We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tori Beth Goforth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tori Beth below.

Tori Beth , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

My parents, Don and Libby Black, and my aunt and uncle, Jake and Carol Black, are the owners and creatives behind our Heyward Manor wedding venue. It was their dream that came to life, and I am blessed and thankful to work with them every day, serving the sweetest couples and watching so many beautiful love stories unfold.

“Heyward Manor is so much more than a wedding venue” are words our couples have often spoken, and we wholeheartedly agree. Family owned and operated, our venue is situated on our family’s 900-acre tree farm – Charlie’s Creek Nursery. Although the venue was not completed or even named, we hosted our first wedding on April 13, 2019. I was the bride. I had always dreamed of getting married on our family farm, and once engaged, my family decided to make my dreams come true.

A few months before the wedding, my grandfather – Heyward Black – was diagnosed with leukemia. Our family was devastated. But papa asked the doctors to help him make it to April 13th. My wedding day finally arrived, and my grandfather put on quite the show. He danced the night away and even cut in during my father/daughter dance. It was priceless. Two weeks later, he passed away and joined his Heavenly Father.

As construction on the venue was completed a few months later, it came time to name the venue. Nothing seemed to fit at first. And then it clicked. We chose the name Heyward Manor after my grandfather, to honor him and to cherish those precious memories with him at the venue’s first wedding.

There are so many beautiful wedding venues out there. But we believe that we offer something truly special – a piece of our heart. Heyward Manor is more than just a building. It’s our home. My siblings, cousins and I grew up here. It’s filled with priceless memories, and we can’t wait to share it with our couples so that they can make their own. Family is everything to us, and we consider all of our sweet couples to be new members of our family. That’s how my grandfather would have wanted it. Since 1982 when my father, uncle and grandfather first started the tree farm, they poured love, sweat and tears into the land that surrounds the venue. We believe that you can feel that love in this place when you are here. It’s the stuff of fairy tales.

Forever truly does start here!

Tori Beth , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I serve as the Director of Communications and Venue Manager for Heyward Manor. My background in communications began in local television and politics. I then worked for a boutique public relations firm in Charleston that specialized in the tourism and service industries. Leaving the corporate world to work for the family business was intimidating but also a dream come true. I still specialize in crisis management- it just looks slightly different. Our number one goal at Heyward Manor is to create the perfect day and make all of our couples’ dreams come true. We want our brides and grooms to shoot for the stars. Whether it be finding the perfect vendors, helping create new large scale installations, offering recommendations and advice, we do all we can to ensure a well-planned and beautiful event. My background in communications has been invaluable as I work to better serve our couples and work through any issues that may arise.

My parents, aunt and uncle also go the extra mile, treating every bride like they would their own daughter. In fact, my father has joked that he’s married off hundreds of daughters at this point. But I do believe that the relationships we build with our couples are what sets us apart. Our couples are not simply clients. They become family.

The very best feedback we can receive is, “My day was perfect.” This doesn’t mean there weren’t any hiccups or adjustments. There almost always are. But it means that either the bride didn’t know about them or didn’t notice. In her eyes, it was the perfect day regardless. At the end of the wedding day, that’s how we know if we did our job to the best of our ability.

Have you ever had to pivot?

We officially opened Heyward Manor in November 2019, four months before COVID shut everything down. The uncertainty of the future weighed heavily on us as it did the entire wedding, tourism and entertainment industry. Like many, we were forced to pivot quickly. We learned to offer much grace as we pushed and rescheduled weddings. We also quickly offered private elopement and micro-wedding packages, as well as socially distanced options. We listened to our couples and did our very best to meet their needs. Being forced to adjust our business plan so early on has also allowed us to continue adjusting. The wedding industry is unique in that it changes drastically from year to year, cycle to cycle. Trends change constantly: large vs. small weddings, indoor vs. outdoor, the type of exits, food, decor. Adjusting accordingly is important, and we learned this early due to COVID.

How did you build your audience on social media?

In most industries, but especially the wedding industry, social media is vital. More and more couples are finding their vendors online via social media. From the beginning, we have worked to create a compelling social presence. Our goal is show the potential bride what her wedding day could look like. We showcase all of the ceremony and reception sites, the bridal suite and the groom’s suite. We tag vendors to encourage engagement, and we highlight unique decor and installations.

I believe social media is most effective when it is organic. My best advice for those looking to grow their social presence is to be consistent and active. Engage the help of others, especially those who are similar to your target audience. And pay attention to your insights. Learn what resonates with your followers and what does not. Alter what and how you post based on how it performs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://heywardmanor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heywardmanor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeywardManor/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@heywardmanor

Image Credits
Sposa Bella Photography Sabrina Thomas Photography Maddie Turner Photography Sara Touchet Photography