Photos by: Kim Graham Photography
As some of you might have seen via Instagram, several weekends ago I was in Charleston, South Carolina for the third annual Southern Blog Society Conference, otherwise known as #SBScon. Overall, it was such a fantastic experience, and I enjoyed meeting so many women from across the Southeast!
This was my first time attending a blogging conference, so you can imagine how excited (and nervous) I was! The conference was a three day event, which kicked off Friday evening with a cocktail reception hosted by one of my favorite companies, Swoozies. They are my one stop shop for fun, girly accessories, home decor, and party planning ideas! #madlove for you Swooz!
The reception was held at Belmond’s Charleston Place Hotel, where we sipped cocktails, mingled, and took (or staged) a lot of Instagram worthy pics! That evening was the first time I had met face-to-face with the ladies behind some of my favorite blogs! It’s crazy how we can feel so connected to someone we’ve never “officially” met before.
To top off the night Swoozie’s gifted each blogger a personalized note pad with our name, and the name of our blog printed on them! Super cute, right?
When my roommate, Shelby, and I arrived back to our room that evening we were welcomed with a bowl of fresh fruit, cheese, and crackers provided by the hospitable Charleston Place Hotel! Can you guess what we ate for dinner that evening? Basically, we were to tired to move, and decided to lay around in hotel robes while Shelby gave me a little crash course on how to use Snapchat (I had to see what all the fuss was about :). My username on Snapchat is, taylorraeh (the same as that on Instagram and Twitter). I snap way to many pictures of my pup – you’ve been warned! 🙂
Bright-eyed and full of arm parties, we enjoyed breakfast at the Charleston Grill early on Saturday morning. Following breakfast we headed over to the Riviera Theater for a day full of insightful speakers, networking, mimosa’s, and a lot (like a suitcase full) of sponsored goodies.
There was a healthy mix of speakers on the panel. Together they covered a variety of topics ranging from photography, finances, and boosting SEO rankings to strengthening a business and brand. Some of this I will be sharing throughout the coming weeks so stay tuned!
Immediately following the speaker portion of the conference the curtain behind the projector screen (pictured above) was opened to reveal the brand networking room. Initially I thought there was stage behind the curtain, but man was I surprised! The networking room was huge, and lining the walls were about 20+ different tables/stations where the individual brands set up their displays. When the curtain was first removed, revealing the room, it was like Christmas morning, and I’m not kidding when I say that every person let out a large “Ahhhhh” in unison.
We were all given a Vera Brady bag to carry all of the products & gifts that we were given throughout the event. It was so great having the opportunity to get to know more about the brands we use and love!
I joined SBS shortly after launching Style Soufflé as a way to meet other bloggers, and belong to a community of like-minded people! When I first started blogging I had no idea what I was doing, but I had a passion to learn and grow, and I saw SBS an opportunity to help foster that desire. If any of you live in the South and have a blog I highly encourage you apply to become a Southern Blog Society member! SBS facilities the opportunity to network and partner with some amazing brands like Spanx®, Kendra Scott, and Moon & Lola to name a few. I’m so grateful to a member of such an elite group of creatives, and take part in all this organization has to offer! Also, thank you to all of the wonderful sponsors for all of the swag!
In August, I am heading to Chicago to attend the Create and Cultivate conference, and will be sharing how I will prepare for the three day event! I have so many great tips for all of you aspiring bloggers, so check back on Sunday for this amazing post!
Thank you all so much for stoping by to read all about my experience at #SBScon. If you have any questions about becoming a member, and what it takes, please don’t hesitate to email me. My email is, taylorrae@stylesouffle.com.
All my love,
Taylor-Rae