talking about how people seem to still be shocked at how expensive wedding weddings are. And it's like, I mean, zach and I are have no kids and you know we spend hundreds of dollars at the grocery store every single week.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Why would you think a luxury party would be cheap?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know. So I think that's my first, first and second advice. You know you need to now have those if you are thinking about marrying this person and legally binding yourself to them and I'm sure you're under. You're seeing, I'm a straight shooter.
Speaker 2:Um, you gotta have these conversations. You have to sit down and say, babe, I am envisioning this, where, where are you at? On this? Like, do you care? Do you want a destination? Is it realistic? Like, do we who, family, who are we having? Like, if you're not comfortable telling your mother-in-law that her second cousin's dog sitter is not invited, like, I don't think you should be getting married, you know?
Speaker 1:what I'm saying, though, sounds like she should stay home, correct?
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying. I encourage have those conversations first, because, sure, wedding vendors charge a lot in quotes but we're not like the whole inquiry process and consultation process, like we don't get phantom money, that's all in our pricing. You know what I mean. So I encourage, start to have those conversations and then figure out what's realistic for us, we, we, we want, we only cause I mean, I know a lot of people that have a lot of money and come from a lot of money but do not spend a lot of money on their wedding because they don't want to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they'd rather go to Hawaii for a month, or, you know, buy a house or whatever that looks like. So, um, and then, third piece of advice, and I tell everyone this look at your guest list and, you know, take family by family or couple by couple and say, if our electric goes out, would they let us stay over tonight? If they wouldn't, they shouldn't be at your wedding. Because if youth and I know you know this because you're a videographer weddings are intimate, yeah, they are vulnerable. Like, think about, like I think about, like my husband, like he's not a public speaker. I clearly am, he is not a public speaker.
Speaker 2:And, like God, love him, like for him to, for him to stand up there in front of 60 people and be so open and vulnerable like that's what this is about, and I think a lot of people forget that so long-winded answer. But talk to your partner, set realistic expectations, really focus on a guest count.
Speaker 1:Well, and the guest count too could really affect the overall budget.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm so happy you brought that up because another piece of advice I tell people I just said this the other day your parents, you take your parents out to dinner and you pay. Are you pissed if they get a hundred dollar steak? That's what you want to ask yourself. Yeah, times 70 or however many people because, that's what it is right.
Speaker 1:I always say to people think about how expensive it is to eat out and now pay for everyone.
Speaker 2:It's not going to be cheaper at a wedding yeah, you know what I mean, um, and when it's cheap with weddings, it's probably not going to be what you think it is, you know. So, um, really think about it. Are these vendors, caterers, venues, videographers, photographers, etc. Are they really going to allow us to have the day that we envision? Because if you're hiring a caterer, that is $20 a person you're probably cleaning up at the end of the night. Yeah, you know what I mean. So it's things like that, it's. You know, if we're, if we hire a photographer, that's maybe a little bit more expensive, um, but she delivers 1500 photos.
Speaker 2:We got them back in less than a month yeah, like the experience yeah, you're not spending your entire you're not spending your entire day saying we'll take us over there for photos. We, what do you think about over there?
Speaker 1:for photos. She's just doing all of it correct. It's a dance, and do they know the dance with you? Even just in these first handful of episodes that I've been filming for the podcast, I've heard so much about the experience.
Speaker 2:That's what you're paying for, yeah.
Speaker 1:And you have experience being a venue owner with tons and tons and tons of vendors. I mean, how many weddings are you doing roughly in a year we do like 70.
Speaker 2:70. So 70 times like yeah, 500. Yeah.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of vendors.
Speaker 2:And again, this just thought of me. This happened last fall Most of our couples you know we have a recommendation list for vendors Most of our couples hire from them. But it's another thing to think about. You know, 80% of my couples travel more than two hours to get married here. Like hire people in this market because they're not gonna have traveling fees yeah like we had.
Speaker 2:We had a vendor or, excuse me, we had a client hire a dj never heard of. He literally said to my coordinator what are their names again, oh my gosh, like, what like? Are you kidding me?
Speaker 2:and it's even all but even it's all about appearance too, like you know, with photography, like what, what are they where? Like I know it, I know we're working and we're busy, but there is appropriate professional wear that, as a vendor, you can, because I always tell my clients a big thing now is florals and like how expensive florals are are. And I said in my couples, I said I got married in june, it was hot. Yeah, at the end of the night my florals still looked perfect. And I said, because that's what I paid for, my florist processed every single limb and hydrated every single limb and was spraying and designing and customizing and setting up. Like sure, sure, you're paying for the flowers, yes, but you're paying for someone to go out to that pergola and design on this 12 foot deep pergola custom quality work that no one else is ever going to have.
Speaker 1:And that's expensive. To your point, though, if that's not something that you're excited about, then don't spend your money there.
Speaker 2:Couldn't agree more Totally and that's actually a great point because that is something I think what people like about Ashland is they can, um, you know, silo their money to what they find important. Like I say I always say to couples, your photo, your video, your venue and your gown and your suit, hair and makeup are in my opinion, they are in every single picture and I seriously show my couples. I have a bunch of albums that I typically have out here for tours that my certain photographers have made for me to show, and I literally show my couples. I get look at these. I said how many guests do you think they had there? And they go. I have no idea.
Speaker 2:I said exactly Because I promise you, I promise you, when you get your gallery back and your video back, all you care about is the first look, the ceremony, the portraits, pictures with you know, your grandparents you don't really care about, like disgusting drunk people at Antsport.
Speaker 2:You know you might, they're fun, but they're not the bread and butter. But your profile picture, your Instagram feed, that's your ceremony, that's your dip kiss at the end of your aisle. You know what I mean it's like. That's why I say like your venue is in every single picture, your photo, your video, like that is what you walk away with. So it's like. Again to your point if you don't prioritize florals, which is 100, okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, don't, because we didn't at our wedding. We bought a bunch of like flowers that were just in buckets, basically.
Speaker 2:That's my worst nightmare Me personally as a person. It was as a person, not a vendor.
Speaker 1:We thought it was going to work. And then, so what happened? So we found out that one of my wife's parents' closest friends Neighbors. Has always wanted to be a florist, oh nice and she just took it and ran with it and it was perfect. Not everyone's that lucky, though, if we didn't have her, though, we would have put our buckets out, and then you know I know I'm like that's not what we wanted to spend our money on, totally well, and it, I mean it's.
Speaker 2:It's the same thing. It's not like me.
Speaker 2:We wanted filet and crab cake yeah I'm telling you what my mom was not paying a $25,000 catering bill. You know what I mean and I think that that's what is a testament to what is the experience going to be like, because I promise you at the end of the night you don't want to be sweeping, you don't want to be touching people's dirty cups and throwing them away Like you want to do your send off, get on your shuttle and go to your after party. Um and again I say I was actually talking on a podcast the other day about like AI.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I said I'm interesting to see how AI plays a role in the industry because for us, everything we do is with these yeah, unless I can get a robot to pull weeds like that. That's why it's so expensive, right? Yeah because everything we do is people and people are expensive.
Speaker 2:100 experience, yeah 100 and it's like I always say you know, I hope no one uses this against me, but like when you get married here, like for the most part, you get like pretty pretty much accessibility to me and my staff, like you know we have boundaries and stuff, but at the same time like that's what you're paying for.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, it's kind of like with my parents, like when you build a house yeah, yeah I mean the d-day, the wedding day, the most important day like that.
Speaker 2:We get one shot at this and I tell my couples all the time we have a three-wedding weekend, we're here on Friday. I don't care about Saturday, I don't care about Sunday, I care about right now. I'll worry about Saturday when we get there Because people are like, oh, what vendor? My husband's like, oh, who's the caterer this week, I said I have no this point. No, I do know. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:I have the files down, but yeah, but yeah, it's um such a multi-faceted, highly dynamic world now, couples are inundated with hundreds of different vendors for each category, like I was just talking a minute ago with photographer. There's oh my gosh, yeah, how many photographers eight million, yeah, and there's it's I in my opinion.
Speaker 2:I don't know about yours, but like I think, it's the most saturated part of the market yeah, for sure venues are getting there um, but there's huge differentiators with venues. But photographers.
Speaker 1:It's kind of like they all kind of take nice photos totally for the most part, and ai does that.
Speaker 2:It does it.
Speaker 1:Does you guys have it nice? Um, yeah, but why?
Speaker 2:do you charge so much? I'm just kidding, I'm totally kidding.
Speaker 1:No, it's, it's a hot take, but um no, how do you what? What would you say to couples that they're sitting there Like how do we pick the right vendor?
Speaker 2:It could be a photographer.
Speaker 1:It could even be a venue. It could be videographer, it could be cater, like how do we pick the right vendor?
Speaker 2:I love this question. Um, somebody asked me and it's kind of answers your question somebody asked me what was one of my proudest moments of my career and I I think back to. I got an inquiry from a gal that I knew. We're not friends by any means, we just knew of each other and she had followed ashlyn along on and was watching from afar what I was doing and she obviously it probably never dawns on people that I'm the inquiry girl.
Speaker 1:I'm the Insta girl, like you know that stuff.
Speaker 2:So, anyway, she inquired and she wrote we want to get married to historic Ashlyn because Leah is the type of person that we want with us on our wedding day. Leah is the type of person that we want to get married historic Ashlyn because Leah is the type of person that we want with us on our wedding day. We Leah is the type of person that we want running things. And I like I could cry talking about it because that's my advice who do you connect with taking price out of it, taking, you know, all of that out of the equation? Let's say that all works.
Speaker 1:Price is good, we love the photos.
Speaker 2:Is this person someone that you want next to? You recording and witnessing the most and responsible for the most important part of your day, because I tell everybody photographer, videographer, they spend you spend the most time with them. But it's the same thing here. People might come here and meet me and think literally hate that girl who would never want to get married there. Cool.
Speaker 2:Whatever you got to know what you don't like. You know what I mean, but I think that is the piece of advice. Everything else remain constant. Are these people the ones that you trust to put your day above their day? Yeah Right, Because even here I just told you about my dad All my staff have gone through very heavy personal things over the years. It's all gone away, it's all leaves. When we open those gates and we start and that would be my biggest piece of advice You're looking at you know. Let's say you have five venues that you like and you're like, how do we narrow this down? Think about your five venue tours. How did they treat you before you said yes to them? Because that is the most important thing in business, any business how are you treated before they have your money?
Speaker 1:Because that might even be like the deeper version of what you're saying here we have custom name boards, we welcome everyone.
Speaker 2:We have the snacks. I tell everybody. I'm giving you a whole folder with everything I'm saying because I do not want you to write stuff down, I want you to pay attention. How do you feel here? Like the one day, the one mom on Sunday, she literally goes. I don't know why, but I'm getting emotional, Like that's what I want people to think about.
Speaker 1:Like and.
Speaker 2:I think I want you, let's say let's, let's go with this. You had three venues that you and your fiancee toured. Did they treat you like a human being? Like I know that sounds so crazy, but like I hear the craziest stories from my couples about venue tours, but it's like were they prepared? Were they dressed professionally? Were they ready for you? Did they know your names? Did they?
Speaker 1:literally. Who are you?
Speaker 2:Um, no people have told me that Like. So think about how any vendor in any capacity of your wedding treats you before they have your money. How is their communication?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's so huge Because once they have your money, maybe then-.
Speaker 2:It's not going to get better, I promise.
Speaker 1:But maybe then they're like oh blah, blah, blah, I'm responsive and all this stuff, but it's like Totally, if they don't have your money and they're doing-.
Speaker 2:It's a sales pitch, then at that point you know what mean.
Speaker 1:it's everything they can to take care of you. Make sure you have all the information correct, like you're saying, going above and beyond putting the name sign out.
Speaker 2:I really try to. When people come here for a tour, I really try to get them to buy in and then when they come here and meet me and see the process and see the spaces, it makes it real for them and it's a quick it's. I don't want to say quick, close, because it's not, but it's an easier close it's. You know, ashlyn was our first tour and we still can't stop thinking about you and the venue and and Amanda and how you guys run everything. So, um, that that is I mean. Obviously, once you get down to the point where you know you're, you're narrowing down based on style, budget, that that dah, dah.
Speaker 2:I always say pick three. Some people say we want air conditioning, we want it private and we want separate getting ready suites. Great, I hit those three yeses. So now you come here and you have three venues that hit those marks. Again, how were you treated? How was your sister treated, who's 10 and bored out of her mind on your venue tour? Was she given snacks and an ipad or was she ignored the whole time? You know what I mean. So it's like those are how I think you differentiate even right from the jump.
Speaker 2:It's like experience you go to a venue tour, am I here waiting for you to greet you, or are you standing down in the foyer for 20 minutes like where the hell is this lady and no one's answering the phone, you know?
Speaker 1:do you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, it's um it seems like a courting process for me just it is adjusted is for the couple.
Speaker 1:You would think that business owners would have that mindset. Well, no, but it's a weird kind of in between well, the business owners aren't the ones doing the tours.
Speaker 2:That's the difference. No, I just like in general. You would think that most business owners.
Speaker 1:As a wedding vendor, you would be at that meeting early. You would be in the Zoom call waiting for them to show up. Admit them right away. But there's still some out there that don't have the right mindset with it and it seems like, from what you're saying, that initial experience they don't have your money yet. So important. What's what do you? What are you seeing?
Speaker 2:The number one thing. People tell me literally, and I'm shocked when I see this. Thank you so much for your quick response. Well, I mean, here's my thing. I even noticed it when I was shopping for my vendors Okay. Now here's my thing. When I when vendors saw my name, they knew who I was, but some vendors.
Speaker 2:Oh, yes, we're available. We're canceling everything. We're available. No, I'm just kidding we? I was so lucky because all my vendors were dope as hell. But, like even vendors, I reached out to that like I didn't know, like of course they follow Ashlyn and stuff, but they never met me. I was shocked, like totally shocked, at the way they treated me and I'm over here, like I'm I'm sure, like for example, at that point you're just a normal, correct, normal buyer. You're not saying like hey I'm the owner of his orgasm like you know what the biggest thing for me was.
Speaker 2:That like pissed me off. It happened so many times. I inquire. I'm a firm believer in business. As for my couples, the manner of which you inquire with me is where I'm meeting you, right? So you hit my DMs as an inquiry. You're getting back.
Speaker 2:I'm getting back in the DMs. I'm not saying can you go to my website and fill an inquiry? No, as a vendor, why are people doing this? Why are vendors going? Can you go to my website and inquire why? You have them hot right now. I'll do business in the DMs. I'll do business at sheets. You know what I mean. It's like no, I'm serious. It just happened to me.
Speaker 2:I reached out to somebody about preservation for my wedding gown and I DMed them because couldn't find the phone number on the website, couldn't find this information, couldn't find an email and she responds and goes hey, if you could call me um or shoot me a text, but no, I'm over here like right here, right now, I take my money yeah, and they're over here like hey, love it to me. But like, could you go to my website and fill out an inquiry form?
Speaker 1:to play or can you go on?
Speaker 2:the knot and fill. Why are you sending people to the knot?
Speaker 2:your competitors are there, dude you're getting me heated why are you sending if you have a link to your not profile every vendor, if you any marketplace, zola, wedding, anything, yeah, it's, for example, in langister on manheim pike. There's 80 million car dealerships there. Why? Because that's where the traffic goes, right. It's pay to play. Ok, same thing here. If you do not have a website and you are set any vendor and you are sending people to your not profile wedding wire profiles or whatever it is, no, yeah, please call me and we would have a conversation like for the love of God. No, make a free website on Wix one pager, by the way, just real fast, because I like to be Switzerland Typically, I do not like or dislike the Knot, weddingwire or Zola.
Speaker 2:I think every vendor has their own journey and has to do what's best for them, but I would love to talk to anybody about that privately.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, it is true that some people have great experiences. Yeah, some people don't Totally. I haven't Totally, which is probably swaying my no, no, no.
Speaker 2:I think it's fair. Yeah, I think that the I mean even since we've. I mean I cannot even tell you how much the industry, how business is done, how buyers find you has changed so much just in the last two years. When I started back in 2018, that was what you did.
Speaker 1:Yep, and if you weren't on there, you were missing out. Correct, you were not SHIT.
Speaker 2:If you weren't on there, you know what I'm saying, but now, the way people conduct business, the way people spend money, the way they learn about your business is so different.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, Leah, this has been such a pleasure, such a joy. You are a wealth of knowledge. There's probably topics on topics that we didn't even get to dive into. So and I and I really really appreciate you having us here at your venue. It's such a beautiful space and you guys you guys are doing great work here, so where can people find and follow your work?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so obviously any socials, anywhere you obtain information or get media at historic Ashland um, the website is actually historic Ashland eventscom. Um, yeah, If you are a prospective couple, you think you're getting engaged and you want to chat, like I said, you can hit me up in the DMS um inquire through the website. I'm pretty big on Tik TOK as well. Um, but yeah, we're located right in Wrightsville, PA, so, um, pretty easy for us to find right off route 30.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and all of that information will be linked in the description below so they can go click those links and reach right out to you, so any upcoming projects or things that are exciting. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:So it's crazy. You asked that because my mom and I were just talking about our plans to add something to the venue. Yeah, yeah, so that is really exciting Personally for me. I got a job as an adjunct professor at York College. I'm going to be teaching marketing, which it's kind of always been a goal of mine, so I start that next week, so that's exciting, obviously going into the fall, which is our busy, busy season.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, that's kind of Do we get to know what's being added, or is it still Well, it's very early stages, because I mean for me.
Speaker 2:I have to make sure it makes sense for, most importantly, my wedding couples, but I also want to make sure it makes sense for the business as a whole. So, yeah, stay tuned. It's exciting.
Speaker 1:We were just talking about this last night. I know so fun. I'm trying to squeeze it out of her, but she's not letting it go, guys.
Speaker 2:Well, I don't even know how to phrase it. I'm not opening another venue, if that's what you think I'm going to say that's not it. So something in my early years, really quick before my dad got sick and passed away, was every year we added something new. So like in 2019, we expanded the patio, added the garden pergola. 2021, we created the fire pit space. 2022, we did, you know, added the pathways and all this stuff. Then my dad got sick, who did all my projects?
Speaker 2:yeah so now that you know we're kind of back into attempting to find some levels normalcy, my mom and I just last night were like I think it's time for a new project yeah, so I love it.
Speaker 1:We'll stay tuned, yeah, to see what's going on. I'm sure you'll post about it on yeah yeah, all the social media.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:Leah, thank you so much. This is all for this episode. I appreciate all of you guys for tuning in. I hope you've been enjoying and getting so much value from this podcast. If you haven't already, make sure you subscribe and like the episodes and tune in for the next episode of the Preferred List. We'll catch you next time.
Speaker 2:Thanks, bye.