We recently connected with Pat Blissett and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Pat, thanks for joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?
The Courthouse Wedding Chapel was designed to be a modern alternative to getting married in a courtroom or Judge’s office. Everything is kept Simple, Sweet and Short. Until the most unexpected challenge the Chapel has experienced in the seven years the venue has been business came along. Without question, the Pandemic stopped us in our tracks as it did many businesses.

At the time the pandemic hit in February/March 2020, we were not sure what to expect. As Quarantines set in, our weddings dropped off to Zero. I was panic stricken. The nature of the business depends largely on County Clerks’ being open, issuing marriage licenses and information. All that changed in a heartbeat, as County Clerks’ offices closed down or retracted their services and were restrictive to public visits. Each County Clerk had their own guidelines or processes.

Most engaged couples are not aware of the process to get married and so the entire system grinded to a deafening halt, Shaken as I was, I knew that a quick pivot was needed and decided the best thing to do was fill the void for information.

A Hot Line was set up to disseminate information about the marriage license requirements to get married in Texas and which county clerks” office were easiest to get in and obtain a license without wait or appointment. This kept the calls coming and gave us the opportunity to guide couples on scheduling their weddings as well as where to the marriage license. In most cases, our hotline was the only source of info couples has during the early months of the Quarantine.

As a result, as the city started opening up, we had weddings (although smaller) scheduled for the upcoming months. Our Hotline is still in place for those who can benefit from it,
Suffice to say, paying attention to detail and what clients need and figuring out how to deliver that service saved the day or the year , I should say.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I come from a corporate background in legal and insurance industry. I have a broad educational background including a Master of Arts degree. Over 30 years ago I left corporate so I could have more time with my family as well as pursuing my passions. The universe did not dissapoint and showed its approval of my decisions as I was able to express my entrepreneurial talents, inspire my children and learn valuable lessons from mistakes made. I founded a ministry in 2009 and after 5 years of a body of work became a Chaplain. I founded the Courthouse Wedding Chapel at that time due to the needs of couples to have somewhere to go that had a better ambience than a courtroom or judge’s office. The concept evolved as a result of attention to detail and taking the stress off couples who want a better memory of their wedding day without the outrageous cost. The evolution of the Chapel concept has not been easy but it has definately been rewarding and a gift to the community. Couples have come from all over the world for the Experience and to celebrate their special day. I enjoy being an important part of their memory and lives.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
My reputation was built on consistent service, giving 110% to each couple with no excuses and no matter what is going on in my private life. Always being on time and honoring the couples in small ways that remain with them afterwards.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?
In order to fund the Chapel, I worked as a Certified Signing Agent and Notary Public. I made sure to keep overhead low until the Chapel could hold its own. The best part of notary work is setting your own schedule which gives you time to pursue passions.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.bookmyweddingnow.com
• Instagram: Txcourthousewedding
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courthousewedding
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaplain-pat-blissett-5066b133
• Twitter: Courtwedding
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/TheCourthouseWeddingChapel
• Other: Www.Tranzitionslifecoach.com