Southern Weddings

OK, this post is so long overdue!  Wedding pros, if you put one thing on your calendar next year, let it be Engage!.  There are a lot of wedding conferences and networking events out there, but this one tops them all a hundred fold.  Why?  Well, the speakers are top notch, the quality of the professionals in attendance the creme de la creme, but most of all… the atmosphere was magical.  Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce put together a stellar program for Engage!08:The Encore last month.  The day started with Rebecca and Kathryn giving a wonderful intro about each of the 80 professionals in the beautiful decorated room at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes.  As each name was read, we all knew we were about to experience an unforgettable day.  Top planners, cake designers, stationers, wedding business execs, photographers, resort owners and veteran wedding pros came together to learn, to grow, to share, to engage.  This was truly an open “high-impact” forum for soaking in knowledge and laying our fears, goals, hopes and aspirations out on the table.

Rebecca gave an eye-opening presentation about the wedding industry and our current economy.  I know what you are thinking.  “So, she told you how to survive, right?”  Not at all.  She revealed to us the documented facts and figures that prove we are all in the right industry.  But, the market is getting more crowded and more competitive.  While fading vendors are using the economy as an excuse to give poor service, others are rising to the occasion.  Brides, no matter the recession, your wedding vendors should be giving you the red carpet treatment.  You have one wedding day and your experience should match your love… joyful, personal, custom tailored and–above all–uniquely you.  Rebecca’s presentation mirrored her stellar personality– brilliant!

Speaking of “brilliant”, next was a powerful hour with Simon T Bailey, author of the incredible book (which I am loving right now!), Release Your Brilliance.  Wow, was it powerful!  If you have an opportunity to hear him speak, jump at the chance.  We are so inspired! A few nuggets of wisdom from Simon:

-Failure is not final.
-Brilliance is released when you are in an environment where you are celebrated.
-The future is created in the present.
-If you don’t change, you will be changed.

One of my favorite presenters was Bee Kim of Weddingbee.  At the post-Engage cocktail reception, she told me a very familiar story of people sending her emails to info, jobs, ads, submissions, bee, and several others @weddingbee.com.  This happens to me at least five times a week and they all come to me.  Blogging, 90% of the time, is really a small operation of passionate people.  I appreciate and sympathize with her long hours, vision, and drive.  Recently, Bee announced that she had sold Weddingbee to eHarmony.  A controversial move to some, but I vicariously felt relieved for her!  And THRILLED that Weddingbee will now have all of the resources it needs to reach millions more readers who really need a site like hers.  Thank you for sharing your story with us, Bee!  Congratulations on everything!

Wedding publicist, Eda Kalkay, and CBS Early Show producer, Jill Meister, gave Engagees valuable insight into how to package your product or story for the media.  I had several pros ask me after her talk what I felt like being on the other end of the submissions.  Well, it got me thinking… as did the entire Engage experience.  So, I have decided to start a new business blog for wedding professionals.  Stay tuned for details.

Laura, Kirstin and I enjoyed a fabulous lunch (sponsored by the amazing team at Sandals) with Carley Roney (Editor-in-Chief of The Knot), Scott from Get Married, Jennyfer Mancino and the dynamic duo from Sweet and Savory Bake Shop.  Carley was so warm and so complimentary of what we are doing here at SW.  That was a big honor to be encouraged by her.  The tables were dressed beautifully with La Tavola Linens and gorgeous parrot tulips.  At each place setting was a lovely letterpress menu card from Bella Figura Letterpress.  The food and white glove service at the Ritz were perfection. 

After lunch, we were treated to a session with Carley Roney and her husband and business partner, David Liu.  What a story they have!  Fresh out of school and in search of inspiration for their own wedding, they couldn’t find what they were looking for.  They wanted something fresh and to plan a wedding that was uniquely them.  Thus, The Knot was born.  They were very candid about their struggles and stresses.  My favorite quote from Carley during the Q and A portion of the session was after someone asked her “How do you balance having 3 kids and marriage and work?”  Her answer spoke to my heart…. “You don’t.  You just kind of have to like your life that way.”  I think so many of us feel the same way.  Our long hours are insane and many days we feel like it’s never going to end…. but we still love it!

Then, Sean Low stepped up to the mic.  Sean is the president of Preston Bailey Designs.  He started by saying “I am a terrible speaker, but I feel like I have something to say.”  Well, first of all he was a fabulous speaker and secondly, he sure did have something to say!  My mind cracked right open during those 25 minutes.  Sean told us how Preston struggled until he stepped in and changed his business model.  Sean took Preston global.  He went from 50something weddings a year in NY to less than 8 a year all over the world.  Preston now designs events for princesses and the uber-rich that make up that tiny fraction of the global population.  Sean put Preston in a market all his own.  Doing that is no small feat, but Sean broke it down and made it seem achievable.  We just had the incredible pleasure of having lunch with Sean this past Monday afternoon in NYC and were filled to the brim once again with inspiring new ideas. Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Sean!  (ps- look for an exclusive interview with Preston in our print edition this January!)

Engage!08 ended on a very sweet note.  I felt a thrill when the last speaker walked up to her “Engage!”-embroidered director’s chair.  You may know her by her famous spectacles, spark-plug personality or magnificent cakes…  Sylvia Weinstock sure knows how to bring the house down!  Her wit is sharp and you can’t help but grin from ear to ear when she speaks.  Honestly, she is the warmest, kindest, funniest woman I know above 70 besides my grandmother.  Someone asked her when she was going to start blogging.  She replied “I am lucky I can work a blackberry!  Besides, do you really think people would read my blog?  Me!?”  Yes, Sylvia, we just might read your blog.  Religiously. 

At the end of Sylvia’s Q and A, the doors flew open and Rebecca stood up excitedly and said “OK, I get to play Oprah!  We have a little surprise…”  In rolled a cart stacked high with Sylvia’s new book, Sensational Cakes, which hits bookstores this month.  If that wasn’t amazing enough, the Engage team then passed out plates packed with signature Sylvia Weinstock Godiva chocolates.  What a treat!

We met so many wonderful new friends at Engage08 and look forward many more Engaging events to come. Below: (from top left starting with row 1) 1. The three La(u)ra’s! Laura, me, and the phenomenal Laura Novak, 2. Candice from Haute Minded Events, Marva from The Pelican Bay Hotel, Laura and Kirstin, 3. Savannah photographer Donna Von Bruening and event designer Amy Harvey, 4. Harmony Walton from Get Married and The Bridal Bar and I, 5. Laura exploring the swag bag during a break, 6. Rebecca and Kathryn had so many personal touches for each Engagee, 7. the room was a buzz during one of Simon T Bailey‘s partner exercises, 8. FL photographer Mary Beth Tyson, fab planner Brandi Brown and Kirstin at the post-Engage cocktail reception, 9. Kirstin soaking it all in, 10. Laura Novak and Kirstin, 11. Carla from the gorgeous resort Watercolor in the Florida Panhandle and I, 12. more Laura’s! Laura, Laura Marcusse from Adorn Brides, and I, 13. Laura, me, Preston Bailey photographer Robert T Williams (who was a doll!) and Kirstin at the end of a truly fabulous evening. See you all next year!