Family-run wedding and event-planning businesses aren't uncommon, but one ambitious Texas family has taken it a step further -- running a full-scale wedding planning firm out of their own backyard.
A new CMT series, "Swanderosa," follows the Swan family, who transformed their impressive 18-acre estate near San Antonio, Texas into a unique wedding venue called "The Swanderosa" where they stage nuptials, receptions, corporate functions, family reunions and graduation parties.
Their popular event venue hosts three days of events every weekend. Father Tom Swan acts as DJ and technical guru, mother Judy is the event florist, youngest daughter Lesley is the go-to "handy-man" and older daughter Ashley is the main event coordinator.
From this sneak peek of the show, above, it looks like a lot can go wrong when families run businesses together.
But is that always the case? Consider sisters Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne of TLC's "DC Cupcakes." They both quit their corporate jobs in order to start their very own cupcake shop together (which the entire family subsequently became involved with.)
Although the sisters get on each other's nerves at times, the successful duo has said that being a family has actually helped their business, telling Arizona Foothills Magazine: "We can get into a heated argument about a business decision, and then 10 minutes later we're over it and grabbing lunch together. We never take anything personally. It's very helpful when you are running a business."
Maybe the Swans are onto something with their family-run business: only blood relatives will still love you at the end of a hard business day.
"Swanderosa" will premiere on Friday, January 20 at 10/9c on CMT.
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