Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Crews
Hi Haley, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
This all started about nine years ago when two pregnant besties were looking to make some “fun money”. My girl Jill was a orthodontist assistant and had a mother of the bride with braces as a patient. She would come in and tell Jill all about the wedding and she was starting to stress. Jill very casually said “My best friend & I love this kind of stuff. We’d be happy to help”. Next thing you know – we found ourselves planning her daughter’s wedding. After that we decided to make a side hustle out of our collective talents and launched “Three Strand Events”. Sadly, life events took her and her family back to her home state of TX. A year or so later I rebranded and became “Haley Crews Events”.
I worked part time at the Springdale House & Gardens (where my husband & I got married) and learned so much from them. At the time I was maybe doing 6-8 weddings a year with the majority of them being at The Springdale House. I had a full time position has the Assistant Director of my children’s preschool and moonlighting as a planner on the weekends. After the craziness of 2020 I felt the Lord calling me to take a leap of faith and go “all in” with HCE. Fall of 2021 was my first season as a full time planner and we went from doing 6-8 weddings a year to trial by fire with 13 weddings in 13 weeks.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think launching a business is ever “smooth sailing” and the process of creating something out of nothing is not for the faint of heart. I’ve been growing this brand for almost 10 years and still feel like I learn something new with each event. The midland’s wedding industry is a very generous community. We look out for each other and I have been so grateful for the other wedding professionals who have answered questions, given valuable insight and even sent referrals my way.
In our line of work the most challenging thing is not letting the opinion of others be the framework for how you view yourself, your team or your company. When you are your brand the boundaries between business and personal naturally begin to blur – therefore – negative feedback often feels like a gut punch. It took me a while to realize that we wouldn’t be able to please everyone and negative reviews or criticism should be seen as opportunities to grow and not see them as set backs.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a wedding planner we take great pride in coming along side our couples to not only relieve some of the stress that comes along with planning a wedding but also help them have a voice in their wedding. Most weddings are made up of the same pillars but it’s how a couple decides to express themselves through those options that makes our job fun. We look for ways to highlight the couple’s love story and celebrate – not only their wedding day – but the families that raised them, the inside jokes that unite them & the quirks that made them fall in love with one another. While this is a business, we understand that we are guiding our clients through an incredibly personal and emotional event. We take our responsibility to support and care for them with the utmost sincerity every step of the way.
At the end of the day our ultimate goal isn’t to put on the event of the season. It is to genuinely care for the bride & groom. There is nothing better than getting a hug from the mother of the bride at the end of the night as she thanks you for letting her relax and take in the day. (It’s a big day for the momma’s & daddy’s, too) Or when the couple text you the next morning because they are still on cloud nine from the wedding day – expressing their gratitude for walking alongside them through the process & telling you how much fun they had.
We always aim to serves others to the best of our abilities while making God famous in the process.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Oh wow – where to start….
Kevin & Jennifer Reeley (owners of the Springdale House) + Kathy Wright (manager of the Springdale House) – they gave me my start. They inspired me to let my business be my ministry. There isn’t enough space on these pages to give them the credit they are due.
Crystal Poston (fellow Planner) – she was one of my first phone calls when I was starting out. She was oh so generous and talked me through how to go about pricing, packages and tailoring my services. She was a trusted resource and safe place to go when I had questions or when I was feeling unsure. There are countless vendors that have invested in our success. They have been valuable resources and encouragements along the way.
My girl Bethany Fink – she has gone from intern to a valued friend and priceless member of the HCE team. It’s been inspiring to watch her jump into the industry wholeheartedly.
My husband & my family were (and still are) an invaluable support system. They continue to be my biggest cheerleaders. My mom was my assistant for many years and my sweet husband still continues to encourage me to push the limits – I think most days he believes in me more than I do myself.
Last – but certainly not least – all the couples who have put their trust in us!!They are the real MVPs. Without their continued trust & business none of this would count for anything. The Lord has surely blessed this little side hustle and I’m grateful for the families He’s allowed us to serve along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.HaleyCrewsEvents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haleycrewsevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaleyCrewsEvents/
Image Credits
The Carters Creative, Jordan Mikal Photography, Katelyn Marie Co.
