Welcome to the beautiful Island of Martha’s Vineyard! And, more importantly, to the first annual Martha’s Party Wedding & Event Conference, presented by Island Weddings magazine, in partnership with PartySlate and our many other sponsors.
Our picturesque Island off the coast of Massachusetts has long been a popular destination for weddings and events, and for good reason. It boasts six towns with their own unique aesthetic, five lighthouses, rolling fields with ancient stone walls, stunning clay cliffs, and miles of shoreline, all of which offer memorable backdrops for any celebration.
Island Weddings magazine, which celebrates Martha’s Vineyard as an event destination, has featured many of the best of those occasions in its years of publication. In choosing weddings to highlight, I personally have witnessed what it takes to plan and execute celebrations big and small, and marvel at what can be accomplished when regional vendors collaborate with skilled local professionals to create distinctive and unforgettable experiences for their clients.
It’s no easy feat to host an event on an island, and Martha’s Vineyard is full of idiosyncrasies. The goal of this conference is both to inspire you and help you navigate the many intricacies of planning an event here. We have assembled an extraordinary group of local and regional experts and have created a full program of panel discussions, featured speakers, and networking opportunities. We invite you to listen, ask questions, and share your own experiences, but also to take some time just to enjoy the beauty and variety of our Island.
Throughout the conference and beyond, you can follow Island Weddings magazine on Instagram – @mvislandweddings – or use the hashtag #MarthasParty23 to stay connected.
From all of us at Island Weddings , we hope you make the most of your time on Martha’s Vineyard. And we look forward to seeing your events in a future issue of our magazine!
Editor, Martha's Vineyard Island Weddings
MONDAY, MAY 15, 2023
12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Conference check-in
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Welcome party at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2023
7:00 a.m.
Morning yoga: With Yoga on the Vine owner Lora Ksieniewicz at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort
8:00 a.m.
Check-in and buffet breakfast
9:00 a.m.
Welcome remarks: Mark Snider, owner of the Winnetu Oceanside Resort; Jane Seagrave, publisher of the Vineyard Gazette Media Group; and Nicole Fullin, editor of Island Weddings magazine
9:15 a.m.
PANEL: Exploring Martha's Vineyard Venues. Moderated by Nevette
Previd of the Vineyard Preservation Trust
10:00 a.m.
Speakers: Happily Ever After – Elevating Your Wedding Game with Robin and Jeffrey Selden of Marcia Selden Catering and Naked Fig
Catering
10:45 a.m.
PANEL: Island Tourism: Navigating Martha's Vineyard. Moderated by Carolina Cooney of the Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lunch
12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
PANEL: Pro Tips: Producing Weddings and Corporate Events on Martha’s Vineyard. Moderated by Elizabeth Wexler of Emlan Events and Spennie
1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Speakers: Sustainability Strategies in the Luxury Market with Kristen Gosselin of KG Events & Design, joined by Andrew Leavitt of Ironic Reports
2:00 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.
Speaker: Power of Place: Examining the History of Martha’s Vineyard with Sissy Biggers of the Vineyard Preservation Trust
4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Conference attendee cocktail party, sponsored by Harbor View Hotel
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Party @ The Grange
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2023
8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Off-site tours
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Speaker: Make Your Weddings Go Viral, The Importance of Social Media in the Wedding Industry with Lauren Ladouceur of Plan with Laur
11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
PANEL: Cook the Vineyard - A Deep Dive into Local Event Cuisine. Moderated by Susie Middleton, food writer and editor, cookthevineyard. com
12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Speaker: The Power of Strategic Partnerships - When Local Meets Global with Pearl Farquharson of Designed by Delsie
2:15 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.
Conversation with Nicole Fullin, editor of Island Weddings magazine, and wedding photographer Joe Mikos
You are invited to attend
Party @ the Grange
C o c k t a i l s | S m a l l B i t e s | E n t e r t a i n m e n t
T U E S D A Y , M A Y 1 6 T H A T 6 : 3 0 P M
1 0 6 7 S T A T E R O A D , W E S T T I S B U R Y , M A
S h u t t l e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f o r c o n f e r e n c e a t t e n d e e s
p r o v i d e d b y W i n n e t u O c e a n s i d e H o t e l & R e s o r t
T h a n k y o u t o p a r t i c i p a t i n g s p o n s o r s
