Wed KC Workshops
Wed KC is proud to host bi-annual Wed Workshops – where Kansas City wedding professionals get educated on various topics to feel empowered to hone-in and implement real positive change for their business while networking with fellow vendors.
Workshops Include:
- Half-Day Networking + Educational Opportunity
- Expert Speaker for the Topic at Hand
- Q&A Session with the Expert Speaker
- Panel of Couples or Wedding Pros
- Breakout Sessions to Explore the Topic More Deeply
- Catered Lunch for Networking & Continued Discussion
TICKETS:
Wed KC Advertisers – $30 for workshop + lunch
Non-Wed KC Advertisers – $40 for workshop + lunch
March Wed KC Workshop:
The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry
DATE: July 29, 2026
TIMELINE: 9:30am – 2:00pm
LOCATION: Avent Orangery
701 Village West Parkway
Kansas City, KS 66111
Topic of Discussion: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry
The wedding industry is constantly changing, but some of the best lessons come from those who have experienced that change firsthand. Join us for a conversation that brings together wedding professionals at different stages of their careers – from those who are just beginning to build their businesses to those who have spent decades serving couples in the Kansas City market.
Through keynote insights, breakout discussions, and a panel of industry professionals, we’ll explore how weddings, client expectations, marketing, technology, networking, and business operations have evolved over the years. We’ll discuss what has changed, what has remained constant, and what newer and more established professionals can learn from one another.
This workshop is designed to foster meaningful conversations across generations of wedding pros, creating an opportunity to gain perspective, share experiences, and better understand how the KC wedding industry has grown – and where it may be headed next.
Workshop Sponsors
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
9:30 – 10:00am : Arrival, Check-In + Networking
10:00 – 11:00am : Expert Speaker for the Topic at Hand
11:00 – 11:15am : Guest Q+A Session with Speaker
11:30am – 12:00pm : Break Out Groups
12:00 – 12:30 pm : Panel of Pro’s Q&A
12:30 – 2:00pm : Catered Lunch for Networking & Continued Discussion
Key Workshop Take-Aways
Identify the biggest shifts in the Kansas City wedding industry—and how they’re impacting businesses today.
Learn what successful wedding pros have adapted over the years to stay relevant and profitable.
Understand how modern couples discover, evaluate, and book wedding vendors.
Gain practical insights from professionals at every stage of their wedding industry journey.
Leave with fresh ideas for navigating industry changes and preparing your business for what’s next.
Tickets
Meet the Expert: James Ransom
James Ransom and his wife Sam are native Kansas Citians! They have owned Showtime Transportation for 10 years now and love the wedding industry. James is a car enthusiast. He has personally owned everything from an old 1927 Dodge Coupe to a fast 2016 Porsche GT4. He also loves weddings… truly. He gets so excited anytime a wedding invitation arrives in the mail. If he isn’t out driving fast, he is at home playing games with his 5 kids.
Breakout Leader: Stephanie Hopkins
Pretty + Planned Events
Stephanie Hopkins is the owner and lead planner of Pretty & Planned Events, bringing nearly two decades of passion, organization, and an eye for the “small details that make a big difference” to the event planning industry. Since 2007, Stephanie has been orchestrating weddings & events, but her true entrepreneurial leap came in 2015. Standing at a crossroads between corporate life and new motherhood, she chose to take her business full-time, a decision that redefined her career and provided her family with a rewarding work-life balance.
Since 2016, Stephanie has operated out of her storefront stationery office and planning studio in the heart of Historic Downtown Parkville. She loves welcoming clients from across the Kansas City metro and hearing them fall in love with the unique charm, character, and riverfront beauty of the town.
Beyond executing weddings and events, Stephanie is deeply committed to civic leadership, teaching new business owners what she’s learned, and community development. As a business owner with 19 years of experience, she is passionate about the technical aspects of business operations and ownership. She frequently consults aspiring entrepreneurs looking to break into the wedding industry and is always open to listening to new ideas and offering constructive feedback to help others achieve their dreams. Her passion for service also extends across the metro; for nearly a decade, she has been an active leader within the Junior League of Kansas City, where she currently focuses on leadership development and new member education.
Stephanie is also a proud Parkville resident and loves contributing to the growth and preservation of her community. She channels this dedication directly into her role on the Board of Directors for the Main Street Parkville Association, ensuring that everything that makes Parkville such a special place continues to thrive for years to come.
Breakout Leader: Kymmy Cornick
KC Photo Booth Co & Kimberly Janelle Photography
Breakout Leader: Liz Spencer
Bridal by SHL
I’m Liz Spencer, the owner and creative mind behind Bridal by SHL, an inclusive wedding gown boutique located in Kearney, Missouri.
I’ve always considered myself a creative person, and have had a love for art since I was little. I was constantly doodling dresses and fun outfits. When it came time to figure out what I wanted to study in college, apparel design was something that piqued my interest. Although I didn’t start sewing until I was in college, once I started, I was HOOKED. After college with an Apparel Design Degree in hand, I moved back to my hometown of Kansas City.
In 2017 I competed in Omaha Fashion Week twice, and I started working as an assistant manager for a local apparel retailer. In 2019, my grandpa passed away unexpectedly, and boy did that loss hit me hard. After that, I decided that life was just too damn short, and I needed to be sewing and making my art regularly. I quit my job, and I got to work on creating what I wanted SHL to become.
In 2020, I started an alterations shop, and I didn’t say no to anything. I realized quickly that I loved working with wedding gowns and my wedding clients. In 2022, I decided I wanted to start selling wedding gowns, and if that was the case, then I would need a bigger shop. We moved from our 800 square foot storefront, to our current space in the fall of 2022, and I now have a team of incredible women who help me run SHL.
Another *important* thing about me is that my right arm is paralyzed from a birth injury. I’ve never known any different, and I’ve never let it stop me from chasing whatever dreams I had. That being said, there are a lot of different things I’ve struggled with having a differently abled body, and body image is at the top of that list. I think women in general have had a hell of a time finding their own bodies represented in the media, let alone someone who has a disability. My goal is to help anyone who comes through my door at SHL feel not only comfortable in a gown they wear on their wedding day, but also; confident, sexy, radiant, beautiful. No matter your background, size, shape, color, preferences, YOU are welcome here.
Whether you are wanting to shop with us, create a custom look with us, or just want to chat over coffee sometime, I cannot wait to meet you. I’m so glad you found us.
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Before the Workshop
Leading up to the workshop you will be provided a Preparation Worksheet relative to the upcoming topic. This will help prepare you to get the best out of the workshop by organizing your business-specific details prior to arrival. You can also prepare questions you want to ask the speaker and members of the panel prior to the event.
At the Workshop
Refer to your Preparation Worksheet throughout the workshop to take note of ways that you can elevate and perfect your business using the tools presented at the workshop. Lean on the expert, fellow wedding pros, and the responses from the panel to help get a comprehensive view of what you need to do in order to grow.
