About the Certified Wedding Planner Society (CWP Society)

ABOUT THE CWP SOCIETY TEAM

The CWP Society is the world's premier wedding industry membership and certifications. They have been training, mentoring, and coaching wedding planners and professionals since 2007. The mission is to foster collaboration and community amongst ALL categories in the wedding industry.

Joining the CWP Society is more than joining an organization, or becoming certified - it's embracing a community dedicated to advancing the wedding profession and raising the standards across the globe.

Explore Membership & Certification Options

Our Society Executives/Instructors

**LAURIE HARTWELL** is a transformational wedding industry educator and inspirational speaker who has dedicated her career to empowering wedding professionals around the globe through CWP Society—the world's leading wedding planner certification program and largest membership of wedding professionals. As a sought-after presenter at premier industry events, she shares her expertise with organizations like The Knot Worldwide, Aisle Academy, Wedding MBA, Book More Weddings Summit, and Timeline Genius, inspiring countless professionals to elevate their craft and grow their businesses.

Drawing from over three decades of hands-on experience since 1993, Laurie has orchestrated weddings and special events for celebrities and thousands of couples across every style and budget imaginable. This extensive real-world experience became the foundation for creating a thriving global community where wedding professionals lift each other up and grow together.

Laurie's dedication to the wedding industry has earned her numerous accolades, including multiple wedding planner awards and The Knot Worldwide's prestigious "Most Helpful Mentor" award—a testament to her unwavering commitment to supporting fellow professionals.

Laurie Hartwell FOUNDER & CEO
MASTER CERTIFIED WEDDING PLANNER
CWP SOCIETY

**KRISY THOMAS** is the Senior Educator for the CWP Society, and owner of Southern Sparkle Wedding & Event Planning. She is also a Master Certified Wedding Planner through the Certified Wedding Planner Society. Southern Sparkle Wedding & Event Planning is an award-winning wedding planning team with locations in Nashville, Jackson, and Memphis, Tennessee. Southern Sparkle’s work has been featured in wedding publications and blogs such as: - Better Homes & Gardens - MidSouth Bride - MOD Weddings - Classic Bride - Ruffled Blog - The Wedding Playbook - Southern Bride Blog - and more! Southern Sparkle was also named one of The Nashville Scene’s Best of Nashville Wedding/Event Planners.

Krisy Thomas SENIOR EDUCATOR
MASTER CERTIFIED WEDDING PLANNER
CWP SOCIETY

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Ashley Babbit

Ashley Babbit has been a Certified Wedding Planner since 2019, is a Certified Design Consultant, an Industry Advancement Director, and the Director of Student Organizations through the Certified Wedding Planner Society. She has been in the wedding industry since 2017 and currently works as a Lead Wedding Planner. Ashley graduated from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Event Management and is the Community Outreach Representative to their wedding club through I Said Yes Florida.

CWP SOCIETY'S

Certified Industry Educators

Since 2017, Matt has served a diverse clientele within the wedding industry by providing high-end personalized weddings, one where you create your own traditions and make it a reflection of your love story. As a member of the LGTBQ+ community, he knows what it feels like to be discriminated against, and his goal is to make sure that every couple he works with (traditional or non-traditional) feels heard, seen, and included. His clients come from many different orientations, religions, gender identities, abilities, and traditions. He has served LGBTQ+, later-in-life, Jewish, Hindu, and multicultural weddings, among others.

Matt Mitchell The Event Ledger
Wedding Pro Financial Expert

Emma is a Master Certified Wedding Planner and Owner of Infinity Events. After beginning her events career in the hospitality industry, she found that her heart lay with weddings and started Infinity Events and her mission is to identify what about each client makes them unique, and create beautiful details for their wedding that makes them stand out from the rest.

Emma Cockerham
Infinity Events
Vendor Relations Educator

Rima Shah is the Owner of Big Guava Events, a Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator through and for The Certified Wedding Planner Society. Her team of professionals assist couples in planning every aspect of their wedding journey, from engagements and rehearsals, to the last dance. They strive to reduce the pressure facing to-be-weds by overseeing every design and coordination detail.

Rima Shah Big Guava Events
South Asian Wedding Educator

Brianne is a Master Certified Wedding Planner through the Certified Wedding Planner Society and the owner of Stress-free Weddings, Inc. She loves all things wedding-related. One of the key areas that she felt was important in starting her own wedding planning business was making sure that she had a strong education foundation to ensure she provided the very best service for her clients and their friends/family.

Brianne Ackerland Stress-Free Weddings, Inc.
Planner Emergency Educator

Kyle is a well-rounded Master Certified Wedding Planner specializing in boutique-style luxury hotels. She works tirelessly as a hotel consultant, committed to finding thoughtful solutions through training, collaboration, and strong teamwork. Kyle has had the pleasure of working in Forbes Five-Star hotels across the country and abroad, including the vineyards of Napa Valley, the charming shores of the Chesapeake Bay, and destinations such as the Grand Cayman and the Hawaiian Islands, to name a few. These experiences—spanning wedding, social, and corporate events—make her a valuable asset to every team she supports. A graduate of High Point University, Kyle believes in choosing to be extraordinary. She is a thoughtful listener with a vivid imagination and the patience of Job. Passionate about lifting others up, she enjoys sharing her wisdom and industry knowledge. Becoming part of the CWP Society Education Team fulfills a long‑held dream of teaching, and she is excited to share her passion for learning with fellow professionals who are dedicated to being the very best in wedding planning.

Kyle Adam's KMA Consulting
Hotel/Country Club Educator

Riley is a Certified Wedding Planner, Certified Wedding Design Consultant, Certified Styled Shoot Coordinator, and Certified Educator through the Certified Wedding Planner Society. She has been in the wedding planning industry for 6+ years, and launched Elegant Affairs by Design in 2018. Riley was also named Wedding Planner On The Rise in 2022. She inspires to cultivate strong relationships with her couples, vendors, and CWP family. As an educator, Riley is passionate about continuing education to provide fresh and valuable planning insight. She vows to always look for ways to continue her education to provide a different perspective that is informative, innovative, and thought provoking. Riley is dedicated to walking with you as your confidant, and to assisting you in reaching the highest morals and standards.

Riley Snider Elegant Affairs By Design
Client Relations Educator

Nikki is the owner, lead planner, and designer at The Serendipity Collective. Together, she and her team work with their client’s to connect and understand their vision, and bring it to life. She began her planning journey in 2003 in South Florida before moving back to her hometown in Illinois. Spending nearly 12 years as a venue coordinator, she now has the experience to assist her clients in wedding planning decisions, as well as assist venue coordinators, but does so in a unique way. Nikki has continued her education through the CWP Society through to become a Master Certified Wedding Planner, Certified Wedding Design Consultant, Certified Styled Shoot Coordinator, as well as coveting a position as one of their Certified Educators. Nikki believes everyone deserves a day as unique and special as their love story.

NIKKI M. ROGERS The Serendipity Collective, LLC
Non-Traditional Venue Educator

LEAD INDUSTRY ADVANCEMENT DIRECTOR

Denitra Barnes

As the creative mind behind Tailored for You, Denitra Barnes believes every love story and life event deserves a one-of-a-kind celebration. Her passion for bringing people together began in childhood and has been the foundation of her work ever since. Denitra specializes in curating unforgettable events by blending creative vision with seamless logistics. Denitra combines her certification as a Certified Wedding Planner with a refined background in Human Resources and Project Management. For Denitra, planning is a continuous journey of learning and teaching. She is committed to staying at the forefront of the industry by attending workshops and adding additional CWP certifications. She understands that staying current is a "secret weapon" for success, ensuring she always provides fresh, valuable, and innovative planning insights.