Best of 2013 Dejanae Events Style!

What an amazing year 2013 has been for the Dejanae Events Team! 

The year started off with us learning that Dejanae Events was named Best of Weddings 2013 in the wedding coordinators category for the 4th time!  I can't thank our clients enough for the wonderful reviews!  Then we went right into the planning the kick-off of Inspire Smart Success Experience Tour in Chicago at the InterContinental Hotel in mid-January.  This was the seconded time Stacie Francombe, the Founder of ISS, entrusted us in bringing this awesome educational experience to Chicago.

Then we headed into February as the event planner for Wedding Guide Chicago's annual industry event called, WEDBash.  What an honor to bring over 250+ industry professionals to Pinstripes Oak Brook to celebrate successes and prepare for the upcoming 2013 wedding season.  I'm so thankful to the 22 sponsors that assisted in making the event a total success!

Just as the planning of industry events came to an end, the first of 19 weddings took place on March 9th and continued with the last being held on Sunday, December 15th.  And then the Editor of Pretty Pear Bride featured the wedding of Michael and Hareder in their spring issue and the features just kept coming!  The Real Wedding of Nikkol and Dion was featured in Chicago Style Weddings in July and the Real Wedding of Amaka and Hugh was featured in Wedding Guide Chicago in December.   And if it couldn't get any better than that, I was afforded the opportunity to work with an amazing team of vendors to bring my Partyscape, Urban Tranquility, to life!

But the BEST part of this year...was being named Best of Weddings 2014 in the Wedding Coordinators category which now places us in the The Knot's Hall of Fame with 5 wins!!!  And last, we held WEDologyEDU - Winter 2013 at Flossmoor Country Club and it was our most successful workshop yet with the launch of the new coursebook! What an amazing 2013!!!  I'm just so thankful!!!

Keep your eye out for plenty more useful wedding planning posts and Real Wedding features in 2014!!!

Until next time...Happy New Year and WEDologize!

Best of 2012 Dejanae Events Style!

I'm so excited and thankful when I reflect back on the wonderful year of press and media for Dejanae Events!!!

The year started off fabulous when I was told by Chicago Style Weddings Editor that I was one of six selected to be apart of the Designer's Challenge.  My team was awesome and I thank them so much for bringing my vision of Refreshingly Simple to life!!!  And to top it off, I'm also a featured contributor of the magazine and was quoted 11 times in various articles.  Then I woke up in April and learned I was tagged in a post on Facebook from Stacie Francombe's Inspire Smart Success blog that I was selected as an "Wedding Entrepreneur That Inspires"! WOW!  I was also quote in the inaugural issue of Inspire Smart Success magazine and just recently in the Fall 2012 have a full page article that I wrote entitled, "Marketing To Make Happen". YES!

2012 got even better because I was selected as Best of Weddings 2012 in the Wedding Planners category as well as had a full page feature in the Fall/Winter The Knot Chicago apart of the Wedding Planners Dish.  Then I forged a wonderful relationship with Wedding Guide Chicago and was asked to create a Partyscape for their Winter/Spring edition that I entitled, "Cocktails With Details" which can be seen on pages 140-141!  But it doesn't stop their, I'm also now the Co-Host of a Webisode called, "The Wedding Planners" where we talk about "all things weddings" on a monthly basis.

And to top off 2012, I hosted two Wedology Experience training workshops for aspiring wedding and event planners and I have a MAJOR announcement coming out this month.  Last, I was called by one of The Knot Editors and was told that not only has Dejanae Events been selected for the 3rd time in a row as Best of Weddings for 2013, but I'm also an Editor's Pick!  Amazing and Blessed!!!

I'm so excited about 2012 and all its blessings, but I know the best is yet to come in 2013!!!


Until next time...WEDologize!

Best of Dejanae Events 2011 Style!

I always like to reflect on the previous year, both good and bad, before setting future goals.  2011 was a year of change, growth, education and new friendships and I accepted all the challenges with open arms. 

I started the year off receiving the proud honor from The Knot being named Best of 2011!  Then moved into announcing myself as the author of a bridal planner called WEDology Notebook: For The Budget Chic Bride.  From there a magazine named N'Digo contacted me and wrote a full-page spread about the Notebook, Dejanae Events and our future goals.  After speaking with up-and-coming planners in this industry, I developed and launched WEDology Experience, a full-day training seminar based on the Notebook and it's usefulness for planners and hosted 2 awesome training sessions.  From there, I reached out to the fab Stacie Francombe on Facebook, the former creator and editor of Get Married Magazine, and a whirlwind educational event was heldd in Chicago, called Inspire Smart Success Experience, and Dejanae Events was the event planners!  We also had 2 weddings featured in Today's Chicago Woman and the partnership with Flossmoor Country Club grow as I assisted in planning their Open House. 

But the best part of 2011 was graduating eight excited students from the Wedding & Event Planning 10-week certification course I have instructed at Elgin Community College for 5 years!  Whew, but I'm not done sharing because my biggest challenge and happiest accomplishment comes from blogging 31 Days in December to my fabulous readers!  Love you all!!!

The best is yet to come in 2012!!! Watch :)  Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Until next time...WEDologize!