The Venue Success Podcast

Tirzah Caffee

While owning a wedding venue has its amazing perks, the reality is that daily life is often exhausting, frustrating, and lonely. The wedding industry is constantly changing and it’s a challenge to stay relevant and successful. The goal of The Venue Success Podcast is to introduce you to venue pros across that nation that will help you think outside the box, share their stories, bring you education, tools, and a place where you can feel a little less alone. Join host and venue owner, Tirzah Caffee, for a fun-filled, authentic, and sometimes overly transparent peek behind the veil of venue life.

  1. Aug 12

    Built With Love: The Story Behind Milk & Honey Farms // Ashley Upton

    IN THIS EPISODEAshley Upton shares her journey of building Milk & Honey Farms from the ground up, offering an honest look at the lessons, challenges, and decisions that have shaped the venue since opening in 2025. From marketing before construction was complete to building vendor relationships and creating a guest experience rooted in love and faith, Ashley shares practical insights for venue owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.Key Topics:* Building a wedding venue from the ground up* Marketing before the venue is complete* Balancing family business and professional roles* Creating a venue centered on love and faith* Lessons learned from construction challenges* The importance of guest experience and reputation* Considering an all-inclusive venue modelABOUT ASHLEYAshley Upton is the co-owner of Milk & Honey Farms, a family-owned wedding venue in Middle Tennessee. Alongside her family, she helped build the venue from the ground up, combining her background in real estate with a passion for hospitality, business, and creating meaningful experiences for couples.Since opening in 2025, Ashley has immersed herself in every aspect of venue ownership, from branding and marketing to vendor partnerships, bar operations, licensing, and building systems that elevate the client experience.A wife of 14 years and mother of five, Ashley brings a heart for family and faith to everything she does. She loves sharing the lessons she’s learned while building a venue from scratch and encouraging other venue owners to lead authentically, start before they feel ready, and focus on creating experiences that go beyond a beautiful space.https://www.milkandhoneyfarms.events/@milkandhoneyfarms_https://www.tirzahcaffee.com/@venuesuccesspodcast

  2. Jul 29

    The Mid-Summer Venue Owner Freak Out

    Season 4: Episode 8If you've found yourself staring at your booking calendar this summer wondering where all the inquiries went, you're not alone. In this special solo episode, Tirzah presses pause on the Venue Owner Series to tackle what she calls the "Venue Owner Midsummer Freakout." She shares why this seasonal slowdown is more common than most venue owners realize and walks through six practical strategies to help you replace fear with facts. From tracking your numbers and identifying priority dates to sell, to evaluating your marketing, understanding your market, and improving your sales process, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you move forward with confidence.Whether you're experiencing a slower season or simply want to strengthen your venue business for the future, this episode will remind you to think like a business owner, trust the data over your emotions, and focus on the areas that truly move the needle. If you're feeling stuck, Tirzah also shares how a diagnostic coaching call can provide clarity and a personalized action plan to help you get back on track.Key Takeaways:- Why the "Midsummer Freakout" is a common cycle for venue owners—and why you're not alone.- The importance of tracking your numbers month-over-month instead of relying on gut feelings.- How identifying your most important open dates can help you book more strategically.- Why regularly updating your market analysis gives you a competitive advantage.- The marketing metrics every venue owner should be monitoring.- How to identify whether your biggest challenge is leads, tours, or conversions.- Why understanding buyer psychology can dramatically improve your booking rate.- The value of staying resilient and making data-driven decisions during slower seasons.If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you'd leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts and subscribe to the Venue Success Podcast on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews, subscriptions, and comments help more venue owners discover the show so we can continue serving and strengthening the wedding venue community together.http://tirzahcaffee.com@venuesuccesspodcast

  3. Jul 15

    The Promise of 2912 // Jennifer and Tony Khatibi

    Join us for an inspiring episode of the Venue Success Podcast as we dive into the journey of Tony and Jennifer, the passionate owners of The Promise of 2912. Discover how they transformed a cherished family property into a dream wedding destination, blending tradition with modern elegance. Key takeaways: Learn about the significance behind the name "The Promise of 2912" and its family legacy. Hear about the challenges and triumphs of starting a wedding venue from scratch. Understand the importance of creating a memorable guest experience and how it drives referrals. Get insights on effective marketing strategies for new venue owners. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:58 Meet Tony and Jen02:26 The Promise of 2912: A Family Legacy05:20 The Vision Behind the Venue09:45 Challenges in Building a Wedding Venue14:29 Marketing Strategies for Success20:32 Creating a Memorable Guest Experience25:45 The Importance of Thank You Gifts30:00 Final Thoughts What's your biggest challenge with starting a wedding venue? Drop it in the comments! Subscribe for more insights on building a successful venue business! #WeddingVenue #VenueSuccess #Entrepreneurship Jennifer and Tony are realizing the dream of building a brand new wedding and event venue in Central Indiana on Jennifer's childhood property. The 24 acres that the Promise of 2912 Wedding and Event Venue is located was first her Great Grandmother's farm and home, Then it was passed on to her mother who built a home on the property and raised Jennifer and her two siblings there. When Jennifer's mom passed in 2021, Jennifer and Tony knew they didn't want to part with the property, and one way to keep the legacy in tact was to give it a new purpose. With Tony's expertise in Sales and his passion of helping others reach their desired result combined with Jennifer's passion of hospitality and design, they knew the perfect place to create what Jennifer had in her heart was where she called home, and the property that was promised from generation to generation. @thepromiseof2912 thepromisevenue.com hello@thepromisevenue.com www.tirzahcaffee.com @venuesuccesspodcast

  4. May 27

    Wedding Planner to Venue Owner // Brittany Schrader

    In this episode, Tirzah interviews Brittany Schrader shares her journey from wedding planner to successful venue owner, offering insights on building a venue, vendor relationships, family dynamics, and lessons learned in the industry. Learn practical tips and lessons learned from her first years in the industry. Brittany Schrader is a multifaceted entrepreneur with experience in events, operations, and business development. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from the University of Tampa and a Master’s Degree in Park and Recreation Administration from East Carolina University, which shaped her approach to leadership and client experience.Brittany has been immersed in the wedding industry since 2017, building her career across planning, wedding and event sales, and business ownership. She developed her foundation working alongside other businesses in the industry, gaining insight into best practices and operations before launching and acquiring businesses of her own. She went on to found Elle Gray Events, where she produced over 200 events. She also acquired and sold a table and chair rental company, later expanding into venue ownership in 2022.Alongside her work in weddings, Brittany is a licensed real estate agent and investor, bringing a strategic and creative approach to both hospitality and property ventures.Married to her high school sweetheart and a proud mom of nine year old twins, Brittany blends family, business, and community into everything she does. Her career reflects both her professional experience and her belief in creating spaces where people can gather, celebrate, and feel at home.Brittany Schrader is a multifaceted entrepreneur with experience in events, operations, and business development. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from the University of Tampa and a Master’s Degree in Park and Recreation Administration from East Carolina University, which shaped her approach to leadership and client experience.Brittany has been immersed in the wedding industry since 2017, building her career across planning, wedding and event sales, and business ownership. She developed her foundation working alongside other businesses in the industry, gaining insight into best practices and operations before launching and acquiring businesses of her own. She went on to found Elle Gray Events, where she produced over 200 events. She also acquired and sold a table and chair rental company, later expanding into venue ownership in 2022.Alongside her work in weddings, Brittany is a licensed real estate agent and investor, bringing a strategic and creative approach to both hospitality and property ventures.Married to her high school sweetheart and a proud mom of nine year old twins, Brittany blends family, business, and community into everything she does. Her career reflects both her professional experience and her belief in creating spaces where people can gather, celebrate, and feel at home. @colonialsunset thecolonialatsunset.com @venuesuccesspodcast tirzahcaffee.com

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

While owning a wedding venue has its amazing perks, the reality is that daily life is often exhausting, frustrating, and lonely. The wedding industry is constantly changing and it’s a challenge to stay relevant and successful. The goal of The Venue Success Podcast is to introduce you to venue pros across that nation that will help you think outside the box, share their stories, bring you education, tools, and a place where you can feel a little less alone. Join host and venue owner, Tirzah Caffee, for a fun-filled, authentic, and sometimes overly transparent peek behind the veil of venue life.