With both Catersource and The Special Event conferences teaming up for 2020 (co-located in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas), March is sure to be an educational month for the books. Over 200 sessions will be accessible to attendees, featuring innovation from some of the industry’s greatest pros.
Here is a quick list of some of the top speakers and sessions to look out for.
Panel – Navigating the Needs of the Modern Wedding Couple
Tuesday, March 10 – 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Panelists
- Kevin Dennis, Owner of Fantasy Sound Event Services and Editor-in-Chief of WeddingIQ
- Brittny Drye, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Love Inc.
- Katie Easley, Owner and Creative Director of Kate Ryan Design
- José Rolón, Owner of José Rolón Events
Brittny Drye
Brittny is the founder and editor-in-chief of Love Inc. She is a founding editor of the Aisle Society and a member of the 2018-19 North American Advisory Board for the International Academy of Wedding & Events.
Topic(s)
- Diving Deeper into Inclusive Event Marketing (Tuesday, March 10 – 9:15am – 10:15am)
- The Ins and Outs of Publishing (Thursday, March 12 – 4:00pm – 5:00pm)
Clint Elkins
Clint is the VP of Sales for SB Value, a group purchasing program designed to reduce catering, kitchen and food-service costs by leveraging the collective buying power of thousands of companies.
Topic(s)
- Panel – Maximizing Your Catering Profits (Wednesday, March 11 – 1:15pm – 2:15pm)
Meghan Ely
Meghan is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.
Topic(s)
- Dazzle with Surprise & Delight in the Event Industry (Thursday, March 12 – 2:30pm – 3:30pm)
- Down the Aisle and Around the World: Global Wedding Trends for 2020 (Wednesday, March 11 – 1:15pm – 2:15pm)
Sandy Hammer
Sandy is the CMO and co-founder of AllSeated. Sandy serves on the 2019 Weddings International Professionals Association board and was named by BizBash as one of the top 500 event professionals in the industry.
Topic(s)
- The Future of Virtual Reality in Catering (Thursday, March 12 – 1:15pm – 2:15pm)
Christie Osborne
Christie is the founder and owner of Mountainside Media. She’s a content strategist and conversion optimization specialist, as well as a longtime speaker for NACE, WIPA, and ABC.
Topic(s)
- Effective Communication in the Face of Natural Disasters (Tuesday, March 10 – 9:15am – 10:15am)
- Google Analytics for Busy Business Owners (Tuesday, March 10 – 3:15pm – 4:00pm)
Heather Rouffe
Heather is the Director of Sales and Managing Partner of Atlas Event Rental. Heather is an up-and-coming educator, providing insight on the latest design, color and rental trends. Atlas Event Rental has enjoyed features with Brides, BizBash, Inside Weddings, Style Me Pretty and InStyle, among others. Recently, Atlas was honored as one of the top 30 Rental Companies by Special Events Magazine.
Topic(s)
- Trends in Catering Rentals (Thursday, March 12 – 2:30pm – 3:30pm)
- What to Buy, Save, and Trash in Your 2020 Decor (Thursday, March 12 – 4:00pm – 5:00pm)
Meryl Snow
Meryl is the owner of SnowStorm Solutions. Meryl has spent 29 years in the special event & catering industry as co-founder of Feastivities Events, along with its subsidiaries OffShoots Decor and Philadelphia’s Picnic Company. She also is the author of Booked It! , Cha Ching and three how-to Style & Design videos, in addition, she is the creator of the Triangle Method Sales Training Platform.
Topic(s)
- A Candid Conversation LIVE with Meryl Snow (Tuesday, March 10 -3:15pm – 4:00pm)
- Build Motivated Teams (Thursday, March 12 – 4:00pm – 5:00pm)
- Buyer Perception Can Make or Break You and Your Business (Tuesday, March 10 – 9:15am – 10:15am)
- It’s NOT About Price (Thursday, March 12 – 2:30pm – 3:30pm)
- Salespeople are Driven By Goals (Wednesday, March 11 – 4:00pm – 5:00pm)
Emily Sullivan
Emily is the owner of Emily Sullivan Events. Emily uses her intuition and attention to detail to customize each wedding for her clients. She is a sought-after national speaker, with recent and upcoming engagements including The Special Event, NACE, and Catersource.
Topic(s)
- Buffets – Back and Better Than Ever! (Tuesday, March 10 – 10:45am – 11:45am)
- Uncovering Your Ideal Niche Market (Wednesday, March 11 – 4:00pm – 5:00pm)
