From Employee to Bride: Gianna's Wedding Story

I’m Gianna VanDeVeer, and I’m an event expert at Clayton House by Wedgewood Weddings! I just had my three-year anniversary in July 2024 and am loving my time with Wedgewood Weddings. I first started with Wedgewood Weddings in July 2021 after moving to Scottsdale, Arizona, from Chicago, Illinois. My husband and I were over the snow and cold weather and were ready for a new adventure! We hadn’t visited Arizona much prior to moving, but we knew we wanted warm weather year-round. Once we were all settled and unpacked, I started looking for jobs. I came across the Catering Manager position and honestly didn’t know what to expect. I had some experience in event planning from college classes and planning events for my sorority, but never thought I would make a career out of it.

MEET GIANNA!

My Start at Wedgewood Weddings

I went into the interview hoping that it would be a great fit. A few days later, I was excited to start my first day! My first few months at Wedgewood Weddings were spent at our venue in Goodyear, Arizona. I jumped right into meeting with couples and executing events and learned more than I expected to in my short time there. In November 2021, an opportunity arose for me to transfer to our Secret Garden location in South Phoenix, Arizona.

A lot happened during my time at Secret Garden! I got engaged, booked my wedding date, leveled up in my career with Wedgewood Weddings, met some of my best friends, and got married! I have so many memories there that will stay with me forever.

GIANNA WITH THE AMAZING SECRET GARDEN TEAM

My Secret Garden Wedding

I instantly fell in love with Secret Garden! I wasn’t engaged when I started working there, but I was already sending pictures to my mom saying, “This is where I’m getting married!” I got engaged in February 2022 in my Scottsdale apartment with my parents and my sister around me. It was such a special moment for all of us!

The very next week, I was already sending myself a contract to book my wedding date two years down the road. I was one of those brides who was set on a specific date, and I knew I needed to act fast! I love the month of February for many reasons, the main one being the weather in Arizona. I chose the 23rd because my husband and I started dating on June 23rd, 2019. And I knew I wanted a Friday wedding to save money but also to give my guests an entire weekend to experience Arizona.

Booking our wedding date two years in advance ended up being perfect for us! From the time we got engaged to our wedding date, we were also in four of our friends' weddings! We had so much fun traveling for bachelor/bachelorette parties, bridal showers, and weddings for our closest friends. By the time our day finally approached, we had tons of ideas for what we wanted our own wedding to be like. We knew we wanted our guests to enjoy themselves, have great food and drinks, and feel comfortable at our wedding venue.

Getting married at Secret Garden meant so much to me and my husband. Six months later, we’re still getting compliments on how smoothly the day went, the amazing food, and the incredible atmosphere. A lot of time went into planning our wedding, and I would do it all over again to experience the emotions we felt on our wedding day!

GIANNA'S STUNNING SECRET GARDEN WEDDING

A NEW CHAPTER AT Clayton House

Just a few months after my wedding, I decided I was ready for a change. The nice part about having multiple venues in Arizona is that our team members constantly shift around. This gives us the opportunity to meet new people, learn a new venue, and feel like we’re starting a new job without the pressure of learning everything all over again. In July 2024, I moved over to our newest venue, Clayton House, in Scottsdale. This venue is completely different from Secret Garden, which helped break me out of my shell a bit. At this venue, I see so many different kinds of events, which keeps me on my toes! I’ve loved joining a new team, making new friends, and learning a new venue in the heart of Old Town, Scottsdale. I’m excited to see where I go from here!

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POST CONTRIBUTOR: GIANNA VANDEVEER

CLAYTON HOUSE BY WEDGEWOOD WEDDINGS