Member News - April 2022
As always, a big shout out to our members that have made the news. Below you’ll find members that have been highlighted or otherwise recognized. Thank you to those that submitted news this month and thank you to our members that continue to push the outside of the envelope in some way.
Rev. Christopher T. Scuderi of Universal Heart Ministry is genuinely honored to have recently reached a major milestone when he performed his 1,600th wedding ceremony in less than eleven years as a professional non-denominational Minister.
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Bobbi Brinkman, Motivational Speaker and Business Growth Coach for wedding industry go-getters was recently a guest on the “Behind The Veil Podcast” , “Am I Good Enough” with Marci Guttenberg.
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Spring wedding season is in full swing! Friar Tux has you covered by offering virtual style sessions for busy customers who wish to plan suits and tuxedos from home. Book an appointment by visiting Friartux.com. Fashion alert! Friar Tux delivers a modern twist to formalwear with their black velvet tuxedo and double-breasted black vest in this Style Me Pretty feature. If your next event takes place in a colorful, Hawaiian-inspired paradise you won’t want to miss Friar Tux’s tan and light blue suit looks in this Bridal Musings feature.
When it is time to honor the classic, black tuxedo Friar Tux delivered against this gorgeous Wedding Sparrow shoot that has the most elevated blush rose bouquet you’ve ever seen.
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Rebecca Grant, President of WIPA Seattle, was honored as the 2022 ILEA Seattle’s Best Wedding Over 50k award winner. She was also featured in a blog showcasing her ties to Hawaii and her specialties in Asian & Pacific Islander Wedding Customs.
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Jan Levie of Handy Entertainment was selected as a 2022 participant in the Greater Women’s Business Council Mentor-Protégé Program. “It gives us great pleasure to announce that Jan Levie has been selected as a protégé in the GWBC® Mentor Protégé Program! This program connects promising business owners with an experienced mentor who can help them scale their business.”
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Photo shows from left to right: Clea, Rebecca and Marni (Mallory not pictured)
WIPA Seattle was thrilled to see four of its board members honored with awards at the ILEA Seattle “Emerald City Applause Awards” on March 22, an event celebrating excellence in events!
The awards were for: “Best Event Support Services” and “Best Team Effort” went to Cort Party Rental with Seattle Chapter Vice President, Mallory Bailey, for the creative Field to Table events and other team collaborations.
“Best Technical Production” went to Crimson Haze Event Lighting with Seattle Chapter Marketing and Communications Director, Clea Hersperger, for a special mirror ball and chandelier installation at AXIS Pioneer Square.
“Best Wedding” went to New Creations Weddings and Events with Seattle Chapter President, Rebecca Grant, for a glamorous celebration at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.
“People’s Choice Award” went to Marni Ness of Pedersen’s Event Rentals, Seattle Chapter Secretary, for the answer to: “Is there someone in the events industry that has heavily influenced or impressed you over the last year?”
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Margaux Fraise of Harmony Creative Studio contributes her expertise on Storyboard Wedding on ‘Tips For Collecting Wedding Inspiration’ and ‘Strategies for Inspiration and Ingenuity’ on Catersource. She will also be a speaker at The Special Event (co-located with Catersource) on the topics ‘Decoding Client Inquiries’ and ‘Styled Shoot Success: Strategies for Inspiration and Ingenuity’.
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Gene and Georgetti named one of the 20 Best Restaurants in Chicago by OpenTable.
From classic steakhouses to modern Korean food, these are The Greats: 20 restaurants that have helped define Chicago’s world-class dining scene.
Chicago’s oldest steakhouse, established in 1941, has hosted celebrities ranging from Frank Sinatra to Will Ferrell and cultivated a devoted following among locals. Though the past two years have forced the restaurant to contend with a grease fire and a global pandemic, Gene and Georgetti has soldiered on, pivoting gracefully to meet both moments.
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Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting rounds up experts for her articles, ‘How to Know What Type of Wedding Venue is Best for You’ on Glamour & Grace and ‘Long Engagements During COVID: Is It Better to Wait?’ on Wedding Chicks. She also makes appearances on The Freedom to Flourish Podcast and gives advice on how to ‘Give Your Brand A Voice In 2022 With PR’ and how to ‘Get Published More and Maximize Event Press’ on Catersource’s Candid Conversations and Special Events.
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Leah Weinberg of Color Pop Events sits down and chats with The Venue Rx Podcast on ‘How To Set Up Systems And A Workflow For Your Business In 2022’ and the ‘Pantone Color of the Year and How To Incorporate It At Your Wedding’ on Collective Questions. Leah also guides wedding professionals on how to get through ‘The Wedding Roller Coaster’ on Special Events.
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Christie Osborne of Mountainside Media will be a speaker at Catersource (co-located with The Special Event and presenting on the topics ‘Analytics with Impact: Turning Your Data into Action’ and ‘Know Thy Numbers: Data-Driven Marketing for Caterers’.
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As of Oct 1,2022 Viero Bridal has changed its ownership and with that the name was changed to Perla Bridal. We are still located at the same Town Square location. Perla Bridal carried Couture European designers such as Wona Concept, Viero Bridal and Milla Nova. We now also offer VIP appointments or VIP reveal parties: Vip Appt – is 2 hour completely private experience . We serve charcuterie board , deserts and champagne. Music of the brides choice and lots of fun guaranteed.
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Renée Dalo of Moxie Bright Events shared insight on the The Myth of “Partial” Wedding Planning for Special Events as well as Reset + Refresh for 2022 for NACE She will also be a speaker at The Special Event (co-located with Catersource) on the topic ‘Partial Planning is a Myth: How to Sell Clients on Custom Packages’.
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Kevin Dennis of WeddingIQ (weddingiq.com) shares with Special Events ‘Nurturing Relationships with Creative Partners During Booking Season.”
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Marni Ness, CSEP Sales Associate at Pedersens Event Rentals was awarded The People’s Choice Award by the Emerald City Applause Awards.
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Donna Mak has recently joined the Fulcrum Group, home to Abbey Party Rents, Table + Teaspoon, One True Love Vintage, and a collection of exclusive wedding venues. She is now re-launching Fulcrum Group’s newest venue that nestled between rolling California hills with lush views at the heart of the Cienega Valley, Gavilan Vale.
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Jennifer Taylor of Jen Taylor Consulting will be a speaker at The Special Event (co-located with Catersource on the panel ‘Time for a Tune-Up: Staying Competitive with Strategic Business Updates’.
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Michelle Loretta, owner of Be Sage Consulting was recently interviewed by Shout Out Miami on work-life balance and how it’s more about ‘seasons in life’ and not a 50/50 equation.
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Spring wedding season is in full swing! Friar Tux has you covered by offering virtual style sessions for busy customers who wish to plan suits and tuxedos from home. Book an appointment by visiting Friartux.com/virtual. Fashion alert! Friar Tux delivers a modern twist to formalwear with their black velvet tuxedo and double-breasted black vest in this Style Me Pretty feature. If your next event takes place in a colorful, Hawaiian-inspired paradise you won’t want to miss Friar Tux’s tan and light blue suit looks in this Bridal Musings feature. When it is time to honor the classic, black tuxedo Friar Tux delivered against this gorgeous Wedding Sparrow shoot that has the most elevated blush rose bouquet you’ve ever seen.
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Memorial House is hosting a Yoga & Wine Retreat, if your brides need a bachelorette weekend idea send them over!
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Chanda Daniels owner of A Monique Affair + Chanda Daniels Planning + Design featured in local news segment for Black History Month on ending racial bias in the wedding industry.
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Lowcountry Wedding Award Winner Photo: Ryan Finley Art (historic house)
Events of a Lifetime Productions was honored with three Allie Awards during the 32nd annual Atlanta Awards show. They won Best Wedding $25,000 and under, Best Wedding Over $100,000 and Best Fundraising Event for the Free a Girl. Change the World. a transformational Gala for She Is Safe. ELP is an award-winning corporate, social and charity event producer who also accepts a limited number of destination and luxury weddings each year. Gillian Marto and Debra Hull excel at compelling, experiential events. Gillian is the president at large of Atlanta’s WIPA organization.
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Jarrell Entertainment’s Evolution Band performs at the Perez Art Museum Miami 2022 Gala.
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Photo by Kari Geha Photography
Jenna of Jenna Noelle Creative was recently featured on a podcast where she talked about the unspoken challenges of being in the wedding industry as someone single, non spiritual, and managing mental health challenges. Learn more about this as well as what world travel has taught her at podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disembodied/id1524588162?i=1000554928467
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