Speakers

• Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Rafanelli Events
• rafanellievents.com

• Marcy Blum Events
• marcyblum.com

Marcy Blum is an expert in entertaining, etiquette, food and wine. She has been producing creative, magical, and personal events for over 34 years, launching Marcy Blum Associates in 1986.. Due to her humorous and sane approach to entertaining on any scale, Marcy represents HomeGoods as a tastemaker and is a frequent speaker on party planning.

Marcy is considered an innovator in the special events industry and has been celebrated in The New York Times, People Magazine, Vogue and Harpers Bazaar Weddings as well as many other publications.

A graduate of both the original Performing Arts High School and the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Marcy takes special pride in producing weddings and parties where the entertainment and décor are elegantly theatrical, the food is delicious and creative, the wines are thoughtfully chosen and the service is beyond spectacular. Most importantly, the events created by Marcy and her team are FUN.

Marcy Blum Associates has produced the weddings of Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Padma Lakshmi and Salman Rushdie, Colin Hanks and Samantha Bryant, Savannah and LeBron James, Billy Joel and Katie Lee and Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent. Marcy’s wizardry in fantastic events has lead her to create Donny Deutsch’s 50th birthday celebration, the original marketing events for Comedy Central, a five story party for the opening of Societe Generale in New York City and many, many, other delightful events internationally.

• Founder and CEO, Luxe Fête Event Planning and Design Studio
• luxefete.com

A former attorney who clerked for a Federal Judge and worked at top law firms, Nathalie Cadet-James found her true calling as an entrepreneur in 2007 when she launched Luxe Fête, an international event planning and design agency. Global clients seek their services to plan, design, and produce special events all over the world. Instead of telling stories in a brief or in a courtroom, Nathalie now leads a team that tells stories through design and experiences. She is passionate about creating moments that inspire, engage and celebrate life. Proud to be recognized as an industry leader, Nathalie is:

• Featured in the New York Times as an expert event planner and designer
• Listed by Harper’s BAZAAR as one of the best planners in the world,
• Listed by Conde Nast BRIDES magazine as one of the Top Planners in the country.
• Listed by Martha Stewart Magazine as one of the top designers and planners in the country.

Notable clients include Gemini Trust (Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss), SoftBank, Kevin Hart, Christian Dior, Hillary Clinton, Donna Karan, Marcelo Claure, other politicians, CEO’s, celebrities, and a host of professional athletes

• Owner, Sapphire Events
• sapphireevents.com

Valerie is a recovering attorney, Florida native, Yale grad, and pug lover. She started her wedding planning business when she found herself unemployed in the wake of the 2008 credit crisis, and has been making lemonade out of lemons since 2011. She has three wedding planning companies that she runs out of New Orleans: Sapphire Events, her high-production value wedding planning and design firm, Ruby & Pearl Events, offering event management, design, and planning services to the “lovely” market, and Minimal Matrimony, her small weddings brand offering micro and mini weddings for 2020 and beyond. She also serves as a coach and advisor to other creative entrepreneurs in the event industry, offering education through her webinar The Valerie Gernhauser Method, a comprehensive course on pricing for profitability for creative entrepreneurs. She has also been invited to speak at many industry leadership conferences and workshops over the years. Valerie lives in New Orleans with her husband and four children (ages 9, 7, 3 and 2) and balances both work and life commitments with a mix of grace and gusto.

• randyfenoli.com

As the most trusted source in the Bridal Industry, it is Randy Fenoli’s mission to “Educate, Elevate, and Empower” every bride to choose the most important dress in her life and for all women to realize their own personal beauty.

Born on a cattle farm in Southern Illinois, Randy is the youngest of seven children. Driven by his fascination for design, Randy taught himself to sew at the early age of nine. At twenty, Randy received license as a hair stylist and makeup artist. Randy’s passion for fashion and design then lead him to the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. While at FIT, Randy won many awards for design and achievement. Immediately after graduating in 1993, Randy launched his first two bridal industry collections: Randy Fenoli for the Diamond Collection and Randy Fenoli for Dressy Creations. Randy is the recipient of two DEBI awards (Design Excellence in the Bridal Industry) in 1999 and 2000, the most prestigious award for bridal designers. From 2007-2012 Randy worked as Fashion Director at New York’s Kleinfeld Bridal Salon where consulted with nearly 15,000 brides a year. In 2015, Randy also received The President’s Award for Creative Excellence from FIT.

Today as the star of TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress”, “Big Bliss”, “Randy Knows Best”, “Randy to the Rescue”, “Say Yes to the Dress Benelux”, and “Say Yes to the Dress America”, he is seen by millions of viewers in approximately 150 countries. Randy has just finished filming season twenty-one of SYTTD, and with his philosophy that no matter what her size, shape, or age, EVERY woman is beautiful, Randy seems able to overcome any challenge.

Randy has appeared as a guest on many television shows, including, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, Rachel Ray, Harry Connick Jr., New York Live, Katie Couric, Wendy Williams, Extra, Get Married, The Martha Stewart Show, Wedding Cake Championship, Beat Bobby Flay, The Real, Cake Boss, Long Island Medium, and Hometown Takeover on HGTV. He has appeared on TV shows in Belgium, The Netherlands, South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico. He has co-hosted Toronto’s number-one rated talk show; The Marilyn Denis Show, served as main correspondent during TLC’s Royal Wedding live broadcast and event from Times Square, twice hosted Elle magazine’s Bridal Fashion Awards in Spain and Italy, and also served as a fashion commentator for The Associated Press on the red carpet of the 2010 Academy Awards.
Fenoli frequently appears on TV shows in many countries around the world, including; The Netherlands, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Turkey, South Africa, Guatemala, Canada, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Taiwan, Italy, Mexico, & Brazil. As a well-respected member of the bridal industry, Randy also speaks at many major bridal industry events across the globe giving inspiring advice to brides through his creative and entertaining stage presentations and personal consultations.

As a writer, contributor, designer and owner of Randy Fenoli Bridal LLC, and Randy Fenoli Enterprises INC., he is often featured and quoted in many publications such as People, Parade, and In Touch magazines, and has been featured in nearly every major bridal magazine in the world. In November 2011, Randy released his first book; ‘It’s All About the Dress’; the bride’s ultimate guide for shopping for a wedding gown.

Randy Fenoli’s appeal reaches far beyond bridal. His natural charm and enthusiasm is infectious, making everyone who comes in contact with him feel “Beautiful”.

• Clinical Professor of Law, Columbia University Founder/CEO of Ask for More, LLC
• alexcarterasks.com

Alexandra Carter is a Clinical Professor of Law and the Director of the Mediation Clinic at Columbia Law School. In 2019, Professor Carter was awarded the Columbia University Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching, Columbia’s highest teaching honor. Her first book, Ask for More: Ten Questions to Negotiate Anything, was published by Simon & Schuster on May 5, 2020 and became an instant Wall Street Journal Business bestseller.

Professor Carter’s teaching and research interests lie in the field of alternative dispute resolution, primarily in mediation and negotiation. She is a leading trainer on negotiation and mediation for many from the private and public sectors, including the United Nations, where she has conducted dozens of workshops for more than 80 nations, U.S. courts and federal agencies; private corporations, such as Bloomberg, Comcast NBCUniversal, Amazon, and Microsoft; and law firms, including Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Morrison & Foerster, Latham & Watkins, Debevoise and Plimpton, Fried Frank, and many others.

Prior to joining the Columbia faculty, Professor Carter was associated with Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, where she defended against a multibillion-dollar securities class action lawsuit related to the Enron collapse, served as the senior antitrust associate on several multibillion-dollar mergers, and handled cases involving copyright law. She also worked as an analyst at Goldman Sachs. She is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Taiwan.

Professor Carter received her Juris Doctor degree in 2003 from Columbia Law School, where she earned James Kent and Harlan Fiske Stone academic honors. She also won the Jane Marks Murphy Prize for clinical advocacy and the Lawrence S. Greenbaum Prize for the best oral argument in the 2002 Harlan Fiske Stone Moot Court Competition. After earning her degree, Professor Carter clerked for the Hon. Mark L. Wolf, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in Boston.

Professor Carter is a frequent media commentator on negotiation and pay equity for women, with appearances on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and MSNBC Live, Hardball with Chris Matthews, the CBS Early Show and NPR Marketplace. She is a contributor for NBC News’ Know Your Value, a news site devoted to helping women grow in their careers and reach their full potential.

• CEO and Head Designer, Revelry Event Designers
• revelryeventdesigners.com

Edgardo is the founder and lead designer of Revelry Event Designers, the industry’s go-to event company specializing in designing and installing private and corporate events worldwide.

Famous for having an innovative and progressive design view, Zamora is considered the Hollywood event designer, making him the most sought after by celebrities and high profile clients.

Edgardo consistently provides seamless event design integrated, with extraordinary comfort and beauty, into his client’s private estates or luxury hotel properties.

An avid traveler, his personal explorations in Europe, South and North America and Asia provide a global perspective on design. His personal design style leans toward an eclectic mix of old world and modern high style.

Zamora’s experience, creativity, passion and professionalism combine to provide his high profile clients and artists with a truly unique artful detail and flawless orchestration – from concept to completion.

The dedication to his craft has left a legacy to the event industry in the form of iconic furniture pieces and event design and has proven to push the boundaries of modern event design and will continue to be an innovator for years to come.

• Founder/Designer, Celio Design
• celiodesign.com

Born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Celio always knew his passion was for design. There was never a time in Celio’s life when he was not inspired by the arts and the natural world around him.
When Celio had the opportunity to move to California, he discovered his passion for floral design. Since then, flowers became the media of choice in Celio’s daily creative expressions. He loved the idea of putting together elements from nature to create ornate, exquisite, one of a kind floral compositions.

What started as a boutique shop in Los Angeles has blossomed into a seasoned floral event production headquarters.

Celio’s floral designs has received local and international attention in several magazine publications. His brilliant and unique creations were showed case in countless LA premier
events, celebrity parties, special events, weddings and corporate openings.

His work can be seen online at www.celiosdesign.com or by appointment at his floral atelier in Los Angeles.

• Founder + Creative Director, Fallon Carter Events
• FallonCarterEvents.com

Fallon Carter is the Founder + Creative Director of Fallon Carter Events. Her journey began after helping a friend plan her Paris wedding and falling in love with the organization and logistics of the process, Fallon went from Law school to LOVE and launched Fallon Carter Events in New York City over 10 years ago. Specializing in destination events, Fallon and her team create intimate + intentional destination celebrations anywhere from Brooklyn to Bangkok.

Fallon is a Mississippi native, debutante, retired cheerleader, former theater kid, and traveler. She is the mother to 5 plants and spends most of her leisure time researching flight deals and assembling puzzles.
Named as one of the Top Wedding Planners in the World by Harper’s Bazaar + Vogue, she has also been featured in the New York Times, Brides and Martha Stewart Weddings.

• Owner, Shannon Leahy Events
• shannonleahy.com

• Owner, José Rolón Events
• joserolonevents.com

A nuptial maestro for almost a decade, José has made a name for himself with his chill vibe and generous command, with his planning and design aesthetic making him one of the top rising wedding planners in NYC. He is frequently sought for his expertise on The New York Times, Brides, and more, as well as featured on Martha Stewart, Essence Magazine, New York Weddings, and the Best of The Knot. Also named one of Biz Bash’s Most Influential Event Professionals.

During COVID, José and his family chose to take TikTok by storm during quarantine! As a result, he has been featured and had appearances on the TODAY Show, GMA, Ellen’s Game of Games, Univision, The Drew Barrymore Show and PEOPLE. If that wasn’t enough, José and his family made it on the cover of Parents Latina Magazine making him the first gay dad to do so.

• Owner & Creative Director, Birch Event Design
• Birchevents.com

• Founder, Legally Set
• legallyset.com

Kunbi Odubogun is a Business Attorney, Speaker and Digital Media Expert with over 12 years experience in the Legal and Events industries.

She is the Founder of Legally Set an e-commerce store offering legally sound, attorney-drafted contract templates for entrepreneurs, event pros and creative business owners.

Kunbi is also the Founder of Perfete- a digital media company focused on highlighting all of life’s wonderful moments.

She graduated from Fordham University School of Law in 2010 with a B.Sc. in Management and Leadership. She also holds a concentration in International Business from the University of Kansas.

When she is not Lawyering or Publishing, She’s juggling life as an over-caffeinated mother of and binging crime shows on Netflix, because life is about balance.

• Partner and Owner, H Three Events
• hthreeevents.com

• Founder & CEO, Flourish Marketing
• flourishmarketing.co

Aleya Harris, CPCE is the founder and owner of Flourish Marketing, an agency dedicated to helping empire-building creative entrepreneurs reach their full potential. She believes that all business owners should make good money doing what they love, and supports her clients through highly-converting marketing strategies, StoryBrand messaging, and BioEnergetic Business Coaching solutions designed to achieve abundance through a holistic approach. As a certified NES Health Practitioner and StoryBrand guide, Aleya pairs intention with action to help her clients find fulfillment in their businesses through solutions that are as data-based as they are woo.

While she works with entrepreneurs of all backgrounds and specialties, Aleya remains dedicated to her roots in the catering and events industry by cultivating a diverse community as the marketing chair for NACE and head of the NACE Black Caucus. For her role, she was honored as the 2020 NACE Emerging Member of the Year, celebrating her commitment and dedication to the organization, along with the President’s Award for Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for her work with NACE to develop an action plan for Black member support.

• CEO and Creative Director, Cheree Berry Paper and Design
• chereeberrypaperdesign.com

Cheree Berry is an authority on visual storytelling with over two decades of experience in the design industry. She is the CEO and Creative Director of Cheree Berry Paper & Design, an award-winning, female-driven design firm renowned for its sophisticated identity solutions across all communication mediums. Sought after by individuals, boutique brands, Fortune 500 corporations and nonprofit organizations alike, Berry has earned a reputation for delivering unique concepts, unexpected details, unparalleled quality and craftsmanship and clever copywriting.

Prior to founding her company, Berry designed and penned the pop-up book Hoorah For The Bra, worked at legendary design firm Pentagram and served as an art director at kate spade, where she developed the brand’s first wedding stationery line. Her firm’s work has graced the halls of the White House, stocked the shelves at Target, filled mailboxes and inboxes around the world, been featured in numerous national publications, such as Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue and Today, and made countless memories along the way.

• Event Producer, Andrew Roby Events
• andrewrobyevents.com

Hey best friend!! Andrew Roby here. I’m an Army Vet who used chemical and biological weapons as play toys and got bored with it. Jumped into Events and Weddings as a Planner and somehow find myself creating battle plans for romantic weddings and engaging events.
I’m from the inner city of Miami, Fl, deployments in the east, and now in Washington, DC, being privy to diverse situations that has shaped me into the entrepreneur I am today. I’ve been blessed to travel to 30 countries and counting understanding people and the cultures that make them great.

Within my 15 year career I’ve worked with brands such as The International Spy Museum, Simon Malls, The Knot, Munaluchi Bride, The CW, The Art Institute, Vita Coco, and Kind Snacks.

If you had the time to breathe and have a cocktail, you may have seen me in the NY Times, Forbes, CNN, Brides Magazine, Fox, Washingtonian Magazine, Logo TV, and many other leading publications.

Above all, I’m most proud of my work with some tremendous charities who dedicate their lives to helping others. I’m also honored for the work we are doing with the National Events Council to ensure DEI in our industry.

If you see me around, bring a glass of whiskey.

• Owner | Creative Director, Tyler Speier Events
• tylerspeier.com

Tyler Speier is an event planner, designer, and florist based in Santa Barbara, California, producing weddings and events across the globe. His portfolio includes celebrity clientele, fortune 500 corporations, and hundreds of weddings, which have been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, Destination I Do, and countless other publications. In addition to designing and producing events, Tyler teaches educational workshops for creative entrepreneurs. He and his wife, Taylor, have three children, and have fostered four children over the course of their marriage. Tyler values bravery and authenticity, encouraging fellow creative entrepreneurs to courageously be themselves in business and in life.

• Director of Business Development, Over The Moon
• overthemoon.com

Amanda Jones Vaughan is the Director of Business Development for Over The Moon. Over The Moon launched as a source for authentic, fashionable, and informative wedding inspiration—with a focus on real love stories as told by the couples. With that at the foundation, OTM has created a trusted brand and e-commerce platform featuring 200+ vendors and niche artisans as well as a universal wedding registry, making it the ultimate destination for brides, grooms, and anyone looking to live a life well-lived.

Amanda recently joined Over The Moon from NET-A-PORTER where she focused on Influencer and Affiliate Marketing, Brand Partnerships and VIP Client Relations. As the Director of Business Development, Amanda focuses on evolving and aligning the several different facets that make up Over The Moon with keen attention on VIP Client engagement, the Bridal and Bridesmaid Styling Program and the universal Wedding Registry.

A graduate of Duke University, Amanda currently lives in New York City with her husband and 2 year old son.

• Editor in Chief, Belle The Magazine
• bellethemagazine.com

Alejandra (Alex) Baca is the Founder and Editor in Chief of the award winning wedding blog, Belle The Magazine and a wedding industry educator specializing in Pinterest, Multicultural Marketing, and DE&I.

Alejandra Is a multi-passionate creative professional with a love for the wedding industry where she has more than 17 years of experience. She had made her mission to uplift the LatinX Event Industry. She had contributed her cultural knowledge and expertise with some of the biggest national wedding media outlets and connected members of her community with opportunities to shine..

A WeddingPro Educator for 2022, she also serves as a committee member at The National Events Council, Aisle Planner and The Knot’s Fellowship for Change.

Her publication has a great focus on high-end weddings and bridal fashion. She is a regular attendee at Bridal Fashion Week every year where she previews the news designs from international bridal designers from all around the world.

Alejandra is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. But she moved to the United States 22 years ago to attend college. She got a BA degree with a double major in Marketing and International Business, and a minor in French from UTEP. She was fortunate enough to travel around the world during her college years, but she settled down 17 years ago in El Paso, TX.

• Journalist & Storytelling Strategist
• stephaniecain.com

Stephanie Cain is a journalist and storytelling strategist in the lifestyl space, who has 15 years of experience as a magazine editor, digital producer, content marketer, and public speaker. She focuses on weddings and wine, having worked on staff at The Knot, Wine Spectator, and Elite
Traveler. Her byline has appeared in The New York Times, Fortune, Brides, Vinepair, People, Afar, PureWow, Esquire, Hamptons, and Specialty Food News, and she has been a featured wedding expert on CNBC, Bloomberg, NPR, CBS Los Angeles, and MSN.com, among others. In the past three
years, Stephanie has pivoted much of her writing to business journalism, covering the $80 billion wedding industry in the U.S. and global beverage industry.

Through her work at lifestyle publications, e-commerce companies, and venture-backed startups, she has gained adept knowledge of how to grow brands online using editorial as a tool to drive consumer action. She is the founder of Marshmallow Tannins, a storytelling strategy firm that curates the best angles for a brand, product, or portfolio company to reach an intended audience. This includes adapting to and taking advantage of new platforms in the changing media landscape. Storytelling, after all, transcends medium.

Additionally, she is a sommelier accredited by both the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (Level III) as well as a 200-hour certified yoga instructor. She holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia University and lives on the Upper East Side of
Manhattan with her husband, Vik, and daughter, Phoenix. You can view a selection of her work at stephaniecain.com.

• Managing Partner, Master Connection Associates
• masterconnection.com

• Publisher and Editor, The B Collective Magazine
• thebcollective.co

An expansive collection of breathtaking weddings and jaw dropping events from around the nation. Seeing the need for a magazine that showcases events of color, Time Magazine has partnered with Eliana to produce the publication that will feature the finest vendors in the wedding and event industry. From elaborate weddings to over the top birthday parties, the pages of B Collective Magazine showcases the growing event planning industry and how the trends are changing from season to season. In addition to seeing real events, those reading the magazine will have the opportunity to learn from some of the top wedding pros. There will be in- depth editorials that will provide wedding do’s on dont’s and insider tips on how to make your event stand out above the rest. It will inspire readers to create a day truly worth remembering.

• Associate Editorial Director, Martha Stewart Weddings
• marthastewart.com

Sarah Schreiber is the Associate Editorial Director at MarthaStewart.com, where she manages real weddings coverage. She loves that her job connects her with so many people worldwide and appreciates the role she plays in shaping the weddings of tomorrow. Schreiber is also excited by the always-evolving media landscape and enjoys finding new ways to connect with and delight the Martha audience. Schreiber is a graduate of Barnard College—Martha’s own alma mater—and currently resides in Montclair, New Jersey, where she shares a sunny apartment with her husband, Zach.

• VP of Sales Operations, Style Me Pretty
• stylemepretty.com

• President, Twah Dougherty Photography
• twahdougherty.com

• Editorial Director, Brides
• brides.com

Gabby has been the editorial director at Brides since 2022, though she previously worked for Brides from 2013 to 2017. Before rejoining the team, she served as the associate editorial director for MarthaStewart.com. She has also held positions with Martha Stewart Weddings and has been a writer and editor for over nine years.

Gabby graduated from Syracuse University with a dual BA in Magazine Journalism and English and Textual Studies and currently lives in Northern New Jersey with her husband.

• Artist, Corbin Gurkin Photography
• corbingurkin.com

• Owner | Creative Director, Invision Events
• invision.events

Julie Bunkley is the owner & creative director of Invision Events, a Birmingham, Ala. and Atlanta, Ga. based award winning design and plan firm and a co-founder alongside Courtney Wolf (Invision Events) and Wendy Kay (Birds of a Feather Events) of Educate | Empower | Encourage; a private, members-only online learning community for high achieving creatives who serve or desire to serve high end, luxury clientele. A public relations and design maven as well as a long-term, strategic visionary, Julie’s aesthetic and passion for building a brand is well over a decade in the making. Her eye is always on the long game, reminding us that a sustainable and successful business is a marathon and not a sprint. Julie and her team at Invision serve couples from coast to coast and are most well known for their refined and tailored aesthetic as well as their thoughtful and intentional approach. Featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, People, The New York Times, Fortune, BRIDES, In Style, Town & Country and Bridal Guide, they’ve been named twice by BRIDES as a Best Wedding Planner in America and by Southern Living as one of the South’s Best Wedding Planners.

• Senior Weddings Editor, The Knot
• theknot.com

Hannah Nowack is the Senior Weddings Editor at The Knot. In her scope on both print and digital, she oversees all real wedding coverage for The Knot. She also writes and edits inspirational content that encompasses everything from of-the-moment decor trends to planning advice and thought-leadership pieces. Hannah came to The Knot following a tenure at Martha Stewart Weddings. However, she initially got her start in the industry working for a full-service planner and loves that her roots in planning allow her to expertly craft service-driven content that supports vendors. In her free time, the Brooklyn-based editor enjoys biking around her city with her pup when she’s not on the hunt for the perfect G&T.

• CEO, Aisle Society
• aislesociety.com
• prettypearbride.com

Shafonne Myers is a media mogul who created the world’s only site for plus size brides, Pretty Pear Bride and is also the CEO of a top wedding media company, Aisle Society. Aisle Society is a network of over 30 wedding blogs where she owns 8 of them and has a software, Matchology, that matches wedding vendors to wedding publications to increase their marketing and publicity efforts through being featured online.

She realized that her true zone of genius is helping brides all over the world see the importance of feeling comfortable in their bodies and having the confidence to step into their true selves on their wedding day and beyond. She demonstrates this by sharing inspiration from couples of all shapes, sizes, sexual orientation and ethnicity through her media company and publications that she owns.

Her mission is to redefine the way the wedding industry sees beauty. It’s not just a one size fits all industry anymore, everyBODY deserves to feel beautiful on their wedding day. She does this through her sites, blogs and education on size inclusive marketing for wedding industry vendors and brands, so they can increase sales in their businesses, become more visible to their clients and become advocates for the inclusion of everyBODY being represented in the wedding industry.

While realizing the need for size inclusive marketing in the industry, Shafonne also noticed that the wedding industry lacked social selling and digital marketing skills. So she is creating education and training through her media company to help wedding and event pros master the art of getting seen and creating greatness online. This is done through social media marketing and sales, including creating an online personal brand, magnetic messaging and content creation, an offer ecosystem and sales funnels to generate more income, impact and influence.

• Owner, John Cain Photography
• johncainphotography.com

John ensures every bride’s confidence, every groom’s comfort, and every mother of the bride’s peace of mind throughout the wedding planning process. As a Dallas native, he guarantees his entire photography team will present themselves with elegant refinement and hospitable courtesy that is a staple of the South.

• Co-Founders, Equally Wed
• equallywed.com
• equallywedpro.com

Kirsten and Maria Palladino are a married couple who combined their skills of innovation, design, web development, writing, editing, marketing and activism to make history when they created Equally Wed, the world’s leading LGBTQ+ online wedding magazine, and Equally Wed Pro, the digital LGBTQ+ inclusive certification course and educational platform for wedding and event professionals to learn how to be more LGBTQ+ inclusive and affirming.

Kirsten Palladino (she/they) is a multi-award-winning entrepreneurial educator, writer, editor, sought-after international speaker and author. As one of the foremost experts in LGBTQ+ weddings and LGBTQ+ inclusivity since 2010, Kirsten has written for, been interviewed by and featured in myriad luminary publications including Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, New York magazine, Time magazine, Go magazine, Glamour magazine, The Knot magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, Them, AARP, A Practical Wedding and Forbes. They are a recurring in-studio guest on major news networks, such as CNN, NPR and CBS, and multiple podcasts, webinars and stages of wedding and event conferences around the globe, including Engage! Luxury Wedding Summits, WIPA, NACE, The Rising Tide Society’s Tuesdays Together, WeddingPro events by The Knot and WeddingWire, The White Dress Society Retreat, Catersource and the Bridal Masterclass Experience. Kirsten is an ongoing educator for WeddingPro and an advisor for their Fellowship for Change program. She is the author of Equally Wed: The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your LGBTQ+ Wedding (Seal Press), the first and only gender-neutral wedding planning book for LGBTQ+ couples.

Maria Palladino (she/they) has been immersed in weddings and events for 13 years, and has been instrumental in bringing LGBTQ+ weddings to the forefront of the wedding industry. They have been profiled in The New York Times, interviewed by various publications and podcasts such as Atlanta Magazine, The New York Times, AARP, The Wedding Biz and more, and interviewed as an in-studio guest on CNN. With Maria’s design and development, EquallyWed.com was a 2018 Webby Award nominee. Maria has more than 20 years of experience in branding, graphic design, web development, client onboarding, advertising, marketing, SEO and publishing.

When the couple isn’t working, they can usually be found exploring new cities, spending time with their twin preteen sons, Leo and Rocco, hiking to a waterfall or catching up with friends.

• Director of Operations, WedLuxe Media
• wedluxe.com

• Business Coaches & Owners, Ideaction Consulting
• ideactionconsulting.com

Katy and Sam Jacobson are sales, pricing and copywriting experts who help wedding pros fill their calendars with ideal clients who pay higher prices.

But Sam wasn’t born a business coach, and Katy didn’t always write website copy – both got their start selling directly to high-end couples.

Katy built her career in venues and catering, culminating with a 14-year stint as Director of Catering at Four Seasons in Dallas, Texas. In 2018, she started writing conversion copy for wedding pros’ websites.

Sam led sales for eight years at the top wedding destination venue in the Pacific NW before directing operations in luxury floral, design and production for Todd Events. Now, to stay sharp and get the edge for clients, he studies applied behavioral economics at Texas A&M’s Human Behavior Lab.

Over the past 5+ years, they’ve offered business coaching and copywriting services based on scientific principles of persuasion. They know what triggers your perfect buyers. And, more importantly, how to communicate sales and marketing messages that will convert them into clients.

Katy and Sam live on San Juan Island, Washington, with their two kiddos, several chickens, and their fluffy dog, Sophie. When not helping clients grow their businesses, they travel the world searching for the perfect bite of burrata.

This is Katy’s 10th Engage!, and 1st time speaking. Sam’s attended 15 Engage!, and shared ideas at four.

Fun fact: Katy and Sam met at Engage! in 2014 and married four years later on the exact date they fell in love in Grand Cayman.

If you see either of them, ask them the difference between conversion copy and other approaches.

• Director of Partnerships, Carats & Cake
• caratsandcake.com

Kasey Denton is the Director of Partnerships for Carats & Cake, the financial operating system for the events industry.

Kasey began her career at the legendary training program for Four Seasons Hotels + Resorts.She spent nearly two decades working at some of the industry’s most revered properties including the Four Seasons Chicago, The Pierre, and Brush Creek Ranch, both selling and servicing events as the Director of Sales.

Leveraging Carats & Cake in her last role, Kasey experienced first-hand just how effective the platform was in driving property discovery and sales. In 2017 Kasey joined Carats & Cake as the Director of Property Engagement. She knows just how invaluable it is for properties to have access to Carats. In 2021 Kasey shifted focus to providing digital support and solutions,becoming the Director of Partnerships. A creative executive with a proven track record ofexceeding goals, Kasey understands exactly what attracts the most qualified couples to a luxuryvenue and the solutions venues and property groups truly need to continue to grow.

• Founder / Editor in Chief, Maharani Weddings
• maharaniweddings.com

Based in San Francisco, Shawna Gohel started Maharani Weddings as an inspirational haven for South Asian brides-to-be. Shawna began her journey as an Indian bride, searching far and wide for ideas for her own wedding. She started Maharani Weddings in 2008 to be that source of inspiration and representation, and has since published more than 10,000 articles on South Asian weddings.

Now, Shawna and her awesome team are innovators, best known for searching out the latest South Asian wedding ideas, while educating and preserving South Asian culture and traditions. Shawna’s enthusiasm and personality is infused into every detail of Maharani Weddings, and our fervent community of brides and amazing vendors.

• Owner / Editor in Chief, Destination I Do
• destinationido.com

When Jennifer and her business partner began Destination Media 15 years ago, it was with the intent to report on all things destination wedding, honeymoon and romance travel related and to fill a gap in the wedding industry. One that would show real couples around the world celebrating their destination weddings. Jennifer’s love of the beautiful cultures and colors around the world has been central in everything printed and shared through Destination I Do. Her goal has been to bring readers helpful information to plan their weddings wherever it is in the world with whomever it is with – regardless of race or gender.

Since then, the magazine has grown from a small, glossy publication sold around the US to a sophisticated coffee table worthy product found on newsstands throughout all 50 states and 12 countries around the world. Destination I Do is also the only destination wedding magazine on the newsstands in the U.S. and one of only five national print products in the wedding category.

Connected to readers and industry experts on all fronts, Destination I Do can not only be found on newsstands but has a healthy social media network and online following.

With more than 21 years of business and publishing experience, Jennifer has seen her international business thrive and grow. She was recognized as one of the “Top 35 Entrepreneurs Under 35” and is a chosen speaker at several prestigious industry conferences and business summits. With a substantial client list, talented contributors and a growing following – Destination I Do Magazine is an icon in both the wedding and travel industries.

• CEO & Co-Founder, PartySlate
• partyslate.com

Julie is the CEO and Co-Founder of PartySlate, a photo-rich website that connects people who are planning events of all kinds with leading event planners, venues and vendors. With over 20 years of digital marketing experience with some of the biggest brands in the world, Julie has brought all of her expertise to the events industry. Since founding PartySlate in 2016, over 20,000 of the country’s top event professionals and venues have uploaded over 1 million event photos to best in class beautiful content-rich profiles. PartySlate has become a driving force in the industry allowing event professionals to share not only weddings, but also corporate events, mitzvahs, galas and milestone events. Julie is committed to helping event professionals become better digital marketers and hosted over 50 free webinars during the pandemic on topics from SEO to website best practices, Instagram to email marketing.

• soulhappy.com

Soul Happy’s founders, Tracy Zboril, M.S.W., and Cara Hewett, M.A., are both seasoned therapists who have been practicing in the field, in private practice, hospitals and clinics, for over 40 years collectively. After working with clients for decades, looking deep into how their past disappointments have had such negative impacts on their lives, the pair became frustrated with the barriers the psychotherapy industry faced. Since the beginning of their careers, they were trained in traditional therapeutic models, which can be time-consuming and costly with results that are often unsustainable. The two felt there needed to be a better way to help their clients get rid of the feelings that are holding them back from reaching their full potential.

Until recently, the psychotherapy industry did not fully understand how minds process and store memories. Within the past 10 to 12 years, there were major breakthroughs in neuroscience that Tracy and Cara utilized to develop, practice and enhance what is now the Soul Happy Technique^®.

• Founder, The Bridal Bar
• bridalbar.com

Harmony Walton is the founder of The Bridal Bar, a creative marketing and public relations agency for luxury event professionals and a concierge service for couples to connect with those companies. With over 18 years of marketing and editorial experience in the wedding industry, Harmony’s passion is connecting couples with brands and brands with opportunities to increase their market share. She has helped launch dozens of successful wedding businesses, re-positioned older companies within the changing market and supported countless wedding industry clients both online and offline across the globe. Her company has been recognized around the world and featured in 100+ media outlets, including The Associated Press, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Entertainment Tonight, People Magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings and many more.
In addition, Harmony is the host of Bridal Bar Radio on iHeartRadio and the editor of Jet Fete by Bridal Bar, a destination weddings and honeymoons blogsite. Harmony also writes for and contributes to several wedding media outlets throughout the year.

• President, Meister Innovative Consulting
• meisterinnovative.com

Jill Meister is the President of Meister Innovative Consulting, a comprehensive consulting firm specializing in all aspects of the media industry, including on-camera coaching, media strategy, as well as television, web, and podcast production.  With over twenty years of experience in both news and entertainment, Jill provides her clients with a unique perspective on how to achieve and leverage successful media exposure.  Jill uses cutting edge strategies, innovative preparation techniques, and a personalized approach to meet the specific needs of each client in an industry which is evolving every minute of every day.

Jill spent a decade working in network news, including NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw at their 30 Rockefeller Center headquarters.  As a Producer at CBS’ The Early Show, Jill traveled all over the country, managing both live and taped components for the program.  She developed, supervised and produced hundreds of segments ranging from breaking international, political, and entertainment news to lifestyle features on weddings, parenting, gardening, fitness, fashion, travel, technology, cooking, and beauty. In addition, she coordinated and produced live concerts with many of the biggest names in the recording industry. Jill’s portfolio also includes creating and producing story content for web, podcast, and print platforms. Her production work has also appeared on Broadway. While she continues to consult and produce lifestyle content for media outlets and train clients for their on-air appearances, she is also a frequent guest speaker at events and symposiums where she discusses the constantly changing media industry.

• shiramisu.com

Shira is a seasoned bridesmaid, and a sucker for a great first dance song, anything calligraphed, breathtaking photographs, family heirlooms, and a well-made cocktail. Her love of all things bridal began in elementary school when she dressed up as a bride for Halloween in a “gown” made by her mother.

Professionally, she is the former Real Weddings Editor of Martha Stewart Weddings, where she spent more than a decade immersing herself in all things weddings. Styling, producing, curating, and writing about real weddings provided her with the foundation for what she now does through her own consulting company. Since starting shiramisu, she has continued working in media, contributing to MSW, Harper’s Bazaar, Domino, and Carats & Cake. And she has traveled the country to style weddings with an editorial perspective and the desire to tell each couple’s story.

Even though she’s seen (and heard and written) about her fair share of weddings, it never gets old. Because she loves weddings, and the people who make them happen. Now she’s all about connecting with and supporting those people, working with them in a multitude of ways like portfolio reviews, website audits, gallery curation, and on-site styling. Shira keeps it real no matter what—be it with a round of honest feedback or encouragement, or some hardcore brainstorming. Because the only thing that should be coated in sugar in the world of weddings is the cake.

• President, Engaging Concepts Inc and Co-Founder Engage! Summits

Rebecca Grinnals is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on the business of weddings & honeymoons. She is the founder and President of wedding and honeymoon industry consulting firm, Engaging Concepts based in Celebration, FL. Rebecca is a sought after industry consultant, speaker, trainer and business trend expert. She has been a featured guest on CBS’ “The Early Show,” CNN, Entertainment Tonight, CNBC and hundreds of other national and international television & radio programs. She was named as a BIZBASH Event Innovator 2014: Most Innovative People in Events and Meetings. She serves as the Chairperson of the Leadership Advisory Board of WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association) and was recently named as one of the “Top Ten Social Media Influencers in the Wedding Industry” by WedBiz Journal.

Prior to creating Engaging Concepts, Rebecca co-founded Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons for The Walt Disney Company, and spent ten years developing the concept into an unprecedented success. She directed the complete branding strategy, development and implementation of the program, building it into almost a $100 million per year business for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the Disney Cruise Line. These efforts resulted in over 20,000 weddings and the coveted status for Disney as the # 1 Domestic Honeymoon Destination.

She has been quoted in scores of wedding & honeymoon related articles including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, Cosmopolitan & BRIDE’S to name just a few. She has directly produced wedding events and remotes for, among others, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The TODAY Show” and “Good Morning America.”

Rebecca has orchestrated some of the industry’s most innovative wedding related promotions and partnerships including the Sandals & Beaches Resorts groundbreaking partnerships with Celebrity Wedding Designer Preston Bailey and Cake “Diva” Sylvia Weinstock, the Guinness World Record setting “World’s Largest Vow Renewal” for Harley-Davidson, The Travel Channel’s 6-episode series featuring The Cayman Islands (“Weddings Away-Cayman Islands”), My Destination Wedding with The Knot on the STYLE Network and promotions with top industry brands such as Ritz-Carlton, Martha Stewart Weddings/MSLO, BRIDE’S Magazine, The Knot, the Platinum Guild, American Express, Crate & Barrel and many more.

In 2008, she and Kathryn Arce created an innovative series of luxury wedding business summits called engage! which twice a year bring together 350 of the wedding industries key influencers, thought leaders and tastemakers from around the globe to connect and exchange ideas, innovate and be inspired to take their successful businesses and, in turn, the wedding industry to the next level. All sixteen engage! events to date have been complete advance sell outs with top wedding professionals participating from over 45 states and 30 countries and have met with rave reviews from attendees and speakers alike.

Clients of Engaging Concepts include :: The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Hilton Worldwide, Sandals & Beaches Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Asia-Pacific, Loews Hotels & Resorts, Palace Resorts, Hard Rock Resorts International, the Tavistock Group, Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises, Harley-Davidson, the Kessler Collection, Disneyland Resort, various developers and venture capital firms as well as hotels & resorts in China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Barbados, throughout the US & Caribbean and many leading luxury wedding and event professionals worldwide.

Rebecca worked with renowned wedding planner Marcy Blum on Billy Joel’s wedding and also with wedding design guru Preston Bailey on Donald & Melania Trump’s wedding.

She speaks and consults around the world on the business of weddings.

• Co-Founder of Engage! Luxury Wedding Business Summits + Managing Director of Engaging Concepts

Kathryn Arce is the Co-Founder of Engage! Luxury Wedding Business Summits and Managing Director of Engaging Concepts. Her command of flawless event execution is second to none. She focuses on exacting event service performance and detailed operations and provides clients with clear and strategic industry best practices. She has been instrumental in developing powerful wedding and event service tools that result in increased business revenues. Additionally, Kathryn creates dynamic and functional wedding and event sales & service processes and standard operating guidelines.

A logistical maverick, she and Rebecca Grinnals created an innovative series of luxury wedding business summits in 2008 called Engage! which twice a year bring together 350 of the wedding industries key influencers and tastemakers from around the world to exchange ideas, network and be inspired to take their businesses to the next level of success. All sixteen engage! events have been complete sell outs and met with rave reviews from attendees and speakers alike.

Kathryn brings over 25 years experience in the wedding industry. Her career began as a Wedding Event Manager for Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, where she personally planned and executed hundreds of weddings and related events. With an unyielding penchant for phenomenal customer service, Kathryn was instrumental in developing the high standards of service Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings is known for today. She stepped away from the wonderful world of weddings and was the Manager of Guest Services for the flagship Disney Store on Fifth Avenue in New York City where, for two years, she facilitated all VIP Programs & Events.

Kathryn’s extensive guest service training and vast real-world wedding and event planning experience is an invaluable resource for clients looking to “raise the bar” of their wedding programs. She has penned numerous articles on destination weddings and honeymoons which have been published in several travel magazines throughout the US and Caribbean. Kathryn has interviewed scores of wedding couples to capture the essence of their “Real Weddings” for promotion of various hotel and resort destinations and venues alike.

She has produced events and live remotes for The TODAY Show, CBS’s The Early Show and “LIVE with Regis & Kathie Lee.” While living in NYC, Kathryn worked with renowned wedding and special event planner Marcy Blum on high profile events at The Rainbow Room, The Metropolitan Club, The St. Regis and The Pierre.Kathryn worked on such notable weddings as those of Billy Joel & Katie Lee, Donald & Melania Trump, basketball legend Horace Grant, famed novelist Tom Clancy and television writers & producers Jennifer Philbin & Michael Schur.

She was named as a BIZBASH Event Innovator 2014: Most Innovative People in Events and Meetings.