Member News – February 2024
As always, a big shout out to our members that have made the news. Below you’ll find members that have been highlighted or otherwise recognized. Thank you to those that submitted news this month and thank you to our members that continue to push the outside of the envelope in some way.
Friar Tux celebrated the holiday season with some big publications and news! First, this stunning Bright and Pastel Shades Fill This Bridgerton-Inspired California Wedding in Style Me Pretty. Friar Tux loved the way the groom’s Black Notch Lapel Performance Tuxedo by Michael Kors popped against the blush and peach tones of the overall wedding design. Lastly, Friar Tux announced the drop of their annual Stylist Magazine! To kick off their 50th golden anniversary year, the team at Friar Tux made their Stylist Magazine even bigger and better than ever providing endless style inspo on the go for couples planning suits and tuxedos for their wedding. This year’s edition also features a handy suits and tuxedos planning timeline with a useful step by step guide to get everyone style ready in the months leading up to the big day.
Chetanprakash (CP) Heda of Esstart Inc. , recently released Instant Spotlight, the hottest innovative technology for weddings and social events. This first-ever live-streaming photo wall crowdsources photos from all your guests, allowing everyone to savor every moment together — from every perspective — in real time. These images can then be saved to every phone, shared to social media and savored indefinitely. With Instant Spotlight you can add a new revenue source to your upcoming weddings.
Launched in 2022, Esstart’s mission is to “turn screens into smiles, moments into memories, and conversations into lasting connections.” Follow Esstart on instagram for more updates or demos contact them here.Esstart.com is based in Darien, CT
WIPA Philadelphia
We brought together Philadelphia vendors this past summer to celebrate our Electric City at this neon themed event. We channeled the 90s for this design and brought in all the neon colors, bubble furniture, white acrylic and more to bring the electric vibe to life. The event was held from 3pm-6pm and included a cocktail hour, education and rooftop dessert mingle, which included gorgeous views of Center City Philadelphia. The menu included fresh summer favorites including ceviche.
Sponsors & Partners
@123sbroad – Venue
@garcesgroup – Catering
@wearethekruks – Photography
@sunnstudio.co – Video
@aka_phillyroxy – Florals
@newjunebakery – Epic Cakes
@13thstreetcocktails – Yummy Bevys
@ece_laura – Entertainment
@eastcoastentertainment – Entertainment
@onqproductionsevents – Lighting/Draping
@electrosoundsystems – A/V
@renaultwinery – Champagne
@partyrentalltd – Rentals
@visionfurniturephl – Rentals
@smthingvintage – Napkins
@kaleidoscopeimagery – @_teamroche_ Donor
@Poserphotoboothco – Photobooth
@tpddesignhouse – Stationery
@vkreckel – Speaker
@dhccphilly – ASL Interpreter
@jazminraeco_bridal – Hair & Makeup
The Leadership Development Council is WIPA’s very first standing council, which will be dedicated to fostering the growth and development of current and future WIPA leaders. Comprised of experienced and trusted WIPA past and present leaders, this Council will work closely with the Board to cultivate the next generation of leadership.
The new Leadership Development Council is fresh off of its first initiative- bringing in the first professional leadership trainer to the joint WIPA Board and President’s Retreat in Phoenix, which was a success. Our next focus will be the ongoing Virtual Live Training for Leaders. First, LDC will be hosting a Panel of Immediate Past Presidents exclusively for IPPs on February 15. We welcome any feedback on how leadership training can improve our WIPA leaders- please don’t hesitate to email Chair Meghan Ely at meghan@ofdconsulting.com with your thoughts.
Is It Time for a Legal Tune Up? A Guide for Seasoned Wedding Pros
When business is booming and your client pipeline is full, you may find that your backend operations start collecting dust. While letting your systems or processes languish is one thing, allowing the legal components of your business to go untouched can leave you at serious risk — and by the time you find out, it’s usually too late. In this session, Leah takes attendees through the legal foundation of running a company of any size and speaks to the importance of establishing a relationship with an attorney before you actually need one. She’ll explore every corner of your business from a legal standpoint, including classifying team members, updating contracts, website policies, and email marketing requirements.
