Drum Roll Please!

I am so excited to finally reveal our new logo! It was a concept that we actually have to give credit to Becca for. She really wanted to go with a brand that emphasizes the company as being more than just a C and a D. So we decided to go with a large ampersand to symbolize that our company is so much more than just Courtney and I. I love the inclusive feel it gives.

We also wanted something really clean, simple, and timeless. We all love the more dark, muted colors and gray is my personal favorite color. We settled on the dusty blue and a charcoal gray as our new colors.

Drum roll please...

We are so excited to reveal this new logo and celebrate with you all tomorrow night! If you haven't RSVP'd yet- there is still time! E-mail info@canddevents.com to let us know you will be there! 

All Saints Chapel from 7:30-9:30. Can't wait to celebrate with you! 

Who We Are: Mom

Hi again blog word, it's been a long time (Courtney here) - I am super excited to share this descriptive word with you as I have had the privilege to share this title three different times! Maybe you are Mom, Mother, Mommy, or as my kids call me Mama - no matter what noun is used - so much is bestowed when you are given that title, I have to admit that it is one of the toughest gigs I have ever signed myself up for - but also one of the most rewarding. There are times when I feel like I don't measure up and there are times I feel like I am a hero; times I feel like I am failing at it all mom, business, lets not even mention house cleaner and other days when I am totally relating to that Katy Perry song and I am lioness that has all her ***t together! All that to say, there is a lot that goes into being a mom that brings out the best in you, makes you face your weaknesses, get over your self, and at the same time extend yourself grace when all is not perfect!

At C and D 5 out of our 9 employees are Moms and I love it! At any given time you can pop in our office and see a two year old (or two) a baby, or a "big" little kid. We have learned how to roll with sick kids that can't go to school or Babysitters on vacations or husbands that had to work late and still get our jobs done - not by ourselves but with the help of our team. It is totally a no judgement zone and we can freely talk about our struggles and doubts without feeling guilty. I love that everyone's kids are close in age but in different stages so we can help each other through difficult phases with tried and true methods.

I was talking with Dana the other day (really pick any day) and our conversation meandered to greater purposes and "what does it all mean" talk and it dawned on me that maybe our company stands for fellowship and support and an outlet for moms who need to be creative and still be home with kids. Maybe it stands for what could be for the girls who are just starting on their journey with new marriages and careers they are building - showing them a possibility to continue doing what they love and what fulfills them while still raising a family and being present. Maybe it means creating a network where pretense is gone and struggles are real and support is available while trying to navigate those mom waters. Maybe its an illustration to my daughter that she doesn't have to choose one or the other but can work out a balance and see success in both parenting and business. When I really sit back and let those thoughts soak in - if "that's all that it means" then that's more than enough!

The Fam!

Who We Are : Dedicated and Loyal

Hello! We are back on the blogging wagon (so to speak) and we are kicking things off with a new series called "Who we are."

The Team! Photo by: Organic Exposure

This past summer we all decided that it was time for C and D to get a little face lift. We wanted to do a re-brand that spoke a little more to who we are now as opposed to who we were 10 years ago. That's right, this fall marks our 10 year anniversary of being a business and we are celebrating with a new logo and a pretty fantastic re-brand party this November.

But, back to the series. We sat down and thought of some words to describe who we are. And for the next month leading up to the re-brand, we will be talking about those words we chose and why we chose them. You'll hear from everyone on the C and D Team, including the newbies. So get excited!

To kick off the series there is no better set of words than Dedicated and Loyal.

I get the "you are so dedicated to what you do" statement a lot. I don't take it lightly. Dedication is a double edged sword. It is what pushes you through the mundane, steels you against a rough meeting, and in the end, it is what pushes you to execute a perfect event. BUT, it is also what keeps me up at night, wakes me from a dead sleep to write down something I need to remember (yes I keep a notepad by my bed), it distracts me at dinner time, and does not allow me to relax until my inbox has been replied to.

It's a hard balance, but one that I don't think I would change. Yes, it is annoying sometimes to care so much, but it is what makes us unique.  Everyone here on the team has this level of dedication. We work tirelessly, all day, and even through the night to get something just right. We are the team that has taken a much smaller profit because when we got into the job, we needed reinforcements and we needed it executed in a different manner than we expected. We see the end not as the wedding day, but as the weeks, months, and years after when a bride still says "it was the best day ever!"

We are loyal. Oh man- we are loyal. We are loyal to our vendors and more importantly our clients. We go to bat for them on so many occasions and we truly can't imagine anything different! It is hard to have a tough conversation with a vendor, but we do it. We get to know our clients and we act as a buffer and sometimes they never know what we have deflected. For example, I had a vendor the week of my clients' event realize that they really needed xyz. Well, xyz was going to add about $1000 extra dollars that we had not counted on- especially after being assured that xyz was NOT needed. I had to stand my ground for them. The vendor agreed to re-work some things to avoid needing xyz. The client never knew the conversation had even taken place. I didn't need to tell them because in the end, they knew that I have their best interest at heart and I will always be on their side.

We adore our vendors. They make our job SO much easier. I love it when a vendor and I have a full on brainstorming session to figure out the logistics of the day. Nothing makes you feel more like a team. We try our hardest to make sure their experience is great and they love working with us as much as we do them. If that means the caterer runs out of food, we will go buy everyone dinner. If it means that we had a particularly hard client meeting - A note with a starbucks card is on the way. We stand behind our vendors and give them as much business as we can. I firmly believe in affirming someone's talent, and business. We can still rattle off all the people that opened a door for us when we got started. We were supported by so few - but it meant so much to us! We would not be where we are today if they had not been loyal to us.


Dedicated and Loyal. I think that is some of my two favorite words to describe us. Not because I think we need a pat on the back, or because we are the perfect company. But if you asked me 10 years ago what I wanted C and D to be - I would have said - a company that is dedicated to their job. That loves what they do. That perseveres during the hard times, and is loyal to their industry and clients. I am so grateful that we put in the hard years and that we have built something we can be proud of.

Top 16: Vendor Connections

I know you all are just waiting on the edge of your seats to see our last two "Top 16" Posts! Well, today we are going to chat about vendor connections. How can I be excited about vendor connections?!?

I can not tell you how isolating owning your own business is. It is one of the hardest, loneliest, and soul crushing at times, thing I have ever done. (It is also exhilarating, wonderful, and the best thing I have done.) While the good times are fantastic, the bad times are just hard and it is so hard to share your woes with people who don't really understand the pressures and failures you feel. I remember when we were building the venue and everyone I saw said something similar to - "You must be so excited! This is your dream come true!" And yes, I was excited, but I was also scared out of my mind. I was over my head, into the biggest pit of debt that I didn't know how we would get out of, and I was constantly asking myself why we did this. It was the hardest thing mine and Courtney's relationship endured, it questioned my resolve, and it made me yearn for a normal 9-5.

During this time, we were silent. Smiling on the outside, but just dieing on the inside. Who understood what we were going through? It wasn't until we started peeling back the layers that we realized -who understands us more than other small business owners? They get it! They took the leap. They put all their eggs in a similar basket. They also feel lost, alone, and sometimes just bewildered at what their next step is.

So - we dug in. We started making friends in the industry. We started being real. Not Debbie Downers - but real. We laughed, we shared war stories, and when a fellow business owner was struggling - we provided a shoulder because we get it! We were/are there! We started connecting with moms in the industry. We felt so alone that we had to make a choice - do I go to this event or do I tuck in my babies? Do I go to a meeting, knowing I will have a baby at home that has to take a bottle instead of nursing? At the time, we felt like no one got it. But we realized is that they do - and the loneliness is only because we have created it.

We made a choice last year, to be more present, to uplift those around us, and to make good connections with people that provide us with a breath of fresh air. We have people that we call when we need advice, help, or just a "Can you believe.." We send business to our competitors because they aren't our competition, but our friends. We dig in when we can, and we are so excited for the relationships that have flourished because of it.

When we go to networking events it is so refreshing to see people and not just be surface level - "everything is great, I have X many weddings, and we are just so blessed, and love all our clients, and love everything about what we do." Instead - it's how ARE you? Can we HELP you in any way? Can I ask what you would do in this situation? Business is great - but do you struggle with this? How would you charge this client?

It is real, and I think the purpose for getting together is to learn, grow, and sometimes lean on each other. Granted not every one in the industry is chummy, but for the most part, the people we choose to spend time with, meet with, laugh with, and learn from are worth investing in.

We love this industry- we love the people - and are so grateful that we get to be a part of it!