We invite you to apply for The Styled Challenge – New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

Monday – Tuesday, July 15-16, 2024

WHAT IS THE STYLED CHALLENGE?

The Styled Challenge by Southern Bride is an opportunity for wedding industry professionals to showcase their talents and create stunning content in a collaborative environment.

It’s a fun and friendly design competition that pays homage to everyone in the wedding industry who works tirelessly to execute a vision that only brides dream about for their big day.

It’s a platform to exhibit your city, your business, and your team’s creative talents.

Chosen Designers will create a team of local wedding industry professionals, and will be the team lead.  As part of the challenge, desingers will create a wedding design theme and the designer will guide their team to style three design areas and one flat lay, bringing to life a fictional high-end couple’s wedding story through elevated, elegant, and out-of-the-box creative designs.

WHAT TO KNOW

• You and your team will style three areas at an assigned venue with a complementary flat lay, all within the same wedding design theme.
• Choose your team wisely – there will be multiple awards (team and individual – see list below), but the Best Design Award is at the top of everyone’s list.
• There will be a Facebook/Instagram LIVE event during The Styled Challenge, where Southern Bride’s followers will vote on their favorite design.
• The Styled Challenge is also a MINI-SERIES – each design will be videotaped, and each designer will be interviewed. The mini-series is part of Southern Bride’s YouTube Channel programming.
• During The Styled Challenge, we invite wedding photographers to participate in their own event and competition called Styled SHOOTS by Southern Bride. These wedding photographers/videographers will photograph your designs and compete for BEST Photography. These photographers agree to share all their images for each vendor’s marketing purposes (with proper photo credit).
• After the Styled SHOOTS event is complete, we invite local brides and brides-to-be and their entorauge to tour the designed areas for The Styled Challenge Bridal Crawl.
• Each team is guaranteed publication in Southern Bride Magazine, SouthernBride.com, and all of Southern Bride’s social media platforms; @southernbridemagazine, @StyledSHOOTSbySouthernBride, and @TheStyledChallengebySouthernBride, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube.
• Each designer and venue will be promoted throughout all of Southern Bride’s platforms, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest Ads.
• After the event on the evening of July 16, 2024, we will have The Wrap Party Networking and Design Awards Ceremony, where Southern Bride will give out all the awards, including BEST Design.
• The winning team members will receive The Styled Challenge Winner badge, and each participating team will also receive The Styled Challenge Ambassador badge.

REQUIREMENTS:
Please read the following rules and guidelines for The Styled Challenge.

• There is NO CHARGE for participating in The Styled Challenge; however, you and your team are responsible for all your design expenses.
• Before submitting your agreement, ensure that your have reached out to your core team and they are available.
• We want to keep this a local event. You and your team MUST be within a drivable market of the event location.
• You will be required to design three different spaces within the designated venue:
  –  1 primary anchor space (ex: ceremony/reception)
  –  2 support spaces (ex: bar set-up, (think-groom’s ‘getting ready room, champagne/drink tower, unique seating chart, etc.)) in different ‘well-lit’ areas of the venue
  –  1 flat lay (ex: bridal/groom’s flat lay, invitations, jewelry, shoes, veil, flowers, etc.) that ties your theme together. This is a fun place to get creative.
• You will be responsible for sourcing your models, Hair, and Makeup.  Southern Bride is available to assist if needed.
• Southern Bride will assist in sourcing fashion, however, if you have a relationship with a local Bridal Store or suit/tux store that would like to participate and loan you fashion we would love to showcase them!
• Your team will be responsible for the set-up and breakdown of your design spaces.
• Please do not break down your designs early – this is cause for automatic disqualification.
• We will compile and share a list of tags for the entire team and all photographers for posting with credit. Please ensure that each of your team members fills out the form (share the form link) so that EVERYONE gets credit for their work when it comes time to post on social media and digital publications. We want this to be a WIN WIN WIN for everyone!

IF YOU ARE SELECTED:
The following must be submitted within 2 weeks to styledchallenge@southernbride.com by the Team Leader:

• A mood board with a brief description of your design, 250-300 words
• A 2 – 4 minute video providing information about you/your company, why you became a wedding planner/designer, tell us about your most unique request by a couple, and why you are excited about participating in The Styled Challenge by Southern Bride. This must be recorded horizontally, NOT vertically.
• A Bio and headshot (see one example of use below).

What will the Judges be looking For?

• MINDSET! This styled shoot must not be your typical one. Challenge your creative self and get your team excited and involved. Think out-of-the-box and create something you have always wanted to do. This is your time to shine!
• When someone walks into the room/space, the first thought that should come to their mind is “WOW.”
• Ensure that you have at least three tables set up for the best depth of field for photographs on tablescapes.
• Details are essential, and brides love them, so get creative.
• Also, consider additional details like specialty runners or aisle enhancements for the ceremony to lend a visual/theatrical boost. Use your venues and get them involved. Many venues have items you can use out of ease and budget.

The Coveted, Custom, Hand-Painted Design Winner Trophy

TEAM AWARDS

Overall Best Design Award
This design team will be recognized and awarded for their exceptional work. Their “over-the-top” designs will elicit a sense of amazement, showcasing their attention to detail and dedication to crafting a perfect balance throughout.

Southern Socialite Award
This exciting award will be decided through a Facebook Live event, where viewers can vote for their favorite design on Facebook and Instagram. The design with the most votes will win…

Trendsetter Award
This award demonstrates innovation, trends, and unconventional ideas and details.

Lasting Impression Award
This award acknowledges details that make an exceptional guest experience that is most memorable.

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION AWARDS

Mr/Miss Lovin’ Spoonful Award
The winner of this award is celebrated for their exceptional sugar artistry, renowned for creating elaborate and confectionary art.

Bespoken Billet-Doux Award
This award signifies a one-of-a-kind, artistic, and sophisticated custom stationery suite.

Flatlay Luxe Award
This winner perfectly embodies the overall theme by skillfully bringing together all the details in a beautiful display.

Blooms Master Award
This winning florist has shown skillful artistry and an unwavering passion for blooms.

Strut Your Stuff Award
An Award for the Most Dynamic Model – Photographers’ favorite nominee, this award celebrates the model who isn’t afraid to showcase their flair through movement and interaction.

YOU WILL RECEIVE ADDED PROMOTIONAL VALUE

• PRE-Event – advertising promoting the event/designers/venues/mood boards on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Digital ads in addition to all of Southern Bride’s digital media outlets
• During the event – Facebook LIVE event interviews with designers and showcasing the design spaces for viewership voting
• During the Event – Social media postings from vendors, photographers, and Southern Bride
• Post Event – Video Series on The Styled Challenge will include designer interviews and scenes from the styled set-ups, ending with an awards ceremony. Southern Bride YouTube Channel.
• Post Event – Social media postings from vendors, photographers, and all of Southern Bride’s social outlets, including a special category on Pinterest.
• Post Event – Digital coverage on each styled design on SouthernBride.com
• Post Event – Images will be used repeatedly in various content on SouthernBride.com and Southern Bride’s social outlets for several months.