Here come the brides - finally. After nearly two years of postponements and cancellations, 2022 and 2023 are poised to see an onslaught of weddings, and Catersource + The Special Event has got your insider's look at what to expect.
Honest Mistakes in Business, As Told by Wedding Industry Veterans
Thursday, May 5 at 1:00 p.m.
Presented by Nora Sheils (Co-Founder, Rock Paper Coin); Bron Hansboro (Founder and Owner , OFD Consulting); Courtney Hopper (Co-Founder, Hustle + Gather); and Renee Dalo (Founder and Owner, Moxie Bright Events)
To err is human — mistakes happen. For many entrepreneurs, the smallest slip-up can feel like a colossal failure. Yet, the reality is that everybody learns hard lessons from time to time — even those that seemingly have it all together. Listen to a panel of experts share their own business mistakes, how they learned from them, and why they believe failure isn't a bad thing. This session is a frank, candid discussion that will remind attendees that success is born out of mistakes and ensure everyone leaves knowing they're in good company.
Big Fat Indian Weddings
Wednesday, May 4 at 4:00 p.m.
Presented by Ruchir Mewawala (Guru of Luxury Ethnic (South Asian) Weddings & Special Events Worldwide, Rose Events Planners)
Ruchir Mewawala a.k.a The (Indian) Wedding Guru is the pioneer of planning multi-day, multi-location, multi-million dollar, Luxury South Asian Weddings in North America circa the early 2000s. He has since planned countless Ethnic weddings on weTV's Platinum Weddings and now consults for five star hotels and resorts from Italy to Istanbul on the subject of these lavish celebrations. Join him in this session, as he transports you from Hindu traditions in ancient India to Gay Indian Weddings for the LGBT market as close to Anaheim and from Sangeets filled with Helicopter arrivals to a Groom's double Baraat on Elephants, this year's TSE attendees are sure to walk away with ideas for creating cultural experiences for their clients, like none other!
We're in This Together: Selling Comfort, Compassion, and Culture in Weddings
Wednesday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m.
Presented by Kristy Rice (Owner, Momental Designs)
Engaged couples entering the planning process during the COVID era are understandably fearful and uncertain of the journey that lies ahead. These newly engaged couples are prioritizing the vendor-client relationship in a huge way; they want trust, comfort, and deeper connections than ever before. So, while you know without a doubt that you can deliver that experience, how can you showcase that empathy, equity, and compassion genuinely in your selling points and beyond? In this talk, Kristy Rice of Momental Designs will break down the science of client touchpoints and teach attendees how they can build trust from beginning to end with engaged clients.
Four Weddings, Four Budgets - For Profit in the Post-Pandemic World
Wednesday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m.
Presented by Jaclyn Watson (Principle Planner, Jaclyn Watson Events)
The three most used wedding budget words are average, luxury, and ultra-luxury. But these words mean different things to different people, depending upon the state(s) you work in. Join wedding planner Jackie Watson as she offers advice on what you need to charge—now—in 2022. This is not your pre-pandemic market anymore. Learn how to plan, prepare and perform with purpose for your sales in 2022 and beyond!
Clean Slate: Reinventing Yourself to Keep Up with the Ever-Evolving Wedding Industry
Wednesday, May 4 at 1:00 p.m.
Presented by Bron Hansboro (Founder and Owner , The Flower Guy Bron); Gretchen Culver (Founder and Owner, Rocket Science Events); Renee Sabo (Founder and Owner, Urban Soiree); Margaux Fraise (Founder and Owner , Harmony Creative Studio); and Dana Kadwell (Co-Founder, Hustle + Gather)
Creative entrepreneurs are idea generators and, for many, there's always another act up their sleeve. The innovative nature of wedding professionals is what keeps the industry fresh and interesting — but putting new ideas into action can feel like a lot of weight to carry on top of an existing workload. Tune in as top wedding pros discuss their own experiences with career pivots and business redirections, sharing valuable insights about finding inspiration, balancing multiple brands, marketing a new business line, and making more money in the new wedding industry landscape.
What Luxury Wedding Clients Really Want
Tuesday. May 3 at 4:00 p.m.
Presented by Paulina Corvi (Founder & CEO, Events by Paulina)
We all want to work with ultra-high net worth clients in the wedding industry, but how exactly do we approach this type of clientele? What are some tips for winning their business? In this session, Paulina Corvi, Founder & CEO of Events by Paulina, shares her go-to business best practices from her almost decade-long experience working at J.P. Morgan Private Bank before becoming a luxury destination wedding planner. Learn the rules of engagement to take your business to the next level.
2022/2023 Global Wedding Trends
Tuesday, May 3 at 4:00 p.m.
Presented by Tara Melvin (Founder | Creative Director, Perfect Planning Events)
Each year, a collective of the top wedding professionals globally share their insight into what's going to be big in the coming year—from food, beverage and decor to destinations, florals and colors. In this robust session, Tara Melvin will present the 2022/23 Global Wedding Trend Report, dissecting what's in around the world, what's out, and what's next.
Couple Insights: What You Need to Know About the Next Generation
Tuesday, May 3 at 10:00 a.m.
Presented by Meghan Brown (Director of Marketing, The Knot Worldwide)
In this session, Meghan Brown, Director of Marketing at The Knot Worldwide will share everything you need to know about the 2022 couple all based on recent research studies from The Knot Worldwide. Get the inside scoop on what couples value, how they buy, how to tailor your business practices to them, and so much more!
