the publication for wedding planners, professionals & designers

May/June 2013 Volume 3, Issue 2
A Minute with Matthew - Advice and Insight From Wedding Pro Matthew Robbins

A Minute with Matthew – Advice and Insight From Wedding Pro Matthew Robbins

By Meghan Ely, OFD Consulting, Richmond, Va. This year’s Association of Bridal Consultants annual conference, Business of Brides, set for Nov. 10-12 at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in Florida, promises to be both insightful and entertaining as Matthew Robbins, a highly-acclaimed event and flower designer, shares industry insight...
Let’s Talk Education: 
ABC’s Seminar Series One, Two, and Three

Let’s Talk Education: 
ABC’s Seminar Series One, Two, and Three

By Elise Enloe, MBCTM, ABC Vice President of North American Operations & Director of Education, Oviedo, Fla. The Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) seminars are being refreshed with consistent branding and are no longer being referred to as “Expanding Horizons.” A cadre of select, senior ABC masters-level members facilitates the...
Beyond the Ballroom— Tented Weddings Offer Groundbreaking Venues

Beyond the Ballroom— Tented Weddings Offer Groundbreaking Venues

By Cris Joseph, Classic Party Rentals, San diego The request is always the same. “I want a tented wedding, but I don’t want it to look like a tent.” It’s a little riddle that an experienced event rental consultant can help you solve. Today’s trends in tenting and décor allow...
Brides and Grooms Engaging Guests Through Creative Invitation

Brides and Grooms Engaging Guests Through Creative Invitation

by Linda Hiniker, Carlson Craft, North Mankato, Minn. Fast forward 25 years or so, turn, and take a look back at the weddings that took place in 2013.  You might find it difficult to distinguish exactly, or even approximately, what year you’re reviewing, because today’s couples are on a quest...
COLOR TRENDS 2013 - Use Color With Confidence!

COLOR TRENDS 2013 – Use Color With Confidence!

By Wendy Dahl, PBC™, Chic Productions, Huntington Beach, Calif.   
Barbara Diez Event Planners Color breathes life into every wedding design.  Choosing the right colors for a wedding is a key decision that affects the personality and aesthetics of the environment.  Some brides are design savvy and use colors with ease,...
Industry Adds Nine New Master Bridal Consultants™

Industry Adds Nine New Master Bridal Consultants™

By Lois Pearce, MBC™, Beautiful Occasions, Hamden, Conn.    Photography by Victoria Angela Photography This year, the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) welcomed nine new Master Bridal Consultants™, among 18 candidates, at the Business of Brides annual conference in Denver. Mirrored after the three-step Guild System in Europe, the Association of...
Business of Brides 2012

Business of Brides 2012

The Dazzle of Diamonds and the Down-to-Earth of Denim Delight Attendees By Wendie Bass, PBC™,  Let’s Plan It, Arvada, Colo.   photography HARDYKLAHOLD Photography Called Diamonds & Denim in Denver, this year’s annual 
Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) Business of Brides conference opened with emphasis on the denim at a casual,...
Trendsetter Awards

Trendsetter Awards

Erin Schulte Exclusive Events, Inc. St. Louis, Mo. www.ExclusiveEventsInc.com Annual weddings: 175 ON INSPIRATION/DESIGN: “Inspiration comes easiest after a good night’s rest. Then, it means opening up your eyes and ears to your surroundings. Coming from a background in theater arts, I had an amazing professor who really taught me...
5 Tips for Creating Stylized Shoots to Build Your Business

5 Tips for Creating Stylized Shoots to Build Your Business

By Tonia Adleta, PBC™, Aribella Events, Philadelphia, Pa. Photography by Danielle Vennard Photographer Like most good things, “Love on the Rocks” started over coffee, a triple grande caramel macchiato, to be precise. Catching up on life and business with Danielle Vennard, of Danielle Vennard Photographer, we shared our hopes—hers to...
Creative Revenue Stream: Elopement Planning Is a Runaway Success

Creative Revenue Stream: Elopement Planning Is a Runaway Success

By Beth Erickson Elopements of the past were done secretly and in a hurry with little thought given to the trimmings of traditional weddings. Couples eloped because they couldn’t afford a proper wedding or because their families didn’t approve—leading them to long lines at the courthouse or saying “I do”...
Taking a Strategic Approach to Social Media

Taking a Strategic Approach to Social Media

By Nicole Zenner, PBC™, LK Events, Inc., Chicago Social media is forever changing. New platforms and tools sprout up seemingly overnight proving that no matter how long you’ve dabbled in social media, you have to keep testing, evolving, and rethinking the tactics for your business. If you’re one of the...
Creative Revenue Stream - Say “Yes” to Proposal Planning

Creative Revenue Stream – Say “Yes” to Proposal Planning

By Aviva Zack, Bliss Wedding Design, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada The economy has been sagging and bouncing like an old mattress for several years now. Just as you can’t get a decent night’s sleep on a ropey bed with peek-a-boo springs, you can’t maintain business as usual in a dodgy economy....
Catering to Couples: The Top 10 Wedding Cuisine Trends

Catering to Couples: The Top 10 Wedding Cuisine Trends

By Beth Erickson, Wedding Planner Magazine 1. Late-Night Wedding Snacks Guests who stay well past the main meal to socialize and dance the night away work up an appetite, which is why many brides and grooms add late-night wedding snacks to cap off their day. Items often resemble “street fare...
Are You Charging What You’re Worth?

Are You Charging What You’re Worth?

By Brigid Horne-Nestor, MBC™ When I started my wedding planning business over 15 years ago, I had no idea what I should charge. Not yet a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC), I didn’t even know other wedding planners to ask. Knowing what others are charging can be...
Time for a Pep Talk, Coach - 
7 Tips for Assisting 
Your Assistant

Time for a Pep Talk, Coach – 
7 Tips for Assisting 
Your Assistant

By Mary Dann-McNamee, MA, MFT Ever wonder what to say to your 
assistant that will inspire her or him toward success and decrease the amount of times they “miss the boat”? Given the high-stress, detail-oriented nature of wedding planning, forgetfulness from assistants is a challenge that industry professionals throughout the...
Destination: Anywhere! Tap Into the Exploding Destination Wedding Market

Destination: Anywhere! Tap Into the Exploding Destination Wedding Market

By JoAnn Gregoli, MBC™, and Beth Erickson Destination weddings, by definition, are weddings that take place in a location where the bride and groom do not reside. Often, these weddings are outside of one’s home country and passports are required. But, increasingly, destination weddings are being held a bit closer...

Destination Wedding Planning 101

Talk the Talk—Know the Terminology Resorts offer the most comprehensive meal packages, but the destination wedding specialists should know the terminology associated with hotel rates: AP—American Plan: Three meals a day are included in the room rate. EP—European Plan: Lodging only is quoted and no meals are included. MAP—Modified American Plan: Two meals a day are included in the room rate. CP—Continental Plan: Continental breakfast only is included in the room rate. All-inclusive—All drinks, meals, and activities are included in the room rate. Hot Tips Make Destination Planning a Breeze •    Budget right—develop an overall budget, keeping in mind added expenses you may incur, such as travel, hotel, meals, transfers. Buffer in any exchange rate for weddings that occur in Europe, Asia, or Mexico. •    Hire a translator—to help you become familiar with the location. •    Find a destination friendly locale—in Europe there are many hotels that do not welcome...
UK National Wedding Show 2012

UK National Wedding Show 2012

Vintage Style Reigns Supreme By Rachel Cripps-Gervais, PBC™, An English Rose, Luxury Lifestyle Weddings Photos courtesy of Rachel Cripps-Gervais, PBC™ Something old was definitely in the air at the UK National Wedding Show 2012, held in February in London. In fact, everywhere in London, whether the local High Street store...
2012 Business of Brides

2012 Business of Brides

The Wit and Wisdom of Donnie Brown By Beth Erickson Attendees at this year’s Business of Brides will be in for a treat when keynote speaker, celebrity wedding planner, and Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) member Donnie Brown takes the stage for “Kick Up Your Heels—And Your Events: Taking Weddings...
Be the Driving Force for Tented Success

Be the Driving Force for Tented Success

By Kim King Smith, ABC™, Kim King Smith Events, Edinburgh/Indianapolis, Ind. Twinkling lights. Fresh air. Outdoor revelry. Tented weddings are a gorgeous way to celebrate a momentous day. But to make a tented affair an event to remember, the professional bridal consultant must work closely with vendors to create a...
Meet our Advisory Board Members

Meet our Advisory Board Members

Have a question for one of the Board Members, please comment below! Click on thumbnail to view full size
Color Trends 2012 - The Color Evolution

Color Trends 2012 – The Color Evolution

What do the 2012 Olympics, The King’s Speech, and the royal wedding have in common? Each is part of the recent cultural influences that continue to shape color trends. According to Leslie Harrington, executive director of the Color Association of the United States (CAUS), emerging color palettes are about evolution...
Details Create Lasting Memories in Wedding Ceremonies

Details Create Lasting Memories in Wedding Ceremonies

By Bonnie Pickett Cinderella is apt to dance in a prospective bride’s memory as she plans her wedding day. Whether in a church, a synagogue, or a gazebo, no matter if it’s formal or informal, it is her time to be the princess at the center of the celebration. Unlike...
Green Weddings

Green Weddings

  A Trend That’s Taking Root By Kate Harrison, Green Bride Guide Did you know that the average wedding produces 400 pounds of garbage and 63 tons of carbon dioxide? With 2.2 million weddings a year, the impact of weddings on the earth is undeniably significant. Today’s generation is increasingly...
Business of  Brides 2011

Business of Brides 2011

Charmed by Details Dazzled by Inspiration By Gloria Boyden, MBC™ Inspiration was everywhere at the Association of Bridal Consultants Business of Brides 2011 conference in Baltimore. Attendees were impressed with the grandeur and elegance of the historic Tremont Hotel, where they networked among peers, gained new business ideas, and were...
ABC Accreditation Program

ABC Accreditation Program

What It Means to Be a Master By Lois Pearce, MBC™, Master Panel Facilitator 2011 What does it mean to “master” your profession? It means having your finger on the pulse of the wedding industry. It means going above and beyond in quality and service to your clients. It means...

Seeing Gold Through the Glitter

Mining Future Business Around Present Brides By Sharon Naylor, Author, www.sharonnaylor.com You treat your brides like diamonds, but did you know there are precious gems surrounding her? Yes, the four or so bridesmaids—and the moms—are potential future business. Each of these ladies might book you to plan weddings, bridal showers, wedding breakfasts, rehearsal dinners, baby showers, anniversary parties, and the list goes on and on. So, make it your goal to polish your interactions beyond the bridal couple. Your image and future business depend not only on impressing your current brides, but on everyone around her as well. Here are a few tips:
The Top 25 Design Trends for 2012

The Top 25 Design Trends for 2012

By Beth Erickson Rustic Chic Adding rustic, natural elements with an upscale flair to indoor or outdoor weddings is increasing in popularity. This rustic chic style is illustrated with flea market finds that complement the modern attire, floral, linens, and food. Think mason jars filled with homemade jelly as take-aways,...
Military Wedding is Massive Success

Military Wedding is Massive Success

21 Couples, 39 Vendors By Stacey Gitten, Hitching Post Public Relations “On May 22, I remarried my best friend and hero. I was greeted by 20 other eager brides. We all shared the same stories, so we weren’t strangers because we share a bond that cannot be broken. During the...
Attending Bridal Conferences?

Attending Bridal Conferences?

Here’s What to Do—and What Not to By Frank J. Andonoplas, MBC™ Bridal shows are a great opportunity for wedding consultants to meet new vendors and see new trends—all under one roof. Still, as with any social event, there are rules of etiquette that must be followed to avoid the...
Floral Shows Inspire with Glorious, Entertaining Displays

Floral Shows Inspire with Glorious, Entertaining Displays

By Pamella Pride, Epicure of Design From artistic interpretations of themes to lavish displays of floral elegance and extravagance, quality flower shows capture the hearts of floral and garden enthusiasts each year. Here are highlights from two of the most recent top shows in floral display and design. 2011 Newport...
Small Bites to Family Style, Catering Trends Create Savory Comfort

Small Bites to Family Style, Catering Trends Create Savory Comfort

By Beth Erickson Since the dawn of time, food has brought both nourishment and pleasure. In pursuit of culinary delights to satisfy our cravings, we have explored the world, savoring the succulent tastes of food from different countries and cultures. For those who haven’t traveled, the world comes to us...
Destination Weddings 2011 - The Experience of a Lifetime

Destination Weddings 2011 – The Experience of a Lifetime

by Beth Erickson Destination weddings used to be synonymous with elopement. Times have changed. True, destination wedding couples still run off to wed, but they do so with their guests and to any location that’s not home. Today’s destination weddings take place on beaches, in castles, at ancient ruins, in...
Protect Yourself—Promotional Photos With Identifiable Clients Require Model Releases

Protect Yourself—Promotional Photos With Identifiable Clients Require Model Releases

By Howard Kier photography – Magical Moments Photography If a photograph of a person is hung in a corridor as decoration, it is considered art. But if that exact same photograph is hung in the exact same location and used as an advertisement, another set of rules comes into play....
Royal Wedding Fever Sparks Flurry of Trends

Royal Wedding Fever Sparks Flurry of Trends

By Sonia Abrams Photography shutterstock Royal wedding fever swept the globe on Friday, April 29. In the months leading up to the wedding, speculation was rife surrounding the style, flowers, and of course, the dress.  The media filled hours of airtime second-guessing the style and color scheme.  When the wait...
Miss Dorothy Penner Heart Award and Scholarship: Inspiring Commitment Fueled by Passion

Miss Dorothy Penner Heart Award and Scholarship: Inspiring Commitment Fueled by Passion

The wedding industry would be nothing without passion—both the passion of the bride and groom and the passion of wedding planners and consultants whose goal is to make the wedding day a testament to love. Miss Dorothy Penner, MBC™, a long-time Association of Bridal Consultant (ABC) member from Louisville, Ky.,...
Copyright and Usage Licenses: Staying on the Right Side of the Law

Copyright and Usage Licenses: Staying on the Right Side of the Law

By Howard Kier It happens all the time. You are involved in planning a perfect wedding. The clients love the results. A few days later, you look at the photographer’s website and see the stunning photos. Whether you planned the event, provided the floral, linens, or another special part of...
Tented Weddings: Canvas Creations from “Easel” to Aisle

Tented Weddings: Canvas Creations from “Easel” to Aisle

by Beth Erickson Just as an artist’s canvas is stretched on its frame and primed for paint, so, too, is the canvas of a tent—awaiting only resolute brushstrokes and blushes of color to transform it from blank to beautiful. “Unlike using an existing banquet facility, a tent can be considered...
Be Charmed by Grace and Dazzled by Diann in Baltimore

Be Charmed by Grace and Dazzled by Diann in Baltimore

By Elise Enloe, MBC™ Combine Grace Ormonde and Diann Valentine as the featured speakers along with some incredible breakout sessions and you have this year’s Annual Conference from Nov. 6-8 in Baltimore. Keynotes will “charm” and “dazzle” Born in the Azores and raised in Rhode Island, Grace Ormonde became interested...
Giving Back - The Ripple Effect of Doing Good

Giving Back – The Ripple Effect of Doing Good

By Beth Erickson – Photo ©Photo Images of Northbrook, Ill The gods called it fate. The Buddhists call it karma. Most of us today say, “What you put out is what you get back.” What is it? It’s the simple recognition that we are part of something bigger than ourselves,...
Color Trends 2011: Stunning Colors to Inspire Creativity

Color Trends 2011: Stunning Colors to Inspire Creativity

By Beth Erickson Today’s color choices paint a spectrum that seems greater than the rainbow glimpsed by Sir Isaac Newton when he first shone white light through a prism more than 300 years ago. not only is the range of color stunning, but the names are inspired—from sunflower and burnt...
Latest entries
A Minute with Matthew - Advice and Insight From Wedding Pro Matthew Robbins

A Minute with Matthew – Advice and Insight From Wedding Pro Matthew Robbins

By Meghan Ely, OFD Consulting, Richmond, Va. This year’s Association of Bridal Consultants annual conference, Business of Brides, set for Nov. 10-12 at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in Florida, promises to be both insightful and entertaining as Matthew Robbins, a highly-acclaimed event and flower designer, shares industry insight as one of the featured...
Real Wedding - Indiana

Real Wedding – Indiana

ABC member planner: Janice Board, Spectacular Soirees Wedding & Event Planning, Terre Haute, Ind., 812.841.4311, spectacular.soirees@gmail.com, 
www.spectacularsoirees.com.
Real Wedding - Wisconsin

Real Wedding – Wisconsin

ABC Member Planner: Katie Hess, CWP, 
ABC™, Seize the Day Events, Green Bay, Wis., 
www.seizethedayevents.com.
Even Diamonds Don’t Sparkle Without Light—Make Your Event Shine With the Right Lighting

Even Diamonds Don’t Sparkle Without Light—Make Your Event Shine With the Right Lighting

article and photos By Edward L. Griffin, MWV™, The Wedding DJs/Hardcastle Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Wash. Lighting is a powerful and effective tool for decorating, but it’s much more than that. Great lighting can transform a venue, capture a mood, tell a story, and add extra pizzazz.The key to polishing your event is finding a lighting...
The Wedding Not-So Confidential How to Successfully Discuss Pricing With Clients

The Wedding Not-So Confidential How to Successfully Discuss Pricing With Clients

By Alan Berg, Author, Speaker, Consultant, Kendall Park, N.J. There has been a lot of talk lately about the value of wedding planning services. A January television episode of 20/20, called “Wedding Confidential,” questioned the price of all things wedding and focused on ways couples can cut costs. This piece seemed to do more damage...
Let’s Talk Education: 
ABC’s Seminar Series One, Two, and Three

Let’s Talk Education: 
ABC’s Seminar Series One, Two, and Three

By Elise Enloe, MBCTM, ABC Vice President of North American Operations & Director of Education, Oviedo, Fla. The Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) seminars are being refreshed with consistent branding and are no longer being referred to as “Expanding Horizons.” A cadre of select, senior ABC masters-level members facilitates the seminars, the strength of which...
Master Bridal Consultant™ - Mary Charmoli, MBC™

Master Bridal Consultant™ – Mary Charmoli, MBC™

Saratoga Weddings, Inc., www.saratogaweddings.com, Webster, Wis. Employees: 2 full-time, plus independent contractors Revenue Breakdown: 30% consulting/coordination, 20% officiating, 50% rentals. Contact: 715.349.8383, consult@saratogaweddings.com, Facebook, Twitter Family: I am married to Jim. I have three stepchildren, and we have two grandchildren. Education: I received my registered nurse diploma through Norfolk General Hospital and took undergraduate classes...
Wedding Crasher Provides Glimpse Into Brazil’s Wedding Scene

Wedding Crasher Provides Glimpse Into Brazil’s Wedding Scene

Tonia Adleta, PBC™, Aribella Events, Philadlelphia  Photos by Wender Borges of Mega Studio Fotografias With the approach of the 2014 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup finals and the 2016 Olympics, all eyes are on Brazil—and with good reason, as it has the fifth fastest-growing economy in the world.
Consider Catering—
A Pinch of This, a Dash of That Could Save the Day for Tented Weddings

Consider Catering—
A Pinch of This, a Dash of That Could Save the Day for Tented Weddings

By Cate Buscher, National Association for Catering and Events, 
Baltimore   Creating a successful tented affair requires a lot of careful planning. Anticipating the needs of the caterer can reduce the number of potential complications and make the experience much more rewarding for everyone involved.
Beyond the Ballroom— Tented Weddings Offer Groundbreaking Venues

Beyond the Ballroom— Tented Weddings Offer Groundbreaking Venues

By Cris Joseph, Classic Party Rentals, San diego The request is always the same. “I want a tented wedding, but I don’t want it to look like a tent.” It’s a little riddle that an experienced event rental consultant can help you solve. Today’s trends in tenting and décor allow you to create an extension...
Letter - Volume 3, Issue 2

Letter – Volume 3, Issue 2

Wedding planners are superheroes. So, too, are other wedding industry professionals who go about their ordinary lives like Clark Kent and Diana Prince until they are called upon in a moment of need. In those moments, they shuck off their everyday persona and don the cape and tights to leap tall steeples in a single...
One Bad Apple… How to Handle Bad Business Reviews

One Bad Apple… How to Handle Bad Business Reviews

By Mark Kingsdorf, MBC™, The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consulting, Philadelphia Recently, the industry was abuzz with the story about a wedding vendor who, because of a very negative review by an unhappy couple, ended up in court, was losing major amounts of business, and was watching everything fall apart. Unfortunately, in this day and...