eWedNewz Week of June 3rd in Review

Posted on June 9, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

By Paul Pannone

A break during peak wedding / prom season shows business is flat, according to a growing number of sources. Usual rhetoric and false claims made by a variety of marketers grew silent in the first half of 2013, as newcomers to the business, guided by jaded veterans are no longer eager to spend money attending useless conventions. Instead many successful business owners are focusing on their own local market, leveraging the power of Social Networking and common sense to grow their business.

In top Newz the Wedding Water Cooler slammed organizations and dubious personalities who, according to WWC members, are little more than scams designed to bilk unknowing wedding companies out of money.

In the weeks and months ahead this newZ  source will be releasing information being gathered about people and companies who pawn themselves off as leaders but instead can no longer sustain the false front they’ve presented for years.

Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, Breaking Newz, eWedNewz Exclusive, General News, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, Paul Pannone, Social Media, The Internet, The Week in Review, wedding industry, Wedding Marketing Scams, Wedding Water Cooler Tagged: , , , ,

Listen to the Quiet

Posted on June 3, 2013 Written by 3 Comments

By Paul Pannone

It’s peak wedding season and better wedding resources are busy, as expected. But usually mediocre and worse, bad sources, are busy spewing nonsense and filling in boxes with spam promoting some wild, far-flung ideas at this time. But so-far this year it is conspicuously quiet and as one wedding planner put it, not such a bad thing.

 

Listen; wedding big-mouths can’t be heard. Get to the bad part.

Take heart if you’re enamored by the action bloggers have taken to their Facebook feed providing plenty of pizzazz and eye goodies to keep even the most starved enthusiast satisfied. But as Brides Google and Pinterest their way towards the event of their dream, wedding coffee clutch addicts are left to themselves to plan gatherings and back slapping sessions in warm winter climates, leaving the rest in peace.

Because of the quiet this newZ source has been able to take a break from the daily barrage of wedding bologna. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t been watching and listening to what’s happening. We’re working on several huge stories involving rip-offs, piracy and financial difficulties at some high-profile companies. Never fear, more drama will soon be here.

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, Breaking Newz, eWedNewz, eWedNewz Exclusive, Paul Pannone, wedding industry

2/3 of Consumer Poll so-far says Yes to Tuxedos, as fighting continues

Posted on April 22, 2013 Written by 1 Comment

By Paul Pannone

An ongoing story suggests tuxedos are alive and well, even though the tuxedo business remains divided and fragmented. But the people of the tuxedo business aren’t the only ones fighting.

Sources in the world of tuxedos say they’re waiting for a rise in demand, as the movie, The Great Gatsby, gets set for release. But according to Metro in UK Joel Edgerton and Leonardo DiCaprio are staging their own fireworks.

Filming for the movie began on September 5, 2011, in Australia. The Great Gatsby was originally scheduled for a December 2012 release but in August 6, 2012, it was reported the film was being moved to a summer 2013 release date, due to conflicts in the production schedule. In September 2012, the date, May 10, 2013, next month, was the official date for the movie release.

Lenny DiCaprio and  Joel Edgerton have been mixing it up on the set of The Great Gatsby; a mere pittance compared to the daily battles staged in the tuxedo business. Not since the 1997 movie, Titanic, have tuxedo sources been so excited about the expected positive effects on business. DiCaprio starred in the movie and credited with banner years that followed by retailers who say it was a good time for tuxedos. 

Over the weekend Sheryl Davies, a veteran wedding coördinator, marketer and advertiser, talked about weddings and specifically  new tuxedo designs, updated to appeal to a new consumer who want better quality, fit and softer fabrics. Davies joins other bloggers and wedding experts who await the new styles featuring the updates.

67% of an ongoing poll to consumers says they plan to use tuxedos for their formal event.  17% said they would not be using tuxedos and 8% said they’re still deciding.

What do you say? If you are a bride or groom getting married, will you be using tuxedos for your wedding?

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, Black Tie Follow Friday, Celebrity, eWedNewz, General News, Men's formal wear, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, Paul Pannone, The Groom, tuxedos, wedding industry Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

The Week of April 15th in Review

Posted on April 21, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

By Paul Pannone

The week of April 15th, 2013, will always be remembered for the tragedy and terrorist activities in Boston. Thoughts and prayers go out to victims and families of the terrorism.

Couples living in today’s society continue to move away from tradition and how weddings were once planned. An ongoing poll shows 62% are mindful of tradition (guided) while 24% say they’re paying for their event and will make their plans their own way. Combined, 86% of respondents so-far will plan their wedding to make them distinctive and unique.

The poll fortifies a new forecast by Sheryl Davies, owner of Bridal Talk. Davies, a wedding industry veteran, has managed to keep up– and ahead– of wedding planning and becoming a progressive thinker. Her show this Sunday hosted like-minded vendors who are keeping pace with consumer demand requiring the skill and knowledge to make their events elegant, memorable and affordable.

In other newZ Samantha Goldberg will be helping to promote destination weddings to Caribbean nations.

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, bridal, Bridal Magazines, Business, Celebrity, Destination Weddings, eWedNewz, General News, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, Paul Pannone, Poll, Uncategorized, wedding industry Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Samantha Goldberg to Assist with Caribbean Promotion

Posted on April 17, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

 

By Paul Pannone

Samantha Goldberg is making her way up the charts by becoming involved with high-profile projects that can mutually benefit from her followers, fans and fun style. Last month Goldberg announced a television project designed to challenge wedding industry crooks and scams. Goldberg called out Marni Gold for reasons she felt were sinister, telling eWedNewz it was only the start of what’s to come.

Tobago in the West Indies is the spot where Samantha Goldberg and Jacqueline Johnson reportedly collaborated to replace boring speakers with a more dynamic approach to promoting the Caribbean.

 

This month from her Linked In profile Goldberg announced a collaboration with the CTO foundation to help promote Caribbean tourism and destination weddings. Goldberg was welcomed in late 2012 by Jacqueline Johnson of Marry Caribbean, who oversees publicity for the Caribbean countries, to travel to Tobago, replacing speakers who reportedly gave disappointing results the year before at the Third annual Symposium.

According to the release:

The highly sought after celebrity event designer and television personality, Samantha Goldberg, is to put some of her expertise towards assisting Caribbean nationals pursuing further studies in tourism related subjects in the Caribbean. To include “Destination Weddings, Special Events and More… Samantha has agreed to serve on the board of directors of the CTO Foundation, The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and offices in New York and London, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency comprising membership of over 30 countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year round, warm weather destination by 2017, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism – One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.

Among the benefits to its members the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, research and information technology.

In addition the CTO, in partnership with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, jointly and equally owns the Caribbean Tourism Development Company, a marketing and business development entity dedicated to promoting the Caribbean brand worldwide.

eWedNewz continues to follow Goldberg’s movement and expected assault on questionable wedding industry activities.

 

 

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The Biggest Wedding Trend in 2013 is to Buck the Trend

Posted on April 15, 2013 Written by 3 Comments

By Paul Pannone

 

Expression and individualism are reported to be the growing trend in wedding planning over the past several years reaching new heights in 2013. The changes that began decades ago brings us to the new normal of wedding planning and marriage in general. For the past few years this newZ source has fought to find credible sources who consistently stay on track with the changes but who can also be real about those changes and not sprinkle fairy dust to tell the world what they think it wants to hear.

 Couples who decide to marry  no longer want the drudgery of planning and adhering to traditional protocol.

 

Among the leaders is Sheryl Davies, a long-time wedding industry veteran who has seen the changes but also knows why they came about. In her latest post  she tells of what’s coming and where we are.

Every bride envisions her wedding day as being the stuff that dreams are made of.  And this season is no different, as we find weddings steeped in beautiful details, wrapped in fabulous fabrics, sparkling gem accents and featuring stunning bouquets and centerpieces. There will be delectable and creative cakes and unique locations to round out the day.

Today, it is more important to couples than ever, to be true to who they are; rather than follow the traditions of the past. No longer do you have to be pushed into a scenario that isn’t totally you!

The biggest trend in 2013 is to buck the trend; each couple can do what makes them happy and what reflects their personalities.  Most nuptials today are a reflection of the bride and groom, their lifestyle and what makes them comfortable.

It is evident in such practices as “First Look”, when the couple and their wedding party meet for a photo session, prior to the ceremony.

Alternate bridal registries and dessert bars, pizzazz lighting and cart service add to this list. Today’s gorgeous bridal fashion, over – the- top decorated  theme receptions, delicious food, stunning photography and musical and lighting wows are all part and parcel of what makes wedding receptions the event of a lifetime for marrying couples and their guests.

Bridal fashions have come a long way and are bedazzling with gowns in many colour palettes from red to black, blush pink, vibrant blue to mint green. This year, sleeves are in, lace, chiffon, satin and silk are favourite fabrics.  A huge trend in gowns has them encrusted with beautiful trim that catches the light with a high shine and a lot of bling.

For the first time, the details in the back neckline of the gown are stunning. The biggest trend this year is the bridal gown. As predicted last season, Bridesmaid gowns continue to be different colours, and styles, which make them flattering to wear again, after the wedding is over. The new Pantone colours for 2013 highlight the dusk and inky blues, poppy red, shades of greens in jade, emerald and lime tones and a carry forward from last season, palettes in the orange and purple family with Nectarine and African violet.  Neutrals like white and cream continue to be strong with gray as a contender, too.

Headwear continues to look big for next season’s brides; lace caps, birdcage fascinators, veils (short and long), and flowers in the hair. Hats and gloves are also on the horizon and set to make a big comeback.

One of the most important accessories to come on the scene in the past few years has been the bridal shoe.  They are adorned with jewels, bows, lace as they peek out from under her bridal gown. Bridal bouquets are real or silk and full of jeweled accents and, they can be rhinestone bling or ribbon handled as they create a classic and timeless feeling. Backdrops are becoming huge and will continue to grow in popularity.

Backgrounds behind the head table can be comprised of ribbon in multi-colors, yards of lace or garlands of flowers to add a sense of style and glamour to the reception. Always a compromise, wedding planning for this upcoming season offers so much choice that it will be easier to find exactly what the bride is looking for. Nostalgia continues with vintage, rustic and retro themes that are beautiful and full of elegance.

After hours and hours of planning, a couple needs to remember to enjoy their day with their eyes fixed on their future life. Their individual wedding style will be the foundation of the life they build together.

Davies also agrees  rental tuxedos are on the rebound and sees an increase in activity due to upgrading of products via fit, fabric choices and recognized branded products over no-name, unknown items.

50% of an ongoing poll so-far says wedding plans are guided by tradition. What do you think?

 

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, bridal, Bridal Magazines, eWedNewz, General News, tuxedos, Uncategorized, wedding industry Tagged: , , , , ,

The Week of April 8th in Review

Posted on April 13, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

By Paul Pannone

After a two-year investigation eWedNewz broke the story on the wedding charity, Wish Upon a Wedding, investigating allegations and assertions against the charity’s founders and how the organization is managed. This newZ source has stepped up our investigation looking into people who gave their time and abandoned the organization after a relatively short period.

Disillusioned ex-participants and volunteers are hesitantly coming forward telling eWedNewz their stories but are stopping short of going public. Some major wedding industry figures are giving their version of what happened in the Wedding Water Cooler but, oddly, have not come forward. This newZ source has determined that some are under a confidentiality agreement prohibiting them to speak freely.

An ongoing eWedNewz poll so-far shows 57% of respondents say Wish Upon a Wedding is a good concept managed poorly. 20% feel it’s a bad idea run by thieves, resulting in a 77% disapproval rate. 6% say Wish Upon a Wedding  is a very well-run, worthy cause. 14% of replies so-far say they’ve never heard of the organization but will be following the story.

 

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Wish Upon a Wedding Charity Organization Comes Under Fire

Posted on April 11, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

By Paul Pannone

What started as a simple story has unleashed a tidal wave of criticism and concern against the charity organization, Wish Upon a Wedding. The explosion came after Lisa Barr openly criticized the organization after years of silence .Barr cracked open the door for a wave of stories involving the organization prompting an eWedNewz investigation looking into how the foundation has allegedly collected and amassed money, while receiving donated services given by wedding industry volunteers who thought they’d be getting involved in a good cause.

With donated goods and services from vendors and a staff of willing volunteers, past participants of Wish Upon a Wedding ask where is all the money collected?

 

Numerous corroborating reports say ideas to help the organization were continually shot down by senior members whose only interest was to promote the business, raise awareness to the brand and grow involvement to raise more funds.

“What for?” ask sources who are coming forward because of the newZ.  Sources like Barr who’ve already come forward are expected to be joined by others talking with eWedNewz to publicly denounce practices of the organization and its founding members.

eWedNewz is sifting through a barrage of emails, assumptions, allegations and questions involving Wish Upon a Wedding. We’ve already contacted known avid supporters of the organization who now say they’ve distanced themselves from the organization years ago. Some claim the time required to be a board member was too impacting on their daily schedule while others have ignored our questions.

An ongoing eWedNewz  poll show 55% of responses so far feel the concept of the organization is a worthy cause but the management sorely lacks in ethics and execution.  18% feel it’s a bad idea run by thieves. 19% say they’ve never heard of Wish upon a Wedding. Only 3% say it’s a well-run, worthy organization .  The rest are other answers being investigated.

 

 

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Chinese Get more Aggressive while American Gown Makers Look on

Posted on April 4, 2013 Written by Leave a Comment

By Paul Pannone

On the first anniversary of an unprecedented meeting in New York the American Bridal and Prom Industry Association convened members of the wedding media to update them on the progress of efforts to slow down the rampant piracy of American goods and conceptual property. Members of the ABPIA board gave the gathering a realistic assessment of the current status saying the campaign enters another phase of an expected long, arduous process.

Bob Cahoon of Maggie Sottero gave the media gathering in New York his honest assessment of a very difficult situation. Steve Lang looks on.

Steve Lang took his usual place at the start of the meeting but yielded midway to Bob Cahoon, president of Maggie Sottero and board member. Cahoon reiterated what Lang has been telling eWedNewz and the wedding industry for over a year staying consistent with the message. Both Cahoon and Lang went beyond the usual rundown of what’s been done so far and stressed how the battle becomes more difficult with each win.

“They’re not going to just sit still and allow us to gain any ground; to the contrary they’re becoming more aggressive and tenacious in their efforts, ” Lang told eWedNewz.

According to Lang the battles won so-far were only preliminaries of what is to come. The illegal use of imaging and explaining how it hurts manufacturers is a difficult legal battle. Now the greater use of technology changing the face of models, creating an entirely different image, makes convincing a judge of a crime more difficult.

Exuberance of a year ago turned serious this time around, as Lang and the ABPIA fight an uphill battle for support from an industry whose nation is under siege. Lang cited a  New York Times story of how the middlemen and layers of overhead are being stripped away from the chain supply of manufactured goods. Lang and Cahoon admitted retailers are part of the traditional structure and conduit between their products and consumers. But rising cost of operation inflates prices  and is forcing some stores, including Vera Wang, to figure out how to stay competitive while boosting revenue.

“We know all the challenges that exist; they’re not going to go away. All we can do is adjust our businesses to the realities that are out there. The best we can hope for is to slow down the deterioration that is taking place,” Lang told the gathering.

An ongoing poll shows 71% of combined replies so-far think the chances of beating online piracy are fair-to-excellent. 26% of combined replies say chances are poor-to-impossible.

 

Only 5% of current replies say they would not join an industry organization. An overwhelming majority say they would support an organization that was well-run, offered good benefits and was not too expensive to join.

 

An appeal to the gathered media to spread the word about the organization was reinforced by board members. Cahoon told the members of the media he keeps track of the perception of the organization’s effort by having Maggie Sottero sales people ask accounts what they think. The results of the surveys were not clear or available for review, but Cahoon mentioned the $100 dollar membership fee was sometimes an issue.

On his own, Lang brought up plans to provide affordable healthcare to the broader  wedding industry beyond dresses. But while poll results so-far show a strong sign of support, actual membership does not show the results.

 

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IBMA gets new President | Hedy S. Lapkin Executive Director, IBMA

Posted on April 2, 2013 Written by 1 Comment

 

By Paul Pannone

The IBMA has risen again and lives but eWedNewz once again asks: for how long?

 

The ABPIA was formed by a former member of the IBMA group called Steve Lang. Over a year ago, Lang left the group and formed his own organization, ABPIA, to wage war against Chinese pirates.

 

The IBMA is trying to re-launch their organization naming Hedy S. Lapkin as Executive Director. Hedy and her husband, Ed, owned a big bridal shop in Richmond, VA, reportedly one of the best stores in the country.  Ultimately, the store went bankrupt in the late 80′s or early 90′s.   Hedy took a job with David’s Bridal and successfully transferred from David’s to Priscilla of Boston, selling Priscilla to bridal shops.

Hedy touched base with former members of the Bridal Manufacturing group saying:

Dear Former Bridal IBMA Member,

A new and exciting time is presenting itself to all the members past and present of the manufacturing and related industries for the Bridal Industry.

I am Hedy Lapkin, newly appointed Executive Director of IBMA. As your executive director I have challenged myself, with your support and the support of the existing Board to create meaningful ways to utilize your funds that the organization is holding in reserve.

We can and will be a strong voice with your support for the Wholesale Bridal Industry and be responsible for the funds you helped to create. We will provide benefits for our members and at the same time gain recognition as The Trade Association. It is our desire to listen to your needs, create a call to action, and deliver on the most pressing and beneficial needs and wants to benefit our members.

Many of you as former members paid annual dues while other members were involved and participated in the Las Vegas Market.

The Industry is confronted with a wide variety of challenges, and presently the IBMA is in the best position to represent many of the needs of Manufactures of the Bridal Industry.

eWedNewz has learned that Lang congratulated Hedy in her new role and wanted to continue his membership with IBMA. An e-mail to Hedy reads as follows:

Dear Hedy,

Congratulations on your new position.

I sent you in my application several weeks ago when this mailer came out.  As a previous contributors to the funds sitting in IBMA coffers I want my firm to be a member.

Please email me back a confirmation that we are now members and we will be copied on all meeting dates, happenings  and mailings. Mon Cheri was not sent the email about free membership for those that rejoin by May 1. Another manufacturer sent it to me.   Thanks for including me in future emails and, as requested already, please confirm we are now members again.

I stand ready to help you any way I can if you tackle counterfeiting. The more the merrier.

Sincerely,

Steve  Lang

 

According to ongoing polls so-far:

27%  feel there is a poor to impossible chance of beating online piracy.

71% feel there is a fair to excellent chance of beating online piracy.

 

91% of replies so-far say they would support a wedding industry organization if it offered good benefits, value, isn’t too expensive to join and was properly run.

6% say they would not join an industry organization.

 

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Filed Under: Anti Fairy Dust, bridal, Bridal Dresses, eWedNewz, eWedNewz Exclusive, General News, Ongoing Story Coverage, Ongoing Story Investigation, retail, Uncategorized, wedding industry Tagged: , ,
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