August 2020 Newsletter

AUGUST 2020 NEWSLETTER

Hello August! If you had told me back in March that I would still be in complete lockdown in August I would have said you were crazy…but here we are. In Northern California we are still unable to have events of any size, can’t go get our hair cut inside a salon, can’t eat inside of a restaurant, and are required to wear masks in public at all times. I’m not going to lie…I’m getting a little jealous of those of you who are able to do those things! But I know that cases are still surging here in California and I will do whatever it takes in order for us to get to the point where we can start having weddings again because I miss them so much! I’ve learned a lot during these past 4 months, but perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned is the power of positivity. It’s something that I’m working hard to be mindful of, as it isn’t second nature to me right now, but feeling hopeful instead of hopeless is making life a little easier to handle right now. It may seem like finding the positives in life right now is difficult, but I promise you they’re out there. You might have to change your outlook and expectations a little bit, but once you do I promise that you’ll find positivity around every corner. Speaking of positivity, I have some positive updates to share. We’re excited to announce that starting in 2021 the International Board will have a Director of Diversity & Inclusion on the board, and we are recommending that every chapter board has one as well. We are also in the final steps of hiring a Diversity & Inclusion consultant who will be working closely with our Diversity & Inclusion Committee to ensure that WIPA continues to serve as a mirror of the wedding industry as a whole. While we have always championed diversity and inclusion, we are excited to learn more and grow in support of our BIPOC and LGBTQIA family, friends, and colleagues. So in closing I leave you with the words of Confucius: “If you are positive, you’ll see opportunities instead of obstacles.” Here’s to turning today’s obstacles into tomorrow’s opportunities! Kevin M. Dennis, CPCE 2020 WIPA President

All members are invited to attend any scheduled Webinar from WIPA or WIPA chapters as we continue to focus on educational efforts. Registration links for these virtual events can be found on the chapter page online on WIPA.org/upcoming-webinars. Wednesday, August 5 (11:00 AM Pacific) Andy Kushner TIps for Dealing with Stress Monday, August 10 WIPA Chicago Tiffany Harper From Unconscious Bias to Conscious Inclusion WIPA Wednesday, August 12 WIPA DC Julie Novack 7 Ways to Make Your Website More Engaging & SEO Friendly Tuesday, August 18 WIPA Seattle Sam Jacobson Building Value: How to Optimize your Website’s 'About’ Page
The Event & Leadership Challenge August 10-21, 2020 WIPA Board Member and Communications Director Julie Novack of Party Slate is among the presenters slated for the 10-day Leadership Challenge set for August 10-21, 2020. The Event & Leadership Challenge will feature Industry Professionals, Top Business Leaders, and Marketing Executives and other industry leaders. The Event & Leadership Challenge is an amazing opportunity to learn from Top Experts who will help you with Sales, Marketing, Mindset, Business, Growth Strategies. Click Here For More Information.


During these uncertain times WIPA have made our Webinar videos open to all. Go to WIPA.org and visit the Webinar Library to view these and more videos. (August is the last month that Webinars are open to non-members of WIPA.)

Awards of Excellence 2020 Postponed From J.Wilbur Smith, WIPA International Director of Professional Development After speaking to members across the country, last month the WIPA Board voted to postpone the 2020 awards in light of the pandemic and devastation across our industry. With the challenges most all of us have faced, I feel we should support our members and make a united stand to continue to support them as a whole. I personally feel this is the wrong time to ask for their awards entry fees. Monetarily speaking, this would also save them travel and hotel stays (and all things that come with awards galas). WIPA must continue to concentrate its efforts for the industry’s well being until all areas open up again. Once the awards are open next year, we will extend the eligibility for the timeframe to include weddings from 2019 until June 30th, 2021 – culminating in an even larger, more highly attended event – and a great time to celebrate as one!

See what's new and what members are making news.	Visit the Webinars page on WIPA.org to learn about future Webinar schedules.


Our new job board is online at www.wipa.works.	Please take some time and see who joined WIPA this month.