Well, the last few months have just been an absolute, beautiful blur.
There’s something surreal about an idea becoming a sketch. A sketch becoming a blueprint, then, a few truckloads of material. Then, a physical frame, and finally: a venue, with polished floors and crystal-covered chandeliers, and running water and a stocked bar.
If only ideas coming to life were as easy as that summary, right? There’s really no way to encapsulate all of the strategic planning, designing, scrapping and redesigning, and – hugely – the efforts of the team that has come together behind the scenes of The Sixpence in order to get and keep the wheels turning.
It’s a wild kind of mixed feeling, to arrive at the end of one road: construction, and at the beginning of another: a packed calendar of events and celebrations we are so honored to help host.
Our Grand Opening came and went in the blink of an eye, and we continue to be mindblown at the incredible network of friends and professionals with whom we have been able to partner and work. Our entire team (and out of town family, friends – everyone we could ask) prayed that we wouldn’t get rained out on June 18th. The thought of having our Grand Opening guests miss out on one of the stunning Sixpence sunsets was heartbreaking; and guess what? God gave us the day, and what a day it was.
Early the next morning, I walked across the property: the smooth paved parking lot that was once rocks and dirt, through the stunning white barn that was once just a dream in Shelby’s head. I walked down the steps to our green, dewey lawn which features a big, beautiful wedding arch that I saw Chris and the guys hoist up only a week prior. I walked across the creek which will eventually feature a bridge, and followed quiet trails through the wooded area of the property. There’s a clearing back there which will be gently crafted into another ceremony space. But on this morning, it was just a little haven. In that stillness, in the quietness of the woods, it was impossible to feel lonely. It was impossible not to notice the sensation that being part of this project, with these people, is so much bigger than a singular job, or a singular day of celebration.
I think our whole team took that moment in a different way – the deep breath before the plunge – into a season of weddings and events. The way I see it, we have made a lot of incredible promises, some to couples who signed before ever seeing a wall go up. Now, we keep those promises. With a staff whose core remains the very people who dreamed this up, and show up every day to see it through.
Chances are, if you attend or host a wedding at The Sixpence, behind the bar you’ll find Seth, who woke up before the dawn for months on end to haul materials, cut wood, lay sod, and burn brush. Sometimes you might find Chris, undoubtedly in a baseball cap, helping get wine glasses down from the top shelves or overseeing the night crew flip. If you get a chance to say hello and compliment the space, he will probably shake your hand and say something like “We’ve been blessed.” He won’t mention the pre-dawn wake ups, the coordination he oversaw between all the building crews and inspectors, and the fact that he worked side-by-side with every painter, builder, and electrician.
And if you’re in the process of planning your wedding with us? Then you’ll find Shelby on the other side of your emails, helping custom design your bar package, and frequently still giving tours and nighttime managing events. She drafts every contract for every couple, and oversees operations at the venue she created. From concept to business plan, to warehouses and showrooms, to unpacking glassware and hanging individual crystals on our chandeliers – she’s got the heart and hands behind the vision.
So, thank you, for reading this and for joining us on this ever-changing journey which would be impossible without both the individuals and the community involved.
We’re thrilled to have gotten where we are and, eyes on the horizon, can’t wait for what comes next.
Brooks Daigle
Director of Marketing & Advancement
