Celestial Summit

THIS IS A SWEL MEMBERS ONLY EVENT 

(nonmembers please join us in May 2025 for our next public event)

Blast off into an intergalactic version of our February education event! We're heading to the Bishop Planetarium for three out-of-this-world sessions featuring industry experts Mark Chapman, Irene Tyndale, and the return of SWEL favorite Brandee Gaar. Spark some stardust in your business with powerful presentations on sales, digital advertising, and organizational management. Wedding Industry Virtual Assistant Sophie Robinson will be our emcee for the day.

This event is exclusive to SWEL Members!

After the sessions, relax and connect with both speakers and fellow attendees at a casually cosmic cocktail hour in the iconic courtyard of the Bishop Museum with food, music and galaxy golf! It’s an afternoon of learning, networking, and celestial fun with the best wedding pros in the galaxy. 

TICKETS:

2 Free with Membership. This is a members-only event with limited seating so please only register for tickets you plan to use. Please do not bring non-members with your second ticket without receiving prior-approval.

Can't make it during the day? A small amount of cocktail party only tickets are available. Please make sure you are registered for the correct ticket!

SCHEDULE:

12:30PM - 12:55PM - Check-in with welcome champagne, water and snacks. 

12:55PM - Intro from Sophie Robinson

1:00PM - Session 1 - Profit-Boosting Strategies: Creating SOPs to Elevate Your Wedding Business with Irene Tyndale

2:10PM - Session 2 - Convert Your Ideal Couples with Advertising with Mark Chapman

3:20PM - Session 3 - Assume the Sale: Perfecting Consultations That Close Every Time with Brandee Gaar

4 :30PM - 6:30PM - Galactic Golf Cocktail Gathering in the Bishop Museum Courtyard

*There will be 10-minute breaks between sessions for attendees to use the restroom

SPONSORS:

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature | bishopscience.org
Exotic Gourmet | exoticgourmetcatering.com
Stella Rose Events | stellaroseevents.com
Imagery Wedding Films | imageryweddingfilms.com
Peter Acker Photography | packerphoto.com
Kombi Keg Sarasota | kombikeg.com/united-states/sarasota
Mini Golf on the Go SRQ | minigolfonthego.com
Jam All Day Entertainment | jamallday.com


Special thanks to Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound for hosting our featured speakers in their hotel. The property offers a relaxed, tropical retreat with 123 beautifully designed rooms that reflect the signature comfort and laid-back style of Margaritaville resorts. Guests can unwind with modern amenities, a vibrant pool area, and breathtaking views, all while being just minutes from pristine beaches and local attractions. This hotel perfectly combines island-inspired charm with contemporary luxury, creating an unforgettable escape.

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS AND SPEAKER BIOS

IRENE TYNDALE | irenetyndale.com | IG @irenetyndale

Profit-Boosting Strategies: Creating SOPs to Elevate Your Wedding Business

Irene Tyndale will present an engaging, hands-on session designed to equip wedding professionals with the tools and strategies to implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) tailored to their unique businesses. Through interactive discussions and guided activities, attendees will not only learn the value of SOPs but will also begin creating their own during the session. Irene will provide a customizable SOP template to help participants jumpstart their journey to streamlined operations and increased profitability.

Key Takeaways:

1. Operational Excellence: Understand how SOPs simplify workflows, reduce inefficiencies, and eliminate costly errors, helping you save time and focus on what matters most.
2. Consistent Client Experiences: Explore how standardized processes ensure reliable, high-quality service that leads to satisfied clients, glowing referrals, and repeat business.
3. Profitability Through Process: Discover how SOPs open opportunities for upselling, cross-selling, and scaling your business while fostering innovation and continuous improvement.

Attendees will leave the session with actionable steps, a practical SOP template, and a clearer understanding of how to implement these processes in their businesses. This is a must-attend workshop for wedding pros ready to work smarter, deliver exceptional service, and elevate their profitability.

Bio:

Irene Tyndale is a seasoned expert with over 25 years of experience in the wedding and event industry and 12 years as the owner of Irene Tyndale Weddings & Events, a premier planning firm based in Atlanta, GA. She leads a talented team that provides full-service planning and coordination for weddings and corporate clients, delivering exceptional experiences across event types. Irene is also the Founder and Host of the Becoming the Business Retreat for Wedding Planners, an annual retreat-style conference empowering planners to BECOME better CEOs, planners, and women.

As a coach and mentor, Irene supports planners at the start-up, growth, and scaling phases of their businesses through her programs—the Success Pod for Planners and CEO Collective for Wedding Planners. Her signature program, the Wedding Management Blueprint, equips planners to execute weddings with precision, and her podcast, Inside the Wedding Planner’s Mind, provides deep insights into the industry. Driven by a passion for design, logistics, and creating memorable experiences, Irene is grounded by her faith, family, and commitment to empowering others.

MARK CHAPMAN | theidosociety.com | IG @theidosociety

Convert Your Ideal Couples With Advertising

Getting a steady incoming stream of quality leads from advertising is easier than you think - when done right. Whether you’ve never paid for advertising or you’re spending thousands each month, learn exactly what works best right now to reach and convert your ideal couples.

• Where and how couples engage with advertising

• Ads that reach and convert on Google, Meta, and TikTok

• What to spend and where to spend it

Bio:

Mark is the wedding industry's leading expert on paid advertising. His team at The I Do Society helps wedding businesses use Google Ads, Meta Ads and TikTok Ads to reach and convert their ideal couples. In his early 20s while hustling and working hard to grow his family's wedding business he learned how to use ads to get more couples in the door. Very soon after, he began helping his friends in our industry with advertising too. He turned this new skill into a system so he could help many more people. Today, thousands of businesses of all types in the wedding industry have been helped by Mark's expertise in advertising.

BRANDEE GAAR | weddingproceo.com | IG @brandeegaar

Assume the Sale: Perfecting Consultations That Close Every Time

In this game-changing presentation, Brandee reveals the proven strategies to turn every consultation into a confident, seamless close. From mastering the art of connection to positioning your value with authority, you’ll learn how to lead every conversation with the mindset that the sale is already yours. If you're ready to stop chasing clients and start booking them with ease, this session is your key to next-level success.

Bio:

Brandee is a proven sales + profit strategist with a decade-long track record for helping wedding professionals transform their businesses from expensive hobbies to thriving careers. 

She got her start in event planning, eventually opening her own business and quickly becoming the go-to vendor for Orlando bespoke weddings. She’ll tell you she tried everything the wrong way first, which is how she figured out how to run a business the right way. After teaching more than 1,100 wedding industry vendors through her Wedding Pro CEO curriculum, she expanded her coaching team so she could support even more professionals in their career goals. 

When she’s not working with her Wedding Pro CEO clients, she still oversees her wedding planning company, Blush by Brandee Gaar, and volunteers in her church’s high school ministry with her husband (and business partner) and their 3 daughters. She lives with her family in Orlando.

SOPHIE ROBINSON | hellosophierobinson.com | IG @hellosophierobinson

Sophie is a systems strategist who transforms wedding pros' businesses through intentional automation and elevated workflows. With a decade of industry expertise, she helps wedding professionals reclaim their time while delivering exceptional client experiences. She offers custom support packages, from one-time setups to ongoing assistance. Beyond the systems magic, you'll find this Tampa mama exploring the city with her toddler, rating the best tableside guac.