WOW! We are blown away by the past two days! We are wrapping up loose ends and saying final goodbyes to old friends and new and will blog all about it very soon I promise. In the meantime, we have to share this AMAZING blog post from the incredible Savannah-based photographer Donna Von Bruening:
Education is a big part of my commitment to my profession. I invest time and money attending conferences and workshops to expand my business and my photography skills. I'll be point blank honest with you. I usually, no almost 99% of the time, walk away thinking I wasted money or trying to pull a few nuggets (which there always are some nuggets) away to rationalize the $2,000-$3,000 dollars I just spent. Don't get me wrong --it isn't that I am so wonderful that I know everything --it's just that I have been in business 10 years and so many conferences are geared toward newbies. Much of the time the information is basic and I could teach the class (which I have done).
God, that sounds awful. But it is the truth. When I go to a conference I am looking to be inspired and take my business to the next level. I want to be moved. I want to walk away a better person and photographer than I was when I showed up. Some of my photographer friends tell me my expectations are too high. I tend to disagree. If I am paying you $2000 for 2 days, nevermind taking time away from my famly and business, -you best have me rave about you from morning to night.
So, Engage '08, was the best money I have spent EVER (perhaps the Hasselblad Wedding Institute rival it) in TEN years. Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Arce put on one heck of a business conference. I am moved, inspired and have met so many new friends...I cannot wait to tell you all about it. It was worth every penny and the 3 days away from home and business.
I am dying to tell you all about it --but I have got to get on the road home. I will blog the images and and the dish later today. I just needed to fill in my wedding colleagues who are dying to hear. DVB
We are humbled by this and the response from so many other industry friends who joined us for this special event. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Donna. I promise to blog LOTS more as soon as the dust settles...!
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4 comments:
FABULOUS few days!!!!!! Thank you all for everything that you did for all of us, teh hard, work, dedication and making yourselves available, it was a pleasure to meet everyone! Can't wait to do it again!!
Erin Poticny-Casa Monica Hotel, St. Augustine, FL
THANKS FOR AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE - ENGAGE!08
My head is still spinning, with the amount of information, ideas, knowledge and networking that happened at Engage!08. I am at a loss for words to truly express how incredible, uplifting and extraordinarily WOW, Engage!08 was! I knew the minute I got the e-mail announcing the symposium that it was something that I could not miss.
Furthermore, I wanted at least one other person from my team to be there with me, because I knew it was going to be awesome. As you know Rebecca and Kathryn, Keisha our Special Events Manager, was originally meant to attend the symposium with me. Unfortunately much to Keisha’s great disappointment she was unwell and unable to attend. So at the very last minute, I made the decision that no matter what it cost, we would get a ticket for the next person in line that would benefit the most from this, which was Lisa McGinty our Marketing and PR Executive – you see, I had every faith and knew that this was something I did not want to loose the opportunity for. Well, Rebecca Grinnals, you have done it again, it was far beyond my high expectations and I am sure all of the attendees will agree with me. Never have I attended a conference, symposium, trade show, whatever you want to call it, (and I have been attending them for over 15 years) and come away feeling like I did. In one day, I know so much more about the world of weddings as they are right now in the market place. So much information was imparted, the trends, insight personal and up close with none other than the incredible Preston Bailey, not to mention Marcy Blum – that session left me breathless.
All your other speakers were so informative, and in particular Christine Boulton of Think Like a Bride and Harmony Walton of Get Married.com were so interesting and honest with their insight and knowledge on their respective subjects. I now know so much more about blogging for a start, that I am dancing the new dance the “blog”! Engage!08 afforded myself and Lisa to meet like-minded, wedding stakeholders, that were on the same level, the networking was better and beyond anything I have ever been a part of – I am repeating myself, but Rebecca and Kathryn this was truly an awesome symposium, only you could have thought of it, and put together – the entire symposium that had such finesse and class! Nothing was left undone – down to the personalized luggage tags with our initial on it, which we each received in our “Gift Bags” – tell me, when did that ever happen before?? You are the greatest, and it’s just that simple! We can never thank you enough for this extraordinary opportunity and want you to know, we will have 3 persons attending next year! You name the day and we will be there. Please keep living your life and continue to inspire us to live like you our “!” All the very best to my best friends, Jo-Anne Brown, Celebrations, Cayman Islands.
oh please, I have to follow Jo-Anne? ditto to what she said. :) you ladies rock!
The event sounds like it was an INCREDIBLE succeess. When is the next scheduled session?
This is definitely not one I want to miss......
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