\ troo ' vฤซ \
a lucky find
Seriously, what a lucky find!
Trouvaille 3.0, the workshop with heart, is one of my best finds in years! I could not be more thankful I was able to attend such professionally run and beautifully designed workshop! I could write a book about this wonderful workshop but instead I'll try to be short and to the point :) Each person and place was so incredibly special!! It's going to be hard not to go into detail on everything and everyone!
Lodging & Workshop Locations
Trouvaille 3.0 took place in Chicago, and while I didn't get to see a lot of the city, what I did see I absolutely LOVED! Who wouldn't love a city on a lake where they have neighborhoods that tell you that "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL"? Chicago, or at least the part I got to see, was pretty stinking cool :)
We stayed at the very awesome
Guesthouse Hotel. Walking in, I immediately fell in love with the lobby and all that it contained! It was decorated perfectly! Everywhere you turned there was something to see or touch or enjoy! The lobby itself has several sitting areas, but the rooms also have them! Besides the ample areas to work and lounge, the hotel also comes fully equipped with a workout facility and yoga instructor you could have come to your room! You could easily stay at the Guesthouse for more than a short stay! You could be there for a long while! The service was great and the people were so warm and welcoming! They made us feel right at home! I couldn't get enough of it and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Chicago!
Of course I had a ton of work to keep up with in Chicago but upon arrival I had the immense pleasure of seeing one of my business coaches - Kathryn Duckett from
Crรจme Brands. I LOVED getting to sit with her one-on-one in the corner above! She is so sweet and caring!!
I wish I had taken photos of our suite, because it was SWEET! It was decorated perfectly and big enough for us to spread out and not feel like we were on top of each other. Couldn't ask for a better place to stay!
By night we stayed at the luxury hotel, and by day we visited the most charming venue -
Firehouse Chicago. It's a charming and perfectly styled vintage venue. So perfectly styled I wanted to take photos of the bathroom, but it might have looked weird to take my camera in the bathroom so you'll just have to take my word for it :)
Workshop with Heart: Speakers that Share
Every day and every setting for this workshop was so well planned! Each speaker sat in front of us, a group of women that wanted to soak up as much as possible, and each speaker gave as much as she could. To help her speakers feel more comfortable, Rhiannon (Rhi) set up the most intimate and pretty space! I loved this setting!
Outside our "classroom" was an intimate courtyard where we shared breakfast, lunch and even dinner sometimes. Every meal came with so many visual treats and savory eats!!!
The setting provided the perfect atmosphere for us to get to know not just each other but the speakers as well. Rhi and her
Trouvaille workshop are not just about curating and showcasing beautiful designs, but also about relationships and memories to last a lifetime!
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Rhi is one of the most successful wedding planners & designers in the industry. She is creative and business savvy and she is unique. And while others may try to copy, there is only one of her. And that is one of the key messages I truly got from her. She does what she is good at, and that is what I have to do and what you have to do. You cannot copy other people. They are successful because of who they are. You have to be yourself and find your passion and be successful by doing what you do best.
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Every Last Detail blog editor & chief, Lauren Grove: "former bride and wedding planner" - her blog is "carefully curated to educate and inspire brides"
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Trouvaille isn't just about the swag or the education. It is called the "workshop with heart" for a reason. Each of the speakers truly shared pieces of their hearts and that is no less true for Marianne. She gave each of us a neatly wrapped present that contained smaller gifts to remind us of the characteristics and how we can better serve our clients & make their wedding day as special & meaningful as can be.
- A small wooden spoon to remind us that we are here to serve others in our profession;
- A fine art photograph representing the beautiful stories and memories we help create on the day of the event;
- A piece of wood to show the strength we must have in setting the pace for the event;
- A tiny packet of salt to represent that something special, a seasoning that helps to set the tone and bring out the flavors of the event;
- A piece of cloth linen that represents a sense of softness and reminds us to perform with the grace;
- A feather to remind us to tread lightly and be flexible when we are working with our clients and allow authentic moments to flow naturally when they are happening;
- Small, smooth rock representing the rock hard foundation a marriage should be built on and should be at the forefront of our planning;
- A ribbon representing the bonds that tie a couple together and that while the ribbon may fray and come untied, it can be strengthened over and over again; and
- A gathering of lavender to represent the sense of calmness and tranquility that should envelope this day so our clients remember what it is all about - their relationship, their marriage.
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Graceline - illustration & calligraphy, Jennie Sanders,
calligrapher, designer, illustrator
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Reveriemade, Kristin Polhemus
New Jersey wedding planner passionate about love & celebration who believes "hospitality is a the root of every successful soiree"
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Personal, heat-to-heart Brand coaching
Designer with a heart for celebrating love
I first "met" Kathryn through one of my favorite local planners, Valerie with Sapphire Events. I needed someone to help me define my business or my vision more clearly and Kathryn helped me do that. She helped me clearly articulate exactly why I do the things that I do. As a planner, and generally as person, through detailed planning and personal relationships I plan events and work to curate an atmosphere of a seamlessly executed day of event so my clients and those working the event are able to enjoy every minute of the day and leave with memories for a lifetime. I'm at my happiest, when those around me are at their happiest.
As a brand coach, Kathryn reminded us to to hold on tight to who we are at heart, and to create brands that represents each of us in a classic and timeless ways so we can create TRUST. If you need some help figuring out how you want to best present yourself and your brand, Kathryn is definitely my first choice!
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Momma first, Savvy & Successful Business Woman
Creative at Heart
"Grow slow!" Jodi had a hugely successful business and a beautiful family and was rolling! But along the way she lost sight of things and got off track of what truly mattered. She was so open about the pitfalls of being a business owner and mom and wanting to have it all. Her advice is to take it slow and take care of yourself and remember the important things in life (like your friends outside of your business). Her story is definitely one we can all relate to! Thank you Jodi!! xoxo
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Sage Wedding Pros, Michelle Loretta
All about the numbers & helping wedding pros create financially & operationally sustainable businesses
Before Michelle got to talk I was already wanting to talk to her! I know where I want to go and what I want to do, but things somehow got moving along the way and I forgot to look at my map and adjust my directions. Michelle is one of the first people in the wedding industry to talk about the business side of things. And as such she was and is someone who is highly respected. If you need help, don't be afraid to ask for it! Setting a good foundation is key to your future success!!
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who "focuses on design, florals and every last detail"
Encourages us to "Take a leap of faith" and
"be confident" in everything that we do!
Trouvaille was everything and more than I could have hoped for! There were a plethora of creative and educational ideas shared and warm hearts opened! Being around individuals who share the same soul searching goals and dreams to be a part of such a wonderful industry was so inspiring and brought so much clarity!! I walked away with my to-do list and an over flowing heart! So incredibly blessed to be around such inspiring people!!
Truly TROUVAILLE!
To find out more about the Trouvaille Workshop, contact Rhi via the Trouvaille page - https://www.facebook.com/trouvailleworkshop
Some of the Trouvaille 3.0 Sponsors:
