BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012
TERRANEA RESORT | RANCHO PALOS VERDE, CALIFORNIA
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 CLASS SCHEDULE AND HANDBOOK
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012
EDUCATION FOR THE ASPIRING AND NOVICE WEDDING PLANNER
Backstage Bridal Pro Academy 2012 is designed as an incubator for aspiring and novice wedding planners to educate, empower and connect the best new talent in the wedding planning industry by providing applicable tools and strategies that can be immediately implemented to help you jumpstart your wedding planning business. Backstage Bridal Pro Academy will address your educational needs, giving you an open, interactive format to learn, share experiences triumphs and trials, and connect with others who've either been in your shoes or are standing right where you are now. Whether or not you have a certification, are inexperienced or simply need to refresh and refine your skills, Backstage Bridal Pro Academy will:
prepare you to structure your business improve your sales skills enhance your design knowledge elevate your client service skills sharpen your performance on wedding day cultivate a new way of connecting with others
Gone are the days where you attend conferences that don’t address your current needs. Clients are more sophisticated, savvy and demanding. You need to stay on top! Get your front-row seat NOW learn how you can survive – and thrive – in this new environment. Sign up TODAY for Backstage Bridal Pro Academy 2012!
REGISTER HERE!
FOLLOW BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY ON TWITTER @BackstageBridal and be sure to use the hashtag #BBPro REGISTERED STUDENTS SEE WHO ELSE IS ATTENDING ON FACEBOOK!
www.backstagebridalblog.com
EDUCATION AT A GLANCE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 2:00pm – 2:15pm Welcome 2:15pm – 3:15pm Be Smashing!
** SCHEDULE, SPEAKERS AND CLASSES AND CLASS TITLES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
3:30pm – 4:45pm The Business of Blogging MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 {GETTIN’ DOWN TO BUSINESS} 9:00am - 10:15am Get Your Books In Order 10:30am - 11:45am Brilliant Planning, Who & How to Delegate To On Wedding Day 1:30pm - 2:45pm Focused Business Strategies For Creatives 3:00pm - 4:15pm GET REAL Sales Methods TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 {THE CLIENT + THE VISION} 9:00am - 9:30am The Challenge Within 9:45am - 11:00am Dollars and Sense
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Noon – 2:00pm Registration 2:00pm – 4:45pm Backstage Bridal Pro Academy Welcome and Opening Sessions 7:00pm - 9:00pm Meet and Greet MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 8:00 am - 9:00am Breakfast Buffet 9:00am - 12:00pm Classes Begin 12:00pm - 1:30pm Lunch Buffet 1:30pm - 4:15pm Classes Resume TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 8:00am - 9:00am Breakfast Buffet 9:00am - 11:45am Classes Resume
11:15am - 12:30pm Understanding the Client’s Vision
12:30pm - 2:00pm Lunch Buffet
2:00pm - 3:15pm A Winning Portfolio
2:00pm - 4:15pm Classes Resume
3:15pm - 4:15pm The Gen Y Impact
7:00pm - 9:00pm S’mores and Sunset Gathering
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26 {THE WEDDING} 9:00am - 10:15am The Law For Creatives
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 8:00am - 9:00am Breakfast
10:30am - 11:45am Sexy Sexy Ceremony & Reception Logistics
9:00am - 1:15pm Classes Resume
12:00pm - 1:15pm The Secret To Building Industry Relationships
1:15pm - 1:30pm Closing Remarks 1:30pm - 2:30pm Graduation Lunch Celebration
EMPOWERING YOU TO EXCEL SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 EDUCATION that will strengthen your business and enhance your current skill set, placing you ahead of the curve!
Can you afford NOT to come? REGISTER HERE!
This industry is changing at an incredible pace and we’ve got the educational programs that can help you excel. You will emerge from Backstage Bridal Pro Academy better-armed to effectively run your wedding planning business, deal with a multitude of challenges and emerge stronger and more prepared for what lies ahead. With classes sessions in multiple innovative formats, Backstage Bridal Pro Academy includes education on all the topics you need to prepare you for the next decade in events. You will participate in interactive class sessions, dine with the experts, experience demos of real design ideas, build solid relationships with wedding planners just like you, enjoy a showcase of entertainment and celebrate with our signature graduation party.
You will take home real ideas and strategies that you can put to work immediately when you get home in all of these areas:
NEW Designs NEW Support NEW Pricing Models NEW Sales Tactics NEW Marketing Techniques NEW Strategies NEW Friends
www.backstagebridalblog.com
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 ABOUT OUR FACULTY Backstage Bridal Pro Academy is a vibrant and dynamic educational experience made up of contributors, faculty members, consultant advisors, and most importantly, YOU - the student! Our focus is helping independent wedding planners get more clients, run and operate a successful businesses and make more money. You no longer have to search all over the world for information, resources, learning materials, instructors, expert advice and assistance. We make it easy for you so you can get what you need, efficiently, and move on to successfully operating your business. Learn from wedding industry professionals doing exactly what you want to do...running a successful wedding business. Our faculty has been hand-picked for their specific expertise that we know you can develop. Our faculty is on your wave length. You’ll never have a better chance to network with people that share your business model, interests, challenges and focus on success. One of the hardest parts of being an independent, is it’s easy to lose accountability. Becoming a student of Backstage Bridal Pro Academy will put you in a team mindset. You’ll have ongoing help to stay focused, set an effective agenda and keep moving forward. As an independent business owner you can also suffer from limited perspective. There is no one to assist you in developing a planned strategy and no assistants to add insight. But as a student at Backstage Bridal Pro Academy, you’ll join the a network of people sharing knowledge and experience, insights and know-how.
TAMI BRIGGS A letter from your dean: As a wedding planner with 8 years of experience , I know the challenges you face. Over the years, I have witnessed countless new wedding planners go out of business. Many of them went under before the ink on their new letterhead was dry! These wedding planners were not lacking in talent, in skills, in experience or motivation. So why did they fail? They failed because they were totally independent and they lacked the skills and support needed to succeed. When you work for a company, everything you need to do your job is provided for you. If you needed help with a project you can count on your team. If you needed office supplies, anything from computers to paperclips, the company ordered it for you. If you needed to travel, someone else made the arrangements. Someone else planned a strategy and someone else handled the marketing. Being on your own is thrilling. But it can also be overwhelming wearing all the hats for your company. Now all decisions are in your hands. You are ordering office supplies, marketing, selling, creating a business plan and marketing strategy AND you are paying for all of it too. This is why I created Backstage Bridal Pro Academy. WI am determined to do my best to provide YOU with a framework for success!
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 LINNYETTE RICHARDSON-HALL, TV Personality and Veteran Wedding Planner Artistic, intuitive, and equipped with a penchant for creating events that touches all five senses, Linnyette Richardson-Hall (The Wedding Diva™) and her company, Baltimore-based Premiere Event Management , take event planning to the next level for discerning local, national, and international clients. Television audiences have come to know Linnyette as the out-of-the-box, no-nonsense, designing diva on the Style Network’s hit reality series, “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?,” where she showcases her flair for the unusual while The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Money.com, The Knot, I DO For Brides, Sister 2 Sister, and Baltimore Magazine. She has also made guest appearances on CNN, Fox, BET, CBS, and countless other television and radio outlets. She is a former Senior Contributing Editor and featured columnist for Signature Bride Magazine, a wedding/lifestyle publication specifically designed with the African-American bride and groom in mind. Currently, she is serving as a member of the Board Of Directors and national spokesperson for the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE). Linnyette is also the creator and executive producer of the “I DO Brunch,” an annual networking event held for professional wedding and event planners, which gives coordinators from around the country a opportunity to meet, learn, and be pampered in a style; something generally reserved for their clientele. Her realistically honest outlook and powerful presentation skills have made her an in demand speaker, lecturer, and expert in the wedding and special events industry as well as other business gatherings. As the wedding planning advisor for WeddingChannel.com’s “Circle of Experts,” readers could find her practical advice, expertise, and style every month in articles, a question/answer section and regularly scheduled interactive sessions. Linnyette is currently working on her new book, which melds her “love of a great party” with her passion for cuisine and design creativity. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with a degree in Sociology, Linnyette is a lifelong Baltimore resident and mother of two children, Matthew and Kamaria.
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 SEAN LOW, Creative Business Strategist
Sean Low is the Founder and President of The Business of Being Creative, a consulting firm focused on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. Prior to founding The Business of Being Creative, Sean spent six years as the President of Preston Bailey Design, Inc. representing Preston in his business endeavors around the world. Sean has a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and, apart from working with amazing creative professionals, his business acumen is honed from his previous experience as a lawyer, investment banker, financial executive and small business owner. Sean’s client list includes, among many others: wedding designers, Tara Guerard and Michelle Rago; eventiste, Marcy Blum; wedding cake master, Sylvia Weinstock; wedding bloggerati, Style Me Pretty; famed interior designer, Vicente Wolf; and furnishing retailer, Interieurs. Sean is passionate about challenging creative businesses to be the best versions of themselves, helping them set the foundation for growth and development and working along side creative business owners to take their businesses as far as they want them to go. You can read about Sean’s approach to managing creative businesses on his blog: www.thebusinessofbeingcreative.com
MICHELLE LORETTA, Business Plan Expert & Financial Analyst
Michelle Loretta LOVES to have coffee with wedding professionals. She loves to talk shop and discuss business strategy. So, in 2009 she started a blog: Sage Wedding Pros. This blog would evolve to cover all things business in the wedding and event industry. These days, Sage Wedding Pros is a consultancy dedicated to educating small business owners. The company’s mission is to create sustainable business in the wedding and events industries. Michelle joined the wedding industry when she launched her stationery business in 2004: mmm… paper. She has a background in finance, having armed herself with a BS in Accounting from University of Southern California and having spent her early career working for Deloitte LLP. She spent 5 years in the fashion industry as a sales manager for DDLA, and a visual merchandiser for Coach, Inc. In 2008, Michelle co-founded the wedding industry not-for-profit Get Hitched Give Hope. Today, Michelle helps small business owners in the wedding industry with their business planning. Her particular strength is in financial analysis. After years of reviewing financial reports, she can look at the numbers and quickly identify strengths and weaknesses within any organization. Hidden in financial info are always opportunities for improvement and growth. She loves being able to help with the “mystery of numbers” and make business owners confident in their business finances.
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 SAUNDRA HADLEY, Sales Guru
Fleeing the earthquakes and mudslides of Southern California, Saundra and her family moved to the Midwest in the mid-nineties. While her prior corporate experience included being an event planner for exclusive parties for physicians, she left her comfort zone and started a sales career selling advertising with a major media corporation.
She took advantage of the fact that her company invested thousands of dollars in professional sales training, including well known courses produced by Dale Carnegie and Zig Zigler, to hone her quotas and leader her peers and staff in reaching high objectives, which has led her in winning awards in personal sales achievements. Her experience in telemarketing, cold calling, client relationship building and delivering formal sales presentation have been the most important skill sets that she has used when launching her own business. Missing the excitement of event planning and with the deep desire to leave the cubicle world behind, Saundra opened planning...forever events in 2003, primarily focusing on weddings. Today her event planning studio has services including planning for large corporate summits, social events and design/décor. For the past two years, Saundra has produced and delivered wedding planning tips on live television, as the “Fox 7 Wedding Planner” (local affiliate), every Wednesday morning. Segments include remote interviews with local wedding vendors and businesses. Numerous wedding related articles have been published for Wedding Magazine (2003-2008) produced by Evansville Courier & Press. She is also the recipient of the Reader’s Choice Award 2008 Gold Winner for Best Wedding Planner; 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist by the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana; and is the online moderator for event specialists, International Network of Wedding Professionals. Saundra is straight forward, inspiring, original and is well-known for her infectious laugh and collection of Chuck Taylor shoes. Although addicted to social media, she carves out quality time to spend with her husband, 14-year old son and loveable chocolate lab. You can find great sales advice and tips from Saundra on her blog: http://saundrahadley.com/blog
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 KATY CARRIER, Attorney
Katy Carrier is the founding attorney and principal of Carrier & Associates, a boutique law practice catering to wedding and event industry professionals. A serial entrepreneur herself, Katy has launched a number of creative business endeavors, and founded Carrier & Associates on the premise that creative business owners can benefit greatly from specialized legal services. Katy is a graduate of Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana, and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to starting Carrier & Associates, Katy worked as an associate attorney in the areas of business/transactional law, civil litigation, international law and intellectual property. Katy is a frequent speaker at wedding and event industry conferences like Engage!, The Special Event and the BizBash Expo, and recently launched a workshop series called Law School for Wedding Professionals.
SHAFONNE MYERS, Wedding Planner & Image Advocate
Shafonne Myers, the president and editor of Pretty Pear Bride, one of two national known websites dedicated to plus-size brides, graduated from Mary Baldwin College in 2001 with a Bachelors of Science in Biology and a degree in Entrepreneurship.
She is a certified wedding and event planner. She is also a certified wedding and event instructor who started out in the business to create amazing and memorable weddings. She started blogging and loved being able to share with the world her creative visions and take on weddings. She started Pretty Pear Bride as a site where plus size brides could find the bridal inspiration that they long for. Being a plus-size bride herself, she noticed that there weren’t any resources for plus-size brides. So her mission was clear: merge her love for blogging and wedding planning into creating a place for plus-size brides to see themselves in wedding inspiration. Shafonne has a deep passion for empowering women of all shapes and sizes to embrace who they are and feel their very best.
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 KELLY MCWILLIAMS, Wedding Planner Extraordinaire
Hello, how are you? I'm pretty certain that no matter when you are reading this, that I am doing great. I am especially happy to know that you're looking to see a bit more about me. Who a wedding planner or designer really is, is ridiculously important. A wedding planners style, personality, and methods should resonate with the client’s. Why? Would you hire a barn builder to design your city loft? Not unless you're thinking way outside the box. I have a different method to planning & design than many. I prefer to plan logistics one element at a time and I design from a true creative and inspired perspective (it comes when it comes, but it always comes). Things I see, hear, taste, and feel often become the basis for our weddings. Destination weddings are what I do best. There isn't anything about them that I don’t love. I have favorite parts, yes. I have least favorite parts too. But when it comes down
to it, there is nothing in the world I would rather be doing than planning and designing a great wedding, no matter the style, size or complexity. I have been planning and designing events professionally since 2002. Back then, I had no idea just how far this new career would take me. Some things have remained the same; I still keep under 20 weddings a year, I still enjoy (and will always enjoy) being nice, I still work very hard, and I still smile alot. What has changed is all good. Now I have a planning and design studio, my experiences and knowledge learned over the years have put me in the position to educate other wedding professionals. Our weddings and designs get a bit more attention in the press and listed amongst the best in the industry, and I travel a bit farther for my clients weddings. In 2010 our weddings were published or I was recognized or contributed to editorial in all of the above magazines amongst many others. In 2011 we were named to the A-list once again, and we have also added Destination I Do, Weddings Illustrated, The Knot Florida, The Knot, Inside Weddings and Grandeur magazine. All of this, I am so grateful for. I adore shopping for inspiration. I can't sit in a quiet room, I love music too much. I find reality TV hilarious. I get giddy at the thought of a great dinner party with fancy food, great wine and my best friends (and getting dressed up for it). I also love a day at the beach followed by a backyard BBQ like nobody's business. I've been the bride and one day I'll be the mother of the bride (actually I'll get to do this twice). I've been trying to convince my husband (also named Kelly) that we should be the bride and groom again. You know, "market research". He isn't falling for it though. I have a massive wedding library. More wedding books than you can imagine. I also want to write a book (with amazing wedding images of course). That's going to take a while though. You can get to know me best by reading my blog, Weddings By Socialites Blog, as I write it in my true voice. Everything on my blog is real. Real weddings, real advice, real confessions, real things you can do and use. You can also follow me on twitter and the Weddings by Socialites facebook page. I'm a light-hearted person and I find laughter in just about everything. That doesn't mean of course that I don't take things very seriously when it comes to weddings. I have a deep respect for all wedding professionals, and treat them with the same respect. I never pass up an opportunity to learn more, and so I research constantly. I still rip pages out of the wedding magazines. Finally, for me, it is imperative and most important that our weddings are as equally well planned and executed as they are an amazing experience for the bride and groom and their guests, and as they are aesthetically beautiful and unique. With all that said, Here's to great weddings! -Kelly
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 ASHLEIGH TAYLOR, photographer
Ashleigh Taylor Layne Henning is the owner/photographer of Ashleigh Taylor Photography, a boutique wedding photography studio based in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Her style is modern, vibrant, crisp and clean. Known for detail shots, and stunning portraiture, Ashleigh aims to make clients feel like the movie stars of their own love story. Ashleigh gives clients a sense of empowerment, confidence and inner-stardom one photo at a time. Ashleigh has been a life long lover of telling stories through visual arts. She attended Emerson College, and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2007 with a BA in Media Arts: Film Concentration, and a minor in photography. From 2007-2009, Ashleigh worked for Sony Pictures in film and television development. In the process, she realized her love for being creative and visually telling stories was not being fulfilled. That is when she found wedding photography and fell in love. After assisting other wedding photographers and learning more about the unique craft of wedding photography, Ashleigh began Ashleigh Taylor Photography in 2009. Ashleigh has made quite a splash in the industry and has been featured in highly regarded publications like Style Me Pretty, Brides.com, Brides Southern California Magazine, Green Wedding Shoes, Grey Likes, The Wedding Chicks, Elizabeth Anne Designs, and Hostess With The Mostess, just to name a few.
GLORIA MESA, Photographer
I am the owner of Gloria Mesa Photography. I love being a photographer and have loved photography since I was a little girl when my dad let me borrow his 35mm film camera. I fell in love then and have been ever since. Being at a wedding and being able to capture moments, is what it is all about. One of my fantasies is to be invisible, so I guess that could really be handy in my field of work.
I love coffee and my dogs. I think I am a bit eclectic since I love so many different things. I can't have more than three options because that would drive me crazy!! I have a hard time picking colors; why? Because I love them all!!! I have a sweet tooth and I am also a Vegetarian. It hasn't been hard for me since I don't miss eating meat at all. I love going to the movies. Some of my favorites are: Legends of the Fall and Meet Joe Black. I love suspense movies as well. One Robert DeNiro, he is amazing. I think Casino is one of his best movies. Traveling to Playa del Carmen, with my husband, is one of my all time favorite things to do. I wish we could buy a house there. I have tried very hard to fall in love with cooking, unsuccessfully. I wish I could sing nicely, but I can't so that has become like a closeted fantasy. Oh gosh, how fun that would be to be able to sing smoothly. I love the show Sex in the City. I watch the re-runs all of the time. A glass of red wine, along with a great book, while in the company of my dog, sitting with me next to the fireplace, is one of my favorite things to do. I LOVE the air I breathe and the sun and the stars in the sky. I am a dreamer and I love that about me.
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 KATIE MCGIHON, Photographer Katie McGihon has been photographing weddings in the Palm Springs area for over three years. She, along with her husband, Scott, make up the team behind Max And Poppy. Katie describes her photographs as "whimsical, romantic and true to the moment". She has a fierce passion for the proper treatment of details, and adores all things lady-like. A few of the things that she can't live without are: her little family, coffee, lace, Palm Springs sunshine, laughter, her bible, and the ability to tell amazing love stories with her camera.
JESI HAACK, Wedding Planner and Designer
Jesi Haack Design began in 2008 and it's mission is to create stylishly dramatic events that tell the story of each couple's lives while bringing in amazingly unique design elements to illustrate that story. We are unique, quirky and truly individualistic beings who will always be striving to make our own mark in our worlds. Ask yourself, “What STATEMENT do I want to make to my guests?” And make that statement from YOU, not from your mom, your grandma, or any website you have been stalking. Do something different. Be unique. Surprise your guests. Create something unexpected. Do the opposite of tradition. Create your own tradition. Be remembered for YOU. DEFINE YOUR STYLE. I love romance. The sweet expression of a groom as he watches his bride walk toward him. The way a bride looks at her reflection in the mirror as she slides into her dress. The nervous laughter of a father as he prepares to give his daughter away. The commitment and union of two people who love each other so much that they want to forsake all others. I love it. I also adore making the party perfect. My desire is to use my gifts to guide couples down the path to the wedding that transcends all current wedding trends yet creates their own new trend and statement. My passion is in the details so that the lovebirds can just kick back and celebrate the way we were meant to!
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
WHO’s WHO... BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012 AMBER GUSTAFSON, Veteran Wedding Planner
Amber Gustafson is in love with texture, things that sparkle, vintage clothes, cheap beer, and expensive wine. Originally from Arkansas and married to her high school sweetheart, Amber is the fun mix of Southern tradition and charm and Urban eccentricity and edge. Amber considers herself a romantic soul, a realistic businesswoman, a free spirit, an organized individual, an opinionated gal, a good people person, and a funny lady. You can be the judge on the funny part. With over 75 weddings planned and executed flawlessly, she knows weddings. And people. Amber plays well with others and is known for bringing it all together when Mom gets fussy, when the flower girl gets mad, and when diva vendors think it's all about them. An avid world traveler, she understands various cultures and customs and enjoys fusion weddings that highlight the heritage of both the bride and groom.
BEVERLY HARRIS, Premiere Wedding Planner
Beverly Harris is the owner of the highly esteemed wedding planning boutique , Beverly Harris Weddings in Beverly Hills, California. She specializes in weddings of excellence, pampering her brides every step of the way. Beverly’s 10 years experience and established relationships with Beverly Hills’s finest designers and celebration professionals has not only catapulted her business to epic proportions but has also ensured her clients that their weddings will be seamlessly executed in the fashion and level of quality that events in Beverly Hills are known for, Her work has been featured in South Asian Bride, Unveiled, Bodas La Revista magazine, and The Los Angeles Times. It has also received a 2010 & 2011 Bride’s Choice Award, and was nominated in 2009 by MyFoxLA as one of Los Angeles’s Best Businesses.
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
CONNECT
LAUGH
LEARN
REIGNITE
RELAX
INDULGE
Ticketing Information: http://bbpro.ticketleap.com/ Contact Us: seeyou@bbproacademy.com
COURSE CURRICULUM & ACADEMY EVENTS SEPTEMBER 23 {WELCOME STUDENTS!} 2:00pm – 2:15pm Welcome
7:00pm – 9:00pm
2:15pm – 3:30pm
Meet and Greet
Tami Briggs, Owner, CEO Fabulously Wed, Los Angeles, CA nor-mal: according with, constituting, or not deviating from a norm, rule or principle / conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern / of, relating to, or characterized by average intelligence or development Stop trying to be normal. History is full of successful, life-changing people who did not fit in. Hang a light on your differences and smash the things that hold you back.
3:45pm – 4:45pm The Business of Blogging Dana LaRue, Editor-in-Chief and CEO Broke Ass Bride Media, Los Angeles, CA Some of us blog and some of us don’t. In this session learn why blogging for your business is essential,. Dana will go over important key points such as: finding your voice, do’s and don’ts, tips and tricks to blogging, etiquette and plain ole commen sense. Join us and discover the ins and outs of developing a blog that will help your wedding business blossom.
** SCHEDULE, SPEAKERS AND CLASSES AND CLASS TITLES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Lobby Bar and Lounge Come on out and meet Lisa Smith and Tami Briggs. This is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow students the night before we head into our education sessions. The Lobby Bar and Lounge is the perfect place to unwind. Enjoy a cocktail, or a few, out on the terrace and admire the sunset that is nothing short of breath taking, or cozy up to a fireplace while enjoying the sounds of their solo pianist Beverage offerings include classic cocktails with a modern twist, wines by the glass emphasizing California wines, and microbrewed regional and international beer varieties.
FOLLOW BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY ON TWITTER @BackstageBridal and be sure to use the hashtag #BBPro REGISTERED STUDENTS SEE WHO ELSE IS ATTENDING ON FACEBOOK!
SUNDAY
Be Smashing!
COURSE CURRICULUM & ACADEMY EVENTS SEPTEMBER 24 {GETTIN’ DOWN TO BUSINESS} 9:00am – 10:15am Get Your Books In Order
MONDAY
Michelle Loretta, Co-Owner Sage Wedding Pros, Miami, FL Accounting can seem intimidating if you don’t have any business education or experience. But, it doesn't have to be! Michelle Loretta, co-owner of Sage Wedding Pros, wants to set you up for financial success by giving you the basics on accounting for your business. Learn how to get your numbers organized and make decisions with your money. You’ll see that accounting is much more about strategy than complicated math equations.
10:30am – 11:45am Brilliant Planning, Who & How to Delegate To On A Wedding Day Kelly McWilliams, Owner and CEO Weddings By Socialites, Captiva Island, FL Finding people to work as wedding day assistants on the day of your client’s glorious wedding day isn’t difficult. Finding assistant’s with the right skills needed for the job, however, is another matter. Learn how to conduct interviews that will help you select the best candidates, how to structure their work day, determine compensation, and learn what measures you need in place to ensure a successful experience for both you and the assistant
** SCHEDULE, SPEAKERS AND CLASSES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
12:00pm – 1:30pm Lunch
Catalina Terrace Kick back and enjoy the California sun and views of Catalina Island while enjoying a buffet lunch featured many California favorites.
1:30pm – 2:45pm Focused Business Strategies for Creatives Sean Low, Virtual CEO The Business of Being Creative, New York, NY This session will focus on identifying the core value proposition of a creative business. will discuss how to translate it into the creative business’ marketing strategy, pricing methodology, customer service and corporate structure. Sean will lay the foundation by describing how most creative businesses operate today, and where your business sits. He will then identify some of the opportunities for change that might be available to you given advances in communication and technology.
3:00pm – 4:00pm GET REAL Sales Methods Saundra Hadley, Sales Coach Get Real Sales Consulting, Evansville, IN Join Saundra Hadley as she provides you with REAL applicable sales techniques that you will take home and immediately implement to generate positive changes in your business and how you handle sales consults. Come prepared to take notes because this comprehensive, fast-paced, blunt, collaborative, profound, humorous session will take you to the next level of closing the sale with your prospective clients.
COURSE CURRICULUM & ACADEMY EVENTS SEPTEMBER 25 {THE CLIENT + THE VISION} 9:00am – 9:30am
12:30pm - 2:00pm
Shafonne Myers, Owner, CEO Pretty Pear Bride, Indianapolis, IN Are you nervous about moving forward? Are you unsure about where to start or when to grow? Do you question your own ideas? Perhaps you are afraid you will not succeed. You are not alone! Join Shafonne Myers as we refocus, renew, re-energize and release. It’s time to be the wedding planner you have been dreaming of!
9:45am – 11:00am Dollars and Sense Linnyette Richardson-Hall, Principle Planner Premiere Event Management, Baltimore, MD What should I charge? Am I overpriced? Are my fees too low? What's the going rate for planners? Should I charge less because I'm new? How do I get clients to pay on time? Designed to help you ANSWER these questions once and for all! As wedding planners, we love what we do but we need to get paid accordingly! Join Linnyette Richardson-Hall as she explores in depth, the process of setting fees to help you to create a path of confidence towards getting the dollars you deserve!
11:15am – 12:30pm Understanding The Client’s Vision Jesi Haack, Wedding Planner and Event Designer Jesi Haack Design, Costa Mesa, CA Jesi Haack is known for her unique, quirky and whimsical wedding designs. Not afraid of bold colors or prints, she has learned how to listen to her clients and design a wedding that is truly personal and unique to them as a couple. Known for using bold colors and patterns, her trendsetting designs always push the envelope tastefully and perfectly. Find out what Jesi has learned about understanding and articulating the client’s vision to create their dream wedding.
Lunch Catalina Terrace Enjoy a delicious lunch where you can engage and continue to build relationships in an intimate and open format, share experiences, and connect with others.
2:00pm – 3:15pm A Winning Portfolio Ashleigh Taylor, Gloria Mesa, & Katie McGihon, Photographers, Southern California One of the most difficult aspects of building a fledgling portfolio is gathering together enough decent wedding imagery to inspire potential brides that you are the planner for them. Sure, she likes you well enough, but you need to show her what you’re capable of as well. Meet our panel of photographers in this feisty and interactive session and learn how to add that WOW to your portfolio that you’ve been hoping for.
3:15pm – 4:00pm The Gen Y Impact Tami Briggs, Owner, CEO Fabulously Wed, Los Angeles, CA Generation Y, also knows as Millennials, represent the current generation of engaged couples entering the market. What makes them different? What considerations do you need to make for this new generation of clients? What values do they hold? And how does this impact your business? This interactive session will help you redefine your business, givig you an edge over the competition.
7:00pm – 9:00pm S’mores and Sunset Gathering Nelson’s Nelson’s is the place for our S’mores and Sunset Gathering. Enjoy a spectacular sunset with views of Point Vicente Lighthouse and Catalina Island on the patio by the firepit.
TUESDAY
The Challenge Within
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
COURSE CURRICULUM & ACADEMY EVENTS SEPTEMBER 26 {THE WEDDING | Executing Perfection}
WEDNESDAY
9:00am – 10:15am The Law for Creatives
12:00pm – 1:15pm Secrets to Building Industry Relationships
Katy Carrier, Attorney The Law for Creatives, Los Angeles, CA This session will focus on identifying the core value proposition of a creative business. will discuss how to translate it into the creative business’ marketing strategy, pricing methodology, customer service and corporate structure. Katy Carrier will lay the foundation by describing how most creative businesses operate today, and where your business sits.
Beverly Harris, Owner Beverly Harris Weddings, Beverly Hills, CA Network, Network, Network is an overused term unless you use it the right way. One reason why networking doesn’t always produce the results people want it because they are not very strategic in their approach. Without a well though-out strategy, results are severely diminished. Top Beverly Hills wedding planner, Beverly Harris, will share with you her secret on how she formed key relationships that completely changed her business.
10:30am – 11:45am
1:15pm – 1:30pm
Ceremony & Reception Logistics Amber Gustafson, Owner and CEO Amber Events, Los Angeles, CA Google the words “ceremony and reception logistics” and you will find page after page of planners listing this in their service offerings. But what you won’t find much of is an understanding of what to expect during these two critical points of the wedding day. After all, how do you wrangle a large bridal party? How do you schedule photos taken during cocktail hour? Should your couple have a receiving line? What does the catering team expect from you as the planner? Receive the answers to these questions and more at our interactive session with one of Los Angeles areas most sought out wedding planner, Amber Gustafson.
Closing Remarks and Mini Culmination Lisa Smith and Tami Brown, Founders and Producers of Backstage Bridal Pro Academy
1:30pm – 2:30pm Graduation Lunch Celebration Catalina Terrace Settle down and enjoy a plated lunch service with your fellow students. It’s a rare opportunity that we are the actual guest. Now is your time!
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
LUXURIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS AT TERRANEA RESORT
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012
KING ROOM
King-sized pillowtop bed with luxurious linens 450 sq. ft. room Private terrace or patio 4-fixture stone bathroom featuring separate bathtub and shower 37” flat screen LCD television iPod docking station High speed wireless Internet access 2 dual-line telephones with voicemail In-room safe
DOUBLE ROOM Two Queen-sized Beds 450 sq. ft. room Private terrace or patio 4-fixture stone bathroom featuring separate bathtub and shower 37” flat screen LCD television iPod docking station High speed wireless Internet access 2 dial-line telephones with voicemail In-room safe
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
ENJOY YOUR STAY AT TERRANEA RESORT
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012
THE LINKS AT TERRANEA
THE SPA AT TERRANEA
Featuring 9 championship-caliber par 3 holes Incredible views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island from nearly every hole Qualified instructor available Golf House offers golf accessories, premium club rentals, walking carts and a selection of gold and resort casual apparel Relaxed outdoor seating area
DINING
Overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the Palos Verde Coastline 50,000 sq. ft. full-service spa 25 treatment rooms and 3 luxurious VIP suites Features outdoor adult pool with private cabanas, sauna and steam rooms, cold plunge and whirlpool 5.000 sq. ft. fitness center with yoga, pilates and spin classes at no additional charge Full-service salon offering luxurious hair and nail treatments Outdoor relaxation lounges and fire pits Spa Café A rate of $40 per day usage fee without a booked treatment
Six dining experiences with Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island and poolside:
Mar’Sel - Inventive twist on California cuisine featuring locally-sourced ingredients Catalina Kitchen - California-inspired cuisine with a Mediterranean twist Nelson’s - Enjoy meals on the patio or on warm evenings next to the firepits Bashi - A contemporary blend of Asian flavors in a lively setting, featuring 17 different sakes Sea Beans - Superb quality coffee and espresso, organic teas and smoothies; sandwiches and wraps; specialty cakes, delicious truffles, freshly made baked goods and homemade gelatos Cielo Point - Full-service bar poolside with quintessential fare Lobby Bar, Living Room and Terrace - Enjoy a cocktail, or a few. Featuring traditional cocktails with a modern twist, California wines and microbrewed and international beer varieties Spa Café - Freshly prepared wraps, sandwiches, salads and juices, smoothies, protein shakes and energy bars. Relax by the pool, cabanas or fire pits.
RESORT POOL
140-ft. waterslide Children’s splash zone Two hot tubs Fire pits Private cabanas available for rent
CIELO POINT POOL
Offers spectacular ocean views and refreshments for guests 18 years of age and older.
TERRANEA COVE
The cove is quintessential California offering: Ocean kayaking Snorkeling Scuba diving A “secret” cove adds an element of adventure for kids of all ages
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
YOUR ORIENTATION PACKAGE INCLUDES...
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012
ATTENDANCE AT BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY INCLUDES:
FOLLOW BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY ON TWITTER @BackstageBridal and be sure to use the hashtag #BBPro
Luxury Guestroom Accommodations {up to 2 people per room for 4 nights} 14 powerful courses taught by wedding professional experts A personalized Academy tote bag A personalized Academy notebook and pen Speaker presentation materials, worksheets and checklists on USB flash drive Sunday night Welcome Cocktail Reception All you can eat breakfast Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Signature cocktails Incredible networking opportunities & lots of NEW friends Fitness Center Swimming and sunbathing Celebration Graduation Banquet and Party Access to the exclusive Backstage Bridal Pro Academy online forum and resource center for Alumni only And much more!
PLUS SELECT REGISTERED STUDENTS WILL WIN:
One-on-one dinner at BBPro Academy with either Sean Low, Saundra Hadley, Linnyette Richardson-Hall or Tami Biggs and Lisa Smith A visit to The Spa at Terranea with Lisa and Tami The opportunity to have dinner at a table hosted by our professors FREE dinner one night at Mar’Sel And more!!
REGISTERED STUDENTS SEE WHO ELSE IS ATTENDING ON FACEBOOK!
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
TUITION RATES REGISTER TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT!
SEPTEMBER 23 - 26, 2012
Payment Plans Are Available For Early Registrants: $350 DOWN WITH MONTHLY PAYMENT AND BALANCE DUE August15, 2012 (offer expires July15, 2012)
VISIT THE ALL NEW www.backstagebridalblog.com FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION ON THE ACADEMY AND DON’T FORGET TO
REGISTER HERE
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY TUITION
$2195 ALL INCLUSIVE RATE!
SEATING IS LIMITED!
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2012 www.backstagebridalblog.com
BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY
SAVE THE DATE BACKSTAGE BRIDAL PRO ACADEMY 2013 AT TERRANEA RESORT
SEPTEMBER 22 - 25, 2013
www.backstagebridalblog.com
We can’t wait to see you there!
Ticketing Information: http://bbpro.ticketleap.com/ Contact Us: seeyou@bbproacademy.com