**All photos by the fabulous team at Mel & Co. unless otherwise noted**

First and absolutely foremost- a great big THANK YOU to the beautiful ladies behind Engage! (on the left), Kathryn Arce and Rebecca Grinnals. Both dynamic, intelligent, charming women. And on the right, the artists behind all the gorgeous photos; the Mel & Co. team consisting of Judith, Allen and Mel.

On the left: Catherine Cindy Leo, Wendy Dahl, Stacey Gitten, and Lindsay Longacre. On the right: Heather Allen, Valerie Romanoff and Shannon Wilson.

On the left: Erin Lepperd and Abby Larson (of Style Me Pretty). On the right: Alex Hill, Julie Hill and Anna Brewer (of Elysium Productions).

On the left: Stephanie Uchima. On the right: Ashley Richardson.

On the left: Jasmine Star, Lara Casey, and Harmony Walton. On the right: Elan and Kathy Jo Peterson.

On the left: Angel Swanson, Amber Gustafson, and Anna Brewer. On the right: Kathy Romero.

On the left: Valerie Romanoff, Michelle Rago, and Josh Friedman. On the right: Jessica Claire.

On the left: Myself and Robert Evans. On the right: Myself and Annette Palmer-Hoegner (both photos from Annette’s camera)

The conference was captured on film by the talented crew at Cloud Nine Creative, so I have to share two fabulous films that give an even better look at all that Engage!11: The Grand Del Mar was. The first is a Day One recap and the second is a wrap-up clip recapping the whole experience. Enjoy!

]]> http://www.blogbykerrie.com/2011/06/17/engage11the-grand-del-mar-the-people-and-the-videos/feed/ 2 http://www.blogbykerrie.com/2011/06/15/engage11the-grand-del-mar-day-three/ http://www.blogbykerrie.com/2011/06/15/engage11the-grand-del-mar-day-three/#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:00:09 +0000 Kerrie http://www.blogbykerrie.com/?p=3194 Day Three of Engage!11: The Grand Del Mar came wayyyyy too fast. I found myself wishing that every day could be a day at Engage!- so energized, excited, surrounded by incredible peers and spoiled rotten every minute. It truly was a dream come true and I am already plotting my next move as far as attending in the future. The finale day brought with it the pièce de résistance- the Gala. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and skip over the fun throughout the day.

Breakfast of course kicked things off- I had to post a few pics as it further proves my point- no detail left untouched. The buffet included the most artful abundance of exotic fruit I have ever seen and delicate (and delicious!) pastries, among so much more. After fueling up we started with a Media Panel featuring a discussion between key media players in our industry- Abby Larson (of Style Me Pretty), Angela Desveaux (of WedLuxe), Susan Moynihan (of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons), Marilyn Oliveira (of Inside Weddings), Christy Weber (of Junebug Weddings) and Jill Meister (of Meister Innovative Consulting).  And of course we can’t forget the lively moderator Michelle Rago (love her!). Their honest insight into how to best get exposure, obstacles to getting published, and other tidbits was eye-opening and informative.

Small breakout sessions followed and I started off with the dynamic trio of Harmony Walton (of The Bridal Bar), Jasmine Star, and Lara Casey. They have me on a mission to take a closer look at my brand, my image, and how to position myself to attract the clients that I want! Sean Low was my next stop, with his genius approach to the business of being creative. And last but not least I enjoyed a very candid session with Ellen Lehr (of Lehr & Black)- her family-run business has stood the test of time, and it was great to hear stories of just how that has been possible. And not to mention ooh and ahh over her selection of luxury invites she brought along, many of which boasted celebrity names in the typeface:)

**All photos by the fabulous team at Mel & Co. unless otherwise noted**

Onto the Gala- the party to beat all parties! Mindy Weiss and her team planned and conceived the design- working with an incredible vendor team including Mark’s Garden, Revelry, Lehr & Black, Hire Elegance and Classic Party Rentals. The color story for the evening followed that for the entire Engage!11: The Grand Del Mar event- crimson, noir and cream with silver added in for good measure. The whole evening was absolute perfection; and thanks to West Coast Music and DJ Nahchey we were kept rockin’ and rollin’ the whole time. During dinner- we experienced not one, not two, but THREE different musical acts including The Valli Boys, Impulse, and a fabulous soul vocal quartet. DJ Nahchey ruled the after-party with his awesome beats. A decadent five-course menu was a fitting end to the week of amazing food- even until the last song we were tempted with deliciousness as servers circulated the after-party with overflowing trays of FatBurger. Happy and full, I left the evening with a sense of empowerment and a fire in my belly for what is to come! That is the magic of Engage!- you leave feeling such a sense of community in our industry, armed with tools to better yourself and your business. That, my friends, is why I will be back for more:)

**All photos by the fabulous team at Mel & Co. unless otherwise noted**

As I mentioned before, Engage! is unlike any other conference out there- every little detail, and I mean EVERY little detail, is meant to inspire and wow attendees. You see, us wedding professionals- we are a tough crowd. We experience considerably more pretty little details and absolutely gorgeous decor than the average person; so you can imagine the bar is set high. I can honestly say that at every turn there was something to make me stop and say ‘THIS is so cool’ or ‘THIS is so wonderful’. Even the breaks throughout the day were so well thought out and beautiful- Grand Floral did an absolutely impeccable job with the design and decor. In the morning we were treated to a pink and red palette with treats inspired by strawberries. It was my childhood dream come true- completely adorable and just so sweet!

Our luncheon on the lawn took place underneath a breathtaking custom Raj Tent. It was my first time dining in one and all I could do was stare in awe at its absolute beauty. So regal, elegant and one-of-a-kind! Perfectly fitting for our guest of honor Sylvia Weinstock who charmed the crowd with her personality while giving us all a first-hand look at what goes into her work-of-art cakes. And I have to comment on the menus- I have seen A LOT of menus and have never actually saved one as a keepsake after attending an event. That all changed when I held the divine menu Lehr & Black produced for the luncheon- literally the prettiest paper product I have ever seen. I almost feel bad calling it a paper product as it is SO much more than that. Of course there were lovely flowers in abundance as well, provided by Dolce Designs Studio.

Our afternoon break was as delightful as the morning one, with a whole different array of treats centered around coffee and chocolate. Yummy times a million! I am definitely guilty of eating not just one but two donuts- my sugar fix was absolutely satiated.

That evening we were all whisked away to various locations around San Diego for a personal small-group dine around. I lucked out and experienced the exclusive Cal-a-Vie Resort at a table hosted by the lovely Abby Larson (of Style Me Pretty fame). Our group not only toured the on-site event locations featuring a stunning 400-year old chapel brought over from Dijon, France; but we were entertained with a demonstration cooking class as we were wined and dined with healthy spa fare (well- not the wine part, but the rest:) ) I haven’t gotten my hands on pictures from the evening, but once they come my way I will update this post. After our luxurious evening, we were brought back to The Grand Del Mar for a dessert reception featuring entertainment by 11H Entertainment’s “Infusion Xperience”- the dance floor was wild and everyone had a blast dancing off all the calories from the delicious sweets!

For those of you who are not familiar, the Engage! series of events are individual summits (for lack of a better word) of sorts attended by an exclusive group of like-minded luxury wedding professionals. From the Engage!11: The Grand Del Mar website, it is “a gathering of the ‘best of the best’ in the wedding industry—from speakers to attendees— Engage! events seek to offer something not found in other conferences. Careful attention is paid to creating an intimate atmosphere of effortless networking, allowing for an open exchange of ideas, information, inspiration and candid discussions of the issues and opportunities facing everyone in today’s luxury wedding industry”.  I was so incredibly honored to have been included in the group of attendees- the event sold out in TWO TWEETS (!) that’s how incredible it is. And I can say now after having attended I get why- it is addicting, inspiring, enlightening, and just plain old fun. When you put all the best in the business in one place- well, the party is always just beginning.

I am going to have to go day by day to recap it all- I promise you will thank me. Just too much eye candy, too much to recap, TOO MUCH- and I love it! Lets start at the beginning…day one…arriving at the Grand Del Mar was in itself a treat. Tucked away back in a quiet canyon in San Diego, you would never know it is there- until you do. Intimate and comfortable but still elegant and extraordinary, it was the perfect spot for the event. I arrived with my roomies Crissy and Catherine and we were immediately swept up in the excitement of it all, as the Opening Sessions commenced. Beautiful flowers and decor (courtesy of  Karen Tran Florals, La Tavola, and Hire Elegance) surrounded us as Simon T. Bailey and David Beahm kicked things off as only they could.

**All photos by the fabulous team at Mel & Co. unless otherwise noted**

Later in the evening we all gathered again on the gorgeous Aria Lawn. What an evening it was- food, food and more food. No joke- there were two gourmet food trucks, a clam bake, mini-donuts, cotton candy, popcorn, cupcakes…are you hungry yet? I have yet to experience that kind of decadence in my life and it was amaaaaazing.  But of course there was more than just food- we were all dazzled by two different acts provided by Elan Artists. ‘Earth Harp’ was literally just as it sounds- a harp fashioned from strings running from the ground to the top of the roof of the main hotel. I am bad with dimensions but they easily spanned 30 feet in length-  the effect of the instrument design alone was incredible. But then it was used to make actual MUSIC! Simply nuts. The photos below don’t even shed an inkling on how gasp-inducing it was. I remember saying to someone that it was truly something you had to see to believe. Not to be outdone ‘Rhythm Collective’ had the dance floor packed and we all dance our tooshies off even after it was time to go. And of course the one-of-a-kind floral and event design by the genius that is Eddie (of Tic-Tock Couture Florals) which perfectly accented all the unique furniture provided by Revelry.

I have to comment on this particular picture, as it was by far one of the coolest things I have ever seen a guest sporadically do at a party. One of the attendees- granted she (Valerie Romanoff) is a rock-star musician herself, but nonetheless- hopped up on stage and jammed with the band. Everyone loved it- to see one of ‘our own’ up there blowing the stage to pieces. Loved it! I kept telling her after that now I needed to learn how to wail on the guitar to pull out as a party trick from time to time. Add it to the to-do list.

Stay tuned for day two; you think THIS was good, just wait…

Jenni’s Vineyard gown (from the White Dress) was A.MAZ.ING. My favorite element was the divine oversize bow in the front- it suited Jenni absolutely perfectly!

I love this picture- Jenni and her dad have such a great relationship. This picture perfectly captures their moments before walking down the aisle.

Party time!

Of course I have to share the fabulous vendors Jenni chose to help make her Big Day possible:

Schnack Studios
CZ Events
The Flower Shop, Encinitas
Rob the DJ
PhotoBoothNOW
Heidi Rogers, Pastry Chef
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Torrey Pines Christian Church

1. Jenni is a good friend from college, and we shared some of the best times together having a blast in our sorority at UCSB
2. Greg and I get to be GUESTS at the wedding!! Hooray! No working for me- just boogeying on the dance floor and catching up with all my friends sure to be in attendance
3. I get to see John Schnack of Schnack Studios in action- since I’ll be working with him on a fabulous wedding I just booked for this August at the La Costa Resort & Spa, it will be nice to meet him beforehand

In honor of their wedding this weekend, I wanted to give some love to the soon-to-be newlyweds- here’s a sampling of their awesome engagement pictures (courtesy of Schnack Studios):

(Photo by Christine Farah Photography)

Wandering the grounds at Versailles

Crepes…yummy!

Looking out onto Paris from the top of Notre Dame

Visiting Saint-Chapelle- my favorite religious landmark of them all. The top floor has the most intricate and colorful stained glass I have ever seen- so breathtaking!

Sunset over Paris from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

Walking through the many parks in Paris- this one happened to be Parc Monceau, near our hotel

Finally getting near the Eiffel Tower

Our first day in Barcelona- we made our way down La Rambla right outside our hotel

The fish were all over the place down at the Port Vell

Tapas- the smartest meal idea ever. If you want to have cheese, fish, ham, and chicken all in one sitting- no problem! You order several small plates to share, and there you have it. All the best tastes in one. Love it!

Making our way through La Boqueria, one of the more popular public markets off La Rambla

We went back several times- here is Greg making our first visit to one of the nuts and chocolate stands. Needless to say- we were regulars by the end of our trip!

Taking a cable car up to Montjuic…

…the views on the way up were spectacular…

…and even better from the castle at the top!

Conquering my fear of huge flocks of birds at the Plaça Catalunya

La Sagrada Familia, a work by Gaudi that is still very much in progress

The sunsetting over the streets of Barcelona- the colors are so vivid it is truly unreal

And finally, piecing together one of our last meals in Barcelona from the selection at La Boqueria. So fun!