Meeting Plan

The Destination Wedding Planners Conference & Expo


August 29-30, 2015

Samantha ParisiApril 24, 2015

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Table of Contents

Purpose

The main purpose for organizing this event is to provide professionals in the wedding planning industry with the skills and knowledge to successfully plan and execute a destination wedding. The conference will include industry professional speakers, educational topics, and networking opportunities. The exposition will include vendors from the wedding, event, and travel & tourism industries.

Attendees of this conference should leave with the necessary skills needed in order to plan successful weddings both domestically and internationally, and it should help them move forward in their careers as destination wedding planners.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a one of a kind learning experience to planners and industry professionals who have an interest in the destination wedding market.

History

The Destination Wedding Planners association was developed in 2014 and includes 200 members that pay yearly dues. This association was developed for wedding planners specializing in destination weddings. The association is only a year old, therefore this is the first ever Destination

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Wedding Conference & Expo. If this event is profitable and successful, there are hopes of turning it into an annual event.

Objectives and Goals

The objective of the meeting is to educate industry professionals on how to successfully plan and implement a Destination Wedding for their clients.

Target attendees should include destination wedding planners, wedding planners, event planners, catering managers, designers, tourism officials and travel agents.

Attract professionals from different states and countries (Caribbean Islands)

The exposition is open to the conference attendees and the general public.

Make a profit through registration costs and exposition tickets. Create timelines for the event in advance

Needs Analysis:

1. Discounted room rates for conference attendees2. Discounted airfare tickets with JetBlue Airlines3. Hotel Amenities should include pool or ocean access, wireless internet,

onsite or nearby dining, fitness center, and small conference rooms4. Dietary substitutions or handicapped accessible rooms should be

available

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5. Hotel Shuttle to pick up and drop off attendees at the airport6. The conference location should have rooms large enough to fit 200

people7. Hospitality Suites should be available for speakers8. Gift bags for attendees

Organizing Committees:

Financial/Resource Management

The Financial department will handle all finances in relation to this event. They will be responsible for finding funding for the conference and expo, creating and implementing registration fees, and they will be in charge of all finances and payroll.

Speakers

The DMC will be responsible for finding industry professional speakers to come and speak at our conference. They will be responsible for creating a contract, discussing time frames and topics, and updating them with any relative information. All speakers will have a waived registration fee, and will be provided with all accommodations, transportation, and food.

Professional Speakers

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1. Preston Baily- World Renown Celebrity Planner2. Marcy Blum- Author of “Wedding Kit for Dummies”3. Allison Hotchkiss- Specializes in boutique Destination Weddings4. Lisa Light- Destination Wedding Planner5. Indira Maduro- Founder of Aruba Fairytales6. Shri Lildharri- Global travel director at The Knot7. Dave Cox- Caribbean Bride Magazine8. Alan Berg- Leading wedding business expert

Topics

Choosing the right destination How to plan a destination wedding Handling contracts and the law The importance of exceptional customer service Growing your business with Caribbean Destination Weddings Planning the perfect event The importance of understanding your clients Aruba Destination Weddings

Venue Management

This committee will be responsible for contacting the CVB to arrange site inspections at different hotels. They will be required to visit all possible locations that could potentially work for the conference, and they are in charge of allocating all necessary spaces needed for our event. They are required to make sure that the venue itself has outlets, a/v equipment, and air conditioning. Their responsibilities also include negotiating prices for venue space and working with the catering department to create a menu.

Publicity

The marketing committee will be in charge of publicity for the event. They will be required to update the website on a weekly basis regarding costs, registration, sponsors and speakers. Advertisements will be placed inside wedding and travel magazines in order to capture more attendees. They will

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also be responsible for marketing through social media by posting on Facebook, twitter, and instagram.

Activities/Entertainment

The DMC will also be responsible for planning the opening ceremony on the first day of the conference, as well as any activities and entertainment during that time. The welcome reception dinner is for all speakers, sponsors, and VIP members of the association.

Sponsors

The DMC will be responsible for finding sponsors to help fund the event. The key sponsor for this event is the Aruba Tourism Board. They will be provided on all brochures and marketing promotions as well as on signage.

In addition to the conference, they will be offering a limited number of slots for attendees to take a “fam trip” to Aruba. This would give planners the opportunity to see Aruba and market it to their clients.

Volunteer Management

The Human Resources committee will be responsible for managing all volunteers. Their duties will include training volunteers and providing them with nametags and dress uniforms for the event.

Volunteers will be needed to assist attendees during the conference and also during setup and tear down of the exposition exhibits. The volunteers

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must be familiar with the hotel property and they should have some knowledge about the conference in order to answer any possible questions.

Possible Locations

1. The Hyatt Regency Hotel Miami 2. The Westin Tampa Bay Hotel

Location Needs:

1. Space to hold 200 guests in a classroom style environment with A/V technology

2. A ballroom to hold a buffet lunch for guests3. A place to hold a welcome reception dinner4. Space to move around5. Must be close to an airport6. Hotel Amenities7. Onsite dining options8. Activities in surrounding areas

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LocationThe Westin Tampa Bay Hotel

7627 W. Courtney Campbell Causeway Tampa, Florida

BluVu Event Space- 3200 square feet

The BluVu Event Space will be used for the opening reception dinner and buffet lunch. These events will require 200 seats and tables, catering service, volunteers, and equipment and speakers to play music.

Offers a rooftop terrace overlooking the ocean

Barbados Room- 2500 square feet

The Barbados Room will require the set up of 30 booths for exhibitors to showcase their items and for attendees to walk around comfortably

Caribbean Ballroom- 3200 square feet

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The Caribbean Ballroom will be used for the conference and speakers throughout the two days. This will require 200 seats with tables in a classroom format, a/v equipment and assistant, which are provided by the hotel.

Outside of the Caribbean Ballroom there will be break stations, which will include an assortment of drinks and snacks.

There are three hospitality suites available within close proximity of the Caribbean Ballroom. The hospitality suites will be available to the speakers so they have someplace to relax before they speak.

This conference and Expo will take place August 28- 30th

2015

Schedule

Friday August 28th

6pm- Midnight Welcome reception dinner in the BluVu Room located on the 16th floor. This dinner is optional and is not included in the registration cost. Free for speakers, sponsors and VIP members.

Saturday August 29th

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Sunday August 30th

7-8 am Registration Opens/Complimentary breakfast

8- 8:45 am Speaker #5

9- 9:45 am Speaker #6

10 am Exposition Opens

Refresh & Renew Break

10:30- 11:15

Speaker #7

11:30- 1 pm

Lunch or Networking Opportunities

8 – 9 am Registration Begins/Complimentary breakfast

9 - 9:30 am Opening Speech

9:30- 10:15 am

Speaker # 1

10:30- 11:15 am

Speaker #2

Refresh & Renew Break

11:30- 12 pm

Speaker #3

12 pm Exposition Vendors Open

12:30- 2:30 pm

Lunch Buffet/Networking

3- 3:45 pm Speaker #4

4- 6 pm Networking Opportunities/Vendor Showcase closes at 6pm

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1- 1:30 pm Speaker #8

1:30- 2:30 pm

Question and Answer Panel (all speakers)

4 pm Vendor Showcase Closes

Branding:


Are you a wedding planner interested in expanding your career horizons? Do you enjoy traveling and experiencing different destinations? If so, this is the perfect conference for you! We can provide you with a one of a kind experience that will help jump-start your career in the destination wedding industry. Planning weddings has never been so much fun!

Tagline: Destination weddings done right.Destination Weddings. The best kinds of weddings.

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Onsite Catering Options

Refresh & Renew Breaks

Includes:

Freshly brewed Starbucks CoffeeAssortment of Tazo Herbal TeasBottled Water

Chocolate Raspberry BrowniesChocolate Chip CookiesChocolate dipped StrawberriesFlavored Macaroons

Lunch “Florida BBQ”

Homemade bread, baguettes, multigrain loaves

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Coffee, Water, Tazo Herbal Tea, Iced Tea

Iceberg Wedge Salad, Mustard potato salad, Cole slaw, brown sugar cured salmon, bourbon brushed bbq chicken, collard greens, white cheddar creamed corn, smoked bacon baked beans, peach cobbler, fruit salad

Dining Options Onsite:

AQUA Waterfront RestaurantStarbucks

Dining Options Offsite:

Bahama Breeze .22miBrio Tuscan Grille 2.76miSeasons 52 2.92miArmanis Italian Restaurant 0.97miEddie V’s Prime Seafood 2.94miMaggiano’s Little Italy 2.84mi

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MASTER PLAN

Venue & Logistics

May- Aug 2014 The head supervisor of the venue management committee will go on site visits to determine which locations work best for the conference.

Aug-Sept 2014 A second site inspection will be made in order to go over necessary details

Sept- Nov 2014 A final decision will be made about the site and an RFP will be submitted

Nov- Feb 2015 Negotiations will be made regarding room blocks at the hotel for the event

Feb- March 2015

Catering menu will be decided

March- Aug 2015

Last minute decisions will be decided

August 2015 Set up for the conference & expo begins

The head supervisor of venue management will contact the DMO’s in Tampa and Miami in order to arrange a site inspection. The search for a venue will begin a year prior to the intended event. Once a location is chosen, the supervisor will contact the CVB of Tampa in order to arrange a second site

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inspection. A decision is made shortly after this, and an RFP is submitted for approval. Once the RFP is accepted the supervisor will work with the hotel regarding room blocks, necessary equipment needed, services required, and menus for catering.

Set up for the conference will start a few days prior to the event. The head supervisor will make sure that everything is correct and that each room has the correct amount of tables and seats. They will also double check that all equipment works properly, in order to minimize the risk of something going wrong or not working during the conference. Volunteer staff will also take this time to set up the exhibitor booths and to become familiar with the hotel property.

Registration

Sept- Oct 2014

Registration and payment methods will be decided by the finance department

Oct- Dec 2014

Invitations for the event will be sent out to members and marketing will begin

Jan- May 2015

Early registration discounts will be offered/ Assign personnel for onsite registration/ Exhibitor registration begins

May- July 2015

Payments will be transferred to the Financial Department

July- Aug 2015

Onsite registration, payments transferred to Financial Department

Registration Package Includes:

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1. Full access to conference/exposition2. Onsite hotel accommodations3. Buffet lunch and unlimited beverages4. Networking opportunities

There will be three types of registration options offered:

1. Early Bird Special 15% off for a limited time2. Regular Registration 3. Expo Only Ticket

Cash and Credit Cards are acceptable forms of payment.We accept: Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover

The finance department will make a decision regarding registration and payment methods no later than October 10th of 2014. Once a decision is made, invitations to our event will be sent out to association members. Members are first priority when it comes to registration. Marketing over social media will soon begin shortly after in order to capture the attention of non-members. January 1st is when the Early Bird Special Registration begins. This includes a 15% discount. This will continue until May 10th, and then registration will be full price. All payments will be transferred to the Financial Department by July 1, 2015. Onsite registration will be led by the DMC and will be available starting August 29th at 8am.

Sponsors

Key Sponsor:Aruba Tourism Authority $30,000

Other Sponsors:Marriott Stellaris Resort Aruba $20,000Westin Hotels & Resorts $12,000

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Partnerships:Destination Wedding Magazine $10,000

Caribbean Bride $10,000JetBlue Airlines $8,000Visit Florida $2,000

The DMC will be responsible for finding sponsors and partners to fund the event. The key sponsor will pay the most money and will be included on all promotional materials and signage. The smaller sponsors will be included on certain promotional pieces. The main sponsor for this event is the Aruba Tourism Authority. Other sponsors will include Marriott Stellaris Resort & Casino, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Destination Wedding Magazine Caribbean Bride, and The Knot.

Speakers

Sept-Oct 2014

A selections of speakers will be chosen by the DMC and invitations will be sent out

Oct-Nov 2014 The speakers should contact the DMC to confirm or decline by the beginning

Nov- Feb 2015

The confirmed speakers and DMC should work together to figure out presentation topics and time slots

Feb- March 2015

Confirmed speakers will be added to promotional marketing pieces

Mar- July 2015

Speakers will be given a waived registration fee and all transportation and accommodations for the speaking engagement will be arranged.

July- Aug 2015

The speakers should arrive on the first day of the event in order to attend the Welcome Reception Dinner

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The DMC will be in charge of finding speakers to attend and speak at the event. A selection of speakers should be chosen by the end of October, and invitations should be sent out. Speakers should be confirmed and placed under contract by November 1, 2014. Topics and timeframes should be confirmed by February 5, 2015. The DMC will then pass this information to the marketing/publicity team so they can begin official marketing efforts. The speakers will have their registration fee waived, and they will be provided with accommodations, food, and transportation as a form of payment. Speakers should arrive on the first day of the event in order to attend the Welcome Reception Dinner.

Activities/Entertainment

The DMC will be in charge of the Welcome Reception Dinner. This dinner will be offered to speakers, sponsors, and members of the association. The dinner is available for an added cost to attendees. The dinner will include a speaking engagement and music.

Publicity

Nov- Dec 2014 The marketing committee will start working on the website for the event. Social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will also be created in order to attract new members

Dec- Feb 2015 The supervisor will contact magazines in order to advertise inside from December- August

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Feb- April 2015 Promotional efforts will begin on social media and the website

April- Aug 2015 The official program will be available on the website

The marketing committee will be in charge of all marketing and promotional materials for the conference and exposition. Starting in November of 2015, the marketing committee will start working on the website for the event. Social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram will be created in order to attract new members and attendees. The supervisor will contact magazines in order to advertise inside from December- August. Promotional efforts will take off on February 1st and the official program should be available on the website by the beginning of April. Programs will also be passed out during the event.

Volunteer Management

The human resources committee will handle all volunteers. Volunteer’s responsibilities may include providing guests with directions and information. They will be responsible for guiding guests to the right conference room and they will navigate guests through the hotel. They should be knowledgeable about the property, and should be able to answer any attendee’s questions. Volunteers will be provided with nametags and dress uniforms. They will be paid and are also provided with lunch and beverages.

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Event Budget for the Destination Wedding Planners Conference

Event Expenses:

BluVu Room 3 days 30,000Caribbean Ballroom 3 days 30,000Barbados Room 3 days 30,000Site Staff 3 days 2,000Catered Food 200 people 6,400Drinks 200 people 3,000Speakers 8 speakers 4,000Hotel Rooms 100 10,000Decorations 3 days 1,000Destination Weddings Magazine

10 months 5,000

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Caribbean Bride Magazine 10 months 5,000TOTAL EXPENSES: $126,400

Event Income:

Early Bird Registration 100 @ $445.00 $44,500Regular Registration 100 @ $520.00 $52,000Expo Ticket Only 50 @ $25.00 $1,250Medium Booths 30 @ $500.00 $15,000Aruba Tourism Authority Sponsor $30,000Marriott Stellaris Resort Aruba

Sponsor $20,000

Westin Hotels & Resorts Sponsor $12,000Destination Wedding Magazine

Sponsor $10,000

Caribbean Bride Sponsor $10,000JetBlue Airlines Sponsor $8,000Visit Florida Sponsor $2,000

TOTAL INCOME: $204,750TOTAL PROFIT: $78,350

The Destination Wedding Planners Conference & Expo Event Evaluation

Note: The purpose of this survey is to understand how satisfied you are with the services and facilities of the current event that you have participated. This survey has 16 questions and will take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Your comments will enable us to better plan and execute future conferences. Thank you for taking the time to participate in this evaluation.

Sincerely,

Meeting Planner

Samantha Parisi

Very Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very Dissatisfied Satisfied

1 2 3 4 5

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How satisfied are you:

1. With the location? 1 2 3 4 5

2. With the venue? 1 2 3 4 5

3. With the speakers? 1 2 3 4 5

4. With the topics? 1 2 3 4 5

5. With the networking 1 2 3 4 5opportunities?

6. With the catering options? 1 2 3 4 5

7. With the exhibitors? 1 2 3 4 5

8. With the volunteers? 1 2 3 4 5

9. With the shuttle transportation to and from the airport? 1 2 3 4 5

10. With the overall experience? 1 2 3 4 5

Please feel free to leave a response regarding your experience. Comments and suggestions are helpful to the overall success of future events.

Topic: ______________________________________________________________________

Response: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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For any other comments or concerns feel free to contact us over the phone or through email. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Contact Information

Samantha Parisi(570) 345-6789

[email protected]

Documents

Meeting Plan