How this project started...
3 years ago, I received an invitation to fly to Panama to be part of the PROWEP event as a speaker, and such an invitation gave me the opportunity to guide new wedding planners that had recently joined the industry with all the knowledge I have accomplished through the years.
Likewise, I met incredible former wedding planners from different countries, different cultures, and different methods to plan a wedding, and that was the moment when the project came to me, and I thought to myself “I must do this in the riviera Maya”.
Flying back to Mexico, I realized that conducting such an event like this, will also promote the interest to visit the Mexican Caribbean, and it will be placing it as a Destination Wedding too. In addition, bearing in mind that here we have a lot of new talents that need to be guided, and a lot of former wedding planners willing to share their knowledge, conducting a Summit would be the best way for knowledge exchange.
Besides, I was thinking to extend the invitation to suppliers, so we can be able to create a strong and solid networking between customers, wedding planners and suppliers.
Of course, for one or another reason, I had to wait 3 years to finally see this project alive. It was until 2022 that I woke up a day with all the determination to make it possible even if I did not have the experience of coordinating workshops. That is why I reached a friend of mine who is part of the Destination Wedding Specialist Association, she introduced me to Helena Rincón, and we both together started working on the agenda, also to select the speakers, and basically preparing everything.
The day of the event...
It took us several months, but on October 3rd we were welcoming planners with big careers along with the new talents at Blue Venado Seaside venue in the riviera Maya. I must confess that I was 100% nervous, also because we will be running the Expo Destination Wedding the next day, so everything had to be perfect.
I recall when I got to the venue that morning, our team has set the layout as if we were having a wedding instead of a Summit, and it drove me a little bit crazy , but I took a deep breath, put myself together, and I worked with my team to set it up as it should be, I double checked that all tables and seats were in the same position looking at the screen, that each spot has the material to takes notes, among other things.
We initiated with a coffee break, and after that our speakers started the workshop. I’d like to share the list of the speakers that joined us on the first Summit Destination Wedding Specialist 2022:
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✓ Guerdy Abraira – Renowned American Destination Wedding Planner / Cast Member of Real Housewives of Miami
✓ Jacqueline Vazquez – CEO of Litetime Events by Jacqueline & Weddings Beautiful Wolrdwide.
✓ Amy Jarczynski – Founder & CEO of Kiss & Tell
✓ Anna Gram – Founder & CEO of Mango Weddings
✓ Anastasia Savos – Founder & CEO of Mango Weddings
✓ Sara García – CEO of Stylme Events
✓ Alain Martinez – Luxury Wedding & Lifestyle Potographer
✓ Alejandro Salas – Founder of Dia Uno Floral Studio
✓ Cristobal Sanchez – Mexican Institute of Tourism and Accessibility
✓ Sofia Garcia – Blue Venado & Blue Venado Seaside
✓ Alicia Torres – Founder & CEO of CSMV
✓ Helena Rincon – North America Director of the Destination Wedding Specialist Association
✓ Elena Rodriguez – Mexican Caribbean Ambassador for the Destination Wedding Specialist Association.
✓ Marissa Flores – Founder & CEO of Contacto Azul Sustainability Director for the Destination Wedding Specialist Association
✓ Ilse Diamant – CEO of Diamant Events / Co-founder Destination Wedding Specialist Association.
✓ Sandra Lopez – Director of Zamna Foundation
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With respect to the meal, I met with the chef a couple of days before the Summit to select the menu, which had to have a connection with the decoration of the room, and the Mexican flavors. Our purpose was to show our guests the diverse flavors we have, and not only the well-known and traditional tacos that are already a signature of our country.
The first course was served in a small anafre, with a small sope and a small quesadilla. The second course was a Pozole, which is a typical dish from Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. And the last course were shrimps served on warm tiles.
The Summit commenced from 10:00 AM and concluded at 7:00 PM with the delivery of Certificates to the audience.
Next day, October 4th we all took a tour to the venues, so they had the opportunity to know the unique and remarkable options we have in the riviera Maya to have a wedding. The tour ended at the Expo Destination Wedding at Zamna Tulum (which will be the next post)
What we all accomplished...
I speak for myself, but I am quite sure that I am also speaking on behalf of all the attendees, everything was beyond expectations. It is a good combination putting the theory and the practice side by side to earn new knowledge and new experience.
We have now new wedding planners that are in constant communication with suppliers and coordinating amazing weddings in the riviera Maya, and I am certain that they, in a few years, will be joining us as speakers in future summits.
I would like to thank each and everyone that participated and contributed to making the first Summit something from which we all have learned. And we are already working for the Summit Destination Wedding Specialist 2023!
Thank you so much again!
