Community took center stage at this year's Vibe After Five, which welcomed more than 160 members of San Luis Obispo County's wedding industry to Tar Creek Ranch for an evening designed to feel less like a traditional networking event and more like a family reunion.
"This year was a little different vibe for Vibe After Five—we wanted to make it feel like a family reunion and bring everyone together without anyone feeling any pressure of expensive ticket prices or needing a new outfit," says Audrey, lead of Mixed Events 805. "It was very much a 'come as you are and bring your family' type event."
That easygoing spirit carried throughout the summer celebration, where wedding professionals could reconnect with longtime industry friends while welcoming newer vendors into the community. Guests mingled over cocktails, charcuterie, barbecue and desserts, while lawn games, crafts, a photo booth and mini Highland cows gave families plenty to explore. Vibrant florals and citrus-inspired details brought pops of orange, pink and green to the rustic Tar Creek Ranch setting.
The gathering also created opportunities to highlight and mentor several newer vendors within the local wedding industry—a reflection of the collaborative ethos Audrey hoped the event would embody. "I really wanted to push the old 'Community Over Competition' saying," she says.
California Wedding Day joined the festivities as the evening's bar sponsor, raising a glass alongside the local creatives, vendors and families who make SLO County's wedding community what it is.
