The Ivy Room

Written by Curator Emma Mullins of Emma Mullins Photography

On Wednesday, March 11th, I joined a group of industry professionals from all over North America for Passport Pro at The Ivy Room. If you’re not familiar, Passport Pro is a touring event hosted by Megan Garmers and The Wedding Masterclass. As I’ve been expanding my wedding photography business to include more international destinations, this event caught my attention! Its sister event, State of the Wedding Industry (SOTWI), also took place in Chicago on March 9th at Wildman BT.

Besides learning lots of useful tips and information during the event itself, I was lucky enough to chat with Garmers afterwards about the origin and mission of Passport Pro.

According to Garmers:

“Both State of the Wedding Industry and Passport Pro are built around the concept that we learn and grow best through relationships and conversations. The programming is meant to create opportunities for deeper conversations and more impactful learning.”

The morning began with an insightful panel discussion between JoAnn Gregoli (Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli), Veronica M. Foster (Association of Bridal Consultants), Ary Iturralde (Jewish Wedding Destinations), and Ilse Diamant (Diamant Events). Following lunch, another panel included Danielle Andrews (The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada), Chris J. Evans (Chris J. Evans Photography) and Sarah Roshan (Emerge Event Collective). Discussion topics included everything from travel hacks to useful information about government web sites, and best practices for respecting the culture while traveling.

Garmers has been a part of the wedding industry for almost 30 years, touring with SOTWI and Passport Pro since 2022.

When asked about the initiation of Passport Pro, she shared:

“Passport Pro was born out of the increase of destination weddings. Wedding pros wanted to work destination weddings but didn't necessarily understand the nuances that come with doing weddings outside of their local area. This applies for both domestic and international destination weddings as states and even cities have different laws and requirements and being a good global citizen (and operating legally!) means educating yourself on how to best serve couples there.”

Chicago’s Passport Pro was a success - concluding with a delicious family-style meal at one of my local favorites, Osteria Via Stato. We enjoyed several courses of Italian fare, combined with conversation and more networking. This event was truly a unique experience! I left with new knowledge and friendships, and look forward to attending more events in the future.

In addition to touring events, The Wedding Masterclass also hosts workshops, dinners, and experience-oriented trips (FAM+ Retreats) for wedding professionals around the globe. To learn more about The Wedding Masterclass or to attend one of these events, visit theweddingmasterclass.com.