“Dear Patrick,
Thank you so much for all of your hard work on our wedding. The food was delicious, delicious, DELICIOUS. The venue looked absolutely gorgeous. The margaritas were amazing. And, above all, our guests had a fantastic time. WE had a fantastic time!
With gratitude, Kate and Max”
“Hey Patrick!
Thanks so much again for everything – you were really great to work with throughout the whole process, and we couldn’t have done it without you! You guys were just awesome on the day of the wedding too, and the food was spectacular.
Adam”
“Hi Patrick,
I hope your off today and reading this tomorrow! Just wanted to say THANK YOU for a perfect day! Everything was soooo beautiful and the food was awesome!! All of your staff were GREAT…..I couldn’t have asked for anything more. And how about that weather we had!!!!!
Thank you….thank you! Fondly…Donna (and Ralph)”
Patrick’s been planning weddings forever, he’s one of those rare authentic lifers who actually started in the industry and knew all along this was what he really wanted to do & has done it. Starting here at PJC early in 2009 specializing in large ranch and estate weddings he’s been leading the Santa Barbara off-premise event trends right through the recession and now into much better times. We’re so lucky to have his consistent energy and passion for special event production.
Since you started here in rougher times, how have you seen the events change?
Through the recession we stayed busy but the events changed, the trends were more simple and so were the menus, guest counts diminished. But the beat went on; people still got married, they just trimmed everything down and we were able to help prioritize and work with couples to meet their budgets and still have a wonderful time. Now, as things have improved economically - and the fear factor is gone - we’re back to creating really unique and exceptional celebrations and boy is it fun!
What is your favorite part of working at Pure Joy?
All of the warm, loving thank you notes have lifted and carried me along the way.. and I love the food – I’m amazed every day that we make everything from scratch, and we have menu items from all over the world. This weekend we’re making tiny Empanadillas right at one of the stations, authentic Spanish Paella, a delicious curried chicken and another beautiful lavender cocktail and at another we’re passing little Patron Bottles of Blood Orange Margaritas with Mini Grilled Fish Tacos! It keeps me excited and I can’t wait to see what the next couple will come up with.
I also love the team here. We have so much fun and the energy from the warehouse to the offices is nonstop. I can hear the chefs singing in the kitchen from my office while they prep food!
What drew you to the events industry?
Ha! That was too long ago, I can’t remember! You know it’s been a great career so far. I’ve never considered anything else. I’m so grateful to get to do this for a living! The places we work and the people we work with are just phenomenal. Getting the satisfaction of helping someone put together a lifetime celebration, pulling all of the details together and really creating something uniquely them is a great way to spend your days! I make people happy and proud and I love it.
Any general practices that keep you enthusiastic about the work you do?
I always start my day with a positive attitude, I’m happy to be at work! Most of our events are about happy times, weddings, families coming together and celebrating. I think of every wedding as if it were my own daughter’s wedding. Nothing is more fulfilling that walking away from a wedding at the end of the night and knowing how happy everyone is, and that I had a part in that; creating those memories and making that happen is what I’m most proud of.
What advice do you give folks who want to get into the events industry?
I first ask why. So many people have misconceptions about what we actually do, it’s not easy work. They have no idea how many hours we put in; good by Saturdays! You really have to love what you do, it’s not all fu-fu fun stuff; every detail has to be perfect, wedding in particular are fragile and emotional, there’s a lot more to these events than picking linen or coming up with cute ideas. A person has to be willing to put in the time, do all the work and really enjoy the process. Kids these days want to skip all of the work and start at the top, it doesn’t work that way – and even at the top we’re still doing lots of work and continuously learning.
Get in touch with Patrick at Pure Joy Catering
A Note From the Executive Chef;
Patrick Ward is a lovable delight, his contagious enthusiasm for events is legendary. He’s a master of taking someone's vision and helping them create a truly memorable experience. After thousands of special events, he has the experience to really help make dreams come to life. He genuinely cares so much about the clients and what they want. As our Senior Event Planner, he’ll provide you with top-notch advice and seamless service.