'Tis the Season - NEAWP Holiday Meeting

Please pardon the silence... we've been a little busy in NEAWP world. Yes, Colin Cowie came to Austin and we all (barely) survived the "Chic in the Heart of Texas" conference. It was awesome and thanks to everyone who came, contributed and made it happen!!

More conference posts to come, but if you didn't catch the Colin Cowie party pics, check out these fabulous shots taken by Anthology Photography over on the BZ events blog. Thank you sooooo much to Laura for capturing this awesome evening!!

The NEAWP December meeting was our second annual gift exchange. It was a beautiful and festive meeting hosted by the AT&T Conference Center (thank you, Amanda + team!) with lovely decor by the fabulous Premiere Party Central team. Chris Bell and his Belltower Trio entertained us with sounds of the season while we enjoyed a delicious lunch and some well-deserved down time!

Thanks to everyone who brought donations for Coats for Kids and to Barbara for dropping them off!

Amy's question to the group -- what are you thankful for this year?

Some of the answers:

* That we survived 2009...

* NEAWP (awww... thanks, John John!)

* New baby nephews + healthy twins (congrats, Dawn!)

* Being involved with great charities -- Glimmer of Hope, Meals on Wheels, etc.

* Completing a marathon (guess who?!)

And so many more! We are a thankful bunch :)

Our yummy lunch -- very festive!

We can't get enough of our favorite Delysia Chocolates!! These make a great holiday gift or the perfect no-cook addition to your dessert displays. Check out their yummy holiday flavors.

Happy Holidays to everyone! Enjoy the break and we'll see you in January.

Remember to check the website for meeting notices. No more Evite!

~NEAWP

* Images courtesy of Austin wedding photographer, Dustin Meyer

NEAWP September Meeting - III Forks

Thank you to everyone who came out for the September NEAWP meeting at III Forks. It was so well-attended that we almost had to move rooms. Was it the topic or the menu? :)

Another big thanks to III Forks for the delicious lunch and to Delish & Haute Cakes for the yummy cupcakes. There was definitely no lack of sugar at this fun meeting!

Thanks (as always) to Dustin Meyer and Wild Parrot video for capturing the meeting. And a big NEAWP welcome to our new members and visitors -- Last Petal, Clink, Simon Lee, Kurant Events, Bella Flora & everyone else.

See you next month! It's going to be a fun one -- Malverde on 10/7... Evite coming soon!

Cortney Zieky, BZ events -- NEAWP Vendor Liaison

NEAWP members love to tweet! Follow us @NEAWP

Elizabeth Rison, Hilton Austin

Eric Hegwer - never without a camera :)

Melanie Tipton - Last Petal

Judy Lee - Simon Lee Bakery

Team NEAWP - ISES Special Event Olympics 2009!

Team NEAWP!! 

NEAWP participated in the ISES Special Event Olympics on Thursday July 16, 2009. It was an incredible showing and for our first year, we walked away with 4 trophies. Out of the participating organizations, our PINK shirts stood out. Even the men wore pink well !!

A special thanks to the first annual NEAWP team: 

John "V-Ball" Cook, NEAWP


Barbara "Long Toss" Hearne, Barbara's Brides


Gina " The Express" Greenspan, 2 Dine 4 Catering


Laura "Dash" Villalanti, NEAWP


Deidre " The Dart" Brown, Detailed Weddings and Events, LLC


Martha " The Rouser" Perez, Your Very Own Fairy Godmother (and sister Israeli the Incredible)


Kyle  "Speedy" Sorenson, Austin Hospitality


Amy "Fearless Leader" Mader, NEAWP President

It was hot but everyone was great sports.

We would also like to thank ISES Austin- Nancy Allison and Michelle Bromley for allowing us to have a team and for putting this team building event together. We also would like to thank Jesse Bloom with Ecstatic Cuisine and Johnny with Complete Music. The food was delectable!

I look forward to defending our titles next year! The participation on this team was a true pleasure and the support of our teammates was an unforgettable experience!

Until our next meeting-
Amy

June meeting ~ The Vineyard at Florence (Wine 101)

So, what did we learn at the June meeting? Hmmm... we've got some winos in NEAWP (j/k!) and that just outside of Austin, there is a beautiful Vineyard that takes you many miles away. Seriously, it's that awesome. Check it out if you are looking for a "Italian vineyard meets Austin Hill Country" wedding venue. 

NEAWP meeting attendees enjoyed a delicious multi-course lunch (courtesy of Southern's Catering) and an informative wine seminar with Jane Nichols. Jane is the wine educator (sweet job, Jane) at the Texas Culinary Academy and taught our group all about sniffing, swirling and pairing. 

A friendly welcome to the many guests (Cynthia's Limo, 2Dine4, Austin Hospitality) we had at this meeting. And a big thank you to Delysia Chocolates for the yummy treats. Still dreaming about those chocolates... 

Enjoy Dustin's fabulous photos and we'll see you soon! 

NEAWP 

(Rowdy table...) 

May's Meeting - The Legal Side of Business (and yummy sushi)

Legal advice with a side of sushi. Fun times! Special thanks to Heather Archer (attorney extraordinaire) and Maiko Sushi for hosting our May NEAWP meeting. And, of course, Dustin Meyer for the pictures. 

A few key takeaways from our meeting: 

1) Get it in writing. CYA! 

2) Consult a lawyer for your contracts. Just because you write it doesn't make it legal. 

3) Don't be afraid to copyright your intellectual property! This includes sketches, layouts, proposals and more.

Have a great week and we'll see you next month at the Vineyard at Florence. 

~NEAWP