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ALL THINGS WEDDINGS
As I write this letter, I’m thinking about those flowers and rethinking how we do business. Last year, we all took on jobs with smaller budgets as well as some jobs that just weren’t right for us. The result was a momentary loss of focus and balance. It was as if some synthetically colored and scented flowers got into the beautiful bouquets we had been so painstakingly assembling. This is what happens when we go against our natural instincts. Now we set about the business of regaining our true worth and WIPA is a big part of that. For instance, on June 1, Mark Ley, from Elite Meetings and Core Business Development, will be speaking about how to differentiate yourself from your competition in order to attract clients who are right for you and your style. With so many newcomers entering the wedding market every day (still!), it’s never been more important to understand who you are and be able to convey this to a potential client. Learning from experience, continuing to work smart and sticking to our values are a huge part of our success as business people. Brides are still direct sourcing and trying to get the best bang for their bucks. That’s understandable. But it’s our job to educate them on what they will get for their money when they choose us. It’s how you present yourself and your work and making sure they are comparing apples to apples. This May, consider your business like a vase of beautiful flowers. No matter how abundant and lush, in time they will wilt. Isn’t it time to refresh them and yourself? Join us for any or all of the WIPA sessions. I promise you will leave feeling rejuvenated about your business and that energy will translate to your business and your life.Pauline Parry
WIPA'S JUNE EVENT
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Written by: Joyce Scardina Becker, CMP
Events of Distinction
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| Joyce Scardina-Becker, CMP WIPA Founding Sponsor and First President |
Google selected Mandy Scott, WIPA Treasurer for a new campaign to help small businesses get the most out of on-line marketing and advertising both free and paid. Click on the link below . To see Google’s interview with Mandy at her flower shop click on “Grow with Paid Online Advertising.” http://www.google.com/help/sba/
Mike Hogan, Entertainment at Large and "Sensational Treats," is rolling out his new Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Station for The Knot’s event in San Diego on May 26th. Mike’s new partner in the venture is Sheri Karpinski, former director of Catering and Convention Services at the St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach.
WIPA members Brilliant Studios, Classic Party Rentals, Good Gracious! Events and Wildflower Linens partnered together and are being featured in a Vintage Countryside four-page spread in Your Wedding Day Magazine, May 2010. The magazine created an inspiration board that WIPA members translated into a vignette with the bride’s dress.
WIPA members BBJ Linens, Classic Party Rentals and Good Gracious Events were part of Steve Kemble’s team for “Battle of the Designers,” a TLC show. Steve is the Chair of the Leadership Advisory Board for WIPA. The plot - three designers, one bride & groom. Each designer develops a concept, then “pitches” the concept to get the wedding. Steve’s team produced a eco-friendly wedding with a touch of Hawaii for a vegan bride and meat-eating groom. The show airs in June on The Learning Channel…stay tuned!
WIPA members Branch Out, Classic Party Rentals, Got Light and Napa Valley Linens partnered with Events of Distinction for a true fusion of life experiences wedding. Two lives, three continents, two cultures that were joyfully joined “From Russia with Love,” featured in a four-page spread in Today’s Bride, Winter 2010 issue.
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS
WIPA would like to welcome and thank our newest Members for joining and supporting such a wonderful association, as we continue to expand across the Nation! We would like to highlight what it is that makes them "Wedding Industry Professionals!"
Natasha Chornesky
WriteShot
Manhattan Beach & Las Vegas
800-857-7550
www.writeshot.com
natasha@writeshot.com
WriteShot brings a whole new dimension to wedding journalism. Coupled with our photojournalism-style images, our narratives capture the events, emotions, and details of your wedding week and day.
Linda Alpert
Affairs with Linda
847-831-9891
www.affairswithlinda.com
hoeger13@aol.com
30 years of experience in wedding planning - I listen, stay within budget and help create the event of their dreams from start to finish. I offer many levels of service with outstanding details and customer service.
Jeremy Lucero
Lucero Photography
714-449-9600
www.lucerophotography.com
snap@lucerophotography.com
Jeremy Lucero has made an impression in the wedding industry through his artistic and stylish photographs. Lucero's images have been featured in the most popular wedding magazines and exclusive wedding directories in the nation. His work is a culmination of over 16 years of experience. He loves his job and his images prove a level of artistry that can only come with a great eye, experience and a lot of heart.
Rachel Sweeney
Classic Party Rentals
310-535-3660
www.classicpartyrentals.com
rsweeney@classicpartyrentals.com
Classic Party Rentals can provide equipment from tent top to table top.
Denise Jermyn
Continental Catering
619-698-3500
www.continentalcateringsd.com
denise@continentalcateringsd.com
Continental Catering has designed and executed refreshingly innovative and awe-inspiring culinary events since 1984. Our goal is to surprise and delight our clients with unwavering personal attention, stylish menus, gourmet cuisine, unparalleled presentations, professional event staff, and unquestionable value. We work closely with our clients to help them achieve exactly the type of event they want. The only hard part is deciding what's on the menu....
MEMORABLE MOMENTS AT OUR MAY MEETING
Written by: Tracey Kumer-Moore, JWIC
Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge
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| Tracey Kumer-Moore, JWIC Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge WIPA Education Director |
WIPA Northern California members gathered at a most unusual and special location for the May 6, 2010 meeting at the The Blackhawk Museum in Danville, CA. The Blackhawk Museum is an architecturally stunning building itself, but the historic automobiles the museum was built to showcase were truly the gleaming gems and “rolling treasures” that provided the most unique environment for our event.
Kasey Howe, Director of Catering and Marketing for Scott’s Catering Services, the exclusive caterers at The Blackhawk Museum, welcomed guests to the facility on the outdoor plaza. It was dressed for spring with yellow and white flower arrangements on sunny yellow appliqué floral linens from Napa Valley Linens, a honey-yellow Pergola style tent from Raj Tents and a colorful tangerine draped ceremony canopy from Lux Productions served as a beverage station for
guests to sip and mingle.
Attendees entered the exhibition room filled with classic cars as a highlight video was showing the most spectacular “Wedding Luncheon” from the 2004 Special Event that our speaker and WIPA Leadership Advisory Board Member, Cheryl Fish produced.
Cheryl engaged everyone with her stories, advice and images of some of many incredible events she has produced in her 29 year career that took her from a planning company in her California “Garage to the Mirage” Events, Las Vegas establishing one of the most successful event design companies in the world today, then back to her own company, High Rise Events.
Cheryl shared so much great information on what clients depend on us for and how to sell ourselves to them with the tools, experience and unique “style” we each need to bring.
Experience-Learn from it, Experience brings confidence and helps you know how to bring the magic.
Referral Base-Stay connected, network, professional associations (like WIPA), build event team of like-minded professionals that sees your vision and cultivate client relationships that can be the greatest resource.
Efficiency-Stay on track, prioritize tasks, timelines and diagrams, samples of the spectacular results “when the puzzle fits”.
Trouble Shooting-Experience for ‘worry-free wedding”, planning “Pre-Con/Walk-through meetings, always being prepared (relay some stories to exemplify).
Staying on budget-Be wise about spending, prioritize what purchases are important, have good relationships with vendors to benefit budget and be creative with budget to get most “bang for the buck”.
Detail, Detail, Detail-LISTEN closely to your clients’ requests, everything is important to the experience and knowing how to “Open the door to Excitement” for them and their guests.
Creativity-Be in the know about trends of music, food, design, fashion and more to talk the talk with clients and professionals. The more you know helps you create your Signature Style that people will want and see that you know how to “envision the vision” of their event.
Signed, Sealed & Delivered-Work with a variety of clients to widen your experience, portfolio and value, promise perfection, the “Sky is the Limit” so don’t be afraid to go for the dream and the “rewards will be great”.
“Lucky Us! We’re in the business of creating celebrations that are
Always In Style” –Cheryl Fish
Lunch was served at tables dressed by Napa Valley Linens in gleaming contemporary silver and sparkle linens, accented with metallic silver chargers, platinum rimmed dinnerware and smoky glassware, provided by Hartmann Studios. High and low colorful and whimsical floral centerpieces played nicely off the dark, polished look of the exhibition space. A delicious salad of “Baby Mixed Green, Watercress and Endive with Fresh Thyme and Sherry Vinaigrette was followed by Duet of Sliced Breast of Chicken stuffed with Prosciutto, Asiago and Sage and Herb Crusted Halibut”.
Attendees got another look at the museum during “(SIG) Special Industry Groups”, with furniture groupings provided by CORT Event Furnishings while enjoying assorted desserts and coffee from Scott’s Catering Services. The meeting content of the day provided some of the most inspired and lengthy discussions among peers and it was gratifying to share our experiences, passions and ideas in a non-competitive environment for the betterment of our wedding industry.
Thank you to our Programs Director Dina Balatti, Program Chairs Pat Gibbons and Kevin Dennis for putting together an outstanding meeting and…A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS
Venue
The Blackhawk Museum
Kasey Howe, Beverly Barnette
3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle
Danville, CA, 94506
925-934-0598
khowe@scottswc.com, bjbarnette@scottswc.com
www.blackhawkmuseum.org
www.scottswc.com
Catering
Scott’s Catering Services
Kasey Howe, Director of Marketing
1333 N. California Blvd
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-934-0598
khowe@scottswc.com
www.scottswc.com
Photography
Images by Misti Layne
Misti Layne
411A Brannan #5
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-225-1128
misti@mistilayne.com
www.mistilayneweddings.com
Florals
Twigs and Ivy Floral Studio
Phyllis A. Brady
12903 Alcosta Blvd. #B
San Ramon, CA 94583
925-855-8532
Phyllis@twigsivy.com
www.twigsivy.com
The Flower House
Jinger Leonard
2021 Las Positas Court, Suite 153
Livermore, C
orchid@theflowerhouse.com
www.theflowerhouse.com
Linens
Napa Valley Linens
Sharon Dexmier
1054-E Shary Circle
Concord, CA 94518
925-459-0470
sdexmier@nvlinens.com
www.nvlinens.com
A/V, Event Design, Lighting
The Lux Productions
Tom Durante
22674 Broadway, Suite B
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-939-1200
info@thelux.com
www.thelux.com
Décor Rental
Raj Tents, LLC
Anthony O’Farrell
14278 Doolittle Drive
San Leandro, CA 94577
510 -418-1460
Anthony@rajtents.com
www.rajtents.com
Rentals
Hartmann Studios
Moises Navarro
70 West Ohio Ave, Suite H
Richmond, CA 94804
510-232-5030
moisesn@hartmannstudios.com
www.hartmannstudios.com
Furniture Rentals
CORT Event Furnishings
Michael Brock-Alexander
District Account Executive
430 Rozzi Place
South San Francisco, CA 94080
650-624-0930
michael.alexander@cort.com
www.cortevents.com
Printing
Events of Distinction
Joyce Scardina Becker, CMP
41 Heather Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-751-0211
joyce@eventsofdistinction.com
www.eventsofdistinction.com
Videography
O'Hara Films
Dan O'Hara
1141 Catalina Dr #210
Livermore, CA 94550
925-201-5208
dan@oharafilms.com
www.oharafilms.com
Wines
Tri-Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau
Natalie Alvanez
349 Main Street, Suite 203
Pleasanton, CA 94566
925-846-8910
Natalie@trivalleycvb.com
www.trivalleycvb.com
Accommodations
Intercontinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco
Jordan M. Nimura
One Nob Hills
San Francisco, CA 94108
415.616.6952
Jordan.nimura@ihg.com
www.intercontinentalmarkhopkins.com
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR MEMBERS!
If you have an idea or story to share, tell us about it!
WIPA sends out monthly newsletters and your story can be published! Submit a 250-word proposal to Desiree Patterson of Social Creative at desiree@socialcreativellc.com and we will consider your article for upcoming editions.
