Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry

Wed Workshops were created for KC's Wedding Pro's to continue education amongst community. Topic: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry
About this Event


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.

DATE: July 29, 2026

TIMELINE: 9:30am – 2pm

VENUE: Avent Orangery

ADDRESS: 701 Village West Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66111

TOPIC: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry

WORKSHOPS INCLUDE:

Half-Day Networking + Educational Opportunity

Expert Speaker for the Topic at Hand

Q&A Session with the Expert Speaker

Panel of Wedding Pros

Breakout Sessions to Explore the Topic More Deeply

Catered Lunch for Networking & Continued Discussion

LUNCH MENU catered by: pending

Lunch Buffet:

pending

Meet the Expert: James Ranson

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.

Event Summary

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.

Breakout Session Topics:

• Coming soon!

Breakout Session Leaders

Stephanie Hopkins of 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.

Kymmy Cornick of KC Photo Booth Co & Kymberly Janelle Photography:

Bio coming soon

Liz Spencer of 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.

Key Takeaways:

• Coming Soon!

Event Sponsors:

Host: Wed KC

Venue + Beverage: Avent Orangery

Planning:

Rentals:

Catering & Rentals:

Photographer:

Floral:

DJ, Emcee + Production:

Signage:

Photo Booth:

Key Speaker: James Ransom of Showtime Transporation

Breakout Group Leaders: Stephanie Hopkins of Pretty + Planned, Kymmy Cornick of KC Photo Booth Co & Kymberly Janelle Photography, Liz Spencer of Bridal by SHL

Agenda

🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Arrival, Check-In + Networking
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Expert Speaker for the Topic at Hand
🕑: 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Guest Q+A Session with Speaker
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Break Out Groups
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Panel of Pro's Q&A
🕑: 12:30 PM - 02:00 PM
Catered Lunch for Networking & Continued Discussion