Our concept was to give brides a chance to have one-on-one appointments with the masters of the wedding industry.  We put together an impressive group of wedding purveyors, presented in a luxurious venue, along with champagne and hors d’ouevres, informative sessions by wedding industry experts, and trunk shows with high end designers.  It was truly a bridal event like no other.

And I’m happy to report the concept worked!

In addition to being a sponsor of the event, 5th Avenue Digital provided photography coverage – you’ll find a link to the photos below.  We also provided an opportunity to try our new photobooth, complete with bouquet props, courtesy of Diana Gould.  (You can see these photos in our online link as well.)   Plus, we gave brides a chance to meet and see work from two of our top photographers, Julie Skarrett and Robert Evans.

The fact that it was the worst storm in a decade did not sway our mighty brides from attending.  Here’s what some of the brides had to say about the Ultimate Engagement:

“I love the one-on-one time. It’s so important when you want to hire a vendor; instead of sell, sell it should be about what I want instead. And that’s so NOT part of a bridal show. And bridal shows are always so BRIGHTLY LIT. This is so nice, so inviting.”

“Trade shows are a freakin’ zoo. They’re so crowded, and there’s no seating. There’s all this drama over gift bags. This is just such a lovely atmosphere, such a different experience.”

(From a bride who’s also a doctor): “I haven’t been to a bridal show, but friends have told me about crazy expos – I didn’t want to go. A patient told me about this; she’s always trying to get me into contests, so she sent me to the website. Each of my appointments was really personalized – I talked about what I wanted.”

(From a bride and groom): “It’s great because we get to sit down and tell them what WE want rather than having them just shove what they want to sell at us. It’s not a hard sell. They know what we want first – then they suggest options.”

“It’s so great vs. a regular trade show. It’s one-on-one, with nobody trying to talk over your shoulder.”
“I’ve been here since 9 am! [4:30 pm when I took her comment.] It’s so well-organized – no lines. Being able to talk to the owner is great – it’s really different from having brochures shoved at you.”

Picture galleries:

Here are some of the valuable tips that were offered by our experts during the upstairs sessions.  There will be individual posts about each of their sessions on the Ultimate Engagement blog in the coming weeks.  Feel free to sign up for the blog here:

Bentley Meeker – Bentley Meeker Lighting

•    There’s a primary misconception about light: people think of it just in terms of providing visibility. But it doesn’t just provide visibility – it creates a feeling, it’s artistic. We have all walked into some places and felt, “This is so great!” while thinking, “Hmm, this doesn’t feel so good – let’s go” about other places. Light has an enormous amount to do with it.

Marcy Blum – Marcy Blum Events

•    There is life after the wedding. If you’re mean to your sister-in-law, the groom, etc., they WILL     remember.

•    Don’t take all your bridesmaids with you to shop for a dress. The store doesn’t have room and you’ll get 48 opinions.

Sylvia Weinstock – Sylvia Weinstock Cakes

•    You don’t have to serve anything with the cake (ice cream, etc.).
•    The best clients: those who are neither set in their ways, nor totally without a clue.
•    It’s only a wedding; it’s not a marriage. Don’t fight.

Julie Raimondi – Editor in Chief at brides.com
•    Before looking at dresses, locations, anything – ask yourself, “How do I want it to feel?” rather than “How do I want it to look?” The words you come up with in answer to that first question (e.g., like a nightclub, like my living room, etc.) will inform everything, and do it better than Pantone chips.
•    Even if the church is within walking distance of the reception, provide transportation – get a shuttle bus. Don’t cause the guests angst.
•    Conversations about guests bringing guests (e.g., bringing a boyfriend) should occur before invitations go out. But decisions can be made on a case-by-case basis rather than across the board.

Xocital Gonzalez – Always a Bridesmaid
•    When trying to combine cultures, think, “What ceremony would make me feel married?”  It might be a tea ceremony, jumping over a broom, etc.
•    Sometimes cultures are so different (white wedding dress vs. Indian groom) that ceremonies really can’t be integrated. But there are ways to integrate multiple ceremonies into a single day. For example, separate the two ceremonies by a cocktail party. The bride and groom can even change clothes while the guests have a chance to chat.
•    Food is very important. Through food, a family feels they’re reflected.

Lisa “Ceci” Johnson – Ceci New York Wedding Invitations
•    Don’t be afraid to use color in your invitations. Or to use different colors for different pieces. Color doesn’t cost more; it can be a money-saving effect. Black paper can be beautiful!

•    Keep in mind that a wedding is about what makes you happy; the invitation should make you happy! If it feels good, go with it. You don’t need everyone else’s opinion.
Matt and Tamsen- relationship experts
•    Weddings make men more nervous than proposals. You don’t want to be fighting during the wedding planning. The wedding planning takes a lot longer than the wedding; you want it to be fun. Don’t let the wedding affect your marriage.

•    Keep in mind that the idea that you’re the only woman he’ll be sleeping with for the rest of his life can be a treacherous thought for guys. Bickering before the wedding will make this thought more treacherous.

Wedding Photography Panel– thoughts from several masters
•    Anybody with a camera can take a picture, but not everybody can be a photographer. (Sarah Merians)
•    A wedding is about the people at the wedding – the story. It’s not just about the fashion; it’s not just about the bride. (Terry Gruber)
•    Photography is memories; video is entertainment. (Sarah Merians)

Two things this experience has confirmed for me: bridal events are in need of a change, and vendors are excited to find new ways to connect with their clientele.  Since we plan on creating the Ultimate Engagement again, we are excited to have ideas about how to tweak it and make it even better – come rain or come shine!

Thank you to all the amazing partners in this event, and for all the collective support Maya and I received in putting the Ultimate Engagement together.  From the social media of Square Martini and the PR of 7th Wonder, to all of the amazing staff of Swank Productions and 5th Avenue Digital, this was truly a collective feat.

I have a new-found respect for any producer of events.  I was not expecting the emotional rollercoaster that goes along with the ebbs and flows of fast-paced decision making.  Thank you Maya, for being so masterful at the event part!

To all the wedding masters that took this leap of faith to see if they could connect to brides in a new way, to old friends and new…I thank you for your feedback and am grateful that you are seeing success from your efforts.

Please continue to check out the Ultimate Engagement blog for updates on each of these masters’ and partners’ amazing achievements.  And check the website to get a list of all participating vendors and contact information.

This is our first newsletter letting you know all that we’re doing at 5^th Avenue Digital and our sister companies.  Please let us know what you think!  We are always looking for new ideas and ways to improve, and we welcome your input.

5^th Avenue Digital started as an innovator in digital technology, at a time when the world was still using film.  We have taken that spirit of innovation and brought it into our mission, addressing our clients’ changing needs for our products and our services.  This month we are launching our deconstructed photo booth.

We have seen how the old fashioned photo booths are still hits at parties, but there is so much more you can do now with new technology.  We created a modern photo booth that allows your guests to have fun taking their own pictures, but at the same time offers many more options, such as custom designed prints with logos and branded images.  We have also made the booth accessible to output for A/V connection, when you want to project the images onto a large screen.  This allows all your guests watch the fun at the booth, and encourages everyone to join in.

Our social website is now live: www.5thAvenueDigital.com/social.   Thank you to all of you who allowed us to be part of your social occasions last year, without a website.  We are happy to report we’ve had wonderful feedback from our new business model of representing top talent, and we look forward to sharing some of our new talent’s amazing work.  Some of the photographers 5^th Avenue Digital is currently representing include Robert Evans, Julie Skarratt, Daniel Kruger and others.  We look forward to sharing many happy occasions with you in the coming years.

5^th Avenue Digital is still doing amazing events for the corporate community.  We are well known for our onsite print service and get asked to do all sorts of interesting events.  This month’s favorites were for The North Face and for fashion bloggers during New York fashion week.  Both events brought fun and community-building opportunities to everyone who participated.  You can read more about them on our blog.

There are also many developments with our sister companies.  I’ve created these related businesses because it’s natural for me to see areas of opportunity in the market – holes that need to be filled.  While co-owner at Sarah Merians Photography, I discovered that many people were using freelance photographers but had no place to make beautifully crafted albums.  I launched Album Boutique to fill this hole, to rave reviews.  The website offers high end albums at a third the price of albums offered at traditional photography studios.  This service is an added bonus to our social photography clients, because they are able to seamlessly take the images we provide and make an heirloom-quality album, while taking advantage of the significant savings.

In exploring the right avenues to launch Album Boutique., I went in search of the perfect bridal event to meet my target brides face to face.  I couldn’t find one.  So, along with Maya Kalman of Swank Productions, I came up with Ultimate Engagement. This is an event where brides get to make pre-scheduled appointments with some of the masters in our industry.  On March 14^th, 5^th Avenue Digital will be at the Ultimate Engagement event, representing the work of Robert Evans and Julie Skarratt.  If you have not met either one, I’d love to offer you the chance to come by.  Please contact me if you are interested.

We look forward to sharing more of our clients’ intriguing work in the pages of our Business Behind the Artistry blog – and maybe featuring your work, too.  We are getting a lot of traffic at our blog and will continue to showcase actual events we’ve done, as well as the folks who work on these events, with video interviews and tips from experienced industry leaders.

We hope you will be a part of this community.

If you are new to social media – or even if you consider yourself an expert – we hope you will connect with us in our various social media communities.  I am always happy to answer any questions you may have and love speaking to groups about social media.  I have gotten many clients and friends through my involvement and I’m thrilled to share what I’ve learned.

So jump in and join the conversation!  You can comment on this post, follow me on twitter @elizbeskin and/or sign up as a fan on Facebook.  Have a stupendous March, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Because nothing is the same as it was ten years ago…

Ever since the internet came to be, information is on overload.  There is so much easy access to information from blogs, wedding websites and directories of vendors, most consumers find the choices overwhelming.

I started my career in the photography industry, where brides first started to purchase their wedding services online.  I saw photographers shoot one wedding with their inexpensive cameras, create quickie websites and – voila! – they suddenly became experienced wedding photographers.  Most people couldn’t detect these photographers’ lack of real experience or artistry from their websites.

As an entrepreneur, I noticed that these brides still wanted heirloom albums.  I created Album Boutique to fill that hole in the market and give all brides a chance get a high quality bound album for a reasonable price.

In the course of responding to the changes in the marketplace and creating Album Boutique, I saw a downside in online retail.  It’s that, online, you don’t get a chance to meet the person you’re dealing with face-to-face, or to discover what’s unique about the people you may choose to orchestrate your perfect wedding day.  Everyone’s personality and individual style is reflected in their work, but shopping online you usually miss that.

As the launch approached for Album Boutique, I began to search for a place where brides and grooms could touch the products and learn about the Album Boutique options.  I visited a number of bridal shows but quickly became disillusioned.  The shows I visited were more like cattle calls, and as I wandered around the vibe felt like something right out of reality TV.  I couldn’t find a venue or format that enabled me to present my brand in a warm and civilized manner.

One evening  last year, while I ventured into another so-called ”luxury” bridal event with Maya Kalman from Swank Productions in tow, we looked at each other and knew there had to be a better way.  We could see each other’s creative wheels in motion.

Maya is a wonderful producer of corporate events and beautiful high end weddings. She approached the concept from a producer’s point of view, so her insights were vital to determining its viability.  Over the next few weeks, we continued refining the idea until we recognized that we’d discovered a hole in the market we were uniquely qualified to fill. Together, we knew we had what it took to create something truly exciting.

Maya and I share the same ultimate objective as our many colleagues in the industry: to grow our respective businesses.  We knew if our event could meet this objective for us, it would also be successful for the other vendors involved.  With the support of many friends and colleagues we have worked with over our collective years in the industry, this event is sure to make an impact!

The Ultimate Engagement was created to be everything an upscale bride wants as she prepares for her wedding: a place for ideas, for fashion, for education, and for meeting with the Masters of the New York wedding industry.

This is an event where brides get to make pre-scheduled appointments with some of the masters in our industry.  In addition to showcasing our albums, 5^th Avenue Digital will be at the Ultimate Engagement event, representing the work of Robert Evans and Julie Skarratt.  If you have not met either one, I’d love to offer you the chance to come by.  Please contact me if you are interested.

I hope you’ll join us for the first bridal event to revolutionize the way brides talk to vendors face-to-face, on March 14th at Gotham Hall.