We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela Ha and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Angela, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a newlywed, I had such a wonderful time planning my own wedding that when the opportunity arose to purchase the property, I decided to shift my career path into weddings. My parents have an incredible talent for creating the most beautiful landscapes. By combining our skills and passions, we were able to build Tuscan Courtyard into the enchanting venue it is today.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Tuscan Courtyard is a wedding venue nestled on 10 acres of quiet backwoods in Texas City, TX. The drive into our venue truly feels like you’re in Tuscany! We offer engaged couples a setting where they can get ready, tie the knot, and celebrate all in one location on their wedding day. Not only does our Tuscan-inspired venue with lush gardens set us apart from other venues, but our exceptional service to our clients and guests also makes us unique.
Our small family business model ensures that each couple gets an intimate, personal, and (hopefully!) stress-free wedding planning experience. I personally coordinate 99% of the events at Tuscan Courtyard, which allows me to ensure that our business runs like a well-oiled machine. This hands-on approach has been instrumental in our success.
Getting to where we are today wasn’t easy. It has required long hours of work, time away from our family on weekends, and many sleepless nights due to the pressures and anxieties of wanting every wedding to go perfectly. As business owners, we wear many hats. We’re not just venue owners or wedding coordinators; we’re also builders, gardeners, cleaners, painters, and more. There’s always something to be done around the venue! And just when we think we have a break, something will literally break! But with all the hard work we have put into our buisness, it’s been very rewarding to have to have received hundreds of five-star reviews online and won awards every year we’ve been in business for exceptional service.
One of the key lessons I’ve learned along the way is the importance of building a network of high-quality vendors and staff who share the same work ethic. Having a team of people you can trust to provide the same level of exceptional service is crucial in making your brides’ wedding dreams come true. In the wedding business, we only have one shot to make things perfect. There’s no redo, so we always have to be on point. Having a solid team really helps us do our job well.
I want the world to know that Tuscan Courtyard is more than just a venue; it’s a place where dreams come true and an incredible amount of love fills our venue each weekend. It’s really an honor to provide a space where couples can celebrate their love with all their favorite people. I often get overwhelmed with emotions seeing how happy everyone is on wedding days. The feeling of unconditional love that my couples experience on their wedding day is truly special.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting town, we’d likely start by hitting the Pickleball Courts at Lifetime Fitness! I’m not the best player, but I’m definitely addicted to the sport! We’d also probably spend a day in Galveston. It’s such an easy drive to get to being only 20 minutes from my house, and the kids love playing in the sand or surfing the small waves on the Gulf. Afterwards, we always stop by Orange Leaf before heading home! The kids never let us leave the island without stopping in for froyo!
But we do live such busy lives that even just hanging out at our home is equally enjoyable when we have company. We have a long driveway where we can set up a pickleball net, grill some steaks, and enjoy each other’s company while the kids play in the backyard. It’s the perfect way to relax and have fun together!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
In my personal life, my husband deserves a special shoutout because, truth be told, I often don’t give him enough credit! Building a business is an incredibly tough process, and he’s been my rock throughout it all. From the times I’ve cried and laughed to the late nights and long hours, through the joyous celebrations and the coordination of chaos that comes with wedding planning and raising our own family, he’s been a constant source of support. I truly couldn’t have done it without him!
In my professional life, Chef Pennye Moses from MyLeigh’s Morsels Catering and Amber from Butler’s Courtyard deserve a special shoutout! There are vendors who we affectionately call “friendors” because, although we started out as business acquaintances, they quickly became friends! We’ve been supporting each other’s businesses for about a decade. I find comfort knowing they’re just a phone call or text away whenever something super dramatic happens at work or when I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing! We’ve helped each other through some incredibly challenging times over the years like weathering the COVID shutdowns, expanding our businesses with new services, and dealing with hurricanes. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that, despite any competition among our businesses, we are still able to support one another in such a positive and uplifting way.
Website: https://www.tuscancourtyard.com
Instagram: @tuscancourtyard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TuscanCourtyard
Image Credits
Marissa Gedmin Photography and Gary Blake Photography