As president and CEO of The Bridal Circle, a mother of two and with countless consultations, appointments and events vying for my attention, it is difficult sometimes to fathom precisely what a day, a week or even a month may hold.  There is one thing, however, that I will pause all other activities for, and that is the biannual Engage! Conference.  Near or far, it’s marked on my calendar and I look forward to this time with the dynamic duo that makes it all happen, Rebecca Grinnals and Kathryn Acre.  Along with their stellar team, including Trisha, Cindy, Ron, Shawn, Rochelle, Aimee and Ali, these two captivate the entire realm of wedding professionals and create an experience that brings excitement, inspiration and excellence to the wonderful world of weddings.

Each Engage! experience is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime meeting of the  most brilliant minds in the wedding industry.  Despite the fact that Engage! is held in both the early summer as well as in winter, missing a single event is to miss out on a world of opportunity.  No two events are alike.  Held in exotic, luxurious and enchanting locations around the globe, Rebecca and Kathryn devise magnificent themes based on each location.  Decor, session work, music, even cuisine revolves around these creative themes.  After all, every last detail must be addressed when your guests are the best in the biz!  Rebecca and Kathryn ensure that every last ‘i’ is dotted and ‘t’ is crossed, leaving attendees mesmerized with the effortless appearance of their undertakings.

This June, Rebecca and Kathryn whisked us off to the rejuvenating Ritz Carlton located in Bachelor Gulch, Colorado.  Tucked into the majesty of the mountains, the Bachelor Gulch Ritz Carlton could not have been a more prime destination.  I’ve traveled the world, and the staff there was superb, the service, spectacular.  Of course, I had to explore the spa services, and was not at all disappointed.  My team included Abdullah, Ashley and Sid, and I simply cannot wait for a repeat visit!

Engage!14 Bachelor Gulch itself was simply astounding.  Rebecca and Kathryn attended to absolutely every last detail.  The couture cuisine, the thoughtful gifts- each element of the experience was carefully selected and expertly executed.  We were even given Oxygen Bars!  Above and beyond is the only way to describe the care put into crafting this event.  Additionally, the speakers were phenomenal, among them Cindy Novotny, Simon T. Bailey, and even Ceci Johnson of Ceci New York.  Truly, I left moved and inspired by the greatness surrounding me.

What really made the event, however, were the surprises waiting around every corner.  A surprise flash mob dance to Dirty Dancing was even implemented, performed by the exquisite Paige Chennault and Brian Worley.  They danced with so much style, I was sure I’d been transported back in time and was watching Patrick Swayze himself.  Other surprises included ABC’s first Bachelorette, Tristan Sultry, who spoke, as well as Wolfgang Puck.  Entertainment was incredible, led by West Coast Music who had every last soul up and moving to the rhythm of the band.

I simply cannot thank Rebecca and Kathryn enough for paving the way for excellence in the Wedding Industry!  Not only have these two created a platform for the Industry’s best and brightest to encourage, enrapture and pave the way for excellence in this field, they catapult industry leaders to new heights of expectation and achievement.  Creating unity is one of the things these ladies do best, and it’s clear that their endeavors have left the Wedding Industry more stable and secure than ever before.

For those of you just discovering the magic of Engage!, be sure to check out some of my most memorable moments from Engage!14 Bachelor Gulch below.  Who knows, maybe I’ll be seeing you at the next big Engage! event!