Posts Tagged ‘wedding professionals’

Winter Park Wedding Expo – September 6

In the mood for a Bridal Show? Then you need to attend the Winter Park Wedding Expo!

The Winter Park Wedding Expo is returning to Hannibal Square on September 6th! Get your tickets today online (or visit local Winter Park merchants for free passes!) Just in time for anyone planning a winter or early spring celebration! The Winter Park Wedding Expo will feature the very best Central Florida wedding and event professionals in a convenient location. Similar to a Bridal Show – yet, with a casual and upscale vibe.

Winter Park Wedding Expo - 2014

SATURDAY – SEPT. 6th 2014

Participating Vendors:

Elegant Imagery Photography | A Flair for Affairs | Tuscawilla Country Club | errol colon photography | Winter Park Wedding Chapel | Flower No. 5 | Beautiful Bride Orlando … and many more!! Actually, over three dozen Central Florida businesses will be present to meet and greet all who turnout.

Plus, this show is not exclusively for bridal couples – If you are planning a birthday celebration or holiday event, I’m sure you will collect tons of great ideas!

Purchase Tickets: $10.00

Wedding Expo

Winter Park Wedding Expo

Saturday, September 6, 2014 – Starts: 3:00 pm
Saturday, September 6, 2014 – Ends: 5:00 pm

721 W. New England Ave.
Winter Park,
FL 32789Wedding Planning - Dresses - Inspiration - Local Bridal Shows

www.facebook.com/WinterParkExpo

16

08 2014

shine :: Event Education and Professional Development Conference

Calling all Wedding and Event Pros!  It’s time to shine !

I’ve been working on this project for a few months and now it’s time to share the news!  The shine event is an educational and professional development conference for ABC members as well as all creative professionals serving the wedding and event industry.



Prologue: I established myself as an independent event planner and bridal consultant more than a dozen years ago. While my title and credentials have gradually changed and evolved over the years, the fact that I am an entrepreneur does not change. I can label myself Planner, Designer, Consultant, or Specialist; I can throw in CEO, Owner or Founder… But the only thing that truly matters is this: I am the business owner, and I am responsible for my successes as well as my failures.

 am an entrepreneurI don’t know about you, but I don’t like to fail. And yet, I entered business without knowing how to be successful as entrepreneur.

Did I make mistakes?  – Yes I did.

Did I waste time and money? – Absolutely.

Did I learn from my mistakes? – You bet!

And that is the key:  Learning (education).  As an entrepreneur, learning is not optional.  You must learn, or your business will not survive.  You must find inspiration or you will burn out.  You must adapt and try new things or you will become irrelevant.

I love my job.  But entrepreneurship fascinates me!  Entrepreneurs are some of the most intelligent, resourceful and creative people I’ve ever met.  I have learned so much from my event industry colleagues I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help educate and inspire others by organizing the shine event.

The Association of Bridal Consultants – Florida has put together an incredible conference: {shine} is a professional development conference featuring superb educational sessions presented by experts & leaders in our Industry and and beyond! Get a jump on your FALL 2014 EVENTS by squeezing 6 months worth of meetings into 2 turbo-charged days of inspiration, motivation, and networking! 

shine event - Shine Conference 2014

Presenting shine’s Dynamic Speakers:
Planners, Designers, Authors, Entrepreneurs, Trend setters, Influencers, and Award Winners:

 Donnie BrownDonnie Brown Weddings & Events – @WDonnieBrown

Heather Canada, MBCFirst Coast Weddings and Events – @FirstCoastWedd

Eddie Diaz, CSEPEncore Creations – @eddiediaz

Kelly McWilliamsWeddings by Socialites – @weddingtidbits

Jennifer LeeCoach Jenn Lee – @coachjennlee

Brenda Fernandez MBCDream Wedding Mexico – @Brendaferza

Shine Event Speakers: Donnie Brown, Kelly McWilliams, Eddie Diaz, Heather Canada, Coach Jenn Lee, Brenda Fernandez

19

06 2014

DJ #Fail

 

Unfortunately, I find myself revisiting topic of hiring professionals. In what is indisputably the craziest wedding DJ disaster (aka DJ #Fail) I have ever experienced, I must tell you about “DJ C”.

(Names and places are not important, the point of the post is: this really happened!)

“DJ C” started out with a fair amount of promise. I learned that he was hired by the Father of the Bride on a recommendation. On the wedding day, “DJ C” arrived on time, nicely dressed, with decent equipment. So far, so good.

Unbeknownst to us, the dj/mc started drinking before the guests even entered the dinner reception. He must have gotten a beer (or two) from the cash bar at the cocktail reception. By the time we were ready to introduce the wedding party into the reception, we began to sense that the “DJ C” was a little ‘off’. Only a short while later the bartender came to us and mentioned that the dj/mc had already purchased four drinks. We had no choice – “DJ C” was cut-off immediately – and we were only an hour or so into the reception! Drunk DJ

*I must stop momentarily to point out that I do not condone vendors drinking, nor do the establishments I work with. However, when we are dealing with a vendor we have never met before, we are typically not aware of their relationship with the client (friend, co-worker, etc.) – so we keep a watchful eye on them.

“DJ C” continued to act oddly, and in my opinion obnoxiously; the music was a bit too loud and I was incredibly annoyed that he kept repeating his own name (“I’m DJ C…!“), but we focused on managing the flow of the reception and keeping everything on track. We made it through parent dances and cake cutting, then said our farewells for the evening. All the formalities were complete, and the guests were dancing up a storm – exit the coordinators.

The next day:

Apparently, a few wedding guests* were buying and slipping the DJ/mc drinks and he got more intoxicated. Mother of the Bride told us how “DJ C” with microphone in hand, announced a special message to the groom: “Congratulations on marrying a nice piece of ass!” Further… three wedding guests* were actually friends of the DJ (aka crashers) – they flew under the radar due to open seating, and everyone just assumed they were invited by the other family. Last but not least, he kept trying to end the reception early.

So… to recap: DJ/mc came by way of a recommendation (not from a preferred vendor list offered by venue or coordinators), drank continuously during his shift (a no-no), brought his posse (who does that?), acted unprofessionally and made inappropriate comments, and tried to shortchange his clients by ending their evening early.

How much for a DJ?

This story gives me an opportunity to share a very informative article with you:

In the article “How Much Should Your Wedding DJ Cost?“, author Stacy Tamaki shares timeless tips on selecting a quality DJ/mc.
She also lists a number of mis-steps, including  a few I have witnessed over the years,  such as:  incorrectly pronouncing the bride or groom’s name during the introductions, dressing or acting inappropriately, hitting on guests, drinking on the job, using inappropriate language or using inappropriate humor.

Continue reading weditorial for universal tips on hiring qualified professionals and planning a sensational, emotional and unforgettable wedding!

More! Secrets to Success from Wedding Industry Experts

wedding industry expert 2012In a previous post, I introduced  Wedding Industry Experts  as a phenomenal resource for information pertaining to the wedding and event industry – especially for novice planners and aspiring event pros.  Much of the information is presented in reports featuring a panel of experts providing candid answers to a series of questions.

I’d like to share links to the most recent reports.  For a few questions below, I included my response – although by clicking through to the full report, you will see a very interesting and insightful array of answers.

Report #11. What marketing method has proven the most effective for you in attracting new clients?
Report #12. What do you consider as the most important skill a Wedding Planner or Wedding Designer should have and why?
Report #13. Please name some vendors you love working with.

Quince Lighting

A Flair for Affairs + Encore Creations

A: Tough question because the list is l-o-n-g!  It’s important to preface my answer by stating that every client deserves a tailored list of vendor referrals based on their needs and expectations.  

However, when I have the opportunity to bring together my fave “dream team” vendors, VHVideo.com is always on my list.  I also reach out to Encore Creations for weddings and events with an elevated level of production due to theming, entertainment or both. 

What makes them, as well as more than a dozen other unnamed “dream team-ers” so great?  For starters, they all share these characteristics: high level of professionalism, quick response time and follow-up, respect for me and my role as project manager/team leader, drama-free, excellent quality equipment/service/product, dependable, consistent, pleasant personality, always prepared and willing to over-deliver.

Report #14. What is a random interesting fact about you or your business?
Report #15. How did you determine pricing for your services when you first started out and what advice can you give new planners/designers?
Report #16. What’s your favorite part of the entire wedding planning process?
Report #17. If you could give only one piece of advice to a bride/groom, what would that be?
A: Recently I completed an elaborate wedding for a very detail oriented bride. The venue manager said to me (while we were loading in and setting up) “I was surprised she hired a planner”.

Considering our team of three was on-site for 12 hours overseeing every imaginable aspect and occurrence, I don’t dare think what that wedding would have been like without us! A member of the venue team approached me at midpoint during the event and complimented our work; it was obvious from her comments and the actions of the staff they were somewhat out of their element.  My advice: Hire a planner… Even if others think/tell you that you don’t need one.

Report #18. What trends are your seeing this year?
Report #19. Fill in the blanks: I love working with a couple that …
A: I love working with a couple that is excited by trying new things – especially if they’re willing to entertain a few wild suggestions and unconventional ideas. Pair that up with a decent budget and I am in heaven!
Report #20. What is the biggest strength that you bring to your clients?
A: The number one benefit that comes to mind is experience… Twenty-something years in the industry translates into literally hundreds of events that I have either planned, coordinated, attended or collaborated on.An investment in experience is far wiser than savings gambled on inexperience.

The second major benefit is my network – consisting of seasoned, connected, like-minded professionals, who are driven to satisfy and succeed!

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To learn more about the how Elisa is differentiated from other Wedding Planners and Coordinators, please click on over to HIRE ME for additional information.

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If you are interested in receiving future reports, simply click to subscribe.

 

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10 2012
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