Tomorrow I'll talk more about the actual seminar portions of Engage!08 and introduce you to some more of the people I met, but I would be remiss if I did not talk about the gift bags that Rebecca and Kathryn gave each of the attendees. Part of my services as a wedding planner include designing and assembling welcome bags for the bride and groom's out-of-town guests, so I know first hand how deceptively time consuming they can be. Suffice to say, Rebecca and Kathryn took the cake with these!

Engaging Concepts' branding includes a black filigree pattern and a bright, vivid green. That design concept was woven throughout the entire event, down to the smallest, even often overlooked details. Rebecca even had the tiffany blue bows on her black and white heels replaced with green ones!

Upon check-in, everyone received a b. happybag in the Victoria pattern. And then their arms immediately fell off because the bags were so heavy. These totes are designed to be an eco-chic alternative to your typical grocery sack, so they are quite large, but the Engaging Concepts team had packed them FULL of goodies! Everyone was blown away by all the treats they got to take home with them.



Each tote was also personalized with a green luggage tag complete with the attendee's first initial. Like I said, no stone went unturned!



Included in the bag were cute green and white polka dot Kate Spade journals along with a pen adorned with green rhinestones:



Also, this jar of delicious mini chocolate chip cookies, which were quite possibly laced with an addictive substance (I am KIDDING people! Please do not send me mean emails):



Rebecca and Kathryn also had everyone send their business cards ahead of time so they could package them all together. It was such a nice break to just be able to chat with people and not worry about remembering to get their card.



Included in the bags was a copy of Southern Wedding Style magazine (the ladies at Bliss Event Group did such an amazing job producing this premier issue - be sure to order one!), a copy of The Knot magazine; The Nest magazine; Destination Weddings and Honeymoons magazine; a copy of Release Your Brilliance by Simon T. Bailey, one of the awesome speakers; as well as Preston Bailey's most recent book, Inspirations, which he was kind enough to autograph for everyone:





As if all that weren't enough, there was even more in the bag! Cindy Folak of Tulla Belles, a personal shopping service, had a huge hand in helping all these goody bags come together. Thanks, Cindy! She is also the talent behind the custom aprons made for some of the Engage!08 staff. They even had "Engage!" embroidered on the sash:



Here is Kathryn sporting hers. Cute, no?



Thanks for spoiling all of us, ladies! More stories from Engage!08 to come tomorrow.

{photos courtesy Darice Michelle}

{Previously}
Engage!08 Wedding Conference Recap :: Part 1