Archive for March, 2009
Monday, March 30th, 2009
Normally, I ask for 30 days when people request one of my Elopement Packages, mainly because finding an available minister can be tricky. However, I am happy to say that I pulled off the fastest elopement in Blake House history this past weekend. We did it in 5 days!
I got an email Tuesday morning from a past guest who asked if I could pull together an elopement for her and her fiance (they had stayed here with me twice before) for the coming weekend. Cheryl and Keith have two children from previous relationships and both would be with them this weekend and so they thought, why not see what they can do about getting married. Keith owns his own lawn and nursery business so it’s difficult for him to get away, but apparently, this weekend could work so they were hopeful and surprised when it actually came together.
They were also looking for something very simple and did not want to go for one of my Elopement Packages since they would have their kids and my packages are not really set up for families. So, I put together something very simple, and they actually found a minister which took a lot of the pressure off.
I work with some very wonderful vendors and want to thank Alecia at Sweet Bouquets Florist (no website yet, but her number is 828.684.0810). She came through with a beautiful nosegay bridal bouquet with roses, baby’s breath, and other greenery. Kristin at Dessert First made a delicious lemon and raspberry cake with buttercream frosting for 4-6 people. I also provided some Sparkling Cider so that all four could enjoy a congratulatory toast with their cake for dessert.
Because we had been having rain for the past two days, the ceremony was held at 8:00 pm in one of the dining rooms in front of the fireplace (so romantic with all the candles on the mantle). I remember sweating while moving several tables and chairs out of one dining room and into the other to make space for the ceremony and thinking that the weather is finally turning warmer.
My mother and I were witnesses and since I was also videotaping the ceremony for them (using their video recorder), I didn’t get to take my own photos. But, we took a few still photos and they are supposed to send some to me, which I will post once I get them. Afterwards, my mother and I had to move the tables and chairs back into the dining room and set the tables for breakfast the following morning. Though this was a simple ceremony, there’s still a lot of work before and after. It was almost 9:30 pm by the time we finished.
The family stayed in the Rose Room, and did I mention that they brought their German Shepherd dog, Storm, with them? The Rose Room is the only room that can accommodate 4 people plus a pet.
While I prefer NOT to pull these together with very little notice, I am certainly satisfied that this one worked out so well. The happy family left this morning with promises to be back, maybe even before their first anniversary.
I am happy to customize a package for anyone looking to personalize their experience and hope to assist many more couples with their wedding.
Thursday, March 19th, 2009
Surviving during trying times, whatever those trying times are, is what makes a person stronger. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. It’ll get better, it’ll get better, it’ll get better.
I really do believe that, I just hope these trying times turn to good times soon. This is the first time in my life where I’ve really been affected by the economy, in many ways. But I’ve also realized that I am a glass half full person. I really do believe that adversity is good for you and being able to pull through, while painful, will be good for me.
Having said all that, being a business owner during tough times means doing what has to be done to survive. And this recession is hurting the majority of us.
Therefore, for a short period of time, I am going to be offering some super discounts so that people can still travel affordably. This first discount, I am calling the Super Duper Recession Rate Cut.
I am making it available through my blog, so only certain people will be able to take advantage. Refer to this blog and you can enjoy one of the following two discounts between March 20 – April 8:
- Stay mid-week (Mondays – Thursdays) and for each regular priced night you stay, receive a second night FREE of charge, or
- For weekends (Friday – Sundays), receive 25% off the nightly room rate (two night minimum stay required).
If these dates don’t work for you, check back frequently to see what Super Duper Recession Rate Cuts I am offering. These discounts cannot be combined with other discounts or existing reservations. Taxes will be added and extra people in a room and pets incur additional fees.
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009
I entered a contest to win a business grant through Intuit. You can read all submissions through 4/24/09 and respond if you think a story is Useful, Inspiring, and/or Funny. You can rate my story as well as other stories. Thanks for helping me and good luck to all entrants!
Here’s the link for my story:
The full story is below:
I have been the proud owner of a Bed & Breakfast in Asheville, NC since January 2006. How I ended up here is a total fluke. It started out with a short trip from Florida to Asheville with my mother in 2005 to visit the Biltmore Estate. We stayed in a lovely bed & breakfast (my mother picked this one because our room was my favorite color purple and it had separate beds). While conversing with the owner, she mentioned that they were selling the Inn. The rest of our trip, we fantasized about becoming innkeepers and what it would be like.
I took that fantasy back to Florida and began researching it as a possibility. I voraciously read books, articles, attended workshops, anything that would help me figure out if the fantasy could be a reality. Once I had momentum, there was no stopping me, and six months later, I became the owner of the 1847 Blake House Inn Bed & Breakfast and relocated my son and our five pets to North Carolina.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support (financially and emotionally) of my family. I was not the only one taking a big risk; they all were as well. Some have invested heavily in this old house, but it feels good to know that they believe in me. In addition, I am lucky to be in an area with many B&Bs and belong to an association of innkeepers that is helpful and supportive, even though we are all competitors. Having said that, with so many B&Bs in Asheville, it was imperative to find my niche market. My B&B appeals to travelers bringing children and/or pets and I also rent out the facilities for events. Most B&Bs do not allow young children, pets, or are too small for events. These three markets have allowed me to stay in the game and I plan to grow the pet side of the business this year.
In the three years since I took on this venture, the economy has put a cramp in business. However, while business is slow, my mind is not and I have recently been cutting costs and diversifying more to remain competitive. I wish that I had done all of this before now, but hard times force you to be creative if you want to stay in business, and I really want that.
I am still taking a big risk since this recession has been painful to business and I have spent many nights wondering if I’m going to make it. Still, the payoffs are worth the potential sacrifice. I don’t believe I will be a failure, no matter what happens.
Advice for others:
The biggest tips I can give to someone starting out like I did (single mom, changing careers, giving up security, relocating, etc.) are to make sure you either have or find yourself a strong support foundation, whether it be family, friends, similar business owners, associations, etc. and to find your niche market rather than be like everyone else. Competition is fierce and you have to find a way to set yourself apart from the pack.
