WPIC

The Special Event :: The Wedding Lunch

 by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

While at The Special Event in Phoenix, AZ January 24-28, Tracey and I attended "The Wedding Lunch", designed and orchestrated by Outstanding Occasions.

The Wedding Lunch is an optional event for Wedding Planners (an extra $130), to showcase new items care of the lovely Sasha Souza, and inspiration, via a Gallery of theme rooms.  To view Sasha's Favorite Things for Weddings 2011, click here.  

Brett Culp created a video showing each of the items as well.

 

On the walk in, attendees were treated to a gallery of Wedding and Bridesmaid dresses featuring live models...

... and a Cake Walk.

   

   
The theme of this year's lunch was "In Love with Metallics".  Each row of dining tables, was set in a different design.  Photos courtesy of Melissa Jill Photography. 

After the luncheon, the attendees were invited to view the Wedding Gallery, which consisted of inspiration rooms created by well-known Wedding Planning & Design firms.  

A glimpse of some of the galleries: (All photos courtesy of Melissa Jill Photography) 

WPIC 2010 Year in Review

A Message from the founders of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada, Danielle Andrews Sunkel and Tracey Manailescu:

To borrow a line from Master Wordsmith, Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." 

What a busy year we have had!  We've had disappointments, surprises, accomplishments and many proud moments.  We've been imitated, (but never duplicated) time and again.

2010 solidified our International reputation and focus of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada. Students travelled from Germany, Belgium, Mexico, Hong Kong, St. Lucia, Barbados, Jamaica and many other places to join our classes and association.  There are now over 2900 WPIC certified Wedding Coordinators worldwide.

In February, we were invited to visit the County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland where we stayed in a different castle every night! We also attended a Wedding Show in Dublin. Read about our Irish Wedding Adventures here, where we profile the various castles (such as Crom Castle, Belle Isle, Lough Erne Golf Resort, the National Trust Properties, etc) and what they offer to couples who wish to wed or honeymoon in Fermanagh.

In March, we travelled to Bahamas to train and certify 46 people from the Bahamas Bridal Association, which included members from the outer islands, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the Wedding Coordinators at the Atlantis, Sheraton Nassau, Wyndham Cable Beach and British Colonial Hilton Resorts to name but a few.

Photo courtesy of: Dominic Duncombe Photography

In June, we were invited to train and certify all of the on-site Wedding Coordinators from Palace Resorts in Mexico.  We brought 10 WPIC Alumni with us to tour the resorts in the Mayan Riviera to see what they offer our clients.

All thoughout the year, our alumni were offered opportunities to visit Jamaica, Bahamas, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Mexico on various FAM trips arranged through our travel partners; Sandals Resorts, SuperClubs Breezes, Palace Resorts and Air Canada Vacations.

WPIC was sought out by the Media on numerous occasions to share our expertise and opinion for newspapers, bridal magazines and television shows.  We were also able to extend several Media opportunities to our members at WPICAlumni.

All throughout the year we ran full-page, national ads in Today's Bride and Weddingbells magazine, encouraging couples to seek WPIC certified Wedding Professionals.  To further publicize the accomplishments of our Alumni, we instituted The Wedding Planner of the Month, which publicly showcases and profiles a successful WPIC Wedding Coordinator at the beginning of each month.

During the summer we aquired and renovated new offices with more space to accommodate our growing number of support staff and to better & more efficiently support the members of WPICAlumni.  When we were finished the renovations in September, we of course had a party to warm the offices. 

During the year we spoke about Wedding and Destination Wedding Planning at the Wedding MBA Convention in Las Vegas, and several Wedding Shows.

We practised what we preach about Continued Learning and we attended wedding and event seminars and conferences in Grand Cayman, Ireland, Mexico, Bahamas, Canada and all over the USA (Las Vegas, New York, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach).

November 1-5, 2010 we held our 6th annual Wedding Professionals Conference in The Bahamas to much Media Acclaim.  Our keynote speaker was none other then Colin Cowie.

The other fine speakers included: Mary Dann-McNamee, duo Jung Lee & Josh Brooks, Tom Haibeck, Peter Merry, Andy Ebon, Richard Emanuelle and Megan Cole-Karagory. 

Esteemed sponsors included Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine, WedLock Magazine and The Bahamas Tourism Board to name a few.

In order to get ready for 2011, we refreshed and rebranded the look of WPIC with our new logo, added a Facebook fan page and dedicated time each day to uphold our Twitter presence.  We will continue to update this Blog at least every Monday and Thursday, and more often if we have interesting news that just can't wait ;)  Just as we are rebranding and energizing the look of WPIC, we will be putting our energies into refreshing the inner workings of WPIC and helping our Alumni be the best they can be.

2011 is going to be an amazing year for WPIC!

Thanks for reading!

Danielle and Tracey

 

Tales from the BizBash Expo & Awards - NYC 2010

by Kim Choy, WPIC Office Events Manager

In October I attended BizBash Expo & Awards in New York City on behalf of WPIC Inc.

Event professionals gathered in New York at the Javits Centre for a day of education, entertainment and fresh ideas.  The expo consisted of morning education sessions, a tradeshow, entertainment and afternoon education sessions. 

I attended the morning break out session by Dianne Budion Devitt.  Dianne is president of the DND Group, she spoke about Event Planning Documentation: Creating the Checklists from A to Z.   This seminar made you realize how important the creation of lists are for an event planner and how to keep them relevant, organized and efficient.  The second break out session I attended was Do You Measure Up? The New Measurement Standards for Green Events by Janet Sperstad, from Madison Area Technical College.

Images Courtesy of BizBash - Brightroom Photography

Street Beats opened up the Morning General Session with their outstanding performance.  They used construction pilons, garbage tins and paint buckets.  They had break dancers spinning on their heads hyping up the crowd.   The entire room was draped and lit with uplighting.  It looked fantastic!

Photos belong to: Kim Choy

The morning general session included a few words from David Adler, CEO and Founder of BizBash Media.  Arthur Backal, CEO and Founder of the Backal Hospitality Group was inducted into the BizBash Hall of Fame.  Jennifer Gilbert, president chief visionary officer,  from Save the Date talked about making it in events and her success story.  Jennifer is featured on the TV show, Real Housewives of NYC.  She was my favourite!  She has an event planning company and has planned parties for Oprah, ABC and many others!

Image Courtesy of BizBash - Brightroom Photography

The trade show featured 100 of New York's best vendors.  They featured, living statues, walking tables, event entertainers, amazing event decor and a DJ who cooks and DJ's at the same time.  Mark Weiss is known as the DJ Chef http://www.fourstarchef.com/ who cooks and deejays for events at the same time!

Image Courtesy of BizBash - Brightroom Photography

Below is some of the table top decor showcased at the tradeshow

Photos belong to: Kim Choy

Throughout the tradeshow and lunch hour there was entertainment on the mini stage.  Below is Irene Fong and the Floating Ball, and Cirque-Tacular Entertainment which were just a few of the many entertainers.

Photos belong to: Kim Choy and BizBash - Brightroom Photography

Only 1 week till The Wedding Professionals Conference in The Bahamas!

Only one week until the Conference of the year!

Colin, Cowie, Mary Dann, Jung Lee, Josh Brooks, Peter Merry, Tom Haibeck, Wedding Wire, Andy Ebon, Richard Emanuelle, Bahamas Specialist & Sandals Specialist Certifications.  Oh My!  

So much to do and so many great people to learn from!  Producers Tracey Manailescu and Danielle Andrews Sunkel have outdone themselves once again!

With so many amazing speakers at the top of the industry, and attendees from all over North America, this conference is great for any Wedding Professional, but the added bonus of going to four different venues and hopping on a plane for a Wedding Tour of Out-Islands is a Destination Wedding Planners dream!

For more information about the conference, visit www.weddingconf.com

Come see us at The Wedding MBA Convention!

For the third year in a row, The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada, will be sponsoring this amazing convention, jam-packed with Wedding Industry Marketing tools and tips.  Last year, there were more than 1000 Industry Professionals in attendance.  This year, the Convention will in be in the fabulous Las Vegas again and an expected 1500+ Wedding Professionals from all over North America will attend!

Danielle Andrews Sunkel and Tracey Manailescu of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada will be delivering the seminar "So you want to work with Destination Weddings?" at the convention.

 

Industry Gurus such as Alan Berg (The Knot), Andy Ebon (The Wedding Marketing Network), Peter Merry (Author, "The Best Wedding Reception...Ever!"), to name but a few, will be sharing their knowledge and expertise.    

Be sure to visit our booth at the Vendor Fair where we will be promoting the 6th Annual Wedding Professionals Conference taking November 1-5, 2010 in the fabulous Nassau, in The Bahamas!

If you are WPIC Certified, be sure to check the boards, your Alumni have a few events planned for the evenings while we're in Vegas!

See more details about this convention here: Wedding Merchants Business Academy

How to become a Wedding Planner

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel, President of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada

Photo courtesy of Red Umbrella Photography

It's easy to become a Wedding Planner, but it takes time, education, experience and perseverance to become a successful one.  

Its important to know that over-night success does not happen in the Wedding Industry. Clients aren't going to bang down your door just because you register your business and set-up a website.  It will take at least 1 1/2-2 years before your business will be able to sustain you as your primary income and that is only if you really market yourself and persevere.

Education

The first step to becoming a Wedding Coordinator is education.  Not only do you need to know Bride and Groom Psychology, Event Management, Coordination, and Day-of problem-solving, but there are many laws and regulations that Wedding Coordinators need to be aware of.  As well, you need education in what you can and should expect from Vendors, their contracts and their expectations of you.  You need to know about different religions, their requirements and ceremonies, Wedding Ettiquette, Budgeting, as well as Business and Marketing in the Wedding Industry.

We, of course, are proponents of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada's Wedding Coordinator Certification Program, Canada's only in-class Certification training.

A true Wedding Professional knows that their education is NEVER finished, so consistently attending workshops and yearly Wedding Industry conventions and conferences is a must. Photo courtesy The Wedding Professionals Conference 

Inspiration

You can never have enough Inspiration.  Constantly immerse yourself in the world of Weddings.  Watch all the TV Shows, movies, read the Magazines and attend the Wedding Shows.  Find out who the major players in the Wedding World are, read their Blogs, follow them on Twitter.  

Networking

Get to know your local key Wedding Players, go see the venues, meet the vendors.  You can never know too much about your local market.

Become a member of a Professional Association.  This association should offer additional and extended learning and training opportunities, a job shadowing or volunteer program, networking opportunities, as well as business information and a network of support.  

Canada only has one national Wedding Planner Association, called the "WPICAlumni Association", it is 2500 members strong and membership is FREE with WPIC Certification ;)

Experience

Through your Association you should be able to gain experience by working with an established Wedding Planner by volunteering your services on the Day of The Wedding.  In return, you will gain priceless hands-on experience and learn invaluable tips and tricks of the trade.

Photo courtesy of Red Umbrella Photography

Be Professional

Once you have gained your Certification and gotten some hands-on experience you can begin to set-up your business.  Remember that everything about you and your business needs to be professional. Walk the walk, and talk the talk. Use proper business etiquette in all that you do. Dress professionally and appropriately.  Be what you picture a Wedding Planner to be.

The Wedding Industry is a very small world and Word of Mouth can make or break you.  So remember to stay ethical, treat your clients well, always give 110%, play nicely with others and give other Wedding Professionals the respect they deserve when you are working together.

IncentiveWorks 2010

by Guest Blogger, Carolyne Allen, WPICC of Simply Fabulous

Who knew that a trade show targeted at Meeting Managers would be so valuable for Wedding Planners?  I certainly didn't when I registered.  The only reason I registered for IncentiveWorks is because I have been working as a Meeting Planner for the past few years (weddings is a new direction for me). 

So, early on the morning of Tuesday, August 18th I went to my first workshop at IncentiveWorks. Great workshop, but I was still wondering if I should even be there.  Then… I saw 2 familiar faces walking ahead of me. It was Danielle & Tracey!  

I was so excited to see them; I forgot their names for a moment!  But, I am so glad I spoke to them because I left our conversation feeling very encouraged and pumped to visit the rest of the event. They let me know I was definitely in the right place and it would be great for developing my business. So, I'm going to share some highlights with all of you.

First, I must mention an amazing keynote speaker - Simon Sinek - who spoke on Tuesday morning.  Session topic - “Start with Why?” As I walked into the auditorium, I wondered, “Why What?”  I left thinking, “Oh Wow!”  Here's the gist of his presentation.  We need to find out why we do what we do - right from our core - in order to then figure out how we do it, and what exactly we will do (our “product” so to speak).  So, in context relevant to us, why have we chosen to work in the wedding industry as planners, decorators, etc.?  Why do we put so much time, energy and love into our careers? If you really sit and take a moment to think about it, the answer isn't really that easy.  So, there's your homework…why?  If you'd like more information on Simon and his message, visit www.startwithwhy.com 

The second day of Education sessions another amazing keynote speaker -  Gary Vaynerchuk  - brought down the house with his hilarious and down-to-earth presentation about the way Social Media has changed the way we must market ourselves.  

Décor Trends: We are seeing a lot of leopard print accents; purples, reds, mixing metallics; the roaring twenties, the 50's, pinups, boudoir photo shoots (great for bachelorette parties); lots of bling!  Designing Trendz was showcasing their new mini pancake maker!

Destinations:  Many resorts and tourism boards were present, which provided great contacts for Destination Wedding Planners including several WPIC friends and Partners such as:

Gina Tsirmpas, from Sandals

 

Debbie Cotton-Burinski from Air Canada Vacations

 

Steve Koth from SuperClubs Breezes

and Juan Carlos Calderon of Palace Resorts (here w/ Danielle & Tracey)

Venues: There were several great venues from all over Canada at the trade show, who were really excited to find out that there were also Wedding Planners in the crowd. Some venues in Toronto that stood out to me are:

The Fifth (formerly Easy on the Fifth) in downtown Toronto. With its rooftop terrace, and several different private rooms, you can get really creative using the space.

Bram & Bluma Appel Salon - who would ever think of going to the Toronto Reference Library for an event? They recently (in the last few years) opened a great event space that is definitely worth checking out.

Berkley Church - what a cool venue, that allows you to byob. And, for small events of about 10 guests there is a tree house that overlooks Taddle Creek.

As of now, I'm just compiling a list of all the venues I really liked, with contact names. The three I've listed are not even the tip of the iceberg! It may take a few weeks to finish, but I'll be happy to share it with anyone interested.

So, if you have not been to IncentiveWorks I strongly recommend checking it out next year. It's great not only for building relationships with vendors, but the workshops are very much worth your while.

"Engage!10" Conference in Grand Cayman

 By: Tracey Manailescu

Let me start by saying it was so good to go back and visit Grand Cayman! What beautiful beaches, sunset and amazing people! (We went 9 years ago on a cruise).

We got off the plane and were met instantly by an Engage!10 representative from the Ritz Carlton staff named, "Robert", who just happens to be Romanian ;)  We were then escorted to our shuttle which took us to the beautiful Ritz Carlton!  

                            Photo from: www.luxuryweb.com

I cannot mention enough how well we were treated, each and every minute of our stay here.  What exceptional customer service and friendly smiling faces. A big shout out to Collin. (Yes, spelled correctly!) The staff far exceeded my expectations with their attention to detail and friendly conversation.  The rooms were beautiful and tastefully decorated.  The beach is superb! As soon as we got to our room, our friend Juliette Heath, the fabulous Wedding Coordinator from Celebrations Ltd., called our room to take us out for drinks at Tikki Beach.The next day we woke up, went to the beach and went to check in for Engage!10.  What a simple and easy registration!  We were asked what shoe size we were, and given our fantastic swag bags full of goodies, along with a cute pair of "havaianas" flip flops!The festivities started off with a fantastic beach party which was sponsored by Celebrations Ltd. The next day the seminars started. The wonderful producers, Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce started off the day with words of wisdom and a warm welcome. What smart, talented and lovely women they are!Speakers included; Colin Cowie, Darcy Miller, Marcy Blum, Cindy Lovotny, Simon T. Bailey, Todd Fiscus and Sean Low, plus many more.My absolute favourite part of "Engage!10" was the Dine Around experience.  A group of 10 attendees were invited to go out around Grand Cayman with each of the speakers.  I could not have asked for a better group. I had Michelle Rago and Randy Fenoli as my group leaders. They were so down to earth and interested in what everyone had to say. They were awesome!We also had time to explore the island and we went on a tour to Stingray City. Awesome! Here are some photos from the Engage!10 Gala which was sponsored by: Celebrations Ltd. and Nuage Designs:      

Colin Cowie to be Keynote Speaker at Wedding Professionals Conference

It was announced today that Colin Cowie, Lifestyle & Wedding Expert, will be the Keynote Speaker at The 6th Annual Wedding Professionals Conference taking place in Nassau November 1-6, 2010.

"We are thrilled to be able to provide this opportunity to Wedding Professionals," stated Conference Producers, Danielle Andrews Sunkel and Tracey Manailescu.

Photo and Bio from ColinCowie.com: Respected around the world as an arbiter of style, Colin Cowie is widely known for designing and producing the most spectacular celebrations across the globe. With an international clientele that reads like the guest list at the Academy Awards, Colin Cowie Lifestyle has designed and produced celebrations for Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Elton John, John Travolta, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Quincy Jones, Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Jenny McCarthy, Sela Ward, Don Henley, Kelsey Grammer, Kenny G., Lisa Kudrow, Charlie Sheen, Sugar Ray Leonard, Paula Abdul, Michael Jordan, Hugh Hefner, HRH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Audemars Piguet, Davidoff of Geneva, Warner Bros, CBS, The Whitney Museum, Architectural Digest, Kerzner International, Cosmopolitan Magazineand InStyle Magazine.

As an interior designer, Colin recently completed the renovation of a 600 room Hotel in Hong Kong including its two signature restaurants and ballroom. Current projects include a banquet space in Los Angeles, a bar/nightclub in Los Angeles, and a beach club in Acapulco, a restaurant and nightclub in Panama and a beach club in Cartagena. Ongoing residential projects include homes in Los Angeles, Miami and New York, South Africa and Costa Rica.

Colin Cowie is also the author of eight best-selling books including five wedding books (Colin Cowie Weddings, For The Bride, For The Groom, Extraordinary Weddings, Colin Cowie Wedding Chic), two entertaining cookbooks (Effortless Elegance and Dinner After Dark) and a book on living with style (Colin Cowie Chic).

Colin also appears as a much-in-demand television personality and beginning in January 2009 will host the daily show, Get Married, airing on Lifetime TV. Colin also appears as a guest on many national television shows, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Live With Regis and Kelly, Entertainment Tonight, CNN, and Extra! Colin has been profiled and quoted extensively in periodicals ranging fromThe New York Times Magazine, 0 The Oprah Magazine, O at Home, People Magazine, US Weekly, Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, In Style, Town & Country, Readers’ Digest, New York, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Travel & Leisure, USA Today, Women’s Day, TV Guide, The Los Angeles Times, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Biography Magazine, The Daily News, Bride’s Magazine, Modern Bride, The New York Post, and The Chicago Daily Herald.

 

Celebrating Romance and Destination Weddings at The Plaza in NYC

 by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

On May 21, 2010, Destination Weddings and Honeymoons Magazine held their annual "Celebrate Romance" Wedding Symposium at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.  The Symposium is an Invite-Only affair for the Media and select individuals from the Wedding Industry.

Tracey Manailescu, Producer, The Wedding Professionals Conference; Darcy Miller, Editorial Director, Martha Stewart Weddings; and Danielle Andrews Sunkel, President, The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada.

Guests of the symposium were greeted with a designer bag to collect all the wares from the Showcase.  Destinations on display included, our friends at The Boca Raton Resort & Spa and The Breakers in Palm Beach, as well as the Tourism boards of Trinidad & Tobago, Anguilla and Puerto Rico, to name but a few.

 Cake Alchemy created the stunning show centerpiece.  I can personally attest to the fact that this gorgeous Mango puree and buttercream confection tasted even better than it looked!  I saw more than one person take two helpings.

  

Representatives from the Wedding Professional Associations ABC, WPIC and AfWPI were in attendance:

L-R: Lois A. Pearce, Director of Ethnic Diversity for ABC; Danielle Andrews Sunkel, President of WPIC; Richard Markel, President of AfWPI; and Tracey Manailescu, Vice President of WPIC.

The Plaza Hotel treated all the delegates to a wonderful luncheon, which was followed by a "State of the Destination Wedding Industry" Panel discussion. The Panel featured Top Destination Wedding Professionals, such as Destination Wedding Stylist, Michelle Rago, Wedding Blogger extrodinaire, Liene Stevens of Blue Orchid Designs, and Bud Carmichael, founder of DestinationWeddings.com and Editor-in-Chief of Destination Weddings and Honeymoons magazine, Susan Moynihan.

L-R: Liene Stevens, Michelle Rago, Bud Carmichael and Susan Moynihan

See our upcoming post on Destination Weddings for tips and information from the speakers.