WOW Awards 2024: Meet the Jury Members of the Experiential Celebrations Group

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Industry Watch | March 20, 2024 | News

WOW Awards WOW Awards Asia Experiential Celebrations Group

WOW Awards - Asia’s largest business and recognition platform for the Experiential Marketing, MICE, LIVE Entertainment and Wedding industry is all set to host its 15th edition.

The WOW Awards Asia 2024 is now accepting entries across 110 Categories distributed among five distinct groups: Group A: Experiential Marketing Awards, Group B: Experiential Celebrations Awards, Group C: Experiential Tech Awards, Group D: Hotel & Venue Awards, and Group E: Live Quotient Awards.

With a two-phased judging process by jury members, audited and validated by EY, awards will be announced during the glittering ceremony. Each Jury member is selected from complementing backgrounds with extensive experience in the industry to ensure complete transparency in the judging process. Jury members are particularly very knowledgeable and thus have an upper hand in deciding the most deserving winner.

While you enter your best work in the event & experiential domain with the intent to take the coveted metal home, it’s time you meet the jury members of the Experiential Celebrations Group at the 15th Edition of WOW Awards Asia 2024.

Experiential Celebrations known as Group B includes various aspects of weddings, celebratory and social events. It is all about the full series of functions, celebrations, and ceremonies as part of a wedding, a milestone or any social event including all aspects of Entertainment, Décor, F&B, etc.

The esteemed Jury of Experiential Celebrations Group are:

Asli Atilgan, Co-Founder, Bridolog

With an educational background in law and business management, Aslı co-founded Bridolog in 2018 which has become the first and most powerful wedding influencer in Turkey. Bridolog is an exclusive wedding planning platform that provides inspirational and quality wedding content for its users through its website and social media channels. Main aims of Bridolog are to connect high quality wedding vendors with couples and guide couples while planning their weddings from A to Z.

Becca Pountney, Blogger & CEO, Engage Weddings

Becca Pountney is the UK’s leading wedding industry marketing expert. Using her experience from owning her own wedding business combined with her previous career in media working for Endemol, BBC and Heart Radio, Becca now teaches business owners how to go from feeling invisible to totally irresistible and fully booked in their wedding business in her clear, down to earth, practical style. Becca is no stranger to the events industry having built an award winning wedding blog and consultancy business from the ground up in 2016.

Becca is known for transforming the fortunes of businesses within the highly competitive wedding and events sector and has worked with over 1000 businesses through her courses, membership and speaking. Becca’s mission is to inspire wedding professionals that it is possible to turn their passion into a profitable business doing what they love.

Danielle Andrews,President and Co-Founder, The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada 

Danielle Andrews is the President and Co-Founder of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada Inc., an international leader in higher education for wedding professionals with over 10,000 alumni from 35 different countries around the world. 

Danielle has been designing and producing weddings and international events professionally, since 2000. She has planned weddings, events and conferences in North America, South America, all over the Caribbean, and Europe. 

With nearly 25 years of experience in the Wedding Industry, Danielle has a deep passion for sharing her knowledge and helping others to succeed in this wonderful business. You have seen her give expert wedding advice on television, in most wedding magazines, and major newspapers in Canada, the United States, and across the Caribbean. Danielle is also a regular on the stage at International Wedding and Event Industry conferences.

Devangi Parekh, Director, Aza Fashions

Devangi Parekh is the Director at Aza Fashions, India’s premier retailer for luxury apparel and accessories. After completing her MBA at The Wharton School, she launched Azafashions.com, the company’s global e-commerce platform which offers curated collections by over 1000 Indian designers, and has serviced clients in 75+ countries worldwide. Devangi has spearheaded growth for the 18-year-old brand by implementing a robust technology-led omni-channel strategy with a data-driven approach. Prior to Aza, Devangi worked in the Strategy & Operations group at Deloitte Consulting in New York City. She is also a board member of Entrepreneur's Organization (EO) Kolkata.

Emma Pope,Corporate Director of Lifestyle Events, Emaar Hospitality Group

Emma Pope, as the Corporate Director of Lifestyle Events is the driving force behind unforgettable lifestyle events across Emaar Hospitality Group. With an illustrious career spanning nearly two decades in the dynamic world of event planning, Emma's expertise has left an indelible mark on the industry, earning her the reputation of a true luminary.

Emma's journey in the events industry began when she relocated to Dubai in 2004. Armed with determination and a degree in Tourism Business Management from the prestigious University of Birmingham in the UK, she swiftly uncovered her passion for orchestrating remarkable events.

Emma's early career breakthrough came as a wedding event planner, where she meticulously honed her craft and dove headfirst into the intricate intricacies of Dubai's burgeoning wedding industry. With her innate talent and dedication, she joined Emaar Hospitality Group in 2010 managing Address Hotels and Resorts’ events and catering. 

Emma's talents shone brightly during her tenure with the Address Hotels and Resorts, and in a short time, she ascended to Director of Lifestyle Events – Leisure. This pivotal role encompassed the management of diverse venues, including the Address Montgomerie, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Arabian Ranches Golf Club, and Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. Emma's responsibilities expanded exponentially, and she quickly became the go-to authority on all event-related matters across the group.

Recognized for her profound insights into market trends and her commitment to excellence, Emma has since represented Emaar Hospitality Group at multiple prestigious international platforms, including the Destination Wedding Planner Conference (DWP) since 2015 and White Sposa in Moscow.

Emma has garnered accolades as a foremost wedding expert in the market and her contributions to the International Wedding Trend Report 2018 solidified her status as a trendsetter in the industry. However, her passion for weddings extends beyond her professional life, as she also assumes the role of a jury member for the event industry’s biggest recognition platform - WOW Awards. 

She takes on a pivotal role in crafting strategic plans for major events across a portfolio of iconic Emaar venues. Emma steers the development of lifestyle events and catering services with finesse, ensuring seamless event experiences of up to 1,400 guests at Dubai Opera, captivating activations at the 1,500-capacity Burj Park, and high-profile concerts attended by up to 5,000 guests. Her association with the Global Wedding Excellence (GWE) event since its inaugural year in 2018 further underscores her deep involvement with wedding industry. 

Emma's impact on the industry is undeniable as exemplified through her vast experience and the recent creation and launch of the highly successful Weddings by Emaar brand, which focuses on delivering exceptional wedding experiences. However, her influence extends beyond these accomplishments as she has contributed to the industry as a writer, sharing her expertise on wedding-related topics through articles published in prominent local and international publications. Her efforts have undoubtedly contributed to the growth and evolution of the industry as a whole.

As Emma leads the wedding segment for Emaar Hospitality Group’s extensive collection of over 40 exceptional venues scattered across its 14 hotels, golf, and polo clubs throughout the UAE, her dedication to elevate the standard for lifestyle events and weddings in the United Arab Emirates remains resolute.

Naz Nalbantoğlu, Co-Founder, Bridolog

Graduating with a law and master's degree in Msc Management in London, Naz has decided to work on digital marketing. Naz and her partner Aslı found Bridolog in 2018 which has become the first and most powerful wedding influencer in Turkey. Bridolog is an exclusive wedding planning platform which provides inspirational and quality wedding contents for its users through its website and social media channels.

Neeta Raheja,Co-Founder, Longform India

Neeta Raheja is a multifaceted woman whose immense love for Indian culture and heritage has been the driving force behind her innovative communication strategies. With a master’s degree in mass communication, specializing in wedding management from New York, USA, she comes with three decades of expertise as a communication specialist.

Neeta was one of the first people to bring the concept of wedding management to India and has played a significant role in revolutionizing the Indian wedding industry. As a nationally recognized wedding consultant, she has diverse experience in organizing and guiding many traditional and unique weddings nationally and internationally. She believes that a perfect wedding is a harmonious blend of luxury and sophistication. Neeta is the Co-Founder of Longform, a prestigious Luxury & Lifestyle Communications firm representing renowned clients such as India Art Fair, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Serendipity Arts Foundation, Bhutan Literature Festival, Bihar Museum Biennale, DIOR, Sabyasachi, Rahul Misra, and many others. Her authenticity lies in her unwavering commitment to using communication as an effective tool to tell India’s cultural story to the world. The prestigious FICCI-FLO has also recognised Neeta’s significant contribution and honoured her with ‘Celebrating Craft, Culture and Community’.  

Neeta Raheja also serves as an advisor to various organisations and initiatives:

- Artists in Residency program, Varanasi hosted by Art Beyond Borders.
- Art Ichol, a creative escape in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh.
- CEF (Complete Education Foundation) – Promoting educational initiatives to uplift underprivileged children through quality education.
- Wedding Sutra - Neeta also plays a crucial role as a jury member for the Wedding Sutra Awards, where her expertise helps recognize and celebrate excellence in the wedding industry.

Useful Links:

WOW Awards Asia website: https://asia.wowawards.com/

Details about Groups and Categories: https://asia.wowawards.com/categories/

How to participate: https://asia.wowawards.com/process/

T&C: https://asia.wowawards.com/support/

For more details contact: Charmi Janani | +91 88505 39096 or Ramesh Patil | +91 9892639236

Or Write us at: info@wowawards.com