The Springs Events – New Braunfels

Hello Everyone!!  I am super excited to bring you another entry in the “Venues We Love” category.  I know (because I have been told) that these posts come slowly but they take up a ton of my time along with the time of very busy (and important) venue managers and business owners, so thanks for being patient.  Today we’ll be joined by Melissa Feith, General Manager for Boulder Springs, The Springs Events New Braunfels venue.  If you haven’t had the chance to tour the facility and you are still in search of a venue – I strongly urge you to add this to venue to your list.

Now, if you’ve ever read our blog before – you may know that we love The Springs Events Venues.  (HERE is a recent post I wrote on their venue in Northwest San Antonio, Bella Springs. ) In this previous Springs Events blog, I communicated 3 reasons why you should strongly consider booking The Springs Event Venues – here they are again for you and I’ve added 1 more specific to Boulder Springs:

1. Their pricing & service explanation is super-simple.  As a wedding planner, one of our jobs is to dig into all of the future costs that can be incurred when booking a venue.  And sometimes we have to break it to our client that a “great deal” isn’t what they initially thought.  I don’t think that these companies mean to *hide* the costs necessarily, they just introduce them when they feel it’s appropriate (which can sometimes add stress to a surprised bride’s budget later on!)  But not so with The Springs Event venues.  One simple price and a very succinct list of services that make sense and add value to your event – above and beyond just providing a space to celebrate.
2. There’s passion and personality on the front side, but the back end is run like a successful business. Take it from me, it’s super disappointing to find a company that *LOOKS* like everything you always wanted for your wedding only to find out that the business side of things is mismanaged or handled sloppily.  For a bride and groom, wedding planning can be a very emotional process…and when you put trust in someone to manage something SO important, it is a huge letdown to find out that the company (who looked so good and the people seemed so nice) suddenly feels disorganized or messy.  That throws a shadow of doubt over their performance and it is not fun to deal with that stress.  But, fortunately, this is completely not the case at The Springs Event venues.  Not only are the venue managers competent in customer service and administration…they are backed by a very stable and caring parent company who has proven to consistently put their client’s needs first in their practice.  Speaking for myself, that makes me extremely secure when I introduce a Moments & Milestones bride to Boulder.
3. Not to state the obvious – but the place is freakin’ beautiful.  You want a high-end-rustic or hill country feel to your wedding??  You cannot beat the quality of the venue or the view it provides.
4. Industry Experience.  Boulder Springs was one of the first Hill Country Venues around San Antonio.  They have been running weddings and events in that same location and they have established themselves, their processes, their staff and their vendor team.  What  does that mean for you as a client??  They aren’t working out any bugs on your event!!  The services they are offering to you – they’ve done thousands of times over in order achieve the smooth, feeling of effortlessness as they run their events.

OK, enough from me.  Let’s connect with our very special guest, Melissa Feith.

Melissa Feith (Boulder Springs Venue Manager)

Derek : “Melissa, thanks so very much for joining us today.  I know you have a lot going on and your time is valuable.  We are truly honored that you would carve out a few moments for us.  If you are comfortable with it, maybe we could start about your telling us more about you?  Where are you from and what led you to Boulder Springs?”

Melissa : “I’m from the Houston area, but Boulder Springs brought me to the hill country in 2014. I started my time here as an assistant, and became manager about a year later. Just months before I had even heard of Boulder Springs, I sat on the back porch at my parents’ house and told my dad that I was going to run a wedding venue… I had no idea that it would happen so fast!”

D : “Wow, that’s a hell of a prediction!  Good for you – and I know The Springs Events venues are better for having you.  So you got the job and you must love it – (at least, you always tell me that you do!) 🙂  But why do you enjoy working for this company so much?  What’s so special about them?”
M : “I appreciate working for a company that aims above and beyond. We always try to stay one step ahead, and are not afraid to try something new to give a better experience to our couples. No matter what field you’re in, you have to be willing to step outside of you comfort zone to get the best results.”

D : “That’s very true.  And I’m sure it’s comforting to new couples meeting y’all for the first time that you are so confident in what you represent.  Speaking of, when a couple tours your venue, what do they say stands out the most to them?”
M : “I think the two things that people appreciate most about us are that they get a full day rental (9am-midnight) and the freedom to bring whatever vendors they choose. It allows the freedom to host an event that is your own style and fits into your own budget.”

D : “Yup, those are things that I brag on you about to my clients when they’re looking for a venue.  When you’re planning a wedding, that kind of flexibility is super-important.  And what about you personally??  What do *YOU* like the most about Boulder?”
M : “At the risk of sounding like the ultimate cliché… it’s pretty wonderful when you catch the sunset out here at the end of the day.” 

D : “I’ll second that cliché for sure.  The view is truly stunning.  So I’ve read your reviews on Wedding Wire and The Knot – and I’ve gotten feedback from my Moments & Milestones clients (all good of course!)…but what kind of things do brides or grooms, who have already held their wedding at Boulder report back to you?  What do they say they like the most?”
M : “Why our lovely and wonderful staff, of course!! Haha!  But truly, we aim to give the best possible client experience, from the very first time you contact us.”

D : “OK, that’s fair!  Y’all are pretty great, for sure!  (Even if you do say so yourself!) 🙂  So what does your “lovely and wonderful staff” do to help make this venue so unique and convenient for your clients?”
M : “Our office is open seven days a week, and our office line is a cell phone. We text with our couples all the time! It’s super handy, especially when you’re spending 12-18 months planning the prefect day.”

D : “Yeah – that’s awesome.  It’s tough to work around everybody’s schedules.  Good for you for being so accessible.  I’m sure the brides & grooms appreciate that for sure.  And what is the goal for a new couple touring your facility??  How do you want them to feel when they meet you guys?  ”
M : “On a tour, I want them to feel like they’re visiting with a friend, not listening to a tour “script.” Each couple, each wedding, and each tour is different. We try to get to know you and want you to feel at home.”

D : “Super, super important.  Relationship and trust are the foundation of our businesses.  That’s cool that you’re able to personalize things.  When we visit venues with our M&M clients, their feedback about the venue is almost always about how the venue staff made them feel.  Aesthetics and style are important for sure, but you have to be ready to connect and go above and beyond for each individual client.  Just to throw you fun question – has your “personalized service” ever been called on to go above and beyond?”
M : “I remember one time- twenty minutes before the wedding started- we caught word that there some family members whose truck tire blew out, and they were stranded on the side of the road. They were trying to reach the mother of the bride, but of course, she was a little occupied! There wasn’t a lot of time, so I jumped in my car and picked them up myself. (Nothing wrong with making new friends, right?) They made it just in time!”

D : “Ha – that’s awesome.  I hope they were happy with you!  That’s above and beyond for sure.  So, we’ve enjoyed a long-term relationship with you guys and have gotten to know each other well.  If you’re comfortable with me begging for compliments  asking you – Why do you refer Moments & Milestones?”
M : “Oh my goodness, absolutely.  Let’s talk photos first: Not only do they produce beautiful images, but they take the time to get to know you, so the photos you end up with really reflect your personality. That’s what you really want at the end of the day, and those are the photos that your children and grandchildren will treasure. This is also how they create and coordinate a wedding that you and your guests will LOVE. Lots of people can plan a beautiful party, but my favorite weddings really reflect the spirit of the couple and what is important to them. Not to mention that you’ll want someone else to be coordinating things when your wedding day rolls around.”

D : “You are the absolute coolest.  Thanks so, so much for your time today.  I sincerely appreciate your time.”

And there you have it.  So  thanks again to Melissa.  And a very special thanks to you for reading through this interview.  If you’d like to get a hold of Boulder Springs to ask questions, you can call or text Melissa at (512) 585-5899 or email at Boulder@thespringsevents.com.  Or check out their WEBSITE for more details.

Thanks to everyone for reading all the way to the end 🙂  If you have questions or thoughts about the blog, or about Moments & Milestones, please feel free to leave a comment here and I’ll respond asap.  Or email me at info@momentsmilestones.com.  On behalf of myself and the M&M team, we would be very pleased to help you and your event in any way that we can.

Cheers everyone…