Hello, it's been a while! I've been so busy in 2024 with a new project that I've been working on that I haven't had much time to blog and be as present on social media. Well, I thought the perfect way to jump back into the blogging is by sharing a little bit about the exciting project that I've been working so hard on this past year.
How it started...
Around the end of 2023 and after talking to some industry friends, I recognized a need in the wedding community to come together to exchange ideas and network on a consistent basis. Organizations like this had existed pre-covid, but it was hard to get them back up and running again after the lockdown. But by then, enough time had passed where people were finally wanting to come together again. So, being the planner that I am, I decided to start reaching out to local wedding venues to see if they would be willing to host a mixer for wedding professionals. I got my first few booked and began advertising, and at the time, it was just me working on coordinating these events, marketing, and creating the website/Instagram for this group with the help of my husband to try and make the events successful.
The first mixer was scheduled for February 2024, and I honestly had no idea how it would go. We had several amazing vendors donating their time and services to decorate the venue, provide food and drinks, and make it a great event. We had 30 or so attendees registered, and I wasn't sure that they would all even show up. Much to my surprise, about 60 wedding pros showed up! At that event, I spoke in front of everyone about the need to network and I promised to make these events consistent monthly networking opportunities, and to help wedding pros elevate their small businesses. Since the February event, I have added a committee to help and we've been hosting monthly mixers and bringing wedding pros educational guest speakers ever since! I saw an opportunity to fill a need and little did I know how much work that would entail. The group just keeps growing, and we have some really exciting opportunities for both wedding pros and couples this year, so keep reading to find out more.
For Wedding Pros My passion is helping people. My goal for this group has always been to provide opportunities to local wedding businesses to help elevate their small business. We've found a few ways to do that this year, through professional speakers that we bring to our mixers, and facilitating networking opportunities. We've found even more ways of pursuing this goal for our 2025 events. | For Engaged Couples I know personally that one of the struggles of wedding planning is sourcing and vetting local wedding professionals. We aim to provide you just that- a source of wedding professionals that are great. Fill out our contact form on our website, and we're happy to send you some great recommendations. Or give us a follow on Instagram, where we highlight some great local vendors. |
Exciting New Updates for 2025- (For Wedding Pros AND Couples)
Mixers for both Wedding Pros and Couples
WPNCA is putting together the first-of-its-kind mixer for both wedding pros and engaged couples. We took everything that we know about wedding shows and re-imagined an event where couples and wedding pros can connect in a more low-pressure and casual environment while also enjoying some of the best perks of wedding shows (food tasting, drinks, dessert tasting, raffle prizes, vendor discounts, etc). This will take place at a few of our monthly mixers a year, and the first one EVER is in January! Here is the event link: January Mixer: Rocklin, CA | WPNCA
Doing More for Couples
As we host more of these mixers for engaged couples and wedding pros, we hope to expand our reach to more couples who are looking to source reliable and professional vendors. We want to be a resource to you! Check out our most recent list of Preferred Pros here: WPNCA Preferred Pros.
Expanding on Preferred Pro Benefits
As we're getting more and more Preferred Pros to list on our website, we're also expanding on the benefits that you get from your partnership with us. This includes the benefit of receiving our full list of 2025 mixer dates and locations before everyone else, so that you can choose the events you want to be a part of. It's especially beneficial because you'll see which mixers couples will be attending to help aid your decision. More benefits to come!
More Opportunities for Planners
We're now incorporating Planners into our mixers as a vendor that can be highlighted. If you want to come up with the theme of the mixer or even bring in some vendors to participate that you love working with, we'll highlight your style and coordination at the event.
And a couple of other exciting updates are in the works! We can't wait to share them with you. Whether you're recently engaged or a wedding pro, we'd love for you to be a part of our journey.
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