Hello!
It’s been yet another multi-year blog pause! It’s hard to believe it’s been three years since our last update. To catch you up from where we left off, the stone patio is complete, and our back gardens have doubled in size, looking absolutely breathtaking during the summer months! Our grounds have matured so much since we built Bloom in 2016; everything is thriving and lush, truly living up to its name, “Bloom Meadows.” Wink, wink!
These past few years have been quite the whirlwind, and in many ways, it feels like we’re just getting started at Bloom. We’ve been focused on mastering our fundamentals, becoming strong in our roles, and identifying where we can grow and what our next business moves should be. This past year was our slowest yet, prompting us to evaluate everything: our business model, offerings, the economy, competition, rental and vendor pricing, and what couples truly need. We asked ourselves how we could rework our business to become more efficient while enhancing our couples' experiences. How do we elevate ourselves to the next level and continue to grow? One thing we’ve learned about owning a business is the importance of never getting too comfortable and always being ready to adapt.
The first major decision we made was to take over our bar services, and get our liquor license. This was a tough call because we never really intended to manage the bar ourselves, but we finally felt it was time to bring it in-house. Previously, we had Crisp running our bar, and they did a fantastic job, not to mention, they are also a fantastic catering option. We’re sad to see them go, but it’s time for us to take on this role ourselves. This decision goes hand in hand with our focus on teamwork. Having a unified team managing both the floor and bar services ensures a seamless flow. We’ve dedicated significant time this past year to learning the process and exploring various options to ensure we do our best.
Another area we are focusing on, is growing the amount of events we take on a year. While we mainly operated during the warmer months of the year, we wanted to be able to host more events in the late fall and winter. To do this effectively, we really needed a separate space from our main barn. That leads to our most exciting news yet: we will be offering a ceremony chapel space! One aspect we felt would really benefit our clients was a separate covered area for ceremonies in case of inclement weather. Yes, you can put a tent on the stone patio, and yes, we’re pros at flipping the barn to make it all work seamlessly. However, neither option is ideal, and as with everything else, tent prices have skyrocketed since we started Bloom. This has been a significant cost barrier for many couples considering us. Plus, let’s be honest—weather apps seem more unreliable than ever, am I right?! And no offense to Steve Caporizzo over at ABC News, but Albany’s weather is not the same as our little valley’s weather here in Hancock!
We believe that having a second space for gatherings, in addition to the main barn, will really enhance our offerings and appeal. As Sarah always says, “layers”—adding layers builds interest and depth, and I can totally see it happening here.
So, where does this bring us? We’ve dusted off Bob and brought him out of retirement for one last ride! (Sorry, Sue!) Sarah got to work on the computer and designed a chapel building that will sit beside the main barn. We then sent the plans off to the professionals to make sure everything would work, and we broke ground this week! We’re aiming for an early summer completion. For our booked couples reading this and freaking out, “Is there going to be a construction site for my early spring wedding?!” No, there will not be! We have our A-team on this project, and they’ll be working through the winter to ensure the chapel’s exterior is completed and visually beautiful. For our summer and fall couples wondering, “Can we use this chapel if it’s finished?”—yes, you can! We’ll document the build as we go along this winter, so be sure to follow along!
Lastly, and most importantly, one of the major things keeping us busy over the last couple of years has been welcoming our second daughter, Hattie. She’s been a true blessing, and watching her grow and interact with our older daughter, Charlie, has been a real joy for us! They are currently, loving all the dirt piles from construction :)
That’s enough for now—we have a busy winter and spring ahead. Hopefully, we’ll update the blog before 2027, but we won’t make any promises! - Greg & Sarah
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