Ours is a business about families. Several times each month we are privileged to participate in intimate family gatherings at one of the most important events that they will share. This is an honor that we do not take lightly, and one of which we are sincerely grateful to be a part.
Likewise, we share in common with our clients our dedication to our own families. I have owned Williamsburg Wedding Design for over five years, and have watched it grow along with my five-year-old twins Hayden and Sydney. What a joy it has been to see the three of them develop together! I look forward to many more years of nurturing a family and a family business together with my team.
Regular fans of Williamsburg Wedding Design, including the more than 60 couples we have “wed” over the past years, may have noticed that we didn’t take as many weddings over the past eleven months, and our blog entries were fewer and farther between. While the economy has played a part, the reduction in 2008 and 2009 was actually quite intentional.
My two children have made their share of contributions and sacrifices over the years while we watched the seeds of our business grow. In August of 2008 I made a choice to temporarily scale back operations and shift part of my focus to the kids’ preschool experience and education. It was my turn to sacrifice, and I invested a lot of time in ensuring that they were able to successfully complete preschool while I continued to manage daily operations at WWD. Unwilling to sacrifice quality of service, we reduced the number of wedding commitments and simultaneously empowered our staff to take greater responsibility for the business. The results were outstanding, as our clients’ numerous thank you notes and hugs of gratitude confirmed.
The best performance results I can possibly report? The twins graduated from preschool with confidence and charm. Even better? The long hours invested in the many projects necessary for this single mom and business owner to pull off a private preschool education also gave me a “brain break” I didn’t know I needed. I’m returning to full-time leadership of Williamsburg Wedding Design with greater enthusiasm than I’ve experienced in years, and fresh new ideas that I can’t wait to implement!
I will see a lot of my kids over the next three months as I return to them the time that I “borrowed” to do what was necessary for their education and for the business that we consider part of our family. I will also gear back up for another full season of weddings, and I look forward to working with new clients and old friends once again! There are great things to come for Williamsburg Wedding Design, and I sincerely thank our growing extended family for their support and encouragement.
With kindest and best regards!
Shayna Walker, Owner
Williamsburg Wedding Design
