Connie J. Moore, the Wedding Florist

Since joining MBWEP in October 2010, Connie has been an active member, attending nearly every event. She displayed her beautiful floral designs at our January showcase and we are proud to feature her in our first member spotlight!

About Connie:

For more than 40 years, Connie J. Moore has provided her clients with a wide range of design and decorating services, ranging from wedding and event floral décor to commercial and residential holiday displays.

Over the years, she's developed a reputation for  providing high quality and creative work, as well as an intensely diverse style.

At the age of 15, she assisted a floral shop owner for a meager $1.50 an hour.  At 18, she was promoted to head designer, and quickly expanded from retail floral work to commercial floral design with a specialty in weddings.  She has developed an impressive resume of experiences throughout the industry.

Connie's extensive background in the fine arts can be observed through her meticulous use of lines, colors, and textures, which all contribute to the harmonic symphony of her designs.

Utilizing the fundamental components of a traditional painter, she forms compelling compositions with flowers as her medium.

Connie finds her work deeply rewarding- especially seeing the delight on a bride's face when she presents her with the bouquet she created.  She is inspired to continue the legacy of never disappointing a bride on her special day.

Remembering her special clients and their unique vision, alone in her studio, and surrounded by arrays of gorgeous flowers, Connie's creative soul comes alive.

She explains, "I feel so very blessed and honored to earn a living, doing something I love, for the benefit of each bride and groom."

For more information on Connie's services you can contact her at

831.688.6698 or conniejmoore@aol.com.

Visit her website at www.conniejmoore.com

Participation in MBWEP Leads to a New Partnership

MBWEP Success Story:

In early 2009 Heidi Hughett (formally of Couture Celebrations) and Karissa Paxton (formally of Coastside Weddings, Events and Concierge) had lunch. The two had always been friends and liked to check in with one another from time to time and talk shop. That day at lunch they discussed how Karissa had once been a part of the Central Coast Wedding Professionals in San Luis Obispo and what a great organization it was. She'd been wishing that there was something like that here in the Monterey Bay. Heidi told Karissa about how she had recently been talking to some other vendors in the area who were thinking the same thing. Heidi said that some of them were talking seriously about creating an organization of professional event businesses to promote the Monterey Bay area.

Fast forward a month later when Karissa and Heidi met with a group of Monterey Bay event professionals (which would later become the MBWEP Board of Directors) over coffee at the Monterey's Trailside Cafe to discuss how to put together an organization. After months of these planning sessions the group eventually became known as MBWEP.

Heidi and Karissa carpooled to monthly MBWEP Board meetings in Marina. During these drives they exchanged vendor information. They shared stories about events and their business experiences. They became good friends.  When Karissa jokingly suggested that they share a booth at a bridal show, Heidi realized Karissa may be on to something. They were, after all, both looking to grow their businesses.


In the fall of 2009, Karissa and Heidi announced at an MBWEP Board that they were joining forces to create a powerhouse of event planning, and design services. They merged elements of each of their original business names to form Coastside Couture..

Both Heidi and Karissa are extremely grateful for MBWEP, "Without this amazing group of professionals, who knows if we would have partnered." says Karissa. "We just spent so much time together and realized that we could help each other grow our small businesses and support each other in the process. "It's been an amazing and very successful year" adds Heidi. "Heidi and I got tons of enthusiasm and support from the MBWEP board and members" says Karissa.

Heidi and Karissa feel that much of their success is due to the support they have received from MBWEP and they both look forward to being a big part of the organization for years to come. They invite you to watch both MBWEP and Coastside Couture grow.

Veronica Weber Seitchick 

has been passionate about baking since she was a child. She follows in the footsteps of her mother, who as a single mom would bake delectable pastries for friends and colleagues into the wee hours of the night. Her passion and talent inspired Veronica and her two sisters to start baking as children. She was encouraged at an early age to experiment with different flavors to create new recipes. When the first of her four daughters was born in 1992, Veronica set out to learn the business that helped her express her art and was more conducive to her growing family. Under the tutelage of a veteran baker and owner of a Northern Oregon cake company, Veronica learned the mechanics of “Caking”. Her efforts landed her the position of specialty cake designer/baker for a prominent Philadelphia bakery, which eventually led to the launch of her own cake business in Washington. Since then, Veronica has been developing her own personal style. She specializes in assembling unique flavors based on ganache, mousse, and various combinations of dessert liquors, as she puts her spin on latest fashion in cakes. With over 15 years of experience creating cakes, Veronica launched "Cakes by Veronica" in 2008 in the Monterey Bay area based in Santa Cruz. She quickly developed a reputation in the Santa Cruz and Monterey counties and has been featured in the Good Times Wedding edition and in California Wedding Wave. *** How did you get started with your business? I began Cakes by Veronica in California out of sheer need. It was a way to insure our four daughters had one parent more available since my husband works weekends and many evenings. The business was put on hold for a good number of years, not counting the endless volunteer cakes for soccer teams, teacher appreciation lunches, and church functions. Soon I was also baking several cakes a year for the weddings of friends and family, and friends of friends and family. I’ve just finished my third wedding season and have had most weekends booked through the wedding months. I absolutely love meeting the brides and their families, working with and getting to know all wedding professionals, and establishing good working relationships. I very much think “local”, so I buy as locally as possible, including the eggs we purchase from the window at Glam Egg Ranch in Aptos. Also, being established locally is very important to me. We’ve all heard the saying “Bloom where you’re planted”, and that is so me. I live here. My friends are here. My children’s friends are here. My community is here. This is where I want to be. While I deliver several hours outside of Monterey Bay, I don’t “seek” business outside this area. There’s plenty of work here. What sets you apart from others in your field? Definitely my service-oriented approach makes me unique as I try to be as accommodating as I can with the schedule of a busy bride. I’m sensitive about people’s time, and can even ship samples if needed. As far as quality, I believe that the flavor and quality is equally important in wedding cakes. I like to do “dessert” in cake form with ganaches and fruit or chocolate mousses, and liquors to add moistness are all important factors. Making a memorable cake is important to me. Why are you passionate about what you do? What inspires you? I absolutely love all of the newest designs, textures and “bling”! I love the luster painting and the fun colors. I also absolutely love people, so putting those together is what makes me happy at the end of a work day. I love creating wedding cakes to fit the celebrated person’s personality and am always honored to be a part of making their day come together by providing a personalized, custom designed cake. What is the hardest part about what you do? The best part? Without a doubt, the hardest part about running my own business is having limitations, and living within them. I love a challenge--in my business and personal life—and the thought of “can’t do it”doesn’t even factor in, even if I’ve never done it before - In fact, especially if I haven’t done it before. I’ll often pull all-nighters and do whatever it takes to make a project happen, that’s all part of the challenge, and the fun. How has being a member of MBWEP been beneficial to you? MBWEP has been beneficial for many reasons, one being the opportunity to meet and get to know other vendors whom you may never have met. I love hearing stories and new ways to do things or look at situations, and working together to continue building our local community and the integrity of service to our brides. Any other information you’d like to share? Cakes by Veronica also offers organic, vegan and gluten free options. Contact information for Cakes by Veronica: 831-246-0207 Cakesbyveronica@gmail.com www.cakesbyveronica.com “Like” me on Facebook! Cakes by Veronica, Monterey Bay

Featured in the current edition of Event Solutions Magazine are Hunter Lowder of Holman Ranch and Karissa Paxton of Coastside Couture Kudos to our rising stars!

Our very own Amy Byrd of Amy Byrd Weddings  and Rene Ramirez of Floral Designs by Reina  were featured in  Style Me Pretty  Congrats to you both!

Leadership Seminar at August General Meeting

Coming up on Tuesday August 9th our General Meeting will feature guest speaker Trish Bergstrom of the Knowledge Resources Group who will show us how to be a better leader. Trish helps people to understand that “Developing leadership at all levels of the organization is what drives extraordinary results”.

She says, "Leadership isn’t simply a title or a job; it’s a quality that can be found at all levels of an organization, in all roles, and at all stages along the career path. While some people are “born leaders,” for many of us the talent for leading needs to emerge and be developed. We believe that leadership is a set of skills—skills that can be learned, practiced, and refined by each one of us. Igniting the talent as well as training the skill are both fundamental to the leadership development process."

Members and first-time guests Welcome
RSVP to Wendy Melrose: wendy@fionnafloral.com

Date: August 9, 2011
Location: Kula Ranch Island Steakhouse, Marina.
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm.


Coming up for October General Meeting . . "The Blog Coach" Mark Burrell.

New Board Member Elections

Election Results are in!!!

Here are the newly elected MBWEP board members:

Membership of Santa Cruz County
John Kaemmerling- Kaemmerling Photography & Video

Membership for Monterey and San Benito Counties
Jennifer Church- Jennifer Church's Excellent Focus

Public Relations
Peri Basseri- BigTime Video Services

Showcase Coordinator
Karissa Paxton - Coastside Couture

Website Development
Sara Edwards Marsh - Crescent Moon Paper Company

Thanks to Jennifer Dunbar of Kennolyn, Connie Moore, The Wedding Florist and Laura Manriquez of Bargetto Winery for running the first ever election of board members by the MBWEP general membership. You are awesome!

MBWEP Members make The Knot's "Best of Weddings" 2011 list

Here are the members who made the list:

Holman Ranch
Scott Campbell Photography
Amy Byrd Weddings
DNA Entertainment
Sound In Motion DJs & Video
BigTime Video Services
Shawn Cavlan Beauty Co
Freedom Bakery and Confections
The Buttery
Alexis Party Rentals
Kelly Productions
Eventscapes

Here is the full list for Northern California:
The Knot 2011 Best Of Weddings List

An Amy Byrd production - by BigTime Video Services

Margo and Paul have known one another their whole lives. He was, while not exactly the "boy next door" he was the boy in Margo's grade school class and they didn't pay much attention to each other at all.
Well all of that changed in later years, once Paul started liking girls. He picked a nice one too. In fact he scored with the whole family. They both did. This is a really wonderful group of folks. You can feel the energy at this party. So much fun!

The following wonderful MBWEP members companies participated in this big day:
Reception site: Holman Ranch, Carmel Valley
Wedding Planner: Amy Byrd, Amy Byrd Weddings
Caterer: Paradise Catering

HD Video by Peri Basseri, Patrick Dougherty and Jayna Kersh
Video Editing by Peri Basseri for BigTime Video Services, Monterey
BigTime Video Services

What's New?

Well for starters, we have been terribly remiss in not posting new info on this blog.

We have a bunch of new members:  Check out the website mbwep.com under Our Experts.

MBWEP is growing every month and will be adding a few new members next week in time for our
new print brochure. Deadline for applications of members wanting to be included in the brochure is Monday, October 25th.

This brochure will be available at member businesses and will be handed out at two Bay Area wedding shows (The Ritz and The Claremont) happening this winter. .  More info on that to come . .

We're coming up on the one year anniversary since last year's kickoff party at Holman Ranch and so much has happened since then.  This year's big Holman Ranch bash on November 18th is for MBWEP members and by invitation only.  If you want to come, get that application in!

To find out the latest on what's happening with MBWEP, go to the Bulletin Page of the website. You'll find our monthly newsletter with updates on our showcases and general meetings and our Facebook and Twitter links which include lots of news on member activity.

MBWEP Bulletin Page

June's General Meeting

Hey MBWEP members and friends, this Tuesday we will be having a general meeting with Sean Dasmann from Central Coast Wedding Professionals (down south) come and share the power of networking and how a group like MBWEP can help take your business to the next level. We hope to see you there.

Door Fee- Members $10, Non-Members $15.

We'll have coffee and cookies to nibble on to keep that blood sugar up!

Where:
Sanctuary Beach Resort
3295 Dunes Drive
Marina, CA
*Main Building, upstairs


When:
June 8th, 2010,
1pm

Click here for the invite!

MBWEP Member Showcase

Part of being a member of Monterey Bay Wedding & Event Professionals is the opportunity to be showcased in one of our member showcases held every other month. Last week we featured Eventscapes, the Cocoanut Grove, John Kammerling Photography, and Freedom Bakery. It was a fun evening of networking and more importantly, building that authentic community that we are so passionate about. It's great to get to know each other vendor and their service in a more intimate setting.

The heartbeat of MBWEP is to build a community of very qualified and reputable vendors, but to a level that's so much more than just the generic "networking" term. We're about being authentic and striving for excellence, resulting in the absolute best for our clients. The second drive of MBWEP is to be an invaluable resource for clients coming to the Monterey Bay and help them know that there are stellar vendors and resources for them here, locally. I'm excited about the direction that MBWEP is going, and even more excited to have those of you involved help us get there! Remember to always be forward thinking and keep striving for excellence. Be sure to give one of our board members a call and see how YOU can get involved. www.mbwep.com.

MBWEP Welcomes new members!

Adrian Cavlan, Sound In Motion

Kim England, Fleurs du Soleil  

Terrence Ferrell, Terrence Ferrell, Classical Guitarist

Cynthia Fones, CC Creations & Floral Design

Margie Rober, Alexis Party Rental

Kimberly Santia, Feast For a King Catering

For a complete list of members visit the MBWEP website

Sunday March 14th, please visit the follow MBWEP members
at Central Coast Bride's Spring Bridal Show:

• Freedom Bakery & Confections
• Paradise Catering
• La Playa Hotel
• Amy Byrd Weddings & Events
• Coastside Couture
• DNA Entertainment
• Brenna Catalano Design Studio
• McCullough Photography
• Mike Steelman Photographers
• BigTime Video Services

DATE: Sunday, March 14, 2010
LOCATION: Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa
ADDRESS: 1 Old Golf Course Road
CITY: Monterey
TIME: Noon to 4:00pm

Here are the MBWEP Member winners of the
2010 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards:

Paradise Catering
Holman Ranch
DNA Entertainment
Brenna Catalano Design Studio
Ensemble Productions (Kim Lemaire)
Terry Way Photography
BigTime Video Services
Coastside Couture

2010 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards- Bay Area

Kathryn & Craig at Holman Ranch, Carmel Valley, CA

Kathryn & Craig at Holman Ranch, Carmel Valley from Peri Basseri on Vimeo.

If they could figure out a way to bottle up that gleam in their eyes and sell it on the net they'd be gazillionaires! Though I have a hunch these two will be just fine on any salary. Katie and Craig chose a sunny day, the 8th of August '09 and the newly renovated and improved historic Holman Ranch as the backdrop for their most memorable day. MBWEP Treasurer and Holman's Director of Hospitality, Hunter Lowder, made sure the ranch was ready for primetime!

Shot by Patrick Dougherty and Charles Mixson, Edited by MBWEP Membership co-chair Peri Basseri for BigTime Video Services