Thank God that’s done!⁠
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How happy are you to be done with 2020? I know I am, and as it’s been such a whirlwind of a year, I wanted to take the time to reflect on what the journey has looked like for us here at Warrior Rose Events.⁠
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There’s been ups and downs, but we all conquered this year and it’s time to look forward to what’s next and leave everything but the lessons and friendships we’ve built behind us.⁠

So, onto a brisk walk down memory lane.

In February, we had our first wedding of the year – the lovely Ann and Leo. These two had both waited many years to find their life partner in one another and working with them to create such a beautiful day was truly an honour. They had a traditional Catholic ceremony – my first! – at Saint James Catholic Parish, followed by a formal sit-down dinner at the Brisbane Skyroom and Terrace. As confident a couple as they were, both bride and groom plainly experienced nerves on the morning of their wedding. By the time Ann reached the end of the aisle, you could see those nerves had dissipated and been overcome with the strong love and affection they share. Through our careful planning and collaboration with the venue and other vendors, Ann and Leo’s reception was a huge success with all parties leaving blissfully content with the day.

Jumping to March, things began to heat up. We attended our first ever Expo with Brisbane Wedding Expos at the Brisbane Showgrounds and met a plethora of other vendors and suppliers servicing the Brisbane area. I personally love to attend and show at expos, not only to converse with brides but to meet with vendors who I haven’t yet encountered. I think it’s so important to know one another and build those relationships, especially with other planners. After all, it’s not about competing with one another, it’s about supporting each other in our pursuits to bring couples the best possible experience for their wedding day. How else can we do that if we don’t work together?

It was a mere four days later that COVID-19 Lockdown was announced throughout Queensland. I won’t lie, it took me several moments to fully grasp the severity of the situation and how my business was being forced to effectively close for an undetermined amount of time. A short moment of panic hit until my husband – always my biggest support – reminded me that this would be a great opportunity to learn and grow and that we would manage. And so, for about six months, I worked on my business to improve and strengthen my offerings for future clients; I reached out to those couples I met at the expo to offer free re-scheduling services and consults to help shuffle their wedding plans; I created content that I hoped would support couples through this time of uncertainty. Ultimately, we managed the best we could and kept moving forward.

Even in the unknown, many couples were keen to look to the future and plan weddings for 2021, and so our calendar has filled to near capacity for the new year. I am so looking forward to these couples weddings; we have charged forward amidst concerns of COVID restrictions, and I am proud of their courage and perseverance in the face of such stress and adversity.

As restrictions slowly lifted, it was my pleasure to provide COVID-Safety services to several couples including Lucy and Ryan. These two were such a delight from start to finish. They met online – which is becoming frequently common these days! – and hit it off, building a true and romantic relationship we should all admire. Something that struck me during their vows was what both were surprised by within the other person: Lucy was surprised by how Ryan accepted her as she was and Ryan was surprised by how he fell in love with every part of her. A perfect match, don’t you think?

Not two weeks later, was the wedding of Kristy and Corey on a mountain top in Mudgeeraba. I try not to pick favourites, but I will confess this was a highlight of my 2020 weddings and events. From my first meeting with them, you could tell how very in love they are. Every single moment that Kristy and Corey looked at one another, you could see the genuine love in their eyes. So deep, so true and so joyful. It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of their day.⁠ (you can read more about Kristy and Corey’s day on my past blog posts here).

And finally, we reach Christmas. In the weeks leading up to this annual milestone, I strove to tie up as many loose ends as I could, leaving my couples with confidence in their plans for 2021 and my own for their special days.

In the midst of all this, my personal life faced many of its own challenges: I had my birthday during lockdown (a sad but heartfelt day where friends and family did their best to make me feel celebrated and loved); some family members faced serious mental-health challenges which we, as a family, are still working to overcome; I worked three jobs – including Warrior Rose Events – to see us through the strains of lockdown; a multitude of friends was pregnant and had their first babies during lockdown. Needless to say, it’s been quite the year.

I know we all had a year of confusion, turmoil and unexpected stresses and we can’t expect all of those to *poof* into thin air as the clock strikes midnight in just three days. But we can look forward to the new year; to new beginnings, new challenges and goals, new adventures to walk and new mountains to climb. As a community, we will rebuild from this hurts of this past year into things we could not have imagined. Are you ready? Let’s go.