Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Smith – Morgan.
Hi Paige, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Paige Morgan, and along with my family, I own Pecan Springs Ranch, an event venue located just outside Dripping Springs. Looking back, I think I’ve always been drawn to event work, but I started seriously working in the field while I was in college at Texas A&M. I have experience with events of all types – political, corporate, weddings, etc. I think what brings me professional satisfaction is working with clients to understand their vision, and then translating that into a truly memorable event. Originally, I started out with my own floral design business in 2008.
Quickly, I discovered that clients could really benefit from hiring someone who understood their entire vision, and could help execute that vision, beyond just florals. Shortly thereafter, I added full event planning to my services. After gaining more familiarity and experience in the event industry in Austin and surrounding areas, my family and I decided to open an event venue. We saw the need for a versatile & inclusive space that clients could really use as a neutral canvas to create memorable events. We opened Pecan Springs Ranch in 2013, with the goal of balancing an upscale venue that also referenced the Hill Country surroundings that make this area so beautiful. Eight years later, I am so proud of all that we have accomplished with Pecan Springs Ranch. The events business is a people business- and I feel fortunate every day that I get to work at Pecan Springs Ranch with my favorite people – my family. I’m also proud of the professional relationships we have fostered with different vendors – we feel that those relationships benefit our clients when they book with us. Of course, our clients are an endless source of inspiration – we are constantly impressed with the creativity our clients bring to the table when planning events at our venue.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m sure it’s not surprising to say the event industry in general has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a team, we’ve had to really bend and stretch to make sure that we are meeting our client’s needs – whether that means rescheduling, or shifting an event outside, we’re still doing our best to help our clients carry on with events in a safe, respectful, and joyful way. It has been so sad to see people have to postpone weddings, birthdays, etc. that they had been putting so much effort into planning. The team at Pecan Springs Ranch is committed to supporting our clients and it makes all the events we can host even more special because none of us take for granted the ability to gather and celebrate together anymore. Beyond the immediate COVID issues, I am a wife and a mom to three young children, and am constantly working to achieve the ever-elusive “work-life balance” that everyone is always talking about! From the time I was a child, my parents have impressed upon my sister and I the importance of giving back to our community, so I also have volunteer commitments with The Junior League of Austin as well as with Rodeo Austin, where I sit on the Board of Directors, in addition to work and family life.
The reality is, I couldn’t do all I do without the support of my family, and our wonderful staff at Pecan Springs Ranch. Being able to share responsibility and rely on the people you work with is the key to being able to embrace the chaos of a full life! Finally, there is always pressure in the events industry to keep up with trends, so we’re constantly looking for ways we can improve the venue and keep it fresh- whether it’s re-decorating our bridal cottage, creating a new vignette for pictures, etc. My mom and I enjoy shopping local vendors as well as places like the Round Top Antiques Market to keep Pecan Springs fresh and inspiring for our clients.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
You know, a former client, who I now count as a very dear friend, once said that I “just love love!” And she’s not wrong. I was raised in the Hill Country, with a very close knit family who I love dearly. I still see my grandmother almost every single day, and so, at a very basic level, I feel so fortunate to have had so many moments when we have all celebrated together, grieved together, or just shared a meal together. I think we all can appreciate that even more now, and I think we’re all yearning for the chance to hug the friends we haven’t seen in a year, to celebrate milestones, and to not take these moments for granted anymore. So, my job is to open the doors to Pecan Springs Ranch, and give you a place to do just that.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Happiness is the smile on a bride’s face as she and her groom dash down our sidewalk under a shower of petals at the end of their wedding. Happiness is the look on the face of a mom to be who surprises everyone with “it’s a boy!” at a baby shower on our outdoor patio. Happiness is Hill Country sunsets with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren celebrating a matriarch’s 90th birthday. Happiness is being together, and that is what the foundation of Pecan Springs Ranch is built on.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@pecanspringsranch.com
- Website: http://pecanspringsranch.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pecanspringsranch/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PecanSpringsRanch
Image Credits
Al Gawlik Photography & Benjamin Garrett Photography
