Hey everyone! We just finished up 4 amazing days of learning and networking at the ISSE Dominican Republic at the gorgeous Sanctuary Cap Cana, and I am just glowing with excitement and pride {and a tan} over how absolutely perfect the whole Experience was! Every one of the attendees and speakers are going home motivated, inspired, and most importantly, with actionable tools that they can use to succeed in the wedding industry – and not to forget, lots of new friends! From parties on the beach with yummy cocktails and delicious food to the break-out sessions where attendees could participate in a smaller session with a celebrity guest speaker, every moment of this wonderful Experience provided an opportunity to learn and grow.

One of the many sessions we discussed over the past few days was branding your business, and I am a big believer in leading by example. So, I thought I would share a small sneak peek into the ISSE DR with some of our beautifully branded materials {check out the fabulous bright and beachy stripes!} created by our ridiculously talented sponsor and my good friend Tifany Wunschl at  Gourmet Invitations!! The afternoon of arrivals the hubs and I went out on and had a fun photo shoot with all of the paper goodness!  Stay tuned for future blogs with all the deets and lots of fun pics from our time in the DR!

Thanks to everyone who joined us at ISSE DR – attendees, sponsors and speakers – you all made this an Experience unlike any other, and I can’t wait to continue learning and growing with all of you!

If you’re looking at these pictures and are wondering how you could have possibly missed out on this fun networking and learning opportunity with your peers in such a drop-dead gorgeous location {just look at those blue skies and seas!!}, we’ve got another 4-day Experience up our sleeves for later this year, so make sure to check for updates here!

Full ISSE Dominican Republic recap, video, pictures and blog post COMING SOON!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone! Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA over the last few days, but I was super busy working with my team on getting the Spring Issue of ISS Magazine completed – and I am so excited to share it with you and to give you a sneak peek under the cover!

The coveted Cover Feature for this issue is…Troy and Aimee Grover of Troy Grover Photographers! Not only do they take the most beautiful photos, but they work together as a husband and wife team. If you’re as intrigued as I was about how they manage to work together effectively and balance their work life with their home life, you will definitely want to read their story!

 This issue is chock full of helpful advice and actionable tools to help your business succeed, from marketing tips for a small budget to tips on improving your SEO and mobilizing your website. And of course, expect to be inspired by gorgeous stylized shoots, fun must-have products and stories of how your fellow entrepreneurs are finding success in the wedding biz!

This issue is also featuring Celebrity Event Designer Preston Bailey – sure, you’ve seen his jaw-dropping events where he completely transforms a room, but did you know that at the age of 30 he was flat broke? Or that he’s an active blogger? Learn more than you ever expected about this extraordinarily talented and passionate man that each and everyone of us look up to.

Let me guess – before you checked out today’s ISS Smart Blog, were you pinning away on Pinterest?? Well, what if I told you that Pinterest can be so much more than a guilty pleasure or a place to find fab recipes?  It can be a way to effectively grow your biz, and in this issue we’ll tell you how.

Got a pretty website, but not a lot of leads? You can read up on quick and easy changes you can make to your website to turn website visitors into leads in no time – whether you’ve got a few minutes or a few hours, we’ve got the info on what you can do to make your website start working for you.

 If you haven’t subscribed yet for your copy, what are you waiting for?? This is a magazine designed specifically for the wedding entrepreneur, and it has pages upon pages of info to help your grow your business. Subscribe here today!

Ines Di Santo was one of the fabulous speakers offering her helpful advice and insights this past week at ISSE Dominican Republic, so what could be more appropriate than using this opportunity to share her latest bridal gown collection so that we can get to know a little bit more about her?!

Ines Di Santo took her inspiration from stylish women {both on and off camera} who dress in the most chic and memorable gowns, creating dresses for this type of woman using only the highest quality of fabrics. The feel of this collection is sophisticated elegance and modern glamour, with tiers, ruffles, embellishments and lace adding a traditional flair to contemporary silhouettes. The gowns range the gamut from body hugging trumpet gowns to princess ballgowns, with everything from illusion necklines to one shoulder and strapless dresses. There are even shorter gowns for the leggy ladies and black dresses for brides who dare to do something different.

What do you think of the Ines Di Santo collection? How do you feel about the black gown trend? Tell us in the comments below!

For all of you who attended ISSE North Carolina and can’t wait to see all the awesome pics, or for those of you who are curious about what exactly goes on at one of these ISS Experiences, I present to you the ISSE NC recap!!

A picture’s worth a thousand words, so you can understand how I can’t even begin to express how much fun we all had at this first stop of the 2012 ISSE Tour!! The Cotton Room Durham was the perfect location, with its historic feel, exposed brick and large windows – I can certainly see why so many brides choose to get married there! We kicked off the Experience with an amazing Welcome Party, where attendees and our celeb guest speakers had a chance to meet, mingle and enjoy the Tarheel Blue and ISS Green theme, cocktails and some delicious southern style food! Chicken and Waffles? Yes, please! Of course we all know how much I love cupcakes, so what would a party be without a cup cake food truck parked outside delivering delicious treats?? {Southern Cake Queen, I bow before your scrumptious goodies!} Ice luge anybody? Thanks to Ice Occasions of NC, we had that too!! We also had the unique experience of having a custom painting created of the Experience literally as the party unfolded to have as a keepsake – I am still floored by how amazing it turned out – thank you Tesh Live Wedding & Event Paintings!!

Not only was there plenty of munching and mingling going on, but DJ Joe Bunn and Celeb Cake Designer Jay Qualls got the party really going out on the dance floor, and attendees {and Celeb Event Designer Preston Bailey!} let their hair down goofing off at the photo booth. We had so much fun but couldn’t stay out too late, because we had a whole day of learning and inspiration ahead of us!!

The next day attendees grabbed their gift bags filled with Tarheel Blue and ISS green goodies and made their way to the tables, where even more of the color theme awaited them with water bottle labels {awesome job, Need Some Water!} and amazing paper products from Gourmet Invitations. Oh, and I would be crazy to not send a massive shout-out to Eric McLean Events, T. Michelle Events and Sandie for pulling everything together – it all looked fab!!!

This day was all about learning in a fun environment, so we kept the atmosphere fun and light as we discussed branding, social media and entrepreneurship, with several of the attendees offering their own experiences and advice and asking questions that helped us all better understand how to succeed! Then, everyone was a bit start-struck and absolutely honored to have Preston Bailey come up on stage and discuss his own personal journey to where he is today, taking questions and offering his advice for how to make it in the biz. For everyone in the room looking to get published {yep, that should be everyone!}, Brooke Thomas, the creative director of Weddings Unveiled Magazine, shared her insights on everything from the importance of being published to how to decide where to submit your work – invaluable info that I know each of us is putting into action as we speak!

Then we all put on our Tarheel blue shades {def a fashionable bunch!} and Jay Qualls and I danced down the aisle to the front of the room, where Jay discussed his experiences as a TV Star and how any wedding pro can get on TV. I can’t wait to turn on my TV and see all of your lovely faces smiling back at me! Of course we can’t go all day without some snacks, and thanks to Curlicues & Confections we had delicious themed treats, and we all enjoyed a beautiful sit-down lunch provided by Triangle Catering.

Everyone left at the end of the day full of food, full of information and actionable business tools, and with cell phones filled with new contacts from all the new friends we made. This first stop on the Experience tour was AWESOME and I can’t even begin to imagine how much fun we are going to have this year as we network and learn our way across the country!!! And make sure to check out ALL of the amazing pics by Vesic Photography here!

Thanks again to all of our amazing speakers, sponsors, and of course the attendees!!

Sponsors: {Photography}: Vesic Photography; {Cupcake Truck}: Southern Cake Queen;{Customized Painting}: Tesh Live Wedding & Event Paintings, IWP Photography; {Photo Booth}: Party N Post; {DJ}: Joe Bunn DJ Company; {Event Coordinator}: T. Michelle Events; {Event Design}: Erin McLean Events; {Videography}: Heart Stone Films; {Hair & Makeup}: Makeup For Your Day; {Candy Buffet}: Curlicues & Confections; {Venue}: The Cotton Room; {Catering}: Triangle Catering; {Journals}: Carolina Pad; Mojuba Wedding; {Linens}: CE Rental; {Stationery}: Gourmet Invitations; {Tarheel Cookies}: Cloud 9 Confections; {Social Media}: Wedding Row Charlotte; {Flowers}: English Garden; {Water Bottles}: Custom Bottles of Water; {Ice Sculpture}: Ice Occasions of NC; {Media Partner}: WeddingWire

I am so excited to share the stunning looks from the Angel Sanchez runway show at Bridal Fashion Week! Angel is one of my fave wedding gown designers, with absolutely gorgeous modern wedding gowns that still have that classic wedding feel.

Hi Angel!

This year, I fell in love with the beautiful geometric and asymmetric detailing, the use of sequins and silver beading, the floral and feather appliqués and the embossed fabrics – absolutely stunning! Angel sent several different and interesting necklines down the runway in addition to the more traditional strapless and spaghetti strapped gowns, offering brides a beautiful array of choices with a deep v-neck, a contemporary cut-out one-shoulder and a high illusion neckline. Like his fellow Celebrity Gown Designer Oscar de la Renta, Angel gave the brides something blue with a light blue organza gown and a light blue tulle and silk gown – but what I loved so much about these gowns is that the blue is so light and subtle that you can absolutely see brides wearing these gowns for a not quite traditional spring wedding.

Ok, ok, I know…you want to see the gowns! So without further ado, feast your eyes on the Angel Sanchez runway show from Bridal Fashion Week in NYC!

What do you think of the new Angel Sanchez collection? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Photographer: Dan Lecca

Monday was the official start of the Inspire Smart Success Experience Tour 2012 in Durham, North Carolina, and I was absolutely thrilled with EVERYTHING!!

A big shout out to everyone who worked so hard to make this stop on our tour such a wonderful success, and a big thank you to Michelle and her entire team at the gorgeous Cotton Room in historic Durham for providing us with the perfect venue.

When I’m a bit less completely exhausted I will post lots of pretty pics for the curious among you to see what exactly went down in NC {and of course, what the color theme for this stop was!}, but I did just want to say that I met so many wonderful new wedding vendors that inspired me, and I am so looking forward to seeing what you each take away from this Experience and use towards successfully growing your businesses.

The Welcome Party was SO much fun, and I must admit that dancing to Joe’s spinning and a night of waffles and chicken {I hear the collective ewwwws} and meeting new friends is definitely a fab way to kick off any Experience!  But despite all the fun everyone had, I hope that most of all everyone who attended was also able to form valuable business-building as well as personal relationships with one another, and were able to learn more than they ever expected at the Experience.

Twitter Pic from ISSE NC!

The amazing Mr. Preston Bailey was true to form, inspiring all of us with his amazing words of wisdom on how to find success and how to make smart decisions to grow our businesses. Every time I am with him I feel newly motivated and inspired to get out there and conquer the world, and I always learn something new and invaluable. There’s nothing like hearing how to be a success in the wedding industry straight from the industry leader himself! Brooke Thomas shared her insights with everyone on not only how to get published, but how to actually go about successfully submitting work to better its chance of being published, and she shared what it is she looks for herself when selecting editorial submissions. TV Star and Cake Designer to the country music elite {and awesome dancer!} Jay Qualls shared just what it’s like to be on TV, and explained everything wedding pros need to know to get their businesses and ideas featured on local and national television. There are so many marketing opportunities out there, and hopefully each and every one of the ISSE NC attendees will go out there and grab them!

Twitter Pic from ISSE NC!

A BIG thank you to all of our sponsors – you all did an amazing job!!! There was great music by our DJ Joe, the paper products by Tifany rocked, The Jennifers did a beautiful job on hair and makeup, we had an awesome photo book by Kevin, a deliciously done candy bar by Nila, Toni and Chris – thanks for capturing the event on film, we had a fun cupcake truck by Emma, the tastiest food from Jennifer and Michelle at The Cotton Room, I could go on and on {and will in my full post coming soon!!}…I can’t wait to see all the pics photographed by Hooman, and Erin and Terrilynn, thank you so much for all of your hard work helping Sandie and I pull everything together!

Twitter Pic from ISSE NC!

Again, the ISSE NC event was so wonderful, I can’t even begin to imagine how much fun we’ll have and how much we’ll learn as we travel the country {and the Caribbean!} throughout the year! Stay tuned for pics from ISSE NC, and we’ll see you in the Dominican Republic!

Interested in joining us at a future ISS Experience Event? Visit us here to get the deets on the cities we’ll be heading to next!