What happens when a group of local highly talented wedding & event professionals are locked in a meeting room with little food, coffee, a commitment, and all share the burning desire to provide the absolute best for their clients?
It has long been my desire to be a part of a professional community that has the same passion, integrity & dedication to their clients as I do. The only problem was, aside from a few personal contacts, that “community” didn’t really exist here on the Monterey Peninsula. There was nothing that brought professional wedding vendors together locally to come up and support them, promote them, and hold them to a higher standard. Earlier this year, in a very loosely structured format, my friend Anthony (DNA Entertainment) and I collaborated together to get something started, and with the help of Sarah Ward, put on a “Social Soiree”. The hopes were to stir the waters and create some momentum. Well, we were pleasantly surprised when that momentum met with the shared desires of fellow vendors who were feeling the same thing. Within a few short months, we had a group of us devoted to creating something beautiful. After many, many personal hours invested into doing some research and formulating an incredible group, we have begun an incredible adventure.
The result?
I am honored to present to you “Monterey Bay Wedding & Event Professionals” (also known as MBWEP). An association exclusively for Monterey & Santa Cruz County Wedding & Event Pros that is dedicated to excellence for our clients by being dedicated to our vendors, and vice versa. A lot of passion has been poured into it and it is sure to just keep getting better and better.
A good way to share with you the heartbeat of it all is to share with you our mission:
“To promote a community of local wedding & event professionals with integrity at its core, providing the utmost in professional services to our clients, and a commitment to excellence in all that we do.”
I’d like to also introduce to you our board of directors and Founding Members:
Amy Byrd – President
Amy Byrd Weddings & Events
831-626-6261
Anthony Karabetyan – Vice President
DNA Entertainment
831-372-5555
Karissa Paxton – Membership
Coastside Concierge
831-359-6399
Peri Basseri – Membership
Big Time Video
831-655-0409
Brenna Catalano – Reservations
BC Design Studio
831-424-2955
Richard Wood – Secretary
La Playa Hotel
831-624-6476
Hunter Lowder – Treasurer
Holman Ranch
831-659-2640
Nancy Rohan – Reservations
Paradise Catering
831-659-3417
Couture Celebrations
831-246-1438
And finally, yours truly…
Mike Steelman – Marketing Director
Mike Steelman Photographers
831-655-3725
1-800-925-1639
I also have to give a shout out & a hearty Thank You to a few others who have helped us along the way…
Nick Elliott from Holman Ranch; Sarah Ward from Sarah Ward Events; Beth Bellatti from Amy Byrd Weddings; Julienne Chranowski; & Sean Dasmann.
Anyway, if you share a desire to provide the absolute best for your clients with dedication, integrity, and a commitment to excellence, and you are a local Monterey or Santa Cruz County Wedding or Event Professional, I would like to invite you to our official launch party this coming Tuesday at Holman Ranch. You must RSVP through the evite here. I would personally love to meet you and say hi, so be sure to come up! And as always, I’m available if you have any questions. Just leave me a comment below or call me at the above number.
Great things are happening here in the Monterey Bay! From one end of the bay in Santa Cruz, Aptos, Capitola, Soquel, Scotts Valley, and Santa Cruz Mountains, to the other where you’ll find Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel Valley, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove… and everything in between, including the Salinas Valley, Watsonville, Marina, King City, and more, MBWEP is raising the bar and holding the wedding & event industry to higher standard. Sa-weet!
For you brides/grooms/event clients, Monterey Bay Wedding & Event Professionals is committed to being an invaluable resource to you and will continue to grow. We will provide you with a full list of recommended professionals that will be sure to blow your mind and exceed your expectations. Be sure to visit our website (almost complete!) and check back often. (Of course, if you’re in need of wedding photography, you’ve already hit the right place. Be sure to drop me a line!)
by STEELMAN
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