The Love & Sunshine Destination Wedding Conference 2013 Recap

After all the months of planning, The Love & Sunshine Destination Wedding Conference has come full circle and it was a success. 

LSDWC started off with a bang, with speakers, participants and attendees arriving as early as Thursday. On Friday it really came to a start with 10 Lucky Attendees taking part of the Preston Bailey Experience. Those few attendees got a chance to have a hands on approach of what it takes for one of Preston Bailey's larger than life pieces. They worked personally with PB's head floral designer and his floral team. It was more of an intimate setting and you were able to ask questions and really learn from the master himself. The Preston Bailey Experience continued over the weekend with attendees coming each day to learn and experience such a riveting experience. From all the raving reviews of the attendees, they had a blast. 

Friday & Saturday interviews and a guest spot on NBC6 In the Mix with Preston Bailey.  nbcmiami.com

Saturday evening was a private event with Preston Bailey, Speakers, Key Sponsors and other esteemed guests to mix and mingle in an intimate setting and gear up for the main event Sunday. A Tastebuds catered event.

The Joy Agness Events team had an early start monitoring vendor setup, volunteers, and doing behind the scenes checks. Love & Sunshine was really one of an international nature, with attendees travelling from the Caribbean Islands, South America, all over the United States and even a few from the continent of Africa, and the demographic was diverse, from Destination Wedding Planners, Site Managers and Coordinators, Floral Designers, International Magazine Editor in Chief, Ministry of Tourism officials to name a few. 

Registration and breakfast was on the way. Our Master of ceremonies Darryl  Gilbert is as energetic as ever and the welcome by Joy Agness. Then Into our dynamic speakers. Rick DiCecca, Mar Jennings, Richard & Julia Markel for the morning sessions.

Then it's off to the book signing and Photo Op session by the amazing Grace Ormonde. 

Viewing the vendor exhibition was a treat with luxury booths from all fields in the industry. Elegant Temptations,  The Invitation Stand,  Association for Wedding Professionals International,  Sensational Experience, Ariana Productions,  Going Places Travel,   Bill Hansen Catering,  S & J Catering,.  Nuage Designs,  Flowers of the World,  Accent Décor,  Passion XO,  Florida Bride,  TasteBuds Catering, A.J. Shorter Photography,  Manolo Doreste Photography, Focus Miami, NAWP, Funtactics and so many more.

Afternoon Sessions with Mr. Brilliance, motivational speaker Simon T Bailey, Jacqueline Johnson, Gladys Mezrahi, and Therese Cole Hubbs.

Therese Cole Hubbs launched her new book at the conference and its off to a great success. 

This is the time highly anticipated by everyone. Our Keynote, Preston Bailey. Preston Bailey riveted the audience with 2 live demonstrations, Q & A sessions and book signing.

A close to a wonderful day was the Color, Flavor & Rum Reception. Featuring Ariana Productions, S&J Catering, Bubble Furnishings, My Island Cigar roller, Passion XO and Jose Santiago Band.

A special Thank you to all my attendees, Speakers, honored guests, vendors, sponsors, volunteers and anyone who took the time to make the Love & Sunshine Destination Wedding 2013; a success. All the best and see you next year.

Globally Renowned Preston Bailey at the Love & Sunshine Destination Wedding Conference

Ever wanted to see a celebrity wedding planner in action?

Our Keynote speaker for Love & Sunshine is Mr. Preston Bailey.


Preston Bailey's larger than life Floral creations speak for themselves. He often states "Think out of the vase."

Globally-celebrated for his unique ability to transform ordinary spaces into lush, theatrical environments, Preston Bailey is known as the premier event designer for a client roster that includes celebrities, royal families, CEO’s and athletes. Known for his ability to transform the dreams of his clients into reality, Bailey is often sought out to create never-seen-before designs that serve as backdrops for some of the most memorable moments of their lives.



Clients include: Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, Joan Rivers, Donna Karan, Liza Minnelli, Laurence Fishburne, Bill Cosby, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, Jennifer Hudson and Ivanka Trump, among others. He has launched events and licensing deals by major brands such as Sandals Resorts, Godiva, Hewlett-Packard, 1-800-Flowers, and more. 

Preston's latest Celebrity wedding is our own Miami Heat Lebron James.

Past Brides have gushed that A Preston Bailey Wedding is "to die for" and it was the best day of their lives.

He has countless art installations in places like London, New York, France, Taiwan, and Jakarta.

His numerous national television appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Extra, CBS’s The Early Show, and NBC’s Today Show. He regularly appears in Town & Country, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle Décor, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and New York Post. Preston Bailey has authored over 5 international bestselling books.








Eager to share his passion for design with those interested in entering the industry, Bailey partnered with LWPI to create a series of courses, the first of their kind. His first five books (Design for Entertaining, Fantasy Weddings, Inspirations, Celebrations and Flowers) all became bestsellers and his sixth, Dear Preston: Doing Business With Our Hearts was published in January 2013. Preston Bailey is currently collaborating with Weddingstar on a new tabletop collection due out this year.

Want to see Preston Bailey in action. Come down and see what he'll create for his live Floral Demonstration or meet him at his book signing. 

 See him at the Love & Sunshine Destination Wedding Conference. 

At the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, on Sunday October 20, 

There will be no live blog next week Sunday. See you at Love & Sunshine.

Love & Sunshine Destination Wedding Conference Speaker Spotlight

Welcome again to the second edition of our Speaker spotlight series highlighting our esteemed speakers being featured at the Love & Sunshine Destination Wedding Conference, only 2 weeks to go. Sunday October 20, at the Biltmore Hotel. Want to hear from the best of the industry? Come on down

Mar Jennings & Jacqueline Johnson

Mar Jennings

When a young boy buys gardening tools with his allowance, it's not a stretch to imagine him becoming one of America's top lifestyle experts. Now when that young boy also happens to be a former gold medal-winning figure skater, the sky's the limit as to the heights he can achieve. 

As a modern day renaissance man, Jennings' perspective on lifestyle is as much about form and function as it is about individual distinction. Based in Westport, Connecticut, Mar Jennings is also President and CCO (Chief Creative Officer) of a multimedia and design company, S&J Multimedia LLC. Mar Jennings' brand of lifestyle and hosting combines an infectious energy and passion for conveying information in ways that are fun and inspirational to all. His career combines television, radio, print media and the Internet as mediums for his attainable casual luxury lifestyle.

Emmy-nominated TV Host, Lifestyle Expert and best selling author Mar Jennings is a master at creating a casual luxury lifestyle made simple and smart—and making it quickly understood and easy-to-apply with his trademark sMARt tips and techniques. Mar’s inventive and original blueprint for design infuses Mother Nature’s colors and textures throughout the home and garden. As one of the top lifestyle experts, Mar has been featured on HGTV, the Today Show, QVC, and in the New York Times. He is the author of the best selling Life On Mar’s: A Four Season Garden, a nationally acclaimed gardening book, sold world-wide.

Mar Jennings’ signature style is called “casual luxury” and for the first time he shares how it can be broken down into six design principles that anyone can apply. Jennings’ new book will continue the series with Life On Mar’s: Creating Casual Luxury. *release date: September 2013

Mar is the host of TV's Mar Jennings Home & Garden, and is the in-house lifestyle expert and correspondent for Better TV and a home expert for the Fine Living Network. Jennings has appeared on the HGTV’s series White Room Challenge and was recently selected to return to the network for Flea Market Flip. He is an on-going contributor to ABC’s WTNH. Jennings is also a correspondent and home and garden expert for Better TV, a nationally syndicated lifestyle show. He has served double-duty as host of the Emmy-nominated lifestyle show Northeast Living on FoxCT/CT1 but you might also know him as host of Dream Room Makeover, Dream Wedding and Backyard Makeover. He has hosted and produced the annual Holiday Wishes series. In 2010 he joined the world of QVC as a garden Expert, exclusively for Cottage Farms Nursery. Over the years he has made multiple appearances on the Today Show, Food Network, ABC, CBS, CNN. Jennings and his home and garden designs and tips have been profiled and featured in Better Homes & Garden’s Decorating Magazine, Home Magazine, Quick & Simple Magazine, Small Gardens Magazine, New York Times, among other national and local publications for both television and print.

Years of happy clients, testimonials, phone research—and over a year of social media outreach—has convinced him he can help anyone with any space. In fact, he even reveals his coveted room makeover worksheet for readers to follow along in their own homes.

This deluxe oversized coffee table book will be filled with photographic essays—beautifully shot by renowned photographer Stacy Bass—highlighting his philosophy, plus practical applications and resourcefulness applicable for any home or space. Like an entire season of a great design show, Life on Mar’s: Creating Casual Luxury will allow readers access to an encyclopedia of great ideas to apply in their home. This lifestyle expert does it with simplicity and style, balancing natural solutions with everyday elegance.

Jacqueline Johnson

Jacqueline Johnson: CTC, President/CEO of Global Bridal Group, is a Specialist and frequent lecturer on the wedding and honeymoon markets. She directs and oversee the strategic marketing for the Global Bridal Group web sites for both prospective brides and grooms and those with an interest in understanding and learning about the power and profitability of this market.

MarryCaribbean.Com has been voted The World’s Best Wedding Agency by the prestigious Shanghai’s Travelers Club at their 2013 Luxury Travel Awards held in Shanghai.

Jacqueline has also worked with the Conde Nast Bridal Media, which includes, Brides, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, Brides.com, Brides Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Brides Reception, Conde Nast W Magazine. She was also a Vice President/Assoc. Publisher of Bridal Guide Magazine and Executive Director for New York Magazine.

She is also the Wedding and Honeymoon Correspondent for the Questex Travel Group. In this role she provides editorial content to all of The Travel Group’s editorial properties, which include Travel Agent magazine, TravelAgentCentral.com, Luxury Travel Advisor and LuxuryTA.com. She also provides her expertise for special editorial projects, such as roundtables, webinars and other events that unite buyers and sellers of travel.

As a seasoned veteran of the travel industry, her 25+ year career has spanned the full spectrum of all phases, from the advertising agency where she oversaw and implemented marketing/media strategies for various travel accounts (cruise, destinations and hotels) to the field of consumer and trade magazines where she further honed her skills. She is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) a certification process acknowledging professional recognition through the Travel Institute’s Educational Program. The vast knowledge that she has garnered in the understanding of travel agents, wholesalers and tour operators forms the crucial element in the marketing of her chosen specialty …Travel Marketing.

For her involvement in the industry, she was given the NOAH Award for distinguished service in the travel industry from the Academy of Tourism Organization. An award that honors role models and mentors in each of the travel disciplines within the expanding field of MACROTOURISM.

The Association of Travel Marketing Executives: A member of the Executive Board. Caribbean Tourism Organization, where she is a member of the Executive Committee and also a member of the Board of Directors of the 34 member countries of the Caribbean.

She was also given the Outstanding Service Award from the Caribbean Tourism Organization in recognition of dedicated service and professional excellence in the development and promotion of tourism to the Caribbean. She was also acknowledged at the 50th Anniversary of the Caribbean Tourism Organization with the Tourism Medal of Excellence as one of the 50th most powerful persons in the Caribbean: and was again acknowledged at this year’s Caribbean Ball with the CTO Award of Excellence for her tireless dedication and exceptional support in the region. She was also acknowledged by United States Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism,as Media Travel Partner of the Year. 

Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization Foundation

The organization raises funds to further the education of outstanding young Caribbean citizens who have demonstrated a career commitment to tourism and are in financial need.

To experience our prolific speakers. 
Visit us at LovenSunshine.com for more details or contact us:
Info@lovensunshine.com 877-345-4078 Ext 2 or 954-34-7517 Ext 2