As Construction Winds Down...

It's a bit surreal to look around the venue and see it almost finished. I had this dream of building a venue of my very own over four years ago, and I can't believe the dream has actually come true. I feel incredibly blessed and very tired. As the last of the contractors finish up their final tasks, I wanted to take some time and reflect on this building experience.

First off, it has been a journey. I knew that it would be hard and this experience would change me, but I could never anticipate (and believe me I tried) how hard it was and that I definitely have. There were so many lengthy steps to this whole process before construction even began, that it felt like it was never going to happen. From creating a business plan, planning and zoning approval, designing a building with my architect, finding my contractors, creating a construction budget, and getting a construction loan, I thought I would lose my mind. I had never done any of these things before, but I went for it, and thankfully it all came together. I didn't do it alone though. I had mentors and an incredibly supportive husband and family. Through the planning process I learned to be more patient with myself and others, and that my voice and opinion matter too. I tend to be someone who wants to please everyone, even at the expense of what I want or need. There were times that I wasn't being listened to when I should have been, so I had to find the courage to speak up, and I did.

Almost four years to the date of deciding to build a wedding venue, construction began. I watched men who were skilled in their perspective fields turn an empty spot on top of a hill into my dream building. I have always had respect for people who work in the trades, but to watch them all work on my project, it made me appreciate them even more. They are truly craftsman, and they work incredibly hard. They were also very patient with me, as I photographed and took videos every day of them working. I got to see the entire construction process firsthand, which trade comes first in the build, and which one is the last to walk away when it is all done. I watched Amish men hang from trusses 20 feet in the air without a single fear of falling. An electrician pull what seemed like a thousand wires into electric panels and knew which wire went to which switch with such clarity. Concrete contractors in one moment push and pull with great effort wet cement into forms and then the next moment, gracefully trowel it smooth. Plumbers twist themselves in ditches and on hard concrete floors to fit pipes. HVAC contractors walk the ceiling beams for days to create a labyrinth of ductwork. An insulation technician spray open-celled insulation between every two by six on the exterior walls and ceiling with skilled precision. And lastly, a team of men work in impressive synchronicity move dirt that transformed the landscape of this property. Yes, there were unexpected delays, little mishaps here and there, and messes left behind to clean up, but there was also comradery, inside jokes that I became privy too, and a dedication by all of them to bring my dream to life. I feel so honored to have been able to work with all of them. I was expecting a building through this process, but I wasn't expecting to make friends, but I did, and for that I am very grateful.

I also wasn't expecting a lot of weddings to be booked during this time, so when I booked my first wedding when it was just a bunch of stud walls, I was floored. A few days later, another brave couple booked, and at the time of me typing this blog, I have nine weddings booked, with the first wedding six months from now. When I first started giving tours, I used to worry that the couples wouldn't like the venue that I was creating. I loved it, but I didn't know if they would. When I gave my first tour, and I saw the couples' faces light up with a smile as they walked into my venue, I let out a sigh of relief. They loved it too. The risk, worry, and effort was all worth it in that moment. Now, I still didn't know in that moment if they would book, but when they left the venue after the tour was over, I had a good feeling. Five minutes later, that same sweet couple pulled back onto the property and told me they wanted The Rafters to be where they started their lives together. Pure joy on their end and on mine. Every couple that has agreed to book The Rafters since then has filled me with that same joy. I also feel so grateful to each of them for choosing my venue.

This whole experience has been the hardest thing I have ever done (and I made it through basic training and raising teenagers, lol), but with every mountain and trial that I have encountered these past four years, God has provided me with the wisdom and the strength to carry on. As I move from dreamer to business planner to project manager, and now venue owner, I enter this final title with such a grateful heart and a stronger voice. This next phase won't always be a cake walk, but at least there will be wedding cake, and the joy of watching couples get married.

~Christal