Ep 46 • Building Community in the Wedding Industry: Inside the DMV Wedding Collective

What happens when a wedding florist with 25+ years of experience starts noticing that her whole industry feels disconnected? She builds something about it. In this episode, we sit down with Kate Denman of Floret and Vine — and repeat podcast guest — to dig into the origin story of the DMV Wedding Collective, the DC-area's fastest-growing wedding vendor networking and education organization. From intimate coffee dates and planner-florist roundtables to a viral 175-person holiday launch party at the Line Hotel, Kate shares how she spotted a post-COVID gap in the wedding industry community and decided to fill it herself. If you're a wedding vendor, planner, florist, photographer, or officiant in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia area — or if you've ever felt like a solopreneur on an island — this episode is your invitation to find your tribe.   Key Takeaways Community-driven education beats one-size-fits-all conferences Relationships ARE your marketing strategy Every vendor at the wedding — even the 30-minute ones — deserves a seat at the table   Chapters 01:00 - Introduction: Kate of Floret & Vine 01:45 - What Is the DMV Wedding Collective? 02:47 - The Post-COVID Networking Void 05:31 - Kate's Coffee Date Marketing Strategy 08:07 - Disconnection Across the Industry 13:00 - Accessibility Gap in Wedding Education 21:07 - Giving Every Vendor a Voice 30:04 - The No-Recording Rule That Changed Everything 34:38 - Officially Launching the DMV Wedding Collective 41:21 - Listening to Members: Polls, Surveys & Real Feedback 48:30 - Why Continuous Community Check-ins Matter 49:25 - How to Join or Connect with the DMV Wedding Collective   Resources: Plan your wedding with confidence. Grab our FREE Wedding Planning Checklist: https://www.cherryblossomwe.com/wedding-planning-checklist   Connect with Kate & DMV Wedding Collective: DMV Wedding Collective: https://dmvweddingcollective.com/ Instagram: @dmvweddingcollective Website: https://floretandvine.com/   Connect with us: Visit our website: www.cherryblossomwe.com/podcast Cherry Blossom Weddings & Events: www.cherryblossomwe.com Follow us on our socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572429101755 Instagram: @weddings_unscripted TikTok: @weddings_unscripted