WOW! Bravo! Live exceeded our expectations and that of both vendors and attendees. Not only did we see excellent attendance but we had multiple people tell us during and after the show how much fun they had and how great everything was. For some Bravo! Publication employees and attendees it was their very first show and for others, it was a welcome gathering of old colleagues and friends. It was unanimously decided that it was Bravo’s best show ever and for very good reason. With the endless help of the Oregon Convention Center we were able to produce a seamless show that drew an amazing amount of attendees. Plus with our amazing group of vendors we were simply blown away by people’s creativity, hospitality and unique products.

The theme this year was Destination Northwest and immediately as you walked into the exhibit hall you were transported to a lush, inviting entryway that directly reflected how inspiring our landscape is. Just by walking around and seeing the different array of booths you could sense that it took a tremendous amount of work, most of the vendors working late into the night before getting everything to look just right. The collection of vendors that participated put on a fantastic show and many said that Bravo! Live is their favorite event of the year.

Many vendors also commented that they saw a tremendous amount of foot traffic and emphasized that it was the right type of foot traffic, making valuable connections with event planners from all types of industries. We were thrilled to hear this feedback because that is Bravo’s number one goal for putting on this type of event.

Hybrid Moon put together a great video for us which they recorded, edited and uploaded directly from the event, right from their iPhone! Check it out below:

Bravo! Event Live 2011 Tour • Shot, Editied and Uploaded using an iPhone 4

Again, this event was spectacular and the only way it was possible was with the joint efforts of so many hardworking and creative people. For us, it’s our biggest event of the year but also a chance for people to come together and do business in a way that is fun, interactive and unique. The success of this event inspires us to make the Bravo! Wedding Affair even more of a triumph. As the year winds down the work picks up and we thrive off the positive feedback we get from vendors and attendees after our shows.

People came hungry and the caterers did not disappoint- we’d list all the amazing food but the photos from Andie Petkus Studios simply speak for themselves! Take a look at the pictures below and make sure to check out the entire gallery from the show here.

Again, thank you to everyone involved and who came and here’s to next year’s show!

Peter Corvallis Production’s amazing booth. We loved the colors and mounted deer head!

Thursday, July 21, 2011, 7am-5pm, Oregon Convention Center

Hear expert speakers, Network, Learn new growth strategies

Portland Business Journal is offering a 20% discount for people registering that are Bravo! Advertisers. Call 503.219.3423 to register and they will give you a special code to receive the discount.

Schedule of Events:

7am-8am  Registration and Continental breakfast, Exhibit hall opens

8am-9:30am Leadership Workshop from Disney Institute-Disney’s approach to quality service

10:00am-11am Breakout Sessions

1- Financing Growth

2- Growing and protecting your brand

11:30am-12:45pm  Keynote Speaker- Harvey Mackay

Boxed Lunch served during speaker

1:15pm-2:15pm Breakout Sessions

1. Technology As Tools for Growth

2. Recruit, Retain & Remove

2:30pm-4pm  Leadership Workshop from Disney Institute- Disney’s approach to Business Excellence

4pm-5pm Networking Reception- Beer & Wine Bar

The sun is finally out and the days are longer. Looking for something to do outside? Check out Portland Spirit River Cruises. They offer cruises on the Willamette River and the Columbia River departing from downtown Portland and you can do a lunch, dinner or brunch cruise with fresh Northwest cuisine. You can also step aboard the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler from Cascade Locks.

 Friday evenings are the perfect time to cruise on the river and listen to sounds from kink.fm. They have a summer concert series beginning in July. Check out the website for more information and to sign-up.

They have several different boats available for private events and weddings. You can see the options on the website or schedule a tour!

What a great way to spend a sunny day or evening.

   Recently Mary Lou and Janey spent the day in Willamette Valley touring event spaces that are new to Bravo! Travel Salem is a great resource for meeting and event planners and pretty much anything happening in Salem can be found on their website. Debbie McCune graciously offered us the use of their conference room for our networking event on July 13th, check out TravelSalem.com for more information.

Willamette University is full of great event spaces both indoors and outdoors. They have small space available such as the Alumni Lounge up to large spaces such as the Hudson Concert Hall. They also offer Event Planning Services onsite to assist with any event needs. Willamette University’s food service must be catered by Bon Appétit, a premier on-site restaurant company. Bon Appétit is passionate about serving fresh, wholesome, delicious food, prepared from scratch, using the finest local and sustainable ingredients whenever possible.

Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry also has great meeting and event spaces. They have several locations available to hold meetings and offer a wide variety of event services to make your event successful.

Looking for a caterer for your next event? Busick Court offers catering and a restaurant facility. You can view menus online for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They offer over 24 appetizer and 17 entree selections. You don’t want to miss their Sunday Brunch!

If you are looking to catch a great meal, check out La Capitale, Salem’s casual French Bistro. They offer lunch and dinner and you can book your reservations online. They are located at 508 State Street in Salem.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the new location of West Coast Event Productions. They have moved their location to the waterfront, 1466 NW Naito Parkway where they have a fantastic view! Their warehouse is filled with props, linens, dishware, tables & chairs and much more! They have a product catalog online to make selecting items easy.

West Coast has merged with Shaka-sound and will now be able to provide top quality sound at weddings and events. They are able to provide great sound for your event using professional equipment.

They will also be unveiling a new type of romantic/glittery style drape that is new to the area. The drape will be designed inhouse and will bring your event to the next level.

West Coast prides itself on its artists they have on staff. They can help clients build their dream event.

Contact them at here or at 503.294.0412 to get started planning your wedding or event.

Stay tuned for more information on the Grand Opening to be scheduled mid-August.

Are you a vendor in the Willamette Valley? Do you want to showcase your business in front of qualified meeting & event planners? This is the show for you! For advertising information contact denise@bravoportland.com or check out Bravoevent.com.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011 at The Salem Conference Center from 11am-5pm. This event is complimentary for qualified planners.

Travel Portland Annual Partner Showcase
Tuesday, May 10, 2011: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Oregon Convention Center – Portland Ballroom
777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland

The Showcase will coincide with Travel Portland’s 32nd Annual Tourism & Hospitality Industry Awards Celebration and falls during National Tourism Week.

There is no cost to attend, but attendees should pre-register by Wednesday, May 5, to reserve a pre-printed name badge.

Come to Travel Portland’s 26th Annual Partner Showcase (formerly known as the Visitor Industry Trade Show), where you’ll make connections and discover everything you need to know to plan your next event. This show is a must for meeting planners and local and regional industry professionals who want to see the newest in transportation, entertainment, facilities and services.

New this year: Participate in one of two hour-long educational sessions, which will run concurrently from 1-2 p.m. in the Portland Ballroom.

• Working with the OLCC — Are you making alcohol available and either requiring payment or purchase, or accepting monetary donations at your events? Discuss OLCC rules and regulations regarding events and alcohol.
• Using social media to connect with your target market — Learn how to manage your reputation, increase brand awareness and facilitate conversations with your customers.

For more information check out travelportland.com.

Put a Bird On It! Are you a fan of Portlandia?  Do you love all things Portland?  Join ISES of Portland in a Pimp My Warehouse event that celebrates all things Portland.  Sample food carts, enjoy fantastic entertainment, network with the best event professionals in Portland, and celebrate all that is Portland.

April 28th at BodyVox Studios – Doors open at 5:30 pm
Seating is limited please purchase early! Buy Tickets Now!

ISES of Portland supports the Children’s Book Bank.  Part of your admission to Thursday’s Pimp My Warehouse event will be a Children’s book.  We are collection picture and story books for ages 3-6 in both English & Spanish.  The children’s book bank is working to promote early literacy through head start and other programs. Don’t forget to bring your book donation!

Let the countdown begin! On April 28, ISES Portland will knock your argyle socks off at the much-anticipated 2011 Pimp My Warehouse. We’re taking all of what makes Portland such a uniquely creative and individualist city, and cramming these ‘things we love’ into a reassembled hip, urban warehouse. Think hodge-podge. Think Portland deconstructed.

Pimp My Warehouse - ISES Portland

Every year ISES hosts an event to transform a warehouse space into an elegant and fun evening. This year event gurus from around the city will partner up to plan for an exciting event at the new BodyVox warehouse space. On April 28th you can come for a fun evening celebration of all that is Portland and see the best in event design, lighting, and food. Once the ISES event wraps for the night, the Children’s Book Bank will take over for day 2 of Pimp My Warehouse and will be hosting their first ever benefit “Balderdash!”.

Some special features for this year’s Pimp My Warehouse will include:

Keynote Speaker: Neil Adams from Blueprint Studios
Neil is the Director of Business Development for Blueprint Studios – a design and decor company based in San Francisco.  He brings 26 years of sales and customer service experience to the table.  A seasoned professional, he’s worked in the theater, publishing, advertising and tradeshow industries – which all combined brings a well rounded perspective to the Special Events industry.

Entertainment: Marching Band – Tattoo Artists – Jugglers

SAVE THE DATE! Pimp My Warehouse – April 28, 2011 – BUY TICKETS NOW

Pimp My Warehouse Sponsors:
Production Design and Management — Greenlight Creative
Scenery — Peter Corvallis Productions and Royce’s Prop Shop
Lighting – Greenlight Creative and Hollywood Lights
Sound and Video — Henry V
Staging — Stages Northwest
Floral — East West Floral Arts
Rentals — The Party Place
Entertainment Management — Team Casino
Catering — Premiere Catering
Venue — Bodyvox Studios
Photography — Andie Petkus Photography
Event Signage — Alesia Zorn Calligraphy