SWP Episode 012
With over a decade and a half of event planning experience combined, Crystal Lyon & Karly Zenkawich know what gets the job done. Brick Loft Event Co. was opened to help meet the demand for wedding (among others) event venues in downtown Saskatoon, but as a unique and original approach. There's no other space like it - beautiful, modern and industrial. Crystal and Karly talk to us about Brick Loft's origins, going from being each other's competition to being business partners, and where to start with your event planning.
Transcription of the episode can be found below the photos.
Show links:
Brick Loft Event Co. Website https://bricklofteventco.ca/
Brick Loft Event Co. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bricklofteventco/
TRANSCRIPT
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Matt: Hello, you are listening to The Sask Wedding Podcast. If you're a bride to be, or just love weddings, we created this show just for you. I'm your host, Matt Ramage. I'm the owner of MJ&Co. Stories, a photography and film company based here in Saskatoon. On today's episode, we have Crystal Lyon and Karly Shanks.
Crystal and Karly are the owners and founders of Saskatoon's newest wedding venue, Brick Loft Event Co. Crystal and Karly have been in the wedding industry for years running their own successful wedding and event planning companies. The transition from being dedicated wedding planners to operate in a venue is a huge draw for many Saskatchewan brides.
Their heart and soul went into the design of Brick Loft Event Co. And I can't wait for my first time to be able to shoot there. Thanks for being here. Thanks
Crystal: for having us.
Matt: So I wanted to bring you onto the show to share with our listeners about your new space. You guys had your first events in the last 12 months.
Like you just you're brand new, you're fresh. Your bathrooms are even,
Karly: they're not done. They're almost done. We moved in December.
Matt: And it looks amazing. Thank you. Are you guys super excited
Crystal: about it? We are like it's such a different part of the industry than we've been in before, but I think we've been in enough venues that we feel really confident in what we're offering and how we're going to offer that to guests, to ensure a great client experience and a great guest experience as well.
Matt: So this stuff doesn't happen overnight. You must've had. Dreamed about this. I know you have together been doing pop-up weddings over the last two years as a team. Obviously your close friends. Tell me about what sparked the start of this venue. The
Karly: pandemic brought us together where each other's competition turned business partners.
Should we tell the story?
Matt: I
Karly: think you should. Sure. Okay. So yes, we're good friends now. Were you
Matt: frenemies before?
Crystal: I was always friendly.
Karly: He was always friendly. Key. So back in what year was that? 2018? 2018. I was joining into a co-working collective and was, had a little office space out of there.
And Crystal had approached the person running the office collective to also get a space in there. And the person running it had asked me how I felt about another event planner coming in. And I told her no.
Crystal: She said yes first and then said, no. Yeah.
Karly: I thought it would be weird to be working day to day with like essentially my direct competition and being a new business owner.
I obviously made some mistakes, but I get it here we are. Yep.
Crystal: Now we're friends. Yeah. And I guess the biggest thing, like we said was the pandemic and how rapidly things were changing in the event industry. And coming into Brick Loft. Vanco was serendipitous because we were looking for a space to host pop-up weddings and then just found a much grander space and then adjusted our vision and dreams and maybe realized that our paths were changing.
And that's where we organically needed to go.
Matt: Are you excited? Like very excited. Yeah. Yeah. Tell us about Brick Loft Event Co.. This is a very. In my opinion, as a photographer this fits a very niche part of the market that's been missing in my opinion. And it's downtown. And I think we've talked about this before.
It's downtown it, it's not a hotel, so it's you have more liberties with that kind of venue. It's like right on the street, parking's easier. Some downtown hotels are like the Remai Modern, let's say that's almost impossible parking sometimes. But yeah. Tell us about the experience you want for your clients and like about the space.
Crystal: Go ahead. Okay. So I guess essentially we had started a Pinterest board and really started honing into both of our individual design desires, but then also took into consideration what was going to sell and be really appealing to the general. Audience, we didn't want anything that would be too trendy.
We didn't want anything that already existed in the city. So we were very focused on creating like a beautiful, modern, industrial. Space for people to come
Karly: into and something that was centrally located because Saskatoon has got a lot of great venues, but a lot of them are not near the downtown.
There's a lot of hotels downtown, but there was nothing like Brick Loft downtown, and it was something that Saskatoon was missing. Cause when you go to all of the other major centers across Canada, they all have stuff like this. So we were just mindful of that and we really did want something.
And
Crystal: then I guess the last thing is, as planners, we've seen people really focus on what they need to bring into a space, to make it feel really warm and inviting and impressive for their guests. And we wanted to create a space that really required minimal extras. Like really you could walk in with what we already provide, add some florals and it's going to be a really memorable experience.
Matt: Yep. And I've seen even some of our best. It's pretty common to like truck in truckloads of people just want a different chair. And now all of a sudden you're trucking in a hundred and some chairs, you've designed your place to be like for the kind of person who is ready to like bring the flour.
That was the phrase you guys use. Just bring the flowers and that's it kind of thing. Yeah.
Crystal: Yeah. We invested in really beautiful chairs for a reason. We don't want people to have to bring in chairs and we really
Karly: don't. We have nowhere to put our chairs if they're not being used. So essentially you're not bringing in other chairs and you wouldn't want to, the chairs that we selected for the space fit the space and they're beautiful and nobody else in Saskatoon has them.
Matt: So yeah and yeah and the other thing is you don't have to like, even in our hotels, like sometimes, planners and I'm sure you've done this where you're. You've got a beautiful hotel, but the couple doesn't want the vibe of the hotel anyway. So then they're draping up, a perimeter of like a hundred, 200 feet of draping and, or putting chair covers on chair covers on like on the padded.
Like what's the, I don't. Yeah. It doesn't yeah. Which, has a place, but yeah. Yeah. I think that's really interesting. And I think as far as I would if I was getting married, like that's very attractive to me, the plugin. Feel of your place. Like it's just that's it.
That's all I gotta do. Now tell me, did that come inspired from pop-up weddings? Did you see like a need of people wanting that. All the decisions were made and they just had a show
Karly: up. I think it just came from our background in planning and like combined, we have 16 years of planning experience and we've just seen couples focus so much in on decor and what they need to bring in for decor and decor gets really expensive really quickly, but
Matt: charge charger plate like two bucks from.
For anyone listening especially for the dudes, if you're like me, I didn't know what a charger plate was for awhile. And it's the plate that you don't
Karly: use? The plate that the plate goes on
Crystal: top of it's the plate that your uncle will sometimes
Matt: use. Yeah. Yeah. Some someone use it. They're big. They're go. I don't know.
They're different colors, but yeah. So anyway, those are five bucks each
Karly: up to yet and chairs like you can rent a chair for $2, not a nice chair. But like the nice chairs are $10. So $10 a chair times, 150. It gets expensive real quick plus delivery plus pickup because you have to have everything out of a space by a certain time.
And you could track it all in yourself, but who wants to do that on their wedding day? That
Matt: sounds awful. And your wedding planner is you've seen people get a little bit overwhelmed with too much detail. Yeah, they're both not in their heads and
Crystal: we don't want it to seem are our spaces specific to one type of couple, we certainly have a bunch of different designs happening in the space.
And it's just neutral enough that it's going to create cohesive vibes, whether you want something a little bit bright, something muted, something neutral. We really think it's versus.
Karly: Yeah, this year, we have, the couples doing the more boho vibes, and then we've got the couples doing the more like fine art.
And what's the word? Eternal vibes. I have no idea how to say that. It's such a lovely word, but not French cereal. And then we have couples like in between. There are some people doing, going a little bit more rustic as Saskatchewan likes to do a little bit. So it's really, you can really go any way with it.
It's neutral enough that you can take it and make it your own for sure.
Matt: You guys have done a few photo shoots. Anyone listening, I check out their Instagram. It's really pretty
Crystal: and we did just update some photos on our website as well of where the space is at right now. And it's something we're very proud of
Matt: and you should be like, it's stunning.
And again, like I think it really fits a niche. Like it's it's unique. Tell me what the size capacity. Is that part of a niche too? Saskatchewan, with COVID, we've had some of my most favorable weddings. I've done them with the, both of you when you're planning them.
Their backyard weddings or small restaurant in a wedding receptions. Tell me about the capacity, have you seen a change in trends with people having more diversity? Not always doing the 200 person wedding or
Karly: I think COVID a positive thing that came out of COVID is, not everybody wants to have the two to 300 person wedding.
But I think a lot of people felt obligated to do just with large family, large families there's a lot of Ukrainians in this city and we like, I am Ukrainian, we have huge weddings. But that doesn't appeal to everybody. They do it out of obligation to their families, but COVID has really let people plan the smaller, intimate gatherings of 30 people all the way to one 50, which is our capacity.
But our space is really good for weddings of all sides. We have quite a few weddings of 50 people, which is great, a hundred to 120 is like that sweet spot. But to answer your question, it's one 50
Matt: and are people loving it? Do you feel like it's. It's big enough for bigger weddings, but not too big where the smaller weddings fit.
Crystal: Totally. And I guess you haven't been in this space, but when people come into this space, there are some pillars throughout the space, which allows us to use that central area for seating for smaller gatherings, which makes it feel like the space is a little bit more intimate. But even at our capacity of one 50, you're never going to feel like you're starting to in there, we were very mindful of still leaving enough space so that you could walk between tables without having to turn sideways or second your tummy or any of those types of things, because we've had to do that.
That's just one of the things we were also super mindful of when we were creating our our maximum capacities and stuff like that. Yeah.
Matt: And tell me about the chairs and tables you have. They're very like specific to like a design you've had in your mind.
Crystal: Yeah, so we the chairs were our second choice.
Our first choice was Brentwoods, but they were just not accessible. And the place that we were able to find them the would just wouldn't stand up in our Saskatchewan dry climate. So we ended up getting some white cross back chairs, so they are. They're modern, but they're also rustic at the same time for our tables for guests tables.
So we are just a standard five foot round with a white floor length linen, but we do have some really beautiful industrial harvest tables that can be used for your head table or welcome table depending on your needs. And then the other piece of furniture that we're really proud of and excited about.
Is a set from Palliser EEQ three. So we have one of the beautiful Ramy sofas. So it's like this beautiful cream leather and then so buttery. Yeah. It's so soft. We make people touch it when they come in. And then we
Karly: also have, we seriously make everybody touch the coach.
Crystal: And then two, like dusty rose lounge chairs that are just like perfect for.
Popping in when we're doing work, but also for your guests to have that moment in that conversation that allows them to connect with other guests in the space.
Matt: So do you imagine a lot of couples will do ceremony and reception at your space? And have you had that a lot? What do you
Karly: think the percentage is?
I feel like we're 50, 50, 50. Our summer season is really short and people love their outdoor wedding ceremonies. But we are good backup for those couples that are having their reception with us so that if they have to make that call, a day before, two days before, because the weather is an ideal, they can still utilize the space.
And we just need two hours in between to flip the space and it's ready for the party after.
Matt: And then photos I've seen styled shoots in your space. Stunning. Do you expect a lot of couples to be. Do some of their formals, if the weather's not ideal or maybe it's just winter, maybe it's like right now, That in between, it's not winter, it's not spring rally muddy
Karly: out in
Matt: a white dress.
Yeah. It's brown and wet and yeah. Do you, is that, was that one of your thoughts when you made the space was like to be able to have some formal photos there or family photos or stuff like that?
Karly: For sure. So family photos usually happen right after a ceremony. Our space is beautiful enough that you don't have to get everybody into a vehicle and truck them somewhere else.
Cause then you lose people and it's hard to wrangle those families so you can. Do that right in the space and formal photos as well. We've had a lot of photographers utilize the space for couples whose weddings aren't even booked with us to come in and do photos during the slow season right now.
So
Matt: that's cool. Yeah. On your beautiful couch on the beautiful cuts. What's the name of it again? The F the Remi
Crystal: Ramy. I think it's the Remi R E M I from Palestine Q3 here in Saskatoon and it's made in Canada. So we feel really really great. Yeah, you should
Matt: just become a sales rep for like cutesy. We worked there
Karly: on the side.
Just kidding. We don't know. We don't have,
Matt: yeah, that's awesome. Let's talk about events in general in your opinion. First of all, but do you have a favorite part of wedding days on what kind of want I'm curious, do you have the same one as a different,
Crystal: I don't know if we've really ever talked about this too much.
My so one of my favorite things for a couple to do is have their first song played like her first dance song played at the very end of the evening and just read dance to it. And I feel like at that moment, all the stresses of the day are gone and they've just spent a few hours with their friends and family, like really celebrating and having a great time.
And then they just take everything in. And I think that's one of my favorite parts of the date.
Karly: At the very end, but definitely my favorite part is right as the bride starts walking down the aisle. So the last time I see her before she gets married, is I fluff her dress at the back and tell her she's good to go when she's ready.
And I think we all breathe a sigh of relief from a planning perspective and she's down the aisle and they're getting married.
Matt: I love it. When you're, when you think of a gap, What's your K you, I had it here. No, I don't have it here. Oh, a foundation. This is your, do you call this your tagline? I
Crystal: it's like the pillar of everything we're trying to create.
Matt: It's a foundation for really beautiful gatherings and community. So tell me in your opinions, like what makes great gatherings people, so and in the design of your space? Like what is it to you that's gonna make your space, really special for a couple?
Karly: I think we touched on it.
Just being able to walk in and add a little bit of a personal touch without having to go crazy or, cover things up to make it look the way you want it to is that great foundation for any event?
Crystal: Instead of focusing on those details, you're focusing on the people you get to see, you're focusing on the moments you're going to have.
You're focusing on the fact that you're now married to hopefully the love of your life. And it just allows you to be fully present in the moment versus worrying about, what's happening aesthetically in this space.
Matt: Do you do you guys love cocktail hour, a lot for weather?
Karly: Yeah, cocktail is a great, it's yeah, it's
Crystal: a great time to see people come into this space.
People are impressed with the space. People are excited. They're they've seen each other a little bit at the ceremony, but now they're reconnecting again on a more social level. I feel like the ceremony is a little more formal in conversation, but by the time cocktail, art comes around, people are just ready to be social and be present.
Be excited and party cocktail
Karly: hours, go time for us. It feels okay, this is a time that we're going with everybody and I'm not gonna lie. We usually crush a red bull right before cocktail hour. And yes,
Matt: mine's like right after the ceremony, but when family photos start, that's go-time for
Crystal: us.
And it's yeah, we
Matt: can breathe. And the reason I'm asking that is I think of like your. Perfect for not just weddings, but like tons of different events, which is part of your your a foundation for really beautiful gatherings and community is not just the wedding, but it's more than that.
And springing the Pete, you said the people is the thing that makes it bringing people together. So yeah I could imagine a lot of successful events could be held there for like conferences or data conferences or small businesses or weekend events or workshops or whatever,
Karly: Christmas parties, social gatherings, birthday parties, bridal showers, like you name it, you can do it.
Matt: And have you had a lot of like interest in all those different types? Is that, was that part of the vision at the beginning to make it not just 16 weekends in the summer? And then.
Crystal: Awesome. We we both have young families and so our children are getting to the age where they're noticing that we're being gone.
So the fact that now we have somebody else that we can lean into to be present so that we don't have to necessarily be present 16 weekends of every single summer for the rest of their lives, I think is something that did bring us together. We had that common interest and that common goal to be a little more balanced in our life in our home life or work life in home.
Matt: Yeah, you guys are creative entrepreneurs you're designing experiences for people all the time and yeah. I find it's hard to shut that brain off. When you think of your venue, what kind of couples is it a great fit for?
Crystal: I like thought we had this perfect couple in mind of what they were going to look like or what they were going to want and do.
And honestly, we have had. Every type of couple a rural couple, a city couple, a professional, couple of creative couple I don't know if we have one single type of person that our type of people that our space is good for. I think it's for the people who are really wanting to, again, stress on the fact that they're gonna want to focus on the people and the celebration and not necessarily.
Stress about details.
Karly: I think what attracts people of all kinds to our spaces that we are. A, I don't want to say all inclusive because it's not all inclusive, but you walk into a beautiful space. You have all of these beautiful inclusions. We have an exclusive Katie catering partner, we're living sky cafe who does all of our catering.
So you don't have to worry about going and finding it a caterer. And we do all the bar service in house. So you really don't have to worry about too much, except again, adding that personal aspect to things. It just makes it so easy. And then, oh, I forgot to mention, like we are planners to our cores.
So we do have planning ad-ons as well. So if you want to add on partial planning services or that month of coordination, or even just day of with setup and take down and coordination, help for your ceremony, those options are there for you. And we've created our packages to be really enticing price wise.
Because things are easier for us to do in our space. And honestly, we're control freaks anyways.
Matt: Yes they are. That's why they're good wedding planners. That's why I think anyone who goes to their space is it's different. It's not just like a hotel manager having, and not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not just like someone.
And the goal is to book hotel rooms. And then they just happen to do events, but you guys are like event first kind of people.
Crystal: And we are really realistically and we know there are local owned hotels, but we are fully invested in this space. Like we don't have a backup plan. We don't have a board of directors who manage all these different things.
So like our hearts are in this space, which I think also makes us a little bit different than some other spaces in the city. Yeah.
Matt: I'm excited. I'm excited for you. Is your year like completely booked up pretty much like the summer months or you just like Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and at some weekends
Karly: or June and July or no goes for anything.
They're completely booked solid. This summer is wild just because we're winding down our separate companies as well. So we have events still under method events and pretty in the Pines. And then we have outside events together.
Matt: Three weddings with you.
Karly: Yeah, we have our lot together. They're all at the barn, aren't they?
I think so. But together with everything we have going on, we have 58 events this year,
Crystal: and somehow we booked 17 weddings in a space that people really have not seen completely finished for.
Karly: Between June and October. So many people booked sight unseen. They just, which
Crystal: like makes us feel really excited about maybe the trust they already have in us.
And they're trusted that we were going to enable to create something really wonderful
for
Matt: them. That must feel like really exciting to a strong start, like strong demand for your, just your vision was enough to sell people on it. And
Crystal: it's scary when you create something you're like, we like this, but are other people going to like.
Matt: And they do, obviously they love it. If 58 events and counting, I'm sure more are gonna keep coming. Like we normally, so it's like in a calendar year for bookings, like a lot of couples, especially if the farmer couples, they get engaged and they start booking their wedding for like fall, that's usually so anyway now is like, when people are starting to ask about, obviously they're asking about next year, but tons of people fill up the.
October November months with bookings now. So I'm sure you guys are going to just continue to
Karly: this. Here is wild. I think every day we're like blown away by how many 2022 inquiries are still coming in. And I think all wedding vendors feel that way. Like this year is absolutely bonkers.
A lot of love in the air. A lot of love. Backlog of love
Matt: backlog. Yeah, I'm super excited for it. I want to chat lean on your event, planning expertise for a couple of questions or maybe just one. You've been to lots of weddings. You've been part of it. You've seen things.
I remember why didn't, I think it was like eight years ago. It was just when I first met you Crystal. I can't remember their names. She was a teacher it'll come right after I hit record when we stopped recording, but I remember we were at the holy family cathedral and. It was a long time ago.
Crystal was going to look it up. I just saw their kids on Instagram, like last night. And I'm blanking. Child's
Crystal: doing deadlifts with a cranberry juice. Yes.
Matt: When people are booking or sorry, planning wedding days from your experience, what's like some of the bigger mistakes they're making when it comes to the wedding day,
Crystal: The number one mistake people do in my opinion, is being influenced by people that shouldn't have a say in what they're influenced by. But I agree
Matt: with that. So like my friends, the bridesmaid, the mother-in-law or mother. Yeah.
Crystal: And I think even like social media and Pinterest.
Karly: Yeah. We love and hate Pinterest.
Crystal: We would hope that any personal connections would have your best interest in mind and offer you some guidance, but like external influences, yeah. Social media people, you don't know people who you don't have great relationships with. I
Karly: think people lately have been a little bit indecisive and I think.
Taking that step with your partner, right after you get engaged and sitting down together and writing down exactly what you want in regards to your wedding day and guest count and venue. And all of that stuff is very important to do right off the get, go. Even before you go start looking at venues and stuff, because everything is so different.
And just having that solid vision of the outline of your wedding, not the details that outline. Is important before you go and you start inquiring and booking things. One thing I've noticed a lot lately is people selling their wedding dates on marketplace and stuff like that, because the reason behind it is, oh, we're changing venues.
Or we decided not to do our wedding outside of Saskatoon, and we want to do it in the city that blows my
Crystal: mind. And what caused you to change your mind? Who influenced your decision to change your initial decision and how did you make that first decision? Yeah, just making like a really good written list of what's important to you.
So that you can stay focused on that.
Matt: We had this one, is this a blog we made a couple of years ago and it was like, write down everything that matters to you. Like almost exhaust the list and then put it and then start putting it in order of like
Karly: smart top
Matt: five. I remember that flag. Yeah. Do it this or that.
And then put your budget there. Let's talk about money. Cause I've seen people do things that are really expensive. That makes no difference on the wedding day. And that, that was actually where that blog came out from. I've seen people do what's the gift, the favorites waste of time.
It's like sometimes, when grandma's making a jar jam, I will definitely take that home and use it as a. I actually
Crystal: still have one jar of jam left from Sydney and Smith's wedding. That doesn't my fridge. Yeah. So those are like usable things. Okay.
Karly: Stuff is great. Or like doing your place cards on those, that paper that's like seed paper that you can plant, like something you can use is great, but like then the shot glasses and the coasters and stuff like that, you have good intentions when you do that stuff. But a lot of people just Chuck it into junk drone, forget about it, and you've spent good money on that or leave it there or leave it there. And we cleaned it up after and box
Matt: it all up and then they get a yeah, like a bucket or something that sits in their garage for the next three years or,
Karly: yeah.
And then it ends up. Like value village or something.
Matt: Oh, so focusing on element elements that don't matter. What in your mind what can couples do to focus on those priorities and determine them? Like you're talking about talking early on like open
Karly: honest conversations with each other be honest about what you want and what you want things to look like.
Matt: Do you find sometimes I don't see this part cause I'm later in the pipeline of a wedding, but do you find something. Maybe it's the groom or one party's says they have no opinion, then all of a sudden you get to a decision point. They're like all of a sudden have all these opinions that weren't realized.
Have you ever seen that? Yes. Cause like, when I think of even just me and my wife, it's I'll I do I know I do this. I can, my wife, hopefully she'll listen to this. So I love you. I'll be like, no, I don't care. I don't care. Like family holidays, I don't care what doesn't matter.
That's fine. Pick the, you can pick the hotel or whatever it is. And then all of a sudden it's like, why you, why did you do this? I hate when you do that, like even
Crystal: going for supper I'll have anything except for this, or this.
Matt: Yeah. And then anyway, do you find that ever happens in the planning part is things were missed by like maybe it's oh, maybe the green was really particular.
He wanted silver chairs or charger plates because whatever reason, no.
Crystal: I think if a partner has that much of a desire to make those decisions, they're pretty vocal about those. Early on. I feel like the people who say they are laid back are generally laid back.
Karly: Sometimes they surprise us
Matt: once in a blue moon.
So it's like the best way to start. Let's say someone's looking for in our experience, people. Pretty much do the venue first. Like they're wondering they, that is probably the most influential part of a wedding day is the venue.
Crystal: Ben you photo planner.
Karly: So if you remember from our Sask modern wedding summit talk, we always say set your budget first.
And then we say pick your venue and then pick your date. You've gotta be flexible on your date, especially these days with picking a venue. So going in with a general idea, say. July through September is what you're looking at and not like honing on a specific honing in on a specific date is a good idea right now.
And then after venue, we say photographer, for sure. Cause you
Matt: guys pick up real. That's pretty much yeah, that's our order. It's people will be like in a book you were just waiting on the venue to confirm and then they confirm and then they lock it in with us and yeah, definitely yeah, it's very early on in the process.
When someone's trying to book with you guys for an event. So they set their budget, he said, and then there may be interested in your space. You've designed something really special that you like are fantasizing about their wedding day being there. How do they start that process? This is their first time.
Usually,
Crystal: yeah. They can of course go to our website and we have forms throughout the website to make it really easy to contact us in eight. Most of them ask for the information that we required to send them more information. And even if they're going onto our social media, there's always a.
I've linked to our website
Karly: and an email button.
Matt: And then do you usually have couples come see, obviously you've had a lot of people book without seeing the finished state. You've done a really good job actually since day one of PR portraying what it's going to be like. I don't feel like it was a mystery of it looking the way it does.
It looks really beautiful and I expected nothing less. Cause you did a good job of showing that, you have these couples come to your space. Do you do one-on-ones do you is that a big part of the experience
Karly: in your mind? Yeah, so we're there Monday through Friday nine 30 to four 30, depending on the day, sometimes where there later, but we do offer Appointments for tours during those times.
We do schedule tours in just because we have meetings and stuff. So it's not on a, it's not in a walk-in basis, but they can definitely reach out and schedule a tour and come see the space and walk it. We actually had a tour yesterday and they hung out for 40 minutes and we loved them. So we hope they book.
Yeah,
Crystal: that's always the best. And then our other tier yesterday was actually a couple who had booked without seeing the space at all. So it was like the people who trusted us, who just. We've seen that the you're getting pretty close to being finished. We wanted to come see what it actually looks like.
And so it was like cool to see all those different levels of people. It's so
Karly: gratifying also in those, couples that trusted us, that booked sight unseen come and walk in and they're like, oh my gosh, it's so beautiful. It feels good. I
Matt: can just imagine you, one of you or both you be in there and they're coming in, I'm assuming probably they have a bridesmaid or a mom or the partner.
I'm sure you've seen it all. They're coming in.
Crystal: Mostly it's the couple together coming in. And sometimes they'll bring some parents and some like special people with them, but it's been really cool to see most of the time. It's just been the couple themselves, which means they're making those decisions and it's them together versus everybody.
Matt: Awesome. So coming to booking, get in touch, then go on your website, find you on social media. You want people to reach out to you, then you can go over all those things. Yeah
Crystal: we spend some time creating a really clear package that speaks to all of the inclusions, all the offerings and all the pricing and those types of things.
So it's just really easy for us to send that to them, allow them to look through it and then answer any questions they may have from there
Karly: and check availability. Of course,
Matt: number one, check availability. Pick your venue then. Then you pick your wedding day. Give me a range. I have had a few people pick, changed their wedding date for our, for us.
It's probably a lot more rare than you, but it still happens that I'm always like, stop it, like fine. Okay. Flattering. Hey. Yeah, definitely hits me in the fields. Awesome. Where can people find you? What's your Instagram handle?
Crystal: So our Instagram is @bricklofteventco.
Matt: And website?
Karly: bricklofteventco.ca
Matt: Awesome. I highly recommend if you are in search of a wedding venue, maybe you don't have that ring yet. You probably don't. You're fantasizing about your wedding day. Make sure you take a look at Karly and Crystal's beautiful events, space, Brick Loft Event Co. I am, I know I am very excited to be photographing there for my first time.
I think I have one in the summer. I can't wait. Looking forward to it anyway, so happy for you too. Thanks so much for being on. Thanks so much for being on the show.
Crystal & Karly: Thanks for having us!
