Exploring Life & Business with Maria Waymire of Ivory Meadows LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Waymire.

Hi Maria, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We had a very old barn on our farm and the structure always intrigued me. I thought to myself, this would be neat to turn into a wedding venue. I always enjoyed planning events and so you could say that is when the dream started for building a wedding venue. I dreamt about it for many years about building a venue as I learned of the need in our area for a wedding venue but also one that was different. Fast forward about 15 years, our children were grown and we decided to dissolve our other business. I did a lot of research online and visiting other venue owners to gather my vision. After much thought and prayer, we took a leap of faith and decided to move forward to building Ivory Meadows. We broke during Covid, so planning and and ordering furniture and other supplies had to be made well in advance so we could stay on our timeline.

As our calendar filled up, I had to build my team. The first 6 months was very busy as my husband and I worked every event. I hired event managers and they all had to work an event with me. After being in business 6 months, I added our in-house decor and also hired event assistants along with a decor and cleanup team. It took a lot of time and thought to add all of the services that we offer. We continue to add services every year.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think starting a business from scratch is ever smooth. There are always learning curves in every aspect of building your business. I did a lot of planning with my mentor, but until you are in it every day and it’s yours, there are always adjustments to be made.

Learning how to market online and implenting processes took time to work through. I am always looking to fine-tune processes to make sure there is clarity for our clients but for my team as well.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Ivory Meadows is focused on service and quality. I don’t think you can be successful if one of these aspects is missing.We are dedicated to providing a high-quality venue and extraordinary service, ensuring an unforgettable day. We provide a planning software for our couples to assist them in their planning process. I also provide a lot of training and support service to our coordinators and the rest of our team.

One of the great service features that our couples love and is unique to Ivory Meadows is our decor package. We have an incredible selection of table decor along with many other items to decorate the venue throughout. Our team handles all the setup and teardown which takes a lot of stress off of our couples. We keep up with the trends and are always adding to our inventory. Our in-house coordinators are also a huge asset not only to our clients but Ivory Meadows too. They work with the rest of our team throughout the day. This helps develops cohessiveness on wedding day.

Ivory Meadows is know for our beautiful 360 hill-top view, beautiful sunsets, up-scale amenties inside and outside, and our incredible team! We are passion about serving others with the biggest hearts. We get to be part of people’s one special day and we don’t take this lightly.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I listen to Dave Ramsey’s podcast quite frequently. He gives great entrepreneur leadership advice. When I’m struggling with any potential concerns or a challening conversation, I refer to his podcast or my mentor. I also enjoy some leadership and motivational books, both spiritual and otherwise.

Pricing:

• weekend rate start at $4900 depending on day and season
• Most couples spend an average of $9,000 with Ivory Meadows, depending on the package of choice

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ivorymeadowsweddings.com
• Instagram: @Ivory.Meadows.Weddings
• Facebook: Ivory Meadows LLC
• Other: TikTok = Ivory.Meadows.Weddings