Photo by Chelsea Jean Photography
Lyric Gruenhagen
Certified Wedding Planner (CWP) • Certified Wedding Venue Professional (CWVP)
After joining the Hitch Studio team in 2019, I knew I was part of something special. Starting out as a wedding associate, I jumped right into the behind-the-scenes elements of weddings and loved every second of it. I love working with families and being involved in something as intimate as a wedding. I love nothing more than a long day full of decorating, coordinating, laughing, bustling, dancing, and love. The hard work and long hours don’t scare me - I thrive off the organized chaos!
I have always been a gregarious person, so it only made sense for me to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in hospitality management at South Dakota State University(SDSU). I have certifications in ServSafe Manager, ServSafe Alcohol, and ServSafe Allergen, all of which help me in my roles as a Venue Manager for Schade Winery& Vineyard and a Certified Wedding Planner for HitchStudio.
I also have hands-on experience and knowledge of event planning and coordinating through my time at a local event center. After working on their food and beverage team as a supervisor, and with their operations crew, I learned a lot about food safety, worked effectively with event managers, and was involved in all of the efforts that go into an event. Teamwork makes the dream work!
My top 3 strengths are empathy, positivity, and consistency–the perfect trio for making your experience the best it can be! I look forward to organizing your chaos and creating an experience you’ll remember forever.
I want to share 5 interesting facts about me:
- I am a pro at playing Catan (if you’re unfamiliar, it’s a board game where you can trade resources to build roads and settlements). Sheep for brick?
- When I was younger, I wanted to work on a cruise ship. Unfortunately, South Dakota has a shortage on cruise ships. And large bodies of water.
- I love eating raw oysters on the half-shell, and I put ranch dressing on my spaghetti – seriously, try it.
- I have coached both softball and volleyball.
- I’ve been to Norway and Iceland and would LOVE to go back.