A Very Special Announcement…

I know I’ve been a bit on the quiet side lately.  Part of this is because I have been taking some recuperative time; I somehow managed to have a long (3 month) break between major events.  This wasn’t by design, actually, but it did happen to coincide with the hottest weather we’ve had this year (thank goodness!).  I actually had a couple of events scheduled that for various reasons ended up being un-scheduled.  Nothing bad; it just happens sometimes.  Financial situations change, minds change, etc.  But in this case I really do think it might have been the finger of God or Fate or the Universe or something…  Because not a week after my big rainbow-colored birthday bash (which will be shared soon, I promise) I was sitting at my day job and started feeling really dizzy and exhausted.

I went home that day after barely sitting upright at my desk for the rest of the afternoon, convinced I had the flu.  My entire office had had it.  I must have gotten it.  I think I slept something like 16 hours the next day, and 14 or 15 the day after.  I was dragging!!!  I was feeling a bit nauseous too, had a bit of a headache, and body aches all over. I decided not to take anything, though, because I was afraid that it would aggravate my nausea.

It didn’t even occur to me until late that day that perhaps I was feeling sick for another reason…  And then it did.   I took a test the next morning.  And then the following week, we brought these over to my parents’ house.

Cute, huh? 😉

Yup, it’s official.  I’m going to be a mommy!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!! 🙂

But, of course, what does this mean for my business?

Well, first off, I won’t be taking any new clients except for limited Design Only or Stationery Design for the first 7 months of 2013.  I did have to let two Spring 2013 clients know that I wouldn’t be able to do their weddings (and I’ve helped them find other options).  It was especially tough to do this because I was scheduled to be the Coordinator for a longtime friend and vendor’s wedding in April, but it’s taking place two weeks after my due date.  So I’ll be in no shape, physically or mentally, for working a wedding day.

Beyond that, I have a sort of half-formed plan.  I’d actually decided earlier this year that I wanted to take next year a little easier, too.  May, June, and July were exceptionally busy for me, and while I loved every single wedding and shoot I was involved in, I don’t think I could continue that breakneck pace next year.  I have three weddings scheduled this Fall (2nd trimester energy – hooray!) and did decide to decline a fourth once I found out (I found them a great replacement too), because I wanted to give myself the ability to focus on the ones I’d already booked and an extra couple of weeks’ rest.  Next Fall and Winter I’ll be going back to a modified event schedule; I already have a couple of potential clients in the works and am SO looking forward to their weddings.  I’ll probably take on another 3-4 weddings on top of those I’m already talking to, late next year, as well as doing a few shoots that I’ve been designing. I plan to take on several 2014 weddings as well!

I will stay active in the San Diego wedding community, networking and meeting new vendors (this is another area where photo shoots are invaluable, as it gives me the opportunity to work with people I wouldn’t necessarily, otherwise, meet), as well as actively blog (perhaps not as often as I was during the summer, but hopefully with decent frequency; I still have SO much to share from earlier this year too!).

And I will be working on a Wedding Consulting package too (details should be worked out by early December)!

I’m so thrilled to be able to share with you the secret that’s kept me pretty quiet lately.  I know it will be life-changing in many ways.  But I also know that event planning and design is where I want to be, so I will be working hard to continue to provide excellent service and value for my clients!