Mark your Calendars Wedding Pros!

As I've said before, education is an essential component to improving your craft. I've had the privilege of attending many wonderful seminars and workshops over the years, but always found myself frustrated with the lack of cost effective opportunities for those in the wedding profession.

So it is, with great pleasure, that I share with you the first in what I hope to be a series of workshops with YOU, the wedding professional, in mind.

And without any further ado, allow me to present-

Illuminate: The Workshop

April 14, 8:30am-12:30pm
The Kent Valentine House; Richmond, Virginia

Customer Service and the Bride
Jim "JB" Bostic, Choice Entertainment

Wedding PR: Getting noticed by Bridal Publications
Sarah McDonald, former Managing Editor of Richmond Bride Magazine

Networking Tactics to Get Ahead
Betsy Mangum, Ignite Speed Networking

Why the Vendor Sitting Next to you may be your Next Big Piece of Business
Meghan Ely, OFD Consulting & the Richmond Bridal Association

The early bird rate is only available through March 15, so don't delay!
http://illuminaterichmond.eventbrite.com/

This event is sponsored in part by The Kent Valentine House and Cateraide.

Learn a little more about our speakers

Betsy Mangum has more than 10 years experience in teaching, training and customer relations. After graduating from James Madison University and teaching in Maryland, North Carolina and New York City, Betsy realized that being a teacher wasn’t the perfect fit. She moved to Richmond to attend Virginia Commonwealth University where she earned a Master of Art Education. A JMU connection got her a position with the Greater Richmond Chamber where her teaching background helped her transition from teaching students to educating business people about networking. Betsy enjoyed the challenge of working with entrepreneurs, small business owners and CEO’s and spent 6 years in the membership department. Currently the Director of Pyrotechnics for Ignite Speed Networking, she enjoys creating sparks for associations and businesses, while avoiding any serious fireworks.

Richmond staple Sarah K. McDonald, a VCU mass communications graduate, was an associate editor with Richmond Magazine for more than four years. For a portion of that time she was managing editor of the twice-annual publication Richmond Bride magazine, where she did everything from cover a Hindu wedding complete with an elephant to wrangle celebrities for the successful bridal show An Artful Wedding. Today she is a freelance writer, proofreader and book editor as well as a stay-at-home mom to a 2-year-old.

An accomplished and well respected DJ, JB Bostic has entertained at virtually every type of event one can imagine for 20 years. His warm personality, vast knowledge of music, and fine-tuned attention to detail ensure brides and grooms are getting a consummate entertainer for their special occasion. He is Membership Director of the Virginia Chapter of Meeting Planners International, where he has received both the Rising Star Award and Supplier of the Year Award. He is also Vice President of the American Disc Jockey Association, Richmond Chapter. JB books exclusively through Choice Entertainment.

Owner of niche Marketing/PR firm OFD Consulting, Meghan Ely, a James Madison University graduate, began her career with the non profit Maymont Foundation, where she steadily increased sales through partnership marketing, while also re-entering the company into the bridal show market after a ten year absence. Meghan then moved to Richmond Country Club, where she designed and implemented the Club's first Banquet Marketing Plan. She has spent the majority of her career with the five star, five diamond Jefferson Hotel, where she consulted with the Marketing Team as to its placement in the Bridal Market. Meghan served as the first Public Relations Chair for the Richmond Bridal Association and more recently as their Membership Director. In Fall 2009, OFD Consulting took over management of RBA, with Meghan as its Managing Director. Meghan can also be seen as one of the co-hosts of Bridesight TV, Richmond's only local web cast show devoted to the Richmond bride. She is a contributing writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has been published in Premier Bride Magazine.