Live from Shanghai!

Greetings from Shanghai!  I am here this entire week advising on a major photo shoot for our International hotel brand client.  This project is the culmination of months of intense planning and will support all wedding marketing initiatives including a new advertising campaign, marketing & sales collateral and new website designed for the Asia Pacific market.

We are collaborating with a Hong Hong based advertising agency, a Singapore based web agency and working with a reknowned Shanghai photographer to accomplish the goals set forth by our client.

I will be here all week and continue to be amazed by the opportunities that face us all in the global wedding industry - and how at the heart of things - no matter where we are - weddings are the same: a celebration of life, love, family and friends!

[Photo by the amazlingly talented Eric Larson and Jen Sens of Jensenlarson Photography]

Breaking Wedding Industry News: Colin Cowie named as new Host for GetMarried TV!

In breaking wedding industry news...founder and President of GetMarried television Stacie Fancombe has just released [vie a Facebook update, no less!] that wedding design superstar Colin Cowie is the new host of GetMarried on Lifetime!

More details to follow for sure ...so be sure to stay tuned to GetMarried.com and their blog BloggerBrides for the latest!

Congratulations to Stacie and the entire GetMarried team for this HUGE and exciting news!!!!!

New Destination Wedding Insights

Just out this week from Beverly Clark's Elite Wedding Collection is a new 'state of destination weddings' survey of their website visitors [brides!] providing valuable insight to top tier hotels and resorts that specialize in weddings and honeymoons.

You can read the survey in its entirety here.

Some interesting outcomes show that, so far, Destination Weddings are still very resilient but a noticeable shift from more exotic destinations such as Europe and cruising to locations closer to home like the Caribbean, Mexico and Florida.

Guest counts seem to be holding steady as 59% of couples plan on having 25+ guests join them for their wedding. 

Publisher Jay Klanfer and the entire Elite Wedding Collection team do a great job of providing "qualified properties and wedding professionals a high impact, low cost marketing solution that will reach tens of thousands of affluent brides as they actively plan their wedding. The Elite turn-key program integrates print, web, eMarketing, trade show and social media to reach brides wherever and whenever they plan"

We have had a number of clients over the years participate with EWC and its sister sites WeddingLocation.com and HoneymoonLocation.com and all have been very happy with their targeted results.  If you are in the destination wedding market or wish to grow that aspect of your business I recommend taking a look at their offerings!

Must view slideshow on Social Media

What The F**K is Social Media?

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: socialmediamarketing marketing)

disclaimer: I do not condone the use of the language 'innuendo' and apologize to anyone who might be offended - but the message is powerful and worth sharing so I made the decision to post!!!

A few more engage!08 the encore posts

Just when I think the *buzz* is dying down over engage!08::the encore  - I am surprised by a google news alert  notifying me of yet another blog post recapping the experience of another fabulous attendee!  Here are some of the recent ones - thank you, thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for your kind words - we are so thrilled to read about your experiences:

Lara Casey's "MegaPost" on Southern Weddings Magazine 

Traci Romano of Traci Romano Events

Amy Rubins of Fete Perfection Weddings & Events-Part 1

Amy Rubins of Fete Perfection Weddings & Events-Part 2

Loren Petrowski of I Do Monday Mornings

Stay tuned for exciting announcements SOON on engage!09...

Southern Weddings New Blogsite Launch!

Congratulations to the girls over at Southern Weddings magazine on the much anticipated launch of their brand new blog-site!!!  It is GORGEOUS...plan to get lost for hours in the amazing Real Southern Weddings, inspiring wedding details and so much more.  Kudos to Editor in Chief Lara Casey and her smart team for putting together a daily MUST read for brides to be anyone in the luxury wedding business!

We are also honored to be included in the "Links We Love" section - and are thrilled to be among incredible company.  If you are looking for a 'short list' of not to be missed wedding blogs - check it out!

Congratulations to Lara, Kristin, Lara and the entire Southern Weddings/Bliss team on this amazing accompishment - now, I am headed back to read more, more, more!