We were lucky to catch up with Macy Schilling recently and have shared our conversation below.

Macy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, what do you think about family businesses? Would you want your children or other family members to one day join your business?

We are new to the family business game. I have had my own wedding planning company for a while, but we just recently embarked on a new business venture of buying a wedding venue. This entailed flipping our family upside down and moving us from a townhouse in Springfield to a farm all the way out in Leesburg. My husband Cory and I have two little ones that we hope to have help us with the business. Whether it’s setting up for events, picking weeds, or harvesting apples in the orchard, we think it will give them a sense of responsibility and understanding the rewards of entrepreneurship. Not only will it instill hard working values in our kids, but we can pay them by putting money away for their futures so that they succeed regardless.

While this business was my dream all along, I do not expect them to take over when I can no longer do it. I want them to be able to make the choice whether they want to or not. The main goal is to create generational wealth either way.

Everything we do is for our children. What better way than giving them a childhood on a magical property where the whole goal is to create a fun time?

Macy, 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?

My name is Macy Schilling, and I am the owner of Schilling Wedding Planning, 48 Fields, and Loudoun Cider House.

My whole life took an unexpected turn. I was working as a research assistant at the center for functional molecular imaging doing MRI research with the goal of pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience. Until I realized I absolutely hated research.

While applying to programs I was planning my wedding. All of my friends complained about how stressful wedding planning was, I couldn’t have felt any differently. I loved planning my wedding. So much so, that I started planning theirs for them. Before I knew it, I was planning 5 other weddings. Eventually a stranger asked how much I charged for event planning. This took me by surprise. So I decided to look into this career path that I had never considered an option for me. I went back to school where I undergraduate degree at George Mason and took a wedding and event certification course. I aced the course and realized this might be my path. I left Georgetown and started working for a large event company in DC. They had 3 historic buildings in DC.
I was originally hired as their head wedding planner, but when I onboarded I was told I was the new catering manager. That should have been my clue for how my small career there was going to go. If they needed someone, I was that someone. I did over 60 events on my own in a span of 3 months. Events from small birthday parties, to corporate buy-outs of all three buildings. While I was incredibly overworked it was in invaluable crash course on all things events. I then started working for a photography company running the back end of their business while simultaneously building up my own.

Having the experience in almost every vendor role gave me a unique outlook when it comes to the event day. While creating timelines and managing the day, I make sure each vendor has the time they need to complete the job. If I short them, they aren’t going to do the job well, and the day won’t go as smoothly. I also do not micromanage the vendors. While I do make sure everyone is on track and coordinated, I let them do their jobs. The clients chose them for a reason, if I’m micromanaging them, it’s not the work the client’s loved.

In January of 2025 I got an anonymous email saying that a Loudoun County wedding venue was for sale. This is not something that happens often so I jumped on the chance. Owning a venue has always been the end-goal, but I did not think it was going to happen so soon.
Very long story short- for the first few months I did not know which venue I was working toward buying. I truly had no clue. Imagine my surprise when I find out it is 48 Fields- the venue I have worked at almost every weekend for years!

So my husband and I packed up our little family and moved from a townhouse in Springfield, to a 48 acre farm in Leesburg.

This still feels like a dream I haven’t woken up from yet. The previous owners put so much love into this property and you can tell by just looking around. It is so magical and I can’t believe I get to continue its legacy.

I am continuing business as usual for all of the businesses, but am hoping to open up the barn for more than just weddings!

It also came with Loudoun Cider House, which I am ambitiously hoping to open up to the public in September along with my newly planted 1.5 acre wildflower garden.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source for quality leads is my network.

For my wedding planning business, it’s venue referrals. For my venue it’s either google SEO, or “someone I know had an event at your space and it was beautiful, I would love to host my event their too”

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Treat them like humans. Every employee has a life, a family, and responsibilities just like you.

Never make your staff do something you wouldn’t or couldn’t do yourself and help where you can.

I promise your team will do a better job if they enjoy working with you, know you have their back, and act like a leader rather than a “boss”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.48fields.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/48fields?igsh=Zm94ZHl3bTJyZWp6&utm_source=qr
• Other: https://www.schillingweddingplanning.com/

Image Credits

The June Press