Member News - January 2021
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.
Julie Bunkley and Courtney Wolf of Birmingham, Ala. and Atlanta, Ga. based Invision Events were named a Best Wedding Planner in America by BRIDES.
Mishkalo is now hosting Virtual/Hybrid Paint and Sips for Bridal Showers, Anniversary and Birthday parties & Ladies Nights. We will take care of all the logistics of planning the event ( delivery of art and drink supplies, professional Artist, step-by-step instructions, selection of a theme and resources) needed to host the event. These are fun and interactive events which run between 1-2 hours and can be tailored to fit a custom party requirement. Check out our OFFERINGS.
A beautiful wedding planned and coordinated by Sherri Kuhn with www.Destintowed.com is featured in the the December issue VIE Magazine. The wedding took place at a luxury resort in Destin Florida. Also, check out this stunning wedding event A Grand Wedding on the Grand Lawn /”Mr. and Mrs. Woodard.
Henry Chen of Wedding Chat Marketing, which provides chat marketing education and services to wedding pros, gave a talk at Showit United Apart and Wedding MBA and was a guest panelist on NACE‘s “Starting off Strong in 2021” webinar. In addition, Henry started his chat marketing agency, Creative Chat Marketing, and brought on 3 team members.
Elizabeth Sheils of Rock Paper Coin gave advice on WeddingIQ for ‘How To Get Your Inbox In Shape For A Fresh Start to 2021’ and on Catersource about ‘Everything You Need to Know about Smart Market Growth.’ She was also featured in an episode of The Wedding CEO Podcast Show speaking about ‘Inbox Strategies to Supercharge Your Wedding Business.’ She was also included in a roundup of experts on Wedding Chicks on ‘3 Things Your Vendors Can Be Flexible On and 3 Things They Can’t.’
Michelle Loretta of Be Sage Consulting (formerly Sage Wedding Pros) was featured twice on Special Events this past month, ‘How Your Services Will Adjust in the New Year’ and ‘Event Pros Share Their Goal-Setting Strategies for 2021.’ Michelle was also showcased on Thrive Global and spoke about ‘Be aware of people’s emotional vulnerability and lead with empathy.’
Christie Osborne of Mountainside Media gave insight on ‘Setting Realistic Marketing Goals For 2021’ on WeddingIQ. Christie explained the ‘7 Content Pullards To Boost Your Content Marketing Strategy in 2021 and Beyond’ on Be Sage. She also shared on Nace the ‘Four Google Analytics Reports To Help You Drive Conversions.’
Kevin Dennis of WeddingIQ was a guest on Behind The Veil and discussed ‘Bridal Expos, Wedding Shows and More.’ Kevin also was featured on Catersource for ‘Business Forecasting During Uncertain Times’ and on Wedding Chicks for ‘Ways That You Can Support Your Wedding Vendors Right Now.’
Jennifer Taylor of Jennifer Taylor Consulting shared ‘Everything You Need To KNoW If You Plan On Hiring In 2021’ on WeddingIQ. Jennifer also revealed her ‘3 Tips to Effectively Turn Event Inquiries into Contracts’ on Goodshuffle Pro and ‘5 Reasons to Join an Industry Association in 2021’ on Special Events and Catersource.
Emily Sullivan of Emily Sullivan Events sat down with The Confetti Hour Podcast and she spoke about ‘Uncovering Your Ideal Niche Market’ with Emily Sullivan of Emily Sullivan Events.’
José Rolón of José Rolón Events appeared in print inside Wedding Planner Magazine on ‘LatinX Wedding Traditions To Know & Uphold.’ Jose was also a guest on Wedding CEO Podcast discussing ‘How to go viral on TikTok with your Wedding Business.’
Margaux Fraise of Harmony Creative Studio was interviewed by BitBean on ‘Effective Leader During Turbulent Times.’
Dixie Bagley of The Farm shared her expert advice on ‘Elevating Your Standards As A Venue’ on Special Events. She also was featured on NACE for ‘Enhancing The Staycation Experience For Wedding Guests.’
Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting’s wedding coloring book was included in ‘Deck the Halls With Style Me Pretty’s 2020 Holiday Guide for Him, Her, and Everyone Else on Your List.’ She gave advice on the Rent My Wedding podcast on ‘How To Get Your Wedding Published.’ Meghan also sat down with the Confetti Hour Podcast and gave them expert advice on ‘Wedding PR When You Have a Limited Event Season.’
One & Only Mandarina in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit is featured as one of the ‘21 Best Places to Go in 2021’ by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Explore the hidden retreat complete with secluded eco-designed treehouses and clifftop villas, swimmable shores, destination dining from Chef Enrique Olvera, active and mindful wellness experiences, and an environment crafted for reconnection.
One & Only Palmilla, the iconic award-winning Forbes Fives Star resort in Los Cabos, recently launched a new offer, inviting guests to Stay a While with exclusive savings on room rates when booking 20 nights or more. The ultra-luxury resort will make it even more spectacular with a weekly resort credit of $500 to be enjoyed on a plethora of activities, wellness experiences, and destination-defining dining.
Depending on who you ask, 2020 has been a year of variety. A year full of a variety of lessons. Lessons of pain. Lessons of letting go. Lessons of growth. Lessons of being present. Lessons of loss, and even lessons of gain. All people, regardless of race, sex, color, or creed have been impacted. What happens matters. But how you choose to respond to what happens, matters even more. As wedding professionals, we all saw the immediate impact within our industry. And instead of throwing in the towel, wiping our hands of the many cancellations and the inevitable loss of income, a group of collaborators came together and decided to give away their talents. Rich with Let’s Knot and Say We Did had the joyful honor of officiating this magical experience! Check out the video sneak peek here or read about the full experience here!
Irene Tyndale of Irene Tyndale Wedding & Events is launching “Wedding Management Blueprint” for Planners on Monday, January 25, 2021. The in-depth step-by-step program will cover the strategy and steps you need in order to master planning, managing and executing weddings with confidence. The 8-week online course will begin the week of February 8, 2021. For registration information join the WAITLIST.
Irene Tyndale of Irene Tyndale Wedding & Events along with 24 other incredible speakers will be presenting on topics ranging from Irene’s topic – Embracing your CEO Title & stop being the Chief of Everything offer to How To Scale Your Business By Teaming Up With An Integrator, and everything in between. The summit kicks off on January 25th and it’s going to be 5 action-packed days that you won’t want to miss! Registration opens on January 10th, click HERE to learn more and get your free ticket!
Irene Tyndale of Irene Tyndale Wedding & Events was featured in Modern Luxury Weddings Atlanta Winter issue for how she and her team assisted couples with “Micro Weddings” over the past 6 months. Irene and her team have successfully executed 9 Micro Weddings & 7 Intimate Weddings since June via their new service Small Weddings Atlanta. Checkout the digital edition HERE.
Preoccupied Bride was awarded The Knot Best of Weddings 2021.
Friar Tux is here to serve as a responsive partner in style for couples who recently became engaged or are planning ahead. Friar Tux’s swatch program offers up to 5 free swatches for couples looking to coordinate colors and fabrics for their wedding events. Know of someone who wants to meet with an expert stylist? Click here to book an appointment at a Friar Tux store or schedule a virtual style session at FriarTux.com/virtual or StitchandTie.com/virtual. The company recently covered several fresh looks in Why a Modern Neutral Suit is a Must-Have in Your Closet Today, complete with suggestions from their purchase collection about how to style blues, greens and browns. For those looking for ideas and inspiration for this season, StitchandTie.com by Friar Tux partnered with Ruffled Blog to feature 50 Unique Winter Wedding Groom Looks to Consider– a seasonal must-see for all Winter weddings.
Kathy Heilman has been in the wedding and events industry for almost two decades and most recently served as Director of Weddings at Barnsley Resort. In May, 2020 she decided to take her experience to the next level when she purchased The Whitlock Inn wedding and event venue off the historic Marietta Square. Working with one of Atlanta’s premier interior designers, Sandy Kirshenmann, she has restored the interior of the inn to include antique Parisian chandeliers, luxurious wallpapers, and period appropriate paint colors. In late October she acquired her second venue, Sanctuary Estate. Sanctuary is a unique property nestled in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains and includes a vineyard, horse pasture, private lake, estate home, and converted barn. Between the beautiful historic home with courtyard and destination mountain property, Kathy is ready to host your next event and ensure it is one to remember.
Doug Vincent joined Bouquet Blooms of Atlanta as Vice President of Supply Chain Management. He brings logistical and creative experience from his previous employment as a top producer with BBJ Linens. He will facilitate metro Atlanta deliveries and oversee growth of business throughout the continental US. For more information contact Doug at 678.540.2378 or Doug@BouquetBlooms.com. Doug is currently serving his third year on the WIPA Board of the greater Atlanta Chapter. Bouquet Blooms is an upscale floral delivery service, providing daily deliveries to the Metro Atlanta area as well as floral deliveries across the US. IG: @atlbouquetblooms
Check out Sam Jacobson of Ideaction Consulting on This Week in Weddings as he discusses selling to multiple decision-makers. Because, as we all know, wedding plans aren’t determined by just one person.
DJ Joune from Salt lake City, Utah with his unique style as a Vibe curator, has been signed for a second year with the Utah Jazz for the NBA Season 2020 – 2021.
One Above Entertainment made the best of a bad year by lighting up hospitals to show appreciation for all essential workers. Newstations visited each of the three hospitals and featured Cooper and the lighting designs on the news. Click here to read the article and click here to watch a video of the lighting design at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. This voluntary act was received extremely well by community members and essential workers. Making a positive impact in this unique way has become a 2020 highlight for Cooper.
Renée Dalo of Moxie Bright Events shared her Client Offboarding Strategies with Special Events this month.
BreeAnn Gale of Pink Blossom Events was featured on PartySlate and Kara’s Party Ideas for their Holiday Tailgate showcasing showing a safe way to gather this Holiday Season.
Through her gifting company Evergreen Custom Gifting, WIPA Seattle President, BreeAnn Gale of Pink Blossom Events, sent out 200 Healthcare Gifts to Frontline Healthcare Workers and Nurses across the country this December 2020.
