Taking time off in Peak Wedding Season

Taking 16 Days Off During Peak Wedding Season – And Why You Can Too

Posted: June 2025

In nine days, I'll be boarding a plane for a 16-day holiday. Right in the middle of wedding season. While my venue hosts eight weddings and countless viewings.

Five years ago, this would have been unthinkable. Ten years ago, it would have given me panic attacks just imagining it.

But here's what I've learned after 25 years of running a wedding venue: The moment your business can't survive without you is the moment you've built yourself a very expensive prison.

The Old Me Would Never Have Believed This Was Possible

I remember the years when taking a weekend off felt impossible, let alone over two weeks during our busiest season. I was convinced that everything would fall apart without me there to oversee every detail, handle every crisis, make every decision.

I told myself stories:

• "The staff need me there"

• "What if something goes wrong?"

• "Couples are paying premium prices - I have to be available"

• "This is just what owning a venue means"

Sound familiar?

The Turning Point

The shift didn't happen overnight. It started when I realized I wasn't building a business - I was building a job that I couldn't quit. And worse, it was a job that was stealing my life, my relationships, and my joy.

The real change began when I stopped asking "How can I work harder?" and started asking "How can I work smarter?"

That led to three fundamental shifts:

Systems Over Supervision Instead of being the person who knew everything, I became the person who created systems so everyone could know what they needed to know. Every process, every scenario, every standard - documented, tested, and refined.

Leaders, Not Just Staff I stopped hiring people to take orders and started developing people to take ownership. My team doesn't just execute my vision - they understand it so deeply they can make decisions that align with it, even when I'm not there.

Trust Over Control This was the hardest one. Letting go of the need to control every detail and trusting that the foundation I'd built was strong enough to hold everything together.

What 16 Days Away Really Means

This isn't just a holiday. It's proof of concept.

Proof that you can build a wedding business that serves your life instead of consuming it.

Proof that your venue can maintain its standards without you being physically present every moment.

Proof that your team can not only survive without constant supervision - they can thrive.

When I return from these 16 days, my venue will have:

• Delivered eight flawless weddings

• Maintained our reputation for excellence

• Continued building relationships with new couples

• Generated revenue and profit

• Kept every team member engaged and motivated

And I will have:

• Recharged completely

• Spent quality time with people I love

• Experienced new places and cultures

• Returned excited about my business instead of exhausted by it

This Isn't About Being Lucky - It's About Being Intentional

None of this happened by accident. It required:

• Investing in the right people and then investing in their development

• Building systems that work without constant tweaking

• Creating a culture where excellence is the standard, not the exception

• Letting go of the need to be indispensable

• Trusting that I'd built something bigger than myself

The Life-Changing Question

Here's the question that changed everything for me: What if your venue could be more successful without you micromanaging every detail?

What if your team performed better when they felt trusted and empowered?

What if your couples had an even better experience because they were dealing with confident, capable staff who weren't constantly checking with you?

What if you could love your business again because it gave you freedom instead of taking it away?

It's Not Too Late

I know what you're thinking. "Easy for her to say - she's been doing this for 25 years."

But here's the truth: I spent the first 20 years doing it wrong. Working harder instead of smarter. Being busy instead of being effective. Building a job instead of building a business.

The transformation happened in the last five years. After two decades of being trapped by my own success.

If I can change everything at this stage, so can you.

What's Really at Stake

This isn't just about taking holidays. It's about designing a life you actually want to live.

It's about being present for your family instead of constantly distracted by business thoughts.

It's about having energy for relationships, hobbies, adventures, and dreams that exist outside your venue.

It's about building something that enhances your life rather than consuming it.

The Choice Is Yours

As I prepare for these 16 days away, I'm not nervous. I'm grateful.

Grateful for the team who make this possible. Grateful for the systems that keep everything running smoothly. Grateful for the courage to build something different.

But mostly, I'm grateful that I finally understand the difference between owning a business and being owned by one.

You have the same choice I had. You can keep telling yourself that being constantly available is part of the job, or you can start building the systems and team that will set you free.

Your venue can be incredibly successful without you being its prisoner.

Your couples can have amazing experiences without you working every weekend.

Your business can thrive without consuming your life.

I'm living proof of that.

And in 16 days, I'll have even more proof to share with you.

The plane tickets are booked. The team is ready. The venue is in the best hands possible - theirs.

What would be possible if you trusted yourself to build something this strong?