Speakers

• Lead Planner, Tara Fay Events
• tarafay.ie

In 1997 Tara Fay opened the very first event company in Ireland to specialize in parties, weddings, and corporate and social events. In 25 years of business, Tara has produced some of the country’s most high-profile events for celebrities and socialites across Ireland and Europe. Named one of the top wedding planners in the world by Harper’s Bazaar, Tara is a regular on national radio and TV and can be seen in the pages of Fortune, Hello, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, and Destination I Do, to name a few. You may also know her from her role as a co-star on RTE Ireland’s popular reality show “My Big Day: Home or Away.”

Recognized as a leader in the industry, Tara has spent the last 6 years collaborating with the National Tourism Board, Fáilte Ireland, to establish the country as one of the top luxury destination wedding locations. She is also the president of the Irish chapter of WIPA and a member of the Luxury Travel Working Group in Ireland.

Tara’s work has taken her around the globe from her hub in Dublin to Spain, the Caribbean, France, Portugal, Italy, and many more to come. 

• Chief Creative Officer, David Stark Design and Production
• davidstarkdesign.com

David Stark is a renowned New York–based event producer, designer, author, as well as Founder and Chief Creative
Officer of David Stark Design and Production, a full–service experiential marketing, event design and planning firm.
Starting out as a painter, before moving into floral design, David Stark has since been a leader and innovator in the
event industry for over 25 years.

David Stark Design and Production is celebrated for the inventive, imaginative events it creates for a wide range of
high–wattage celebrity clients and events such as Glenn Close, Brad Pitt, Mariska Hargitay, and SNL’s 40th
Anniversary, major corporations such as Target, Kiehl’s, and HBO, as well as high–visibility events and fund–raising
galas for the nation’s most elite not–for–profit organizations including The Robin Hood Foundation, The Whitney
Museum of American Art and The Metropolitan Opera.

Stark, a five–time author, is currently working on his sixth book in collaboration with designer and Culture Lab Detroit
founder, Jane Schulak entitled At the Artisan’s Table (Vendome Press) which will be released in the fall of 2022. In
2013, he released David Stark: The Art of the Party (Monacelli Press). David Stark: The Art of the Party is a visually
stunning monograph that documents David Stark Design and Production’s design philosophies, conceptual process,
and breadth of work put forth since the company’s inception in 2005. His previous books include David Stark Design
(Monacelli Press, 2010), Napkins with a Twist (Artisan, 2006), To Have & to Hold: Magical Wedding Bouquets (Artisan,
2005), and Wild Flowers: Projects and Inspirations (Clarkson Potter, 2003).

David Stark’s product collaborations and creations have included several collections for West Elm, a “store ambush“
of Haus Interior in NYC for his WOOD SHOP collection, and Paper Tales, a limited–edition collection of one–of–a–kind
art pieces produced exclusively for Bergdorf Goodman. In 2015, David collaborated with Detroit ceramicist, Victoria
Ashley Shaheen to create a line of limited–edition flower rests and vases for Culture Lab Detroit’s first ever pop–up
shop, Culture Lab Design.

“E! News,” “Access Hollywood,” “The Today Show,” and “The View” are several television shows that have called upon
David to serve as a guest expert on décor, party planning, and holiday decorating projects. David and his work are
often featured in publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, ELLE DECOR, Vogue.com, Real
Simple, Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, Glamour, Interior Design, InStyle, House Beautiful, Better
Homes and Gardens, and Town & Country, as well as on a number of design–focused blogs. In the fall of 2016, he was
inducted into the BizBash Hall of Fame. David is also an active member of the not–for–profit and design communities,
sitting on the Leadership Council of God’s Love We Deliver, the Board of Advisors for the Brooklyn Museum of Art and
the Board of Advisors for Culture Lab Detroit.

• FELISPEAKS, Poet; Performer; Playwright

FELISPEAKS is a Nigerian-Irish Poet, Performer, Playwright from Co. Longford;
currently based in Dublin City. FELISPEAKS has been nominated ‘Best Performer’ by
Dublin Fringe Festival Sep. 2018. As well as being a Member of the Poetry Ireland Board
of Directors appointed June 2020, Felicia is a member of the Poetry Collective,
WeAreGriot. FELISPEAKS’ poem: ‘For Our Mothers’ is in the English Ordinary Level
Leaving Cert Curriculum for examination year 2023. Also in 2020, FELISPEAKS was
commissioned a new piece for RTÉ’s The Big Picture on the theme of ‘the New Normal’ –
this poem, entitled Still captured the minds of the nation and has been performed to
audiences all over the country.

In 2021, FELISPEAKS continued to climb, with a Visual Carlow Residency and
Arts Council Bursary supporting her work. She wrote and performed Do You Miss It?,
commissioned by Guinness for their national advertising campaign, ‘The Best of the Pub’.
She also wrote More Than Ever for Tullamore Dew X District Magazine advertising
collaboration, performed by Adam Mohammed. FELISPEAKS has also recently performed
at ‘Dignity, A Celebration of Bob Dylan at 80’ at the US Ambassador’s Residence, and was
nominated for JCI Ireland’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the Year in the category of
Cultural Achievement. FELISPEAKS ends 2021 as an Irish Tatler Woman of the Year with
a win in the Catalyst Category – which recognises a woman who has affected change in
Irish society in a pivotal way!

FELISPEAKS performed her commissioned poetry at CONCERN’s 50th
Anniversary in Dublin Castle in September 2018. It included speakers such as UN
Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, President of Ireland Michael D.
Higgins, President Bill Clinton and Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson. Felicia
has also been honored with an award by the (APNI) African Professional Network of
Ireland for her unique contribution to the art scene in Dublin City, December 2017.
FELISPEAKS is currently enjoying creating poetry and performance pieces that always
promise to introduce her audience to the journey of emotion in every story. Honored to
share her thought processes about life’s experiences and her passions on stage;
FELISPEAKS hopes to inspire thought, excitement and perspective.
FEISPEAKS has graced some prestigious stages such as National Concert
Hall, Dublin Castle, opening for THISISPOPBABY’S RIOT show and Kate Tempest on
the Vicar St stage as well as for Saul Williams on the Sugar Club stage, Olympia
Theatre in response to Repeal the 8th, Theatre Stage at Electric Picnic, Smock Alley
Theatre in 2018 and 2019. Felispeaks has also participated in festivals such as Mother
Tongues Festival (Talkatives, February 2020 Tallaght ), Women and Children First in
Ghent, Belgium March 2020, St. Patrick’s Festival 2018, 2019, 2020; First Fortnight
Festival, Dublin 2018, 2020; Dublin Fringe Festival 2018, 2019; Wexford Literary
Festival 2019, Cuirt International Galway Festival 2019, Electric Picnic 2018,
O’Bheal Winter Warmer Festival Cork 2018, and Waterford Writers Weekend 2020.

• Talent Manager, Frost and Sea
• frostandsea.com

For nearly two decades, Ashley Powell has been crafting a multifaceted career by holding roles as a casting director, brand manager, jewelry designer, voiceover artist, model scout, and talent agent. Collaborating with Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs in a multitude of industries has allowed Ashley to create relationships with a diverse and unique clientele. With a never-ending curiosity to uncover and forecast the latest in modern marketing coupled with her instinct for emerging talent she closely observed the rise of the ‘new’ celebrity – the Influencer. It would take a global pandemic to open the space to allow Ashley to connect the dots of her earlier years selling wedding dresses in bridal boutiques for her to forecast a rise of the Influencer in the bridal and wedding industries. It was then that she made her way back to the world of love and opened her business, Frost and Sea.

Today, Ashley is a talent manager representing the top bridal and wedding influencers, globally. As a talent manager, she plays a key role in supercharging her client’s brand and career ambitions by identifying their clear value proposition – through the lens of social media. Her company, Frost and Sea offers talent management services and influencer casting exclusively for the bridal and wedding industry; with the inspiration to diversify the digital space, create and fuel authentic brand partnerships, and develop rising talent. Ashley’s personable and holistic approach to talent management and strategic partnerships remains authentic to her Midwest roots and global perspectives. She divides her time between Lake Tahoe and Los Angeles with dreams of someday settling in the English countryside.

• Bridal & Lifestyle Influencer
• instagram.com/abentpieceofwire

• President and Founder, Robyn Duda Creative
• robynduda.com

She is also the founder of Change the Stage which looks to elevate underrepresented voices in events. Prior to her entrepreneurial adventures, Robyn was an executive at event giant UBM (now Informa) leading and reinventing experience design across the world.

• CEO|Chief Creative Officer, HMR Designs
• hmrdesigns.com

Named one of the top Wedding and Event Designers in the world by Harper’s Bazaar, VOGUE, Brides and Martha Stewart Weddings, along with being recognized as Top 40 under 40, Rishi remains one of the most highly coveted event designers among discerning clientele and notable figures alike. An advocate for fully transformative design, he specializes in celebrations of all kinds – all while adhering to the firm belief that service and guest experience are the cornerstone to great events and the definition of true luxury. From galas, to weddings, to milestone celebrations, any event is in his wheelhouse.

An educational background in Finance and an MBA from Indiana University has afforded him the ability to lead the HMR team from a fiscal perspective – though it’s his artistic passion that allows him to design the fantastical events he is known for. As much of a creative visionary as an astute business leader, Rishi’s insistence on unconventionality has continuously transformed the landscape of event design while granting him the honor of designing events for some of the most notable figures, families and organizations in the world.

A loyal Chicago native and avid traveler, Rishi regularly seeks inspiration from whatever cultural landscape he can find himself in. The destination event and wedding world has allowed Rishi and the HMR team to embrace so many incredible regions and pockets of the world to create spectacular events. Regardless of the marvelous adventures in design that await him, Rishi will always consider himself an artist at heart.

• Eventiste, Marcy Blum Associates
• 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 led 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, Easton Events
• eastonevents.com

As the creative force and co-founder of Easton Porter Group (EPG), a luxury hospitality company, Lynn Easton provides strategic vision and a well-honed stylistic eye on all elements of design and presentation for its highly acclaimed properties, including the celebrated Easton Events. The EPG portfolio is most recognized for Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, Zero George Hotel, and Cannon Green; and its exponential growth landed it a spot on the 2015 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. Whether orchestrating elegant destination weddings for Easton Events or layering texture and patina in boutique hotels, restaurants, wineries, and event venues run by Easton Porter Group, Lynn is an inspired innovator and detail-driven design expert. Her background in television production in New York City lends itself well to event production across the globe, as every Lynn Easton project, property, or marquee occasion showcases her intuitive sense of stage setting and classic but fresh design. Lynn’s reputation for “high-touch” events and impeccable attention to detail is why Easton Events is regularly found on “best of” top planner lists by Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Martha Stewart Weddings. Easton Events’ discreet client list includes individuals listed on Forbes 100, Grammy winners, Oscar winners, and an array of lifestyle influencers. Lynn divides her time between her residences in Charlottesville, VA, and Charleston, SC.

• Over The Moon; Editorial and Social Media Manager

• Owner, Laurie Arons Special Events
• lauriearons.com

Laurie Arons Special Events is a full-service event planning company, crafting beautifully designed and impeccably executed weddings and events since 1994. The team at Laurie Arons Special Events has a passion for perfection that ensures each event is spectacular and unique, from the first impression down to the smallest detail. Clients are guided through the planning process with expert advice, imaginative vision, and a warm smile at every turn, making planning the event as enjoyable and memorable as the event itself.

In 2015, the company held its inaugural Wedding Planner Masterclass by Laurie Arons to educate and inspire up-and-coming planners to further their businesses.

• Founder, Michelle Rago Destinations
• michelleragodestinations.com

Michelle Lord Rago is the Founder of Michelle Rago Destinations, an international planning and production firm established in the year 2000. Her company is based in New York City, but her client base is global. Michelle graduated from the New York Restaurant School in 1988 and most recently the Little Nell Wine Academy in Aspen, Colorado. Rago has recently been named one of the best wedding planners by Martha Stewart Weddings, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue Magazine.

Approximately half of the events Michelle produces annually are for philanthropies such as Variety The Children’s Charity of St. Louis, the American Cancer Society, Nurses for Newborns, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Many of Michelle’s events are also with repeat clients, including the Steward Family for whom she has produced events for the past 12 years. Other long-term clients include the Bissell Family and the van Beuren Family.

Michelle’s greatest strength lies in interpreting the client’s preferences, assessing the possibilities, and translating them into well-planned and well-designed affairs. The company has produced events in over 20 countries, most recently in Italy, France, Antigua, and Amsterdam. In addition, Michelle typically has 3-5 speaking engagements per year and can be found quoted in Bloomberg, Bride’s Magazine, and The New York Times.

• Lead Planner & Designer, Lea Stafford
• leastafford.com

An Oakland, California native, Lea Stafford is beyond proud to call herself a wife, a mother of two, a family gal, and an out-of-the-box creative entrepreneur. After spending years as an interior designer for the SF Bay Area luxury market, Lea decided to follow her love for fine dining; she shifted focus to a career within the world of hospitality. Lea began her career in events working for a prestigious catering company. With well over 17 years of experience in both the events and design industries, Lea is proud to say that she remains humble, motivated, and inspired. Traveling and immersing herself in new experiences allows her to continue her growth.

Having now produced and designed events ranging in size from a few attendees to thousands, such opportunities have allowed her to work on a number of events that include celebrities, dignitaries, and political figures. Modern design paired with an editorial storytelling approach is our style. Partnering with clients unwilling to play by the rules allows us to create bold and authentic events for real people and real companies. Based in the SF Bay Area, yet traveling abroad, Lea and her team focus on weddings and events that truly capture the essence of the client’s story and/or mission through highly curated experiences that underscore meaning.

In 2019 Lea decided to begin a new walk, one fueled with passion from a recurring reality. Lea is the founder of a collective of marginalized individuals within the events community, Ethos West Collective.

• Event Designer/Producer; David Beahm Experiences
• davidbeahm.com

Whether perched on a ladder at the White House festooning for the holidays; leading tiptoe tours amongst tulip fields in Holland; or dreaming up fantastical designs that defy both reality and physics; David Beahm is held in high regard as an icon of the special events world—with good reason. For almost three decades, Manhattan-based David Beahm Experiences has been astounding its clients and the public at large with inventive work and trademark lavish floral creations. David has designed countless weddings and events for society, high profile, celebrity, and Fortune 500 corporate clients earning him coveted speaking opportunities around the globe. David’s insights and designs have been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Style, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Town & Country, and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as a number of appearances on television, podcasts, and the web. From atop a pastoral hillside in Connecticut, David maintains a life-affirming and inspirational Instagram, that begat the moniker “Sage of the Soirée.”

• Founder + Director, In Good Company PR
• ingoodcompanypr.com

If you’ve come across her name, or that of her company, it’s likely they’ve been mentioned subtly or even expressed as a smile from an industry friend. You won’t find them waving any big banners about their work behind the distinguished brands they represent. That’s because their approach to PR and marketing is to become a natural extension of their clients – maybe even their best-kept secret. Natalie Denyse is the Founder and Director of In Good Company PR, a forward-thinking PR and marketing firm specializing in the premiere wedding and hospitality industry. The origins of In Good Company PR started inside a highly competitive incubator program at Northeastern University in 2015, on the heels of a demanding career Natalie spent representing Fortune 500 tech giants. For three summers, Natalie was also a production assistant for a high-end event planning firm outside of Boston. The experiences gained in the field, combined with her corporate knowledge, are the bedrock of In Good Company PR. Founded with a boutique sensibility, Natalie leads a bi-coastal team of driven marketing professionals who bring a great deal of passion, focus, and creative thinking to their work. Natalie emboldens each client to carve a path of integrity and purpose in their craft. Natalie has been a speaker on stages around the world, and is thrilled to join us at Engage! 22 in Ireland.

• Founders|Photographers, Anée Atelier
• aneeatelier.com

• Partner, Ed Libby Events
• edlibbyevents.com

As a principle member and business partner of Ed Libby Events for the past twenty-eight years, Bob has made a name for himself in the event industry by designing and producing milestone celebrations within the luxury market as well as consulting and collaborating on destination events around the world. With a background as an executive in visual merchandising, Bob has an exceptional ability to design experiential environments that thrills guests. His favorite events are those which evoke the personality and style of the hosts and guests of honor. Bob enjoys traveling both domestically and internationally to speak to event professionals about the industry, the luxury market and the changes and business challenges we all face.

• Founder|CEO, ALR Music
• alrmusic.co.uk/

Alex Le Roux graduated from Paul’s McCartney’s School of Performing Arts, LIPA, with a First Class Degree in Music. His dynamic and passionate approach to live music, as well as connections to Europe’s best young musicians, led him to found ALR Music in 2011.

ALR Music is Europe’s leading luxury music specialist and acts as a music consultant for an illustrious client list including the British Royal Family, The United States Ambassador to the UK, Cartier, Idris Elba, Simon Cowell, Google, Chanel, Jo Malone and, most recently, the Beckham/Peltz wedding.

Alex and his team of music and wedding specialists provide the entertainment for over 550 luxury events around the world each year. Whilst the head office is based in Soho, London, ALR Music operates on an international scale, running events at the top destination weddings in Ibiza, South of France, Tuscany, Marrakech and Thailand.

Following the huge success of the Beckham/Peltz wedding, ALR Music have recently opened in America and continue to expand their presence in this market.

In addition to this, ALR Music is also the powerhouse behind the music programming of top iconic London venues including Annabel’s, The Arts Club, Maison Estelle, Koko & The Twenty Two and is a listed supplier for the Historic Royal Palaces and the new CO2 neutral event venue on the Thames, ‘Oceandiva London’.

Where ALR differentiates itself is through an ability to uniquely create, develop and manage their acts in-house, with musicians drawn from specialist backgrounds including West End performers, elite session musicians (for artists such as Adele, Paul McCartney & Kylie Minogue) and award-winning DJs. 

Since founding the company, Alex has maintained his original vision of providing both an unrivalled level of service and expertise to his clients and growing an unparalleled roster of musicians who are elegant, energetic, effortlessly cool and incredibly talented.

• Founder, Master Connection Associates
• masterconnection.com

They call her the ‘Radical Mentor’ for a reason. She never stops, she says it like it is and throughout all the ups and downs of the crazy hospitality and events business, she was a light of positivity who helped many people not only survive but thrive. As the founder of Master Connection Associates, Cindy Novotny is an icon in the hospitality industry. Her specialties are leadership, sales, and customer service excellence. She is ‘a force to be reckoned with’ and brings a stage alive with energy and passion. Her exposure is vast including luxury hotels, events, automotive, and real estate. Energy, passion, and drive guarantee Cindy’s message will captivate each person in her audience. Her targeted message and popularity have no boundaries as she addresses groups across the world. Her charisma and humor combined with in-depth knowledge leave audiences with reality-based skills and actionable items. Having traveled 10 million miles, the term ‘road warrior’ may have been coined about Cindy. She has worked with executives all over the world helping them adjust their focus, improve their teams, and enhance service delivery and sales. Having logged those 10 million miles Cindy loves the smell of jet fuel in the morning, with her case packed she’s ready to embark on her next journey! Her second book “My Secret to Stamina” is in the final stages to be released in late 2022.

• Co-Producer, Engage! Summits
• engagesummits.com

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 industry 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 38 engage! events have been complete sellouts and met with rave reviews from attendees and speakers alike.

Kathryn brings over 30 years of 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 the 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 legendary wedding and special event planner Marcy Blum on high-profile events at The Rainbow Room, The Metropolitan Club, 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 a BIZBASH Event Innovator 2014: Most Innovative People in Events and Meetings.

• Co-Producer, Engage! Summits
• engagesummits.com

Rebecca Grinnals is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on the business of weddings & honeymoons. She is the founder and President of the 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 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 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 & BRIDES 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 industry’s 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 38 engage! events to date have been complete advance sellouts 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.