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.
Allseated has launched a Physical Distancing Seating Tool which will allow you to easily and efficiently design floorplans with safety in mind. Using the Physical Distancing tool, users can create layouts to meet distance guidelines, visualize the layout with distancing in place, and better understand how new rules will affect capacity while putting guest and staff safety at forefront. https://www.allseated.com/blog/allseated-announces-new-physical-distancing-tool/
Alan Katz of Great Officiants was the leader of a task force of LA County Notaries who were authorized to issue Marriage Licenses. He brought in the County Clerks Office and The Board of Health and representatives from the County Supervisors office. Alan laid out a plan to re open their special notary program to issue Marriage Licenses to Couples on behalf of the County Clerk. They took it all into consideration and agreed with the protocols Alan laid out to them and they reopened the program on May 11th and Now marriage licenses are available to be issued to any couple getting married in CA. YAHOO!! Alan also is spearheading another taskforce of southern California Leaders to help the local government find a pathway to reopening.
Elizabeth Sheils of Rock Paper Coin and Bridal Bliss discussed ‘Becoming An Asset In The Growth of Your Local Market’ on Planner In Training. They also shared with Weddings for Real how to ‘Bring Your Clients, Vendors, and Team into the Digital Age.’
Oleta Collins, Founder and Owner of Flourishing Art Design Studio was featured on Brides for ‘How To Throw A Virtual Wedding.’ Oleta gave advice on WeddingWire on ‘What To Do With Your Wedding Items That Have Your Original Wedding Date On Them’. She also discussed ‘What Will Weddings Be Like After COVID Restrictions are Lifted?’ on WeddingWire.
Heather Jones of Wente Vineyards gave input on WeddingWire twice this past month for ‘What To Do With Your Wedding Items That Have Your Original Wedding Date On Them’ and ‘What Will Weddings Be Like After COVID Restrictions are Lifted?’
Kinsey Roberts of She Creates Business sat down and spoke with Tea with Jaine Podcast on ‘Will Your Market Bear Another Wedding Photographer?’ She’s also booked to speak on Business Reputation as part of the TISOH Summer 2020 Hospitality Speaker Series.
Michelle Loretta of Sage Wedding Pros gave advice on Catersource on ‘How to Stand Out Right Now.’ Michelle also gave input on RealSimple for ‘11 Small Ways You Can Help Stimulate the Economy.’
Christie Osborne of Mountainside Media spoke on Catersource Candid Conversations discussing ‘Crisis Communications.’ She’ll also be presenting virtually this month to NACE Phoenix and NACE Greater Broward + Palm Beaches.
Kevin Dennis of WeddingIQ gave advice to Catersource on ‘Tech Apps to Help You Work Virtually from Home.’ Kevin was featured on NACE for ‘Working From Home Efficiently, As Told By Event Pros.’ He also gave insight on ‘What Will Weddings Be Like After COVID Restrictions are Lifted?’ to WeddingWire.
Jennifer Taylor of Jennifer Taylor Consulting shared advice to wedding planners on WIPA on ‘Wedding Planners: Here’s How to Follow Up on an Inquiry.’ She also offered ‘3 Tips for Developing a Strong Staff Training Program’ on NACE. Jennifer was also featured on Special Events for ‘Managing Event Client Expectations and Boundaries.’
Emily Sullivan of Emily Sullivan Events discussed ‘When Disaster Strikes - plan to succeed, no matter what happens’ on Your I Do Crew Podcast. She was also featured on Special Events for ‘The Big News on Mico Weddings.’
José Rolón of José Rolón Events was featured on NACE and gave insight on ‘Time To Recharge: What It Means And Why It’s Important For Your Business.’ He also discussed finding balance during this time on the Trish O Show.
Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting was honored by the Public Relations Society of America, Richmond Chapter in May for two initiatives. WeddingIndustrySpeakers.com won an Award of Merit while her keynote at Planners Xtraordinaire in Tbilisi, Georgia, won the top honor, Award of Excellence, for the Speech category.
Renée Dalo of Moxie Bright Events was featured on NACE and gave insight on ‘Working From Home Efficiently, As Told By Event Pros’. She also recently interviewed celebrity planner David Tutera about the power of positivity on her own podcast, Talk with Renée Dalo.
Fresh off of her talk at The Special Event Show, Margaux Fraise of Harmony Creative Studio discussed how to SafeGuard your Wedding Business with the Tea with Jainé podcast and the Confetti Hour podcast. She also recently launched her Client Onboarding for Wedding Professionals course.
Footers Summer Grilling Experience will make your #SafeAtHome summer celebrations memorable! Perfect for Graduations, Father's Day, Birthdays, and enjoying Colorado sunshine any time!
Rebecca Grant of New Creations Weddings based out of Seattle was featured in the popular Everett Herald online newspaper regarding petitioning the Governor to reopen events for up to 100 people.
She was also a featured contributor to Mishkalo- The Wedding Registry for Art, contributing useful wedding planning tips from experts.
Rebecca also partnered with 3 other Seattle area wedding planners, one of which, BreeAnn Gale, is our WIPA Chapter President writing a 4-part series on how to navigate wedding planning through COVID-19.
Lastly, Rebecca launched a new service to reach couples that are wanting to downsize their wedding day but still have it reflect their style. Elevated Elopements is now live on her website and has been met with rave reviews.
Frank Andonoplas Owner and Creative Director of Frank Event Design, a full-service wedding and event planning company focusing on luxury events and weddings in Chicago, Illinois, was recently featured on the WGN morning news. Frank discussed how Chicago couples are changing wedding plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. https://wgntv.com/news/event-planner-shares-how-couples-are-changing-their-nuptials-plans/amp/
The Vow Whisperer aka Tanya Pushkine was featured on Betches Brides podcast, hosted by Taylor Strecker, as well as the Weddings with Verve podcast, hosted by Kristi Unis.
Wedding and Event Producer and now, new Author, Brit Bertino releases her new publication Ceremonies Unveiled, Weddings from Around the World. This is a cultural wedding book that covers over 80+ cultures and will give you an in-depth look at how cultures have changed over time. The book features historical and modern content and dynamic photos from some of the best wedding photographers in the wedding and event industry. To see behind the scenes footage of the making of the book you can join her on her international travels and interviews on Instagram: CeremoniesUnveiled or Facebook: CeremoniesUnveiled. To purchase your copy today visit: https://www.ceremoniesunveiled.com/shop/
Sam Jacobson of Ideaction Consulting is launching a new monthly service focused on helping wedding pros (like you!) learn new skills and develop strategies for their business. Ideaction Community is a place to learn from experts outside of Facebook groups or peers within the market. With direction, guidance, accountability, and support from resources like group coaching sessions, interviews, special access to Ideaction's programs... And much, much more. Interested?! Check it out!
Phillipvn Photography had a 70's themed 70th birthday party published in a disco roundup on PartySlate. Phillipvn Photography also had a styled shoot on the streets of New York City published in Layers of Luxe Magazine.
Elizabeth Sheils, co-founder of Rock Paper Coin, revealed smart inbox strategies on the Business Unveiled podcast with Angela Proffitt. She was also a guest on Planner in Training and Weddings for Real alongside her business partner, Nora. Additionally, Rock Paper Coin was featured in guest articles on Special Events about creating weddings despite social distancing and Catersource about tech audits during the pandemic, along with inclusions on NACE about working from home efficiently and Catersource about sustainable wedding businesses.
Meghan and the OFD Consulting team released a free coloring book for the wedding industry, with the hope of giving everyone a timely distraction during these challenging times. Click here to enjoy- https://ofdconsulting.com/wedding-pro-coloring-book/
Rachel Dalton has been doing some Professional Speaking during the Pandemic. Rachel spoke at the EWPC’s Exotic Wedding Planners Conference about Celebrity Talent and Business Continuity, and the legal aspects of hiring celebrity talent and its contract issues, as she is also an entertainment attorney. Rachel also spoke at the BrideLux Symposium, “Level Up in Lockdown” about how to enhance events with Celebrity Entertainment both during the pandemic and beyond.
Rosewood Miramar Beach has been recognized on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2020 Hot List, one of the hospitality industry’s most esteemed annual awards lists that honors the best newly opened and renovated properties around the world. Based on the firsthand experiences and reviews of Condé Nast Traveler’s distinguished editorial team, the prestigious list names Rosewood Miramar Beach as one of the top new hotels and resorts in the world to open in the past year. Among the award winners, the property is the only West Coast resort to be honored, demonstrating its prized positioning in the region.
Jon Lemon, founder of Third Rail Photo Booths, recently launched his Virtual Booth service. This online photo booth service is perfect for virtual events, weddings that need to spread the celebration beyond the room, and future hybrid events that want a cohesive guest experience both in person and remotely.
Friar Tux recently re-opened their store in Las Vegas. To kick off the Vegas re-opening, Friar Tux launched the blog post Stylin’ Up Safely for Your Las Vegas Vowsto help couples plan during these times in the wedding capital of the world. Friar Tux continues to connect with couples everywhere through Virtual Style Sessions for those who prefer to plan from the comfort of home. Friar Tux was also thrilled to participate in an Instagram takeover recently with WIPA Las Vegas. Industry partners and friends can visit @WIPALV on Instagram to check it out. Stich and Tie, the national online rental site from Friar Tux, was recently featured on Ruffled Blog with Matching Groom Attire with Your Gown and Wedding Style. On trend looks for grooms were featured across wedding themes including Bohemian, Modern, Beach, Elegant, Whimsical, Playful and Tropical. For updated store hours and operations, please visit friartux.com/coronavirus.