One of the great parts about being in the wedding business is that there is an abundance of talented people I get to meet and work with on a regular basis. TWO of these women are Andrea VandeBerg and Sarah Sarbacker, creators and owners of Cherry Blossom Events. This year they pulled together their own industry retreat, bringing together the best in the business for a few days at the beautiful Camp Wandawega in Elkhorn, WI. Camp Wed included workshops from top wedding professionals around Wisconsin and the county, delectable food and beverage, beautiful floral and other details, new head shots for everyone, and also a DANCE PARTY.
I really appreciated the variety in our workshops throughout the retreat, which proved to be equally important to attendees whether there alone or with a business partner, working for themselves or with a company. We covered topics including but not limited to: destination and cultural weddings, chalkboard design, small business taxes, authenticity and being happy, videography, and illustration to name a few. Each presentation led to a discussion and each discussion built new friendships and potential future partnerships. It would take me years to get this kind of knowledge on my own.
Did I mention that the weather was BEAUTIFUL the entire time? Wandawega is straight out of Wes Anderson film, complete with teepees, camp flags, announcements over a bullhorn, a giant bonfire circle and a lake pier to jump off of. They host many different groups throughout the year including weddings. You can also book a stay on Air B&B. It was picture perfect.
In addition to workshops, there were so many opportunities to get to know my colleagues better including mealtimes, swim breaks, over cocktails, and at campfires. Kudos to all of the vendors who participated in and provided for these, as everything was first class, from the delicious cocktails of Gib’s Bar to the Gourmet s’mores from Bloom Bake Shop. It was definitely the finest I’ve eaten in a long time (or maybe even in my whole life). Our final dinner was even catered by Celebrity Chef Scott Wagner, who has personally cooked for Justin Timberlake and Kobe Bryant. Pretty cool, right?
Overall, I feel that Camp Wed is probably one of the best things I could’ve
participated in as a new business owner. I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous, but still so much to learn, and couldn’t have asked for a better group to be with. While participants were from all over, many are from the Madison area and hopefully people that I get to work with more in the future. For now, it’s time to absorb and practice until the next opportunity. Or the next camp!
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