as of Monday March 16th 2020

So I can’t honestly say that this is how we are feeling today.

But, I (Nicole – In the middle) am very grateful to be surrounding myself with this team while we travel down this rough and rocky road.

To our couples marrying in the next 8 weeks:

We are working tirelessly to make your’s, your family’s and your friend’s health our top priority.

Although we have shared this with you via email, in consideration to the newest CDC recommendations, we are connecting with your vendors to share the options you have towards moving your date.

Although this was not the engagement you would have ever imagined, we still want to remind you that you are worth celebrating.

Let’s take these next few days with as much peace as we can. Your planners will be in touch as we hear back from your vendors with options and our recommendations. You are on our minds every minute of the day and we will work together to get you back on track with those happy butterflies and reassurance instead of anxiety and uncertainty.

To our summertime, fall, winter and 2021 couples:

We are so grateful for you. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work through the many unexpected challenges we’ve been facing. Thank you for your openness to moving in-person meetings to virtual chats, for being considerate of vendor proposals taking a little extra time to making it into your hands.

Thank you for taking our hand and walking through this new territory with us. – We appreciate you.

To our Vendors:

Wow! Although I knew we were all of a different breed for choosing to be in such a demanding industry; one where we place others above ourselves and give our all even when we are going on hour 12 of no food but still maintain the energy and the smiles to be our best to our clients… I must admit, you are blowing me away.

To each vendor that I’ve reached out to about date changes, you’ve been so welcoming to the change. What could have been plenty of date changing fees and charges, you have willingly adjusted so that we could take care of our couples first. These are tough decisions we’re making.

To those that need to keep your fees, I equally understand.

Small business (like Storybook is to me, and many of yours are to you) we originally put these charges in place to protect us. So that we wouldn’t lose our business if a wedding here or there needed to move on us. We have employees to pay, our children to feed, our homes to pay for, years of business to be so proud of.. that could be taken from our hands by something that (and although we did everything else right) we couldn’t have ever prepared for.

Looking Ahead

After a very unsteady week, I must say that ours ended beautifully. Amidst all the chaos, we were able to celebrate the most deserving and kind couple. Along with a much smaller than anticipated guest count, they said “I do”, and were shown so much love. Our couple took on the challenging week with grace and the vendor team rallied together to make it as perfect of a day that we could, while knowing everything that was going on outside the venue doors.

It reminded me that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Couples and vendors, we see this light.

It’s just a bit further of a walk to reach it then we were hoping for.

With all this said, it has been difficult for me to post a bunch of pretty photos these last few days because it just seemed so far from reality for our current couples. But, I want to keep that light going. I will begin to share our couple’s photos again to remind you that there is still a lot to look forward to.

Lastly, to couples who are postponing and are going through this alone.

We’ve developed a coordination package for you. It is heavily discounted as we understand you are in the midst of losing a lot of money… (ugh all those freshly printed invitations).

Interested in learning more?

Our hearts are with you.

Don’t let this moment in time damage your “moment of a lifetime”.

We are here for you.

With love,

Nicole Hensley and the Storybook Team