What is Community Marketing about?

2022: Community Marketing LLC is the main business with different segments of events.

Bridal Shows by Kelly is my boutique bridal show company featuring the Rustic Wedding Expo, RI Wedding Expo, CT Wedding Expo, MA Wedding Expo and the Ocean State Bridal Show.

Lullaby Events is the boutique baby expo company.

My events are always featured in my 15 groups on Facebook with over 35,000 members and another 7,500 on my email list. My spring bridal shows are featured in Engaged by Rhode Island Monthly.

It all started when…

It’s the classic “Pick yourself back up and get back on the horse” story! I’ve definitely had my ups and downs and if there’s one word I can use to describe myself it’s RESILIANT.

In 2014, after getting a divorce and then finding myself unemployed, I knew I needed to figure something out! The only job offers I was getting were for entry level positions. I had been an Advertising Director for a newspaper group for 15 years and then a Corporate Recruiter for a beauty company for 14 years. Entry level? No way! I was selling a product at the time and looking for events, but there really weren’t that many to be had and the ones I was attending were getting minimal attendance. I thought maybe with all my experience I could pull off a few of my own events and sell my product at my events. I had produced events at both of my jobs and always was able to get a good turn out in terms of attendance. So in 2015, I decided to have my first Health and Wellness Expo in partnership with a ladies gym. It went great! I had a few stumbling blocks but I quickly figured out what to do to make the next one even better. I touched base with another ladies fitness place and joined forces with Mary Bradshaw of the Mind and Body Studios and had my 2nd Health and Wellness show.

I got married for the second time in July of 2015 and planned a backyard wedding! I could see that rustic weddings were trending and pitched my idea of a Rustic Wedding Expo to a bridal show company. They weren’t interested and I knew in my heart that this was a “thing” and decided I needed to do this myself! So Bridal Shows By Kelly was born! In October of 2015 I held The Wedding Expo in West Warwick, RI and couldn’t believe the great turn out! Now I knew I needed to have that Rustic Wedding Expo and my husband and I contacted the Mishnock Barn in West Greenwich, RI. My husband, Mike, had worked for them many years ago as a lifeguard and they were thrilled to see him again. They didn’t really understand exactly what I was planning but they said yes and we planned it for April 2016.

Meanwhile, I had more events planned with the Mind and Body Studios and planned several Holiday Shopping Extravaganzas. Every few weeks we had about 20 vendors participate and between the members of the studio and people I knew, we built up a group of regulars who loved coming to the studios to do some shopping and meet and greet with all these amazing women! I had this other idea cooking - something that I had pitched at the old corporate job and the head honchos nixed that idea. Now I’m running my own business so I don’t have to get anyone’s approval but I do need a location for this. This amazing idea was the Prom Dress Give Away! I created several more themed shopping events that were geared towards having people come to shop, tour the studio and donate prom dresses. We set a date for April 2016. You wouldn’t believe the number of ladies who came in and donated gowns! Our hearts were full!! And the special day came and we helped 75 young ladies find a prom dress for that first one. AMAZING!! We had 2 friends come help us and boy did we need them! We did it again in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Covid stopped us in 2020 and I’m not sure about 2021 but just thinking about this, I know I need to do this again once it’s possible.

Also in April of 2016, was the Rustic Wedding Expo at the Mishnock Barn. If I thought my first bridal show was a success, this superceded it by leaps and bounds. It was crazy! People were lined up outside waiting to come in! By this point I have realized that I need to follow the path and keep doing events and I was no longer selling the product and creating events to sell the product. I wanted to branch out and Connecticut seemed like a good place - especially since I was so familiar with Eastern Connecticut from my old corporate job. September 11 I had the next Rustic Wedding Expo at Allen Hill Farm and the turn out was phenomenal! That barn was packed with vendors and attendees. In the meantime, I’ve connected with the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England and planned a bridal show at Camp Hoffman for November 2016. Also in 2016, I created the Kids Expo which is a combination of kid and parent-related vendors as well as performances by kids, demonstrating karate, dance, hip hop and more, along with a giant Halloween costume contest. Another amazing turn out and tons of requests to do it again in the Spring. We couldn’t believe the number of kids who participated in the Halloween costume contest! And we’ve moved from the Mind and Body Studios to the West Warwick Elks for the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza that year.

Community Marketing and Bridal Shows By Kelly continued to grow from there. We held a Spring Kids Expo and started hearing from wedding venues asking to come to their place and have a bridal show. Sometimes I am reaching out to venues, too! By 2017 we had outgrown the West Warwick Elks and moved the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza to the West Warwick Civic Center. And in 2018 I changed it to the Rhode Island Christmas Festival, mainly because so many other events were calling theirs the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza and I thought, let them have that name, I’m taking this to the next level. One element from the Christmas shows is the Little Miss and Little Mr. Christmas pageant. The first year it was just for age 1 and under but the next year I had to add more age groups because so many parents wanted their littles to participate. Talk about adorable! I’ve also held a RI Spring Festival, the Flavor of the 401 - a restaurant expo in 2018 and the Rhode Island Christmas Festival expanded to a 2 day event, featuring the adorable pageant plus a variety of entertainment that has included soloists, jazz performances, zumba demonstrations, choruses, an Ugly Sweater Contest, Santa, Family Parade and more. We didn’t get to have the pageant in 2020 - but I heard from quite a few people who still wanted to participate. I’m optimistic that in 2021 we can get back to all the fun stuff!

Check out my Facebook page for a complete listing of events. You’ll see last year and the current year here on my website. I’m always interested in checking out new and unique venues so if you’re interested in planning something at your venue, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Here’s some info about bridal shows in the current Covid world:

So what does a bridal show look like in this current Covid situation? The obvious stuff is mask requirements and social distancing. I’m a boutique style bridal show as it is so it’s not about having hundreds in attendance. Our exhibitors are spaced out and if you think of a game of golf (or mini golf), you know you proceed ahead when the group ahead of you moves along. All going in one direction. We are also staggering the attendance so everyone doesn’t all arrive at the same exact time. The majority of hand outs are already stuffed in the swag bags that are given out and any other material will be handed to you - instead of multiple people taking it. Hand sanitizer stations are set up throughout the venue. And we are also utilizing our outdoor space instead of everyone being inside. I’ve gotten my required license and approval from the State. Being closed down for so long, I’ve put a lot of thought into this whole process to ensure a safe environment for everyone. Now I ask that everyone attending to please follow the rules and please stay home if you’re sick!