(United Kingdom)

(United States)

When Jennifer and her business partner began Destination Media 20 years ago, it was with the intent to report on all things destination wedding, honeymoon and romance travel related and to fill a gap in the wedding industry. One that would show real couples around the world celebrating their destination weddings. Jennifer’s love of the beautiful cultures and colors around the world has been central in everything printed and shared through DestinationIDo.com. Her goal has been to bring readers helpful information to plan their weddings wherever it is in the world with whomever it is with – regardless of race or gender.

Since then, the media outlet has grown from a small, glossy publication sold around the U.S. to a sought-after brand, known for serving the destination wedding reader wherever they are - from the airwaves to Pinterest and everything in between.

Connected to readers and industry experts on all fronts, Destination I Do creates helpful daily content through their growing website and social media network. Destination I Do is also starting season four of their podcast with Jennifer as the host.

With more than 25 years of business and publishing experience, Jennifer has seen her international business thrive and grow. She was recognized as one of the “Top 35 Entrepreneurs Under 35” and is a chosen speaker at several prestigious industry conferences and business summits. With a substantial client list, talented contributors and a growing following – Destination I Do is an icon in both the wedding and travel industries.

(United States)

Angela Hughes stands as a luminary in the luxury travel sector, renowned for crafting sophisticated marketing strategies that captivate discerning travelers. With a fervent passion for mentorship and an innovative spirit, Angela has successfully helmed her prestigious brand, Trips & Ships Luxury Travel, for over four decades. Under her astute leadership, a distinguished cadre of over 80 LUXE advisors has risen to prominence in the high-end tourism industry.  She was named 2024 Travel Leaders Network Influencer of the Year for Luxury Travel.

A Certified Travel Consultant since 1993 and holding a master's degree in Geography, Travel & Tourism, Angela's illustrious career is marked by the creation of bespoke luxury getaways that epitomize elegance and personalized service. As the driving force behind the Luxury Travel University, her expertise serves as the cornerstone for elevating and consulting numerous host agencies and Destination Management Companies (DMCs), guiding them to achieve excellence in the competitive luxury market.

Angela's authoritative voice is sought by esteemed media outlets, with her insights featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Fox 35 TV, cementing her status as a revered travel expert. Her influence extends globally with features in Travel Weekly, Travel Market Report, Insider Travel Report, Travel Age West, and Germany's LUXE magazine. Her robust social media presence continues to inspire wanderlust among travelers worldwide.

Recognized by Internova as one of the top 1% of travel advisors, Angela's expertise and dedication to the industry are unparalleled.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Angela is an avid traveler, having explored over 107 countries. Her multicultural experiences include nearly two years in Osaka, Japan, where she became conversant in Japanese. As a former adjunct professor at BYU, she imparts her extensive knowledge to the next generation of travel professionals.

Angela's impact extends to her philanthropic endeavors. Through her non-profit organization, Color My World, she advocates for sustainable humanitarian tourism, orchestrating trips that create meaningful and lasting change in communities around the globe.

For those who demand more than the ordinary in travel, Angela Hughes represents the pinnacle of luxury and philanthropy. Her legacy is one where elegance seamlessly intertwines with benevolence, ensuring every journey is both purposeful and unforgettable.

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(United States)

Mark Chesnut is a New York City-based journalist, editor, travel industry consultant and public speaker with more than 30 years of experience. The 2019 winner of the NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark is the author of the book “Prepare for Departure” and his work has appeared in media including Fodor’s, Forbes Travel Guide, Edge Media Network, Global Traveler, HuffPost, JWM Magazine, the Miami Herald, Orbitz, Passport Magazine, Travel + Leisure Mexico, Travelocity, the New York Times bestseller 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and the inflight magazines of Aeromexico, American Airlines and Avianca.

Mark operates his own travel site, DepartureLevel.com and contributes regularly to multiple media outlets at Northstar Travel Media, North America’s largest travel trade publisher — including Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, TravelPulse, PhocusWire, Successful Meetings and Meetings & Conventions Magazine. Mark has written and managed custom content for travel industry clients including the U.S. Travel Association, World Travel & Tourism Council and hotel brands including Hilton and IHG, and he’s spoken at conventions including the ASTA Global conference, the New York Travel Festival, the New York Times Travel Show, the Louisville Book Festival, the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival and SAHIC: The South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference.

(Barbados)

Brian is an award-winning event planner with over twenty years of experience in the international events industry. He is the Chief Event Architect and Creative Visionary of By BrianGreen LLC based in Atlanta creating amazing social and corporate events across the globe. He is a former Diplomat for the country of Barbados.  

He was the featured guest expert on The Steve Harvey Show on Fox for their annual Wedding Hour where he presented great tips and advice on how to host the best wedding while avoiding the usual pitfalls and has been published in every major magazine in our industry.  He is also the host of WeddingPro's YouTube web series The Real Truth about your favourite Wedding Movies!. He is one of an elite group of WeddingPro Educators. He is also an Advisor and Mentor for The Knot/ Wedding Wire’s Fellowship For Change Program. 

As part of his strong activism and belief in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, he currently serves as Chairman of the Board for the National Society of Black Wedding & Event Professionals. 

(Canada)

Glenda, a former travel advisor with a two-decade history of sales excellence, has transitioned her expertise into coaching travel professionals. She is dedicated to helping advisors increase sales, refine business operations, and foster lasting client relationships. Glenda's insights empower advisors to close more deals, earn referrals, and build a thriving business.

(United States)

Luxury destination wedding photographer Chris J. Evans has traversed the globe, capturing iconic love stories. For nearly 14 years, discerning clients have invited him to immortalize their celebrations from the romantic canals of Venice to the sun-kissed shores of Santa Barbara, and from the tropical paradise of Hawaii to the vibrant charm of Puerto Rico. Each wedding, infused with his impeccable sense of fashion, radiates unparalleled style, grace, and sophistication, elevating every destination to an unforgettable experience.

(United States)

Tracy French is an acclaimed Destination Wedding Planner and the founder of The French Connection Events & Travel, known for her unparalleled expertise in creating extraordinary destination weddings. With over 20 years of experience, Tracy has a proven track record of delivering flawless events for couples worldwide.
Tracy was the first recipient of the prestigious Ed Cotton Award for Destination Wedding Excellence, a testament to her leadership and innovation in the field. Her work has also been featured on two top-rated television programs, Married Away and Whose
Wedding is it Anyway? on the Style Network, and she is a regular guest on Talk Radio, where she is affectionately known as the "Go to Gal" for wedding advice and trends.
Tracy frequently speaks at high-profile events both in the U.S. and internationally, sharing her vast knowledge with industry professionals.
In addition to her hands-on wedding planning, Tracy is passionate about educating others and helping them grow their travel and wedding businesses. She proudly serves as an International Planning Specialist for the International Association of Destination Wedding Professionals (IADWP).
Her commitment to excellence has earned The French Connection Events & Travel numerous accolades, including The Knot’s Hall of Fame award and the WeddingWire Couple’s Choice Award. Tracy is also a regularly featured A-List Planner for Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine and was named one of the 25 Most Influential Wedding Planners in the World.
With a company motto of "Creating AMAZING events for lifelong memories," Tracy French continues to set the standard for destination weddings, crafting exceptional experiences that resonate with couples for a lifetime.

(Mexico)

During her long career as a journalist she realized the communication value of stories. She founded Content Boutique15 years ago, a Storytelling and communication consultancy where she helps companies, businesses and individuals to find what makes them unique through their story and to communicate it well. She has more than 10 years focused on the hospitality industry, where she has created the storytelling for Hamak's hotels, including Chablé, Amomoxtli and Casa Polanco. She is currently director of communications for Ikal Hotels in Tulum, Chichén Itzá and San Miguel Allende, in addition to continuing her consulting work and presenting the podcast Talento para la Vida, within the Martha Debayle Podcast ecosystem.

(Saint Lucia)

Natalie John, CEO of Dreamy Weddings celebrates 24 years in the destination wedding planning industry. This savvy and trend-forward entrepreneur who oversees a portfolio of growing businesses started with Dreamy Weddings operating in 2 destinations in 1999 and has grown to operating in 13 Caribbean destinations.

Recognized by leading media outlets, this recipient of the A-List Wedding Planner designation by Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine in 2010, Caribbean Wedding Planner and Off-Site Wedding Planner of the Year 2018/2019 by Caribbean Wedding Industry Awards, in 2019 won the St. Kitts Business Excellence Awards by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority and in 2022 named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry by Eventex.

In addition to being a certified wedding specialist, she is a Chartered Governance Professional with the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada and a trained florist with experience in securities, tourism marketing and export credit.

Born and raised in Saint Lucia, she studied Commerce, Finance and Marketing at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Natalie continues to innovate, finding new ways to pamper discerning couples, assist corporate groups in planning Caribbean events, and helping island tourism officials develop creative strategies to remain competitive.

In 2020 she founded the Caribbean Wedding and Events Professionals, (CWEP) a non-profit regional organization that represents Caribbean professionals and business entities. As a regional champion for event industry excellence, she created CWEP as a platform for industry professionals to network, leverage their creativity and grow.

From a business perspective, The Dreamy Group includes Dreamy Weddings & Tours Inc., Dreamy Floral & De cor Bar Ltd., Elite St. Kitts, Dreamy Rentals, Mariposa Condos and Dreamy Florals St. Lucia.

(Canada)

With 25 years of experience in the travel industry, Bobbi-Jo Roback has built a reputation as a trusted and passionate travel expert. Her deep love for travel, combined with a passion for creating memorable experiences rooted in love, led her to specialize in Romance Travel and Destination Weddings for the past two decades. Bobbi-Jo thrives on helping couples plan the most important celebrations of their lives, from intimate beach weddings to luxurious honeymoon getaways.

However, her dedication to helping others doesn’t stop there. Recently, Bobbi-Jo has branched out to focus on another personal passion—advocating for and supporting neurodiverse travelers, particularly those on the autism spectrum. As a mother of two children with Autism, she lives and breathes the unique challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals every day. This firsthand experience has given her a unique perspective and deep empathy for families like her own, who often face barriers in an industry that isn't fully equipped to meet their needs.

Bobbi-Jo is committed to opening the conversation around these gaps in the travel industry and working toward solutions that make travel more accessible and inclusive for all. Whether it's through planning romantic getaways or supporting neurodiverse families, her ultimate goal is to make the world of travel more welcoming, enjoyable, and seamless for everyone.

(United States)

After a career in politics and finance, Jeni needed a change of pace and purchased a travel agency. Not having much travel experience, she jumped in with both feet and learned the travel side but years of trial and error on the business side led her to working long hours, putting herself last and ultimately health issues.

Jeni has been an agency owner for over 18 years with a speciality in Romance travel and groups. She currently is the Illinois Chapter Head for IADWP, sits on the Advisory Board of DWHSA and is the Vice-Chairman and Meeting and events committee chair for MAST Consortia.

Jeni spends her time traveling and rehearsing as she sings with one of the Top 10 choruses in the world.

She also has overcome multiple challenges with her health over the last few years all while rebuilding her agency and always helping others.

Jeni always has a smile on her face, a word of advice & wants us all to exceed our own expectations while keeping our mental and physical priorities in mind.