# Event Details - **Event Name**: Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry - **Event Start and End Date**: Wed, 29 Jul, 2026 at 09:30 am – Wed, 29 Jul, 2026 at 02:00 pm - **Event Description**: Wed Workshops were created for KC's Wedding Pro's to continue education amongst community. Topic: The Evolution of the KC Wedding IndustryAbout this Event https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/1462ae50-8af8-11f1-b92e-41b584fdb3c9-rimg-w1200-h600-dcfefefe-gmir.jpg Wed KC WorkshopsWed 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, 2026TIMELINE: 9:30am – 2pmVENUE: Avent OrangeryADDRESS: 701 Village West Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66111TOPIC: The Evolution of the KC Wedding IndustryWORKSHOPS INCLUDE:Half-Day Networking + Educational OpportunityExpert Speaker for the Topic at HandQ&A Session with the Expert SpeakerPanel of Wedding ProsBreakout Sessions to Explore the Topic More DeeplyCatered Lunch for Networking & Continued DiscussionLUNCH MENU catered by: Tacos CristyTaco Bar Lunch BuffetStreet taco tortillasSteak, Chicken, PorkGrilled onions, cilantro, cucumber, radish, limeSalsas: guacamole, jalapeño sauce, redRice & beans https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/14946cb0-8af8-11f1-b92e-41b584fdb3c9-rimg-w1200-h600-dcececed-gmir.jpg Meet the Expert: James RansonJames 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 SummaryThe 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. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/1518def0-8af8-11f1-887f-cf3a1ec20c70-rimg-w1200-h600-dca7a680-gmir.jpg Breakout Session LeadersCarody Carlson of Captured by Carody:Growing with the industry. A fresh perspective for a new generation.What started with planning her own wedding quickly turned into a passion for helping others relive theirs.After working in a bridal boutique and later managing social media for a local business, Carody discovered she could combine her love for weddings, creativity, and storytelling into a career she truly loves. Today, she spends wedding days capturing the behind-the-scenes moments that often go unseen - creating authentic, real-time content that allows couples to relive the joy of their day almost instantly.As one of the newer voices in the Kansas City wedding industry, Carody brings a fresh perspective on how content creation has become an important part of the modern wedding experience. During our breakout sessions, she'll share how this growing service is changing the way couples experience and remember their wedding day, along with her insights on where wedding content creation is headed next.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.Angela Shipps of Picture This! Studios:Angela Shipps is one of Kansas City's most experienced wedding photographers and the city's longest-running professional wedding photographer, with a career spanning 25 years. Angela celebrates her 25 year anniversary of the very first wedding she photographed professionally, this summer, July 14th, 2026. Since photographing her first wedding in 2001, she has documented nearly 900 weddings and thousands of families, becoming a trusted part of countless couples' journeys right here in Kansas City and beyond—from engagements and weddings to newborns, senior portraits, and even the next generation's weddings.After studying film photography in college, Angela launched her business at the beginning of one of the most transformative periods in the wedding photography industry. She thrived as a female photographer in a male dominated industry. She witnessed—and successfully navigated—photography's evolution from film to digital, the rise of social media, the Pinterest era, changing client expectations, the challenges of COVID, and today's emerging AI landscape.What has remained constant throughout her career is her commitment to relationships. Angela has built her business almost entirely through referrals, earning the trust of both clients and fellow wedding professionals. Her unique perspective comes not only from photographing hundreds of weddings but from watching the Kansas City wedding industry grow, adapt, and reinvent itself over the last two decades.Known for her energy, authenticity, and storytelling, Angela shares real-world insights about longevity, resilience, and the importance of evolving while staying true to the relationships that make this industry so special.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. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/15546150-8af8-11f1-b92e-41b584fdb3c9-rimg-w1200-h600-dcffffff-gmir.jpg Event Sponsors:Host: Venue + Bar: Linens: Coffee Cart: Catering: Photographer, Photo Booth, Live Artist: Floral: DJ, Emcee + Production: Key Speaker: James Ransom of Showtime TransporationBreakout Group Leaders: Stephanie Hopkins of Pretty & Planned Events, Liz Spencer of Bridal by SHL, Angela Shipps of Picture This! Studioshttps://youtu.be/i9Lqt7WQ0bc?si=lQVsRyyGSObjLeYCAgenda?: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AMArrival, Check-In + Networking?: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AMExpert Speaker for the Topic at Hand?: 10:45 AM - 11:00 AMGuest Q+A Session with Speaker?: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PMBreak Out Groups?: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PMPanel of Pro's Q&A?: 12:30 PM - 02:00 PMCatered Lunch for Networking & Continued Discussion - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/kansas-city/wed-workshop-the-evolution-of-the-kc-wedding-industry/100001987568437701 - **Event Categories**: workshops, art, entertainment, kids, storytelling, business, dance, fashion, photography - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Age Limit: 21+ - Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes - Location: Avent Orangery - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 36.39, max: 47.86, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Kansas City - **state**: KS - **country**: United States - **location**: Avent Orangery - **lat**: 39.1108292 - **long**: -94.8172599 - **full address**: Avent Orangery, 701 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/a4b7394d4b003de441103fd2c1fb5644a973a0ef2d195df216a567f311a7dea1-rimg-w1200-h676-dc050404-gmir.png?v=1776324324 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry being held? - **A:** Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry takes place on Wed, 29 Jul, 2026 at 09:30 am to Wed, 29 Jul, 2026 at 02:00 pm at Avent Orangery, 701 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, United States. - **Q**: Is there an age restriction for Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry? - **A:** Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry is strictly for guests aged 21 and above. Valid government-issued photo ID is required for entry. Guests under 21 will not be admitted. The event will be presented in English. - **Q**: Who is organizing Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry? - **A:** Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry is organized by Wed KC. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Wed Workshop: The Evolution of the KC Wedding Industry is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Kansas City, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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