K Bar S Lodge • Weddings and Events Venue in Keystone, South Dakota

K Bar S Lodge • Weddings and Events Venue in Keystone, South Dakota

Reed:  

So tell us a little bit about yourself, you work at the K Bar S Lodge. I know for just face value what you do and it’s obviously pretty self-explanatory to me.  If you’re interested in having your wedding or event there going to be talking to you so beyond that could you elaborate? Unpack what you do. 

Jordan: 

Sure, no, it’s ah and I think this is common in a lot of venues out in the Hills, especially ours because we’re sort of diverse. We do a lot of different business, weddings, bus tours, family reunions, all sorts of corporate events. So it’s pretty loaded I, I mean, my daily like every day is I’m either at the front desk helping check-in, checkout, guest, some simple stuff like that. Even to the point of like being the contact for all the events that we do, setting up all the events specifically with weddings, you know working with them once we do get them booked to you know a lot of them when they first get booked they asked what vendor vendors you like to work with. 

Jordan:

So obviously Complete Weddings + Events is one of those people I always recommend, I know you guys do a great job out there and that’s a big thing, right? Is that you know I like to recommend people who won’t take care of people like they’re good to people and also that they work well with our staff an and the environment out there because the last thing you want is like you know. 

Jordan:

If DJ or photographer or something like that just doesn’t fit the vibe out there, I won’t recommend them. I would say I recommend them on who they are as people rather than anything else because a lot of the time I don’t know like I doesn’t know exactly like I don’t know your job that well or DJ job as well so I don’t know if they’re messing up or if they do this with that. I mean if it’s blatant maybe, but sure. You know, same with photographers. 

Reed:

So you’re saying when it comes to photography, obviously, we don’t see the photos the day off while the wedding’s being shot. 

Jordan: 

Exactly so you know, in many cases you know I rely on just how the people interact with the guests with our own staff, and we’re fortunate in the Black Hills here that like I can’t really say there’s anybody who I would be like. “Do not go to them.” I mean, there’s really not a lot of people like that. Fortunately, there are a lot of great DJ services and a lot of great photographers and stuff like that, so I just try to recommend people who I think will treat them well and be fair to them and help them have the wedding that they want to have. 

Jordan: 

That’s one thing that I try to turn away from is that there’s maybe a handful of people I’ve met who they always want to morph what the bride and groom want to what they think works best, or what they and and I get that sometimes that honestly helps out quite a bit, but in many cases, like the reason, they want it that way is that that’s who they are. 

Jordan:

My job is to facilitate what their view is of their wedding and I think as long as if all the vendors on the same page doing that. I mean, it should go off without a hitch. 

Reed:

Yeah, I would agree that it’s really important to tune into who the person behind the camera is, who the person behind the computer or the decks for the DJ laptop you know stuff like that it’s not hard. Most professionals can shoot great photos. It’s not hard to choose great dance songs. People dance to the same music everywhere in the Midwest.  

Reed: 

What’s harder to vet is OK, so how do they get great photos? How do they work with my little niece who is hard to deal with or are they going to play the song that my Grampa wants to hear? Do you know that kind of thing? Do they have a servant’s heart, do they? 

Jordan:

Exactly, exactly. 

Reed:

Is it more about them or is it more about the bride and groom? You know, that’s, that’s something that is important. As a sales manager and really, you’re pretty versatile Jordan. I know your title is sales manager but really you bounce anywhere from venue coordinator to slinging drinks behind the bar. I’ve seen you on the food and beverage side. Obviously the oversight or the overseeing of the buffet line, clearing plates, the table placement, and even helping with the ceremony which can be inside or outside! 

Reed:

So what are some questions that you oftentimes get asked by companies looking to host events, bus tours coming in? Brides and grooms? Maybe even their parents like it? 

Jordan:

You know, a lot of people, want to know what else we’re doing. That’s a great point, actually. Is that they like, they’re like to know who else is going to be here on the property besides weddings? Because there’s a lot of venues out there that that’s what they do. They just do weddings. So a lot of people do ask about the diversity of the events that we do host. 

Jordan:

 We are fortunate with you to know, three different meeting rooms and three different dining rooms, so we have quite a bit of space on the property to host multiple events at any given time. 

Jordan:

The questions I think are also pretty generic, because it’s all the same from place to place. You know they want to know what we’re providing, what the cost is, things like that, and I’ve always told I know like car ownership and stuff like that. Like my biggest job is just to let them see the property because the property is overwhelming in itself like it’s just beautiful. 

Reed:

There’s a lot to take in. 

Jordan:

It’s a great setting. 

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