A New Chapter.

Emily, Parkes, Sully, & Baby Mesa!

Photography: Bailey Batten Photography

A MAJOR Life Update…

For those of you who didn’t know, my little family will be growing by one this spring! My husband and I are expecting a sweet little girl this May, and we couldn’t be more excited! Although I can’t speak for our first born, Sully.

Now that doesn’t mean I am closing this chapter of Wooded Wilds Events as I enter this stage of Motherhood. But it definitely means it’s making a major shift as I focus on juggling a newborn and being a first time Momma.

I am scaling back big time on the number of weddings I book, at least in the 2026 wedding season! I went from working 23 weddings last year to only booking 7 for this year which is a MAJOR change for me.

I’ve had so many exciting leads come in this year that I would have loved to say, “I DO!” to but it’s taken every bit of self-restraint for me to pass along these couples to other local planners. I know they are in AMAZING hands with these planners but at the same time, I can’t help but have this major feeling of FOMO as I imagine what it would have been like to work alongside these nearlyweds.

I can’t help but give a huge shoutout to all the other wedding vendors who are also juggling motherhood as well as being a business owner. They have bestowed so much of their wisdom to me as I have to learn how to navigate what it will look like running Wooded Wilds Events as I enter this new season of life.

Now this doesn’t mean Wooded Wilds Events is taking the backburner by any means. My main priority will be motherhood, but I have also made sure to set myself up for success this year as I will be working alongside several couples who are getting married this fall. I wanted to make sure that they still receive all the time, attention, and care they deserve as we plan their dream wedding together!

If anything, I will use this year to reflect on how I can allow Wooded Wilds Events to continue to blossom into the beautiful business it has become over the last few years. I am truly amazed that I was able to create something so incredible, something I am SO passionate about. That isn’t going away anytime soon.

I also need to give a HUGE shoutout to Bailey Batton Photography for capturing this incredibly special chapter in our lives. Watching her absolutely thrive in her photography business has been a huge inspiration to me as she also prioritizes being the Momma to two beautiful little girls.

I cannot recommend her enough for anyone looking for someone to capture your special moments too. Whether those are family portraits, maternity photos, weddings, she is your gal. Not to mention her sweet, gentle, and calm demeanor will make you feel so comfortable and natural in front of a camera. Trust me as someone who always feels SO awkward when they are getting their picture taken!

That being said, I may be a little bit “quieter” in these coming months as I focus on prepping for this baby as well as working alongside the couples that I did say “I do” to! I can’t wait to keep y’all posted throughout this year. There will be so many excited life updates to come and I can’t wait to see the outcome of so much beauty and love in all of our lives.