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Local Chapter of Association for Wedding Professionals International (AFWPI)

March 28, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

Mary Bartolucci of Island Style Weddings and Katherine Steinborn of Katilady Events are pleased to announce the formation of the Virgin Island Chapter of the Association for Wedding Professionals International. The first social mixer will be held on April 13, 210 @ 6PM on St Thomas at Norbu. Norbu, located in Peterborg, St Thomas is the most elegant of wedding venues. “We are thrilled that the owners of Norbu have offered their amazing location for our first mixer. “

The purpose of starting a local chapter of the Association is to bring together ALL wedding professionals for networking and educational purposes. Anyone in the wedding industry within the US Virgin Island is most welcome to become a member and to attend our bimonthly get together.

Association for Wedding Professionals International (AFWPI) is an international organization dedicated to providing quality service and a central source of information and referrals – for those planning weddings and those who service weddings. We have a fully staffed Association office dedicated to the support of our members and the brides. We have been providing services for the wedding industry since 1995.
Members receive benefits through networking and discounted services. Brides and grooms receive free referrals to wedding professionals. Members have agreed to a set code of ethics, assuring greater confidence in shopping with them.

Mary and Kati have been members of the International Association for the past 2 yrs. Mary has travelled to the Philippines and Mexico on AFWPI on FAM (Familiarization) trips. Kati also participated in the Mexico FAM trip. The FAM trips offer not only an educational experience in another location for destination weddings but also a great opportunity to network with other wedding professionals.

“The experience that we have received from traveling to other destination wedding locations has been immeasurable. We have been able to expand our knowledge by learning from other destinations. More Fam trips are planned one being in Tobago soon.”

For more information on joining the Association contact mary@islandstyleweddings.com or kati@katilady.com.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: associations, industry events

Networking In The Wedding Business Community

March 26, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

Networking In The Wedding Business Community

Is “networking” an important part of building your business? Sometimes it’s “who you know” and “who knows you” that help a business to succeed, and it’s very true in the New Jersey wedding community. We wanted to share with you a few opportunities to network with other wedding professionals in various ways…

First, are you actively participating in bridal shows and events? Not only will you have the opportunity to showcase your products and services to engaged couples, their bridal parties and families, but you’ll also have a chance to meet and get to know other vendors exhibiting at these shows, and often you’ll be able to cross-promote or recommend each other, helping to increase your (and their) business. Here’s a list of upcoming shows going on throughout New Jersey where you may want to consider attending or exhibiting:

http://www.njwedding.com/bridalshows

Here’s a list of Bridal Show Producers that you can contact about the costs for display booths, tables, etc.:

http://www.njwedding.com/advertising/njbridalshows.cfm

Second, a growing way to connect with others in the wedding community is through “social networking” web sites like facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Are you on these yet, and actively promoting your business? If not, you should be, because it’s FREE and already has a strong contingency of members within our industry actively using it. Here’s a link to various groups and pages that you can check out and join:

http://www.njwedding.com/facebook

Also, one of the best ways to make new connections is the “old fashioned way” through wedding industry events were a simple handshake and “hello” could be the beginning of a wonderful new business relationship! We encourage and invite you to one coming up on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at the Landmark in East Rutherford. As a media sponsor and participant, we’ve found these past events (which are FREE for up to 2 people per NJ company) to be exciting, where many new relationships begin by just handing out your business card and saying “hello” to fellow wedding professionals. For more information and to register, visit the following link:

http://www.njwedding.com/industryevent

We hope these above resource are helpful for your wedding business, and hope to connect with you soon!

Erik and Beth Kent
Co-Publishers
NJWedding.com & WeddingIndustry.biz

Filed Under: News

Here Come the Brides, The State of the Union 2010

March 24, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

Here Come the Brides, The State of the Union 2010

Planning that once-in-a-lifetime celebration in this new decade is all about attention to detail, with couples showing their individuality and signature-style. Through the years, while some things about weddings change, others remain exactly the same. While the past is fondly remembered, this year, the present is important too! Save the date cards, self-written vows, mismatched bridesmaid dresses and eco-friendly touches are all new additions to this upcoming wedding season.

Veils, cakes, the first dance, champagne, lace, tulle, something old, new, borrowed, blue, and wedding photographs have all remained constant, in an ever-evolving wedding day. New social media such as Facebook and Twitter and the online personalized bridal widgets and web casting of the ceremony in real time, highlight all the couple’s news and the wedding day festivities. But this season’s focus is on retro chic and the Hollywood days of glamour.

The traditional black tuxedo is back for the gents and for the bride, it’s all about accessories; gloves and pearls. The bird cage veil and the emergence of bridal hats and the bouffant or French twist hair styles, make for an elegant look. The inspiration comes from the sophistication of the 50’s and 60’s. Strapless wedding gowns are as dominant as they have been in the past, and, they will quite likely continue to be in the future, but expect to see sashes of black and high waistlines. Gold is back for engagement and wedding bands after an absence of a few years, where silver was prominent as the metal of choice.

The vintage glamour look, which emerged last season, continues this year, and is gaining strength. There’s a breath-taking ambience to today’s weddings. The “something new”, could be hair extensions, while “something blue” can be the sky over a Jamaican destination wedding. Honeymoons are all-inclusive and brides and grooms are gravitating to luxury resorts with their amazing meal packages and opportunities for many different adventures..

Invitations range from fun to fancy formal, and some even have illustrations of the bride and groom illustrated in pencil sketched artwork. Look for vibrant colours that match the wedding’s theme such as turquoise/raspberry combinations as well as the traditional and elegant colour scheme of black and white.

Brides and grooms are revamping their first dance with a routine that is a medley of songs, replacing the traditional first dance of the reception, which in 2010, is just called the “party”.

Weddings are elegant with a lot of character. For comfort you’ll find wedding venues with comfy couches and living room settings, set up for the ceremony and reception; adding increased comfort and cosiness for the guests. Sit down dinners are still in style, but look for cocktail receptions with a supper club feel- cocktails- think, martinis, Manhattans, old fashioned cocktails and big band sounds.

Wedding cakes continue to be tiered, but the trend is to more white cakes with butter cream or fondant icing, topped with an heirloom antique cake topper of a bride and groom. Colourful macaroons are replacing cupcakes. Dance floors are adorned with custom vinyl monograms of the bride and groom’s initials. And look for special lighting, which klamps up the décor of the reception site, adding warmth and atmosphere.

On this special day, couples want their signature style shining through. The possibilities are endless! From sheer whimsy to the outrageously breath-taking, today’s couples are style-makers and it shows! There has never been a better time to marry!

Media Contact

Sheryl Davies, Publisher
519-252-8463

http://www.theweddingguide.ca

The Wedding Guide Windsor/Essex County,
Perfect wedding planning at your fingertips since 1992!

Filed Under: News

Brides Become Savvier Shoppers

March 23, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

Over the past 10 years, the Vermont Wedding Association has gained a reputation as the largest and most comprehensive clearinghouse of services, venues and information for couples looking to get married in Vermont. Founded by Judy Risteff, the VWA operates on revenues acquired through membership dues and vendor fees from its bridal shows. Its annual bridal shows held throughout the state showcase more than 100 members, and serve to connect wedding professionals with prospective couples and colleagues alike.

Where do you see your business going in the next year?

In this economy, there’s nowhere to go but up. They say weddings are recession proof, but they’ve definitely gotten smaller. That being said, it’s starting to come back.

What are the major trends and/or obstacles your industry is dealing with?

Brides have become savvier shoppers – thriftier. They start off with a lot more information that they used to. Professionals need to be prepared. There’s a do-it-yourself trend lately, too. While it can save money, it can cost a lot of time, energy, and not always come off as nice or professionally as you’d like. Couples are also trying to save money by looking for alternative, less expensive venues – private homes, outside, state parks. However, we’re starting to see a return to pricier venues.

Do you foresee any hiring this year in your business and industry sector?

I’m seeing more wedding professionals. I’ve gotten many calls from people who are thinking of starting a business. We took a hit last year, but the entrepreneurs are starting to jump in.

Have you seen an increase in local tourism?

We’ve seen destination weddings stay about the same. Sometimes, a “weekend wedding” can be cheaper than a one-day wedding in your hometown. We’re seeing a lot more people sending “save the date” reminders to their guests so they can plan ahead, and make a vacation out of it, which helps out the overall tourism industry since these people are never here just for a day.

Do you find tourists coming to Vermont for different reasons now than before?

I don’t see any big change. People come here for warm hospitality and reasonable pricing. They come here to relax. While it has been off for the last couple years, I see it coming back.

Source: Click Here

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Wedding Industry, Wedding Planning, wedding shoppng

Two Bright Lights Launches Wedding Industry First: An Introspective Into The Businesses Behind Saying, “I Do”

March 21, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

Two Bright Lights, Inc. recently launched a first for the wedding industry: a robust introspective survey into how the small businesses that comprise the $86 billion dollar industry operate. The goal? To help wedding professionals market their businesses better by fostering a collaborative environment. The difference? Industry titans such as The Knot and Martha Stewart Weddings run surveys routinely to understand brides and their the planning process. Until now, no one has been focusing on gathering the insights related to business-to-business relationships in the wedding industry.

With estimates of 100,000 wedding vendors country wide, the US wedding industry is incredibly fragmented with vendors serving very localized markets. According to WeddingBusinessMarketing.com, more than 95% of wedding businesses fail within the first five years. Although wedding vendors know their craft well, failure rates are high because they often lack knowledge when it comes to running a business, fail to advertise adequately, or advertise ineffectively. With the challenging economic situation, some wedding planners have lost 60% of their business from 2008 highs. In this environment, understanding marketing effectiveness is absolutely critical. The goal of the 2010 Wedding Marketing Effectiveness Survey is to paint a clear picture of how the macro economic factors are impacting the micro economic factors, which tactics are working and which are not. The online survey respondents will include wedding planners, photographers, event designers, florists, venues, catering managers, publicists and destination locations. Survey topics include social networking, search engine optimatization, referral generation, branding, and image management.

The survey is being promoted jointly by industry veteran, Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts and Two Bright Lights. The survey’s insights will be revealed at Engaging Concepts’ business summit for wedding professionals, engage!10 :: cayman islands, at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, June 7-10th. In an effort to make sure the findings spark collaboration industry wide, all survey participants will be provided a roadmap outlining how to improve business performance.

About Two Bright Lights
Founded in 2009, Two Bright Lights (TBL) is a subscription-based pioneering online B2B wedding marketing service dedicated to improving marketing efficiency and results for photographers, planners, and vendors. Optimizing the power of social media and networking, Two Bright Lights maximizes networking and referral capabilities through features including image sharing, portfolio development, and inspiration board creation. Additionally, by streamlining the editorial process for Real Wedding features in print and online publications, Two Bright Lights boosts business visibility in a highly-competitive industry. Headquartered in Chicago, Two Bright Lights reaches worldwide through its online presence at www.twobrightlights.com .

Filed Under: Other News Tagged With: breaking news, wedding business, wedding business news, Wedding Industry, wedding industry news, weddings

Breaking: Hackers Kick Up Attacks at Facebook

March 18, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

Hackers have flooded the Internet with virus-tainted spam that targets Facebook’s estimated 400 million users in an effort to steal banking passwords and gather other sensitive information.

The emails tell recipients that the passwords on their Facebook accounts have been reset, urging them to click on an attachment to obtain new login credentials, according to anti-virus software maker McAfee Inc.

New Password-Stealing Virus Targets Facebook

If the attachment is opened, it downloads several types of malicious software, including a program that steals passwords, McAfee said on Wednesday.

Hackers have long targeted Facebook users, sending them tainted messages via the social networking company’s own internal email system. With this new attack, they are using regular Internet email to spread their malicious software.

A Facebook spokesman said the company could not comment on the specific case, but pointed to a status update the company posted on its web site earlier on Wednesday warning users about the spoofed email and advising users to delete the email and to warn their friends.

McAfee estimates that hackers sent out tens of millions of spam across Europe, the United States and Asia since the campaign began on Tuesday.

Dave Marcus, McAfee’s director of malware research and communications, said that he expects the hackers will succeed in infecting millions of computers.

“With Facebook as your lure, you potentially have 400 million people that can click on the attachment. If you get 10 percent success, that’s 40 million,” he said.

The email’s subject line says “Facebook password reset confirmation customer support,” according to Marcus.

Souce: Comcast News (http://www.comcast.net)

Filed Under: News Tagged With: breaking news, facebook, social media, virus and malware

Dex One Corporation Launches First Vertical Market Solution with DexKnows Weddings

March 15, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

CARY, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Dex One Corporation (NYSE: DEXO), a leading provider of marketing services and solutions for local businesses, today unveiled DexKnows Weddings (http://dexknowsweddings.com), a new content-rich portal that is part of the DexKnows.com ® family of local search sites. It is Dex One’s first of several products to focus exclusively on a specific vertical market.

DexKnows Weddings is designed to directly connect consumers and local businesses by providing a single source for wedding-related information. The site is designed to make wedding planning easy and engaging by including detailed information for soon-to-be brides and grooms who may be searching for attire, flowers, food, reception venues and more.

“Combining the powerful local search capabilities of DexKnows.com with a focus on a specific market like the wedding industry enables us to present consumers with a unique experience tailored to fit their needs. It also allows us to provide local businesses with the best means of reaching these highly-targeted consumers,” said Sean Greene, senior vice president of interactive, Dex One Corporation. “Our new weddings site is the first in a planned series of life event or industry-specific products devoted to markets that are underserved by current online offerings.”

Listings on DexKnows Weddings are populated from the robust, accurate content DexKnows.com is known for and include user-generated ratings and reviews, links to businesses’ websites and more. Features of DexKnows Weddings include:

“Our goal has always been to make it easy for consumers and local businesses to find each other, and DexKnows Weddings is a natural extension of that goal,” said Greene. “DexKnows Weddings’ premier content, unique features and access to local merchants make it the preeminent local search destination for all wedding-related needs. We look forward to taking this same approach with other markets.”

About Dex One Corporation

Dex One Corporation (NYSE: DEXO) is a leading marketing services company that helps local businesses reach, win and keep ready-to-buy customers. The company’s highly-skilled, locally based marketing consultants offer a wide range of marketing products and services that help businesses get found more than 1.5 billion times each year by actively shopping consumers. Dex One offers local businesses personalized marketing consulting services and exposure across a broad network of local marketing products – including its “official” print, online and mobile yellow pages and search solutions (http://www.dexknows.com and http://www.business.com), as well as major search engines. For more information visit www.DexOne.com.

Source: http://triad.dbusinessnews.com/viewnews.php?article=bwire/20100315005343r1.xml

Filed Under: News

Bryce Jewelry Introduces ‘Bridal Plus’ Package

March 15, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

Bryce Jewelry rings in the new decade with an innovative bridal program that is a marriage of service and success.

The Bridal Plus package is the latest of Bryce’s creative marketing concepts designed to create a larger customer base with a lower investment. This compact program allows RTO dealers to benefit from a consistent and proven market – the wedding industry – with a lower initial investment than traditional jewelry rental programs.

“The bridal category has great potential and is the most consistent category in the jewelry business. It’s the biggest area for growth in RTO jewelry,” says Bryce Jewelry President Bryan Collins. “Consider that there are over 40,000 weddings a week in the United States.”

For dealers who have never incorporated jewelry in their business, the ‘Bridal Plus’ program is a great place to start. Bridal Plus offers significant return on the investment. As with all of Bryce programs the dealer gets a turn-key program with exceptional customer service and ongoing sales training from your Bryce Representative.

Due to the continued ability to refurbish jewelry, these products have significantly longer lives than most rental merchandise increasing their earning potential above other RTO items. Bryce offers free refurbishing on jewelry, which allows items to hold their value indefinitely.

A year in the making, the ‘Bridal Plus’ program refines jewelry selections to include Bridal, Trio, Anniversary and Engagement rings and some additional staple pieces to round out the program. In today’s economy Bryce is concentrating on what will rent every day. Rental stores already have a built in cliental of about 40 customers that are married but don’t have wedding rings.

This alone could bring in substantial revenue. There is also a new group of bridal customers that can’t go to the jewelry chain stores and get credit anymore. This program will fit their needs. Unlike many luxury items, bridal rings continue to be in demand year round regardless of economic trends and they never go out of style. The greatest benefit of this jewelry program is that it is easy to incorporate into a daily sales routine, and while bridal rings draw in new customers, they provide a new opportunity for return customers.

Because customer service is a Bryce company tradition, a representative will assist dealers in making ‘Bridal Plus’ a part of everyday sales strategy for the best results.

Bryce Jewelry staff know that success comes from service, and each dealer and market area is given individual attention. Bryce is the most experienced vendor in RTO jewelry and has earned that position by standing behind their products and offering dealers the training necessary to be successful with jewelry merchandise. As with all Bryce Jewelry programs, Bridal Plus comes with marketing material, ongoing representative support and a customized inventory.

The ‘Bridal Plus’ package is a lasting marriage of service and success. Make a perfect match in 2010 with Bryce Jewelry. Call 800/880-9434 to learn more.

Source: www.rtohq.org

Filed Under: Other News Tagged With: cheap weddings, frugal weddings, Wedding Industry, wedding jewelry, wedding news, wedding rings

Bridal Show Features Everything But The Nuptials

March 6, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

You have the ring and have set a date, but need to start planning the wedding. A local bridal show is set to feature all the help you may need.

The Eighth Annual South Louisiana Bridal Show is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 7 at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd. Admission costs $5 at the door for adults and free for children under 12 with a paid adult.

The show features wedding-cake samples, caterers, reception hall managers, bridal shops, florists, photographers and a local wedding consultant that can show you how to build a budget for your special date.

“At the show, we will have a video that shows a little bit of the services we offer,’ said Danny LeBouef, owner of Designs by Danny in Raceland, who’s been doing professional wedding consulting since 1992. “The seating area will be decorated in the same style as The Royal Villa. I will be there to answer any questions our guests might have.”

LeBouef and his wife, Lacey, also own The Royal Villa reception hall.

Chez Lili, a local bridal shop, is set to showcase many different wedding-gown styles and colors for a bride to choose from.

“The show’s a great way to get to know about us,” said Laura Cancienne, owner of Chez Lili. “We will have seven mannequins showing seven different styles and colors plus a video.”

Source (full article): http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20100305/ENTERTAINMENT/100309809/1262

Filed Under: Other News

The Healthy Bride Launches First Bridal Fitness Directory

March 5, 2010 By Chris Jaeger Leave a Comment

A directory for Fitness Focused Brides and Bridal Fitness Providers

Seattle – March 4, 2010 – The Healthy Bride today announced the launch of the wedding industry’s first Bridal Fitness Directory, www.healthy-bride.com.

The directory was started by Christi Masi, an award-winning fitness trainer and founder of  The Healthy Bride, a Seattle-based personal training and nutrition consultancy helping brides feel and look great on their wedding day.  Designed for the bride and bridal fitness providers, the new site has information, workouts and information to suit all brides from the D-I-Y Bride, to the bride looking for support and encouragement from a Bridal Bootcamp or a personal trainer.

“I wanted to provide a place where a bride can get solid, helpful information on bridal fitness and wedding weight loss from experts in her area,” said Masi.  “With the site, anyone can find a personal trainer or bridal bootcamp program in her area within one click of the home page”

The site is also designed for the bridal fitness provider to find information, support and products to help them with their business.  In addition to the directory, Masi offers assistance to those wanting to start their own bridal fitness business in an E Book “How to start your own Bridal Fitness Business”. When she started The Healthy Bride in 2004, bridal weight loss and fitness was an emerging industry; but is now in a period of rapid growth.  As the Wedding Report states the market value for bridal diet, weight loss, and gyms was $271 million for 2009.

“I love the bridal fitness business, and want to help others get into the business.  Brides-to-be are very fun to work with – they are happy, healthy and motivated!  I want to help other fitness professionals achieve success in this rewarding industry by sharing what I have learned.” Masi co-authored the book with Monica Sansaver, a recent bride and Seattle University MBA graduate.  “Monica really helped put my 7 years of experience into an operations manual that will jump start anyone wanting to get into the bridal fitness niche”

The Healthy Bride Directory will offer 3 levels of vendor listings: Free, Gold ($15 per month) and Platinum ($30 per month).  The site will allow vendors to link their listings to their Facebook and Twitter pages and also upload photos and videos.

Brides-to-be can also keep up with fitness and nutritional tips at The Healthy Bride blog at www.healthy-bride.com/blog.

The Healthy Bride®: A Leader in Bridal Fitness

The Healthy Bride (www.healthy-bride.com) was founded by Christi Masi to help prepare brides-to-be (and a groom or two!) for their big day through individualized fitness and nutritional regimes developed exclusively for their particular goals.  Based in Seattle, The Healthy Bride offers bootcamp-style classes and nutritional counseling for brides in the area, as well as a online and localized resources for brides-to-be nationwide, including free workout podcasts, a fitness blog, workout accessories, and Christi Masi’s “Healthy Bride Bootcamp DVD” and her book, “The Healthy Bride Guide,” also available on Amazon.com.

About Christi Masi
Founder of The Healthy Bride, Masi’s focus is on training women to successfully meet life challenges. An avid, international mountain climber, her professional background includes 11 years of sales and marketing at Starbucks Coffee. Christi’s outstanding leadership ability and natural enthusiasm has motivated women to complete triathlons, half marathons, and summit climbs of Mt. Rainier. Not to mention health and fitness goals for pivotal life moments like weddings!

Christi’s credentials include ACSM- HFI®and NSCA -CPT® certifications and a BA in psychology from the University of Washington.  Modern Bride Magazine awarded Christi designation as a “Top Trendsetter of 2006” and Seattle Bride Magazine has awarded The Healthy Bride Best Bridal Fitness Program 2007, 2008 & 2009.

The Healthy Bride® is a registered trademark of Cloud Nine Women, Inc.

Media Contact:

Christi Masi
206-755-9683

Source:  http://www.healthy-bride.com/blog/bridal-fitness/the-healthy-bride%C2%AE-launches-first-bridal-fitness-directory/

Filed Under: News
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