Hello all! Just wanted to give a small update - Wedding Skills will be taking a little bit of time off from workshops. We have a good excuse though - co-founder Kasey just welcomed her second son (and future wedding helper) into the world!

A huge congrats to Kasey, her hubby Shawn and their oldest son, Greyson on welcoming their newest family member. 6 lbs, 12 oz and almost 20 inches long - little Asher Paul Conyers was born on November 4. Isn’t he gorgeous? He looks just like his big brother!

We’ll be back in December/January with more workshops including one on figuring out what you should be charging, repeats of our Rescue Series, a legal workshop and more. If you have any suggestions on topics you would like to see covered, please drop us a line!

Until then, Happy Holidays and we’ll see you in December!

Can you explain the difference between a bengaline and an iridescent crush to a client?  Do you know which size linen will go to the floor on a 54” square table?  Do you know the proper way to set a table - which side the bread plate goes on or where the dessert fork belongs?

If you have ever been faced with questions from a client on how to best create a tablescape or you simply want to learn more about what everything on that rental order is, this is the workshop for you.  Bill and Candace from Event Source will be guiding us through all the different options available for setting a gorgeous table.

Some of the topics we will be covering include:
*Linens - you will get to see, touch and play with all the different types of linens that Event Source has available.
*Place Settings - the proper way to set a table for various types of meal services.
*Napkin Folds - you will learn some basic folds that will add to the overall tablescape and learn why you shouldn’t put the napkin in the water glass!
*Basic timeline creation - covering events from the recessional through the end of the reception.
*Any other questions you have about how to create a gorgeous reception for your clients!

Bring your questions and be prepared to create some gorgeous tables!  Tons of information and a handy reference guide are included in the admission.

Join us on October 22 at 6:30 pm at Event Source for Ceremony 101.

Admission is $30 per person and pre-registration is required as spots are limited.

If you have registered for Ceremony 101, please email info@weddingskills.com for your discount code BEFORE you register.

Click here to register and for complete details

Photo credits: Nicole Dixon, Steve Mastroianni, Beck and Company Photography, Genevieve Nisly, Pacheco Studios

Does the flower girl enter before or after the bridesmaids?  Which side is the bride’s side in a Jewish ceremony?  How much time should be built into a timeline for the hair and makeup appointments?  What exactly are the flowers for Mary and what am I supposed to do with them?

Whether you are a banquet manager, on site coordinator, independent planner, photographer or florist, you have probably faced questions about a ceremony that you didn’t quite know how to answer.  This workshop will answer those questions and help you start your client’s new life off perfectly - with a flawless ceremony!

Some of the topics we will be covering include:
*Christian processionals and order of ceremony.  We will also discuss the differences between various denominations and their traditions.
*Jewish processionals and order of ceremony.
*Basic timeline creation - covering events and timing through the recessional.
*Aisle runners - the proper way to place and secure an aisle runner.
*Any other questions you have about how to make the ceremony go off without a hitch!

Bring your questions and wear something comfortable - we will be recreating different ceremony set ups and be down on the ground pinning aisle runners.  Tons of information plus some great items for your emergency kit plus light snacks and valet parking are included in the admission.

Join us on September 22 at 6:30 pm at The Blackwell Hotel for Ceremony 101.

Admission is $30 per person and pre-registration is required as spots are limited.

This workshop is meant to be partnered with our Reception 101 class - please see the invitation for our October 22 Workshop: Reception 101 (coming next week) for more details.

Click here to register and for complete details

Photo credits: Nicole Dixon, Steve Mastroianni, Beck and Company Photography, Genevieve Nisly, Pacheco Studios

You may be the most talented wedding vendor ever to grace a wedding day but if your brand isn’t clear or you aren’t marketing yourself effectively you may as well not exist! After all, if brides and grooms can’t find you - how can they hire you?!

From branding to PR to marketing to defining your target market to making sure your advertising is effective, there are a ton of elements to a successful marketing strategy. This workshop will help you get on the right path with a new strategy or help you evaluate and revamp your current strategy.

Our speakers for the evening will be Jennifer and Danielle from Adept, a marketing department outsourced. Both are pros at creating advantages for businesses through innovative marketing strategies and are very excited to meet everyone. They have asked that all participants include their PR and marketing questions with their registrations - this will be an attendee driven agenda so please be sure to ask plenty of questions!

Some of the topics Jennifer and Danielle will be covering include:
*The importance of branding and how to create a clear brand
*Defining your target market and marketing to them
*Getting your weddings published in local wedding magazines
*And whatever might be on your mind!

Dinner from The Renaissance and valet parking at the hotel is included in the admission.

Join us on August 20 at 6:30 pm at The Columbus Renaissance Hotel for the PR/Marketing Basics Workshop.

Admission is $35 per person and pre-registration is required as spots are limited.

Click here to register and for complete details

Who doesn’t love cake?  For lots of people, it is one of the best parts of the wedding!  The baker worked a long time to get the icing smooth and perfect so why is there suddenly is a thumbprint in the icing?  Or what if a ring bearer decides to take a little taste before the bride and groom cut it?  Or if your hand or sleeve brushes the icing while adding flowers?

Fixing a cake can be a tricky operation but there are things you can do to make quick fixes in the event of an emergency.  Amanda from Bakery Gingham will be teaching us all about the finer points of cake and cake repair.

Some of the topics we will be covering include:
*the correct way to cut a wedding cake
*how to pipe icing to fix a thumbprint or sleeve brush
*the difference between and limitations of buttercream and fondant
*how to stablize a leaning or falling cake

Bring your questions and wear something you don’t mind possibly getting icing on - this is a workshop not a lecture and we promise there will be buttercream involved!  Everything you need to practice with, a mini emergency kit loaded with cake emergency related essentials sized perfectly for your pocket or bag plus a yummy treat are included in the admission.

Join us on July 15 at 7:00 pm at Bakery Gingham for the Cake Rescue Workshop.

Admission is $25 per person and pre-registration is required as spots are limited.

Click here to register and for complete details

Photo credits: Melanie Mauer, Grogan Studios, Davis Photography, Nicole Dixon, Alejandro Rivera

Last Wednesday evening was our Attire Rescue Workshop at La Jeune Mariee in Worthington. Since this was a very hands on workshop we divided into groups and worked through our various topics in stations.

Our first station was Menswear - David from Astor and Black was kind enough to teach us how to tie bow ties, fold pocket squares and tie straight ties as well.  Turns out tying bow ties on someone else as easy as tying your shoe!

L: David, Sarah, Nichole and Dalyn learning to tie a Windsor Knot
M: Lucretia tying a bowtie on Quenetta
R: Sarah learning to tie a bowtie on Dalyn - don’t you love her expression in that picture?

Our second station was Sewing - Peg, one of La Jeune Mariee’s seamstresses, taught everyone us how to fix a hem in a pinch and how to stitch up a faulty zipper.

L: Kitty learning to fix a zipper
R: I love this picture - I think Shannon surprised Quenetta mid-stitch!

Our third station was Bustles and Corsets - Emilie and Kasey from Wedding Skills Workshop and Lindsay from La Jeune Mariee taught everyone how to bustle a gown, how to fix a torn out bustle and the correct way to lace a corset dress.

L to R: Nina and Sarah learning to fix a bustle from Kasey

After everyone had rotated through the various stations, we regrouped and discussed stain removal.  Lindsay also gave us some tips about bustling veils so brides can wear the veil rather than removing it for the reception.  We also passed out our emergency kit which was full of sewing, stain removal and attire goodies.

A big thank you, once again, to Linsday for hosting us, David and Peg for being great teachers and to Shannon Sano, our official photographer for this workshop!  Another huge thank you to all the people who attended and learned with us - we hope that you got as much out of the workshop as we did!

Next up is the Business Finance Basics on June 30 at 11:30 am - seats are going quickly so sign up soon!

Most of us got into the wedding business because we loved flowers or photography or planning or music or food or whatever your specialty is.  It certainly wasn’t because you love taxes and insurance and margins and payroll, right?  Any small business owner can tell you that the day to day running of a business is time consuming and can often be confusing.

Whether you are just getting started and want help getting things running smoothly or have been in business for years and want a refresher, this workshop will help sort out the business of being in business!  Our speaker will be Debbie Price, the founder of Price Planning, a fee only financial planning and investment advisory firm.  Debbie is a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Public Accountant and has her law degree - a financial and small business triple threat.

Some of the topics Debbie will be covering:
*Taxes - How much should you be holding back so tax time isn’t terrifying?
*Personal and Business Insurance -  How much and what kind do you really need?
*Employees versus employees - What is a 1099 anyway?
*Retirement Planning - What is the best place to invest so you will actually be able to retire?
*Margins - What profit margin should you be aiming for?
*And more…

Bring your questions - Debbie will try to answer as many questions from the group as possible.  If you have a question you would rather have addressed anonymously, there is a space on the registration form - Debbie will try to address them during the workshop.  Lunch from J. Liu’s Restaurant is included in the admission.

Join us on June 30 at 11:30 am at J. Liu’s Restaurant in Worthington for the Business Finance Workshop.

Admission is $35 per person and pre-registration is required as spots are limited.

Click here to register and for complete details

We have 2 seats left for the Attire Rescue Workshop on June 10 at La Juene Mariee and once they are gone we are completely sold out!  Sign up ASAP and join us - we have some really fun things in store for our attendees!

Click here to sign up!

On another note, watch for the launch of the Business Finance Basics Workshop coming later this week - more seats but a super hot topic so they will probably go fast!

Our first workshop, the Floral Rescue Workshop, was Wednesday night and it was fantastic!  A big, huge, ginormous thanks to Mary and Ruth from Rose Bredl for being outstanding hosts and teachers and to Kimberly Potterf for being our official photographer for this workshop.  Onto the pictures:

The gorgeous Rose Bredl shop in the Short North was the perfect location for our workshop:

Some of our awesome attendees and teachers:

top row: Mary, Kelsey, Ruth, Emilie and Carla.  bottom row: Tracey, Kasey, Sarah, Deborah and Scott.

I think it is safe to say that it was a huge success and everyone had a great time and learned a ton!

Another thanks to everyone who attended - it was so much fun to learn with you, we can’t wait to see you at the next workshop as well.  On that note, our next offering, the Attire Rescue Workshop is already 1/2 full - only 5 seats left to learn all about how to make your couples and their bridal party look their best!  Hope you can join us!

THE dress.  Your bride spent hours shopping for the perfect dress - the last dress she will wear as a single person and the first as a married one.  There is a lot riding on that gown!  What if she spills something on it before she gets to the aisle?  Or if someone steps on her cathedral length train and rips the bustle out?

There are lots of things that can go wrong with the attire on the wedding day but the Attire Rescue Workshop will prepare you to tackle all different types of situations to help everyone look their best.  Our instructors for the evening will be Cindy, La Jeune Mariee’s own professional seamstress and Lindsay, La Jeune Mariee’s owner as well as Dave from Astor and Black who will be covering the men’s side of the attire equation.

Some of the topics we will be covering include:
*the different styles of bustles you may encounter and how to fix one that has fallen or been torn out
*how to correctly lace the ever-popular corset gowns
*how to tie various types of ties including the various Windsor knots, a bow tie and an ascot
*what a pocket square is, where it goes and how to fold one properly
*hem and seam repair in a pinch
*basic stain removal - what you can usually take care of and the one stain you should never try to remove yourself!

Bring your questions and wear something comfortable - you will likely be spending some time at ground level working on hems plus this is a workshop not a lecture!  Everything you need to practice with, a mini emergency kit loaded with attire related essentials sized perfectly for your pocket or bag are included in the admission.

Join us on June 10 at 7:00 pm at La Jeune Mariee for the Attire Rescue Workshop.

Admission is $25 per person and pre-registration is required as spots are limited.