Daily Inspiration: Meet Aly Camerlo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aly Camerlo.

Hi Aly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I have been a wedding planner for over 15 years. It has helped me transition into wedding venue owner pretty smoothly I think based on all the venues I have been to over my 15 years and seeing what works well, what could be tweaked logistically, etc.

I am a problem solver. That is what I do. Especially on wedding days, if anything goes wrong, people look to the planner to solve it. I am a patient person and can stay cool in the heat of the moment.

I am proud of the fact that I have worked for myself for over 15 years and now my husband and I have built something really special and unique for our clients. We strive for excellence for every wedding we host. We are both professionals and we want our business to reflect that!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has definitely not been smooth……but as the saying goes……Big risks = Big rewards…….and nothing truly rewarding in life is generally ever easy. The timing was not on our side and our first season was hit pretty hard by the pandemic that struck early in 2020. Luckily we were able to host a few weddings and salvage a little bit of our season.

2021 was much better for us and 2022 was amazing! We had many challenges to overcome throughout the building process and our first year being what it was, but we know we have an experience we want to share and a special place to give couples memories of a lifetime. We have had to really stay positive in this crazy environment and keep striving to introduce our venue to the industry. We are a family-owned and run business with a love for what we do and where we do it. We want to give couples a unique experience on their wedding day with outstanding customer service, a one-of-a-kind barn, and remarkable views surrounding them.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The Barn at Howard Creek Farm is a unique, historic barn wedding venue in the heart of the Rockies in Howard, Colorado. Our barn was standing in Indiana for 160 years. We had it dismantled and shipped to our property and we rebuilt it to host weddings in 2019. We are a family-owned and run business with a love for what we do and where we do it. We want to give couples a unique experience on their wedding day with outstanding customer service, a one-of-a-kind barn, and remarkable views surrounding them.

We believe that there truly is no reward without risk. Taking risks has fueled most of our decisions when building and starting our own businesses. Both my husband and I have taken many risks over the years in our personal and professional lives. From each starting our own businesses to starting our family and moving to a new location and building our most recent adventure. The risks we have taken over the years have rewarded us with the ability for our family to flourish in a wonderful community and for us to build a career in a place we love.

I am proud of the fact that I have worked for myself for over 15 years and now my husband and I have built something really special and unique for our clients. We strive for excellence for every wedding we host. We are both professionals and we want our business to reflect that!

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Being a wedding venue owner is not for the faint at heart. It is a lot of work, but so rewarding! The job definitely does not have “office hours.” So for me, it’s been challenging to set boundaries for myself and make my own hours to work within our life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.howardcreekfarm.com
• Instagram: @howardcreekfarm
• Facebook: @howardcreekfarm

Image Credits
Justyna Butler,  Amanda Podesta Photography, Western Pine Photography, Nick Sparks Photography, and Autumn Cutaia Photography