A day spent at a local Wedding Expo

On September 13th, I took a short trip to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the heart of Washington DC to attend the "Washington Wedding Experience" It was a great way to connect with hundreds of brides and grooms as they start their journeys to building a life together.

It's a one stop shop for many as you have the opportunity to see vendors of all types that are there to showcase their talent and skills and show potential clients the latest trends when it comes to hosting the event of their dreams. (well,... mainly for the bride).

I had been at a bridal expo before but on a much smaller scale and before I invest my money to serve as a vendor, I wanted to get a glimpse of the experience. Yes, I am in the wedding business as a wedding planner/coordinator. I run my business (Devoted to Your Event) part time and have a small clientele. I don't make enough money to maintain my lifestyle but I am in the building and learning phase. My business is not a hobby but a passion of mine that I strive to one day pursue full time serving both social and corporate level events.

Once I arrived, I noticed many ads luring potential clients to their booths. I barely signed in and was snatched up by a David's Bridal consultant trying to get me to enter into a free give-away. It was too late, I got sucked into the madness and my assistant and I pretended to be brides. Why did I play that role? The lure to get me to another table and another table did not stop. I honestly felt uncomfortable at the convention center. I was afraid to look at people because it was almost like their way of saying your ready to be sucked into my table.

After stating that my budget was low, it did not phase the vendors, they were ready to put me on payment plans and convince me to take on endless debt. It made me think that this is really for the average low to middle class bride because wealthy brides, don't bother to attend these types of events, they just hire someone to do it for them. When you have a lot of money, shopping is a more enjoyable experience.

From Photographers, to bakers, to caterers, and Deejays, to travel agents, to stationary specialist and decor companies, all the avenues were covered. I saw two lonely looking wedding coordinators and I felt bad for them, they were practically begging someone to show them attention and I thought "wow, I don't want to look sad like that".

This experience made me rethink the investment of a minimum $900.00 for this privilege to meet potential clients. This is not a guarantee but you could potentially earn the fee back in one wedding. I enjoyed it, especially the free food samples, drinks and cake. I shared the opportunity with my classmates but at this time, I will have to wait to build some more equity in my business before participating.

L-R: Michelle, Rebecca, Tracy, Daniella, Daphne and Mix

Dinner at Le Diplomate

On September 18^th I had the chance to eat dinner at Le Diplomate, one of the oldest and most traditional French restaurants in DC. While I had high expectations for the food, I was not expecting to have such great service as well. However, the quality of service and attention to detail from the hosts, waiters and bussers was very impressive. As an example, I am allergic to all nuts, which can make my dining out experience difficult when the staff is not familiar with how to handle allergies. However, as soon as my waiter knew of my allergy, he informed me of all of the dishes with nuts and those with a risk of cross contamination. Another great quality of our waiter was that he had clearly tried every dish on the menu and was not afraid to give his recommendations. When my dad ordered the Steak Frites, he said, “the Beef Bourguignon is better,” which my dad went with and was excellent. When my mom had mentioned she didn’t like cream, he gladly accommodated her salad.

Less important to the dining experience but still impactful are the hosts and the bussers. The host immediately seated us at our table and gave us menus, and the bussers cleaned the table between each course making the guests feel special. While these may seem like small and obvious qualities for a waiter, busser and host to have, they are not found in every restaurant and really do make all the difference. -- MRR

A picture of my swordfish entree.

US Open

It has always been my dream to attend a Grand Slam and that dream came true on September 11. As I was going through the gates at 10am, I didn’t know how I would pass the time until 5pm when the Men’s Singles Semi-Finals were scheduled to start. I decided to look at the shops and booths of the sponsors of US Open. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they provided engaging activities for fans.

At Time Warner Cable’s shop, you could make a video where you acted as a referee. You watched the ball and decided if the ball was out or not. Also, you could test the speed of your swing and get a picture. The official sponsor American Express had a fan zone filled with fun interactive programs. In one section, you could play against Maria Sharapova through virtual reality in a simulated game. (Needless to say, I was terrible and she won.) In another section called “Epic Matchup” you pretended to play against one another in a video. At the Esurance booth you got your photo taken and they prepared a badge for you with a funny quote. Mine read “Breakout Tennis Star Surprises Fans at 2015 US Open.” Even though I had so much fun doing those, my favourite activity was at the Mercedes-Benz booth where you could take a picture with the Men’s Singles Trophy.

All of these activities kept me entertained until the matches started. Sport events are all about the overall experience. US Open did an excellent job adding value to the event through their sponsors in this way. Fans had a great time and have videos and photos to prove it.

Video Link

Ingrid Bergman Party at the Swedish Embassy 

By Randi 

On September 10^th, I attended the Ingrid Bergman 100 year anniversary party at the Swedish Embassy. The event was Hollywood/ 1940s themed and was black tie. Although the event was free, there were a limited number of tickets available that had to be purchased online.

The event did a great job in incorporating many different activities throughout the night. There were themed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Additionally, there was a live band, a dance floor and an Ingrid Bergman Exhibition. The event was especially great because of the small and unique touches such as a 1940s roadster car that guest were encouraged to photograph. People from the embassy were walking around and were very engaging in conversation.

Although the overall event was great and well thought out, there were some things that I would improve upon. Unfortunately although the event was supposed to be until 11pm, the band ended around an hour early and left. Thus, the event was shorted. Additionally, as guest exited the embassy, they were given goody bags. However, the event coordinators did not have enough goody bags and many guest were left without them. Finally, the placement of the Ingrid Bergman Exhibit was at an odd spot. The exhibition was up against the dance floor making it hard to view. People were dancing in front of the exhibition.