The Knot Celebrates Trailblazing Wedding Professionals at the Forefront of Innovation in Its Second Annual Ones to Watch List

Selected by The Knot Editors and Esteemed Industry Experts, Ones to Watch Honors 27 Emerging Wedding Pros Disrupting the Status Quo and Shaping the Future of Weddings

In an era where weddings are becoming more personalized and experiential than ever before, couples seek wedding professionals who can blend innovation with authenticity. The Knot is proud to announce the second annual Ones to Watch list, honoring cutting-edge, up-and-coming wedding professionals who are advancing the industry as the next generation of couples marry. As the largest US wedding Vendor Marketplace from The Knot Worldwide, The Knot spotlights 27 emerging wedding pros this year who are committed to advocacy, innovation and connection. They are the wedding industry's Ones to Watch.

As a wedding industry first, The Knot created Ones to Watch last year to recognize the rising visionaries and changemakers pushing the industry forward. These wedding professionals are bucking tradition and helping couples challenge expectations to create celebrations that truly reflect them and their love story. The Knot editors, along with industry experts, evaluated the many talented vendors within the industry to select the 2024 A-list of 27 wedding businesses at the forefront of innovation. From venues and planners to photographers, DJs and officiants, couples can turn to The Knot Vendor Marketplace to find, compare, connect with and manage all of their wedding professionals, including Ones to Watch honorees, all in one place.

“The Knot Ones to Watch is an industry honor unlike any other, recognizing the values-driven pros emerging in the wedding space who are leading by example and honing their craft to serve couples best,” said Hannah Nowack, The Knot Senior Editor. “We’re excited to recognize these trendsetters, tastemakers and mentors who champion new and unique perspectives and deliver exceptional work to drive the wedding industry forward.”

"I'm incredibly honored to be recognized as part of The Knot Ones to Watch among such a talented, thoughtful and forward-thinking group of wedding pros,” said Michelle LaBuwi of Swoon Union in Maine. “With an unwavering belief that every couple can have a one-of-a-kind ceremony, Swoon Union is setting a new standard for what a wedding ceremony can look and feel like. The Knot's acknowledgment of my efforts affirms its commitment to innovation in the wedding industry and the future of weddings. I'm delighted and grateful to be named alongside legends in the making."

The Knot Ones to Watch recognizes the next generation of leaders in the wedding professional community across three categories: The Connector, The Innovator and The Advocate.

The Connector

• These pros are bridge-builders, cheerleaders and mentors. They are supportive team players who care about creating spaces that allow all couples and vendors to thrive.
• Drew Coleman, Drew Coleman Films, Videography in North Carolina
• Ahna Han, Ahna Han, Florals in New York
• Nicole Wineland–Thomson Fisher and Greg Fisher, Willow Hill, Venue in Connecticut
• Tammy L. Noel, TableMade, Rentals in Georgia
• Nikki Daskalakis, Photography in Maryland
• Brittany Boote, Brittany Boote, Photography in Pennsylvania
• Veronica Joy Gurl, Veronica Joy Events, Planning in New York
• Deianna Hamilton, Your Big Day ATL, Planning in Georgia
• Michelle LaBuwi, Swoon Union, Officiant in Maine
• Kaitlin (Kait) Peña, Kait Peña, Photography in New York

The Innovator

These pros are trailblazers and visionaries. They’re trendsetters and tastemakers who constantly think outside the box to dream up new and inventive wedding ideas.

• Ianina (Yana) Nikolaeva and Diego Arizmendi, Arizmendi Events, Florals in New York
• Lincoln Alexander, Flour House Cakes & Co., Cakes in Michigan
• Vidhi Dattani, Vidhi Dattani Designs, Stationery in New York
• Sarah Nickens, SG3 Events, Planning in Washington, DC
• Tyler Varnell, Tyler Varnell, Music in California
• Andrew Leavitt, Ironic Reports, Meteorology in New York
• Keanna O’Quinn, Sonic Sommelier, Music Curation in New York
• Leshay Reed, Hype Queen Media, Content Creation in Missouri
• Amy Küntz, Hawthorne & Poppy Events, Planning in Texas

The Advocate

These pros are uniters and amplifiers. They’re motivated by inclusivity and a desire to invite people in while creating work that authentically reflects a couple’s roots.

• Elise Handler, Keen Events, Planning in Oregon
• John Campbell, John Campbell Events and Design, Planning in Florida
• Michele Harvey and Osiris Rojas, Modern Love Productions, Videography in Florida
• Justine Broughal and Maryam Shariat Mudrick, Together Events, Planning in New York
• Melissa Lynn Oddo, deMelis Atelier, Wedding Dress Alterations in Connecticut
• Tirzah Stein, Nearlywed Coaching, Officiant and Coaching in Colorado
• Michelle Schultz, Willow House Beauty, Hair and Makeup in New York
• Donnie Young, DJ Chan Don, Music in Washington, DC

Ones to Watch honorees share what this recognition means to them:

“I am so honored to be named a Ones to Watch honoree. As artists, we often get so engrossed in the art that we forget that we're actually being watched,” said Lincoln Alexander of Flour House Cakes & Co. in Detroit. “This honor is so special because The Knot has been THE source of inspiration for the wedding industry for decades. To be an honoree as a cake designer is most thrilling! It is a humbling recognition of the impact the ‘art of cake’ is making on the modern wedding.”

"Being included on The Knot Ones to Watch list is so much more than a personal achievement—it’s a celebration of every step, every challenge and every triumph I've faced in my journey as a small business owner,” said Sarah Nickens of SG3 Events in Washington, DC. “This recognition is also a testament to the hard work, dedication and creativity of our entire team at SG3 Events. It inspires us to keep serving from the heart, authentically cultivating meaningful relationships, pushing creative boundaries, dreaming bigger and continuously improving our services to deliver unique, memorable experiences to our couples and their loved ones!”

“The Knot is an industry leader that many of my fellow wedding pros and clients look to as a wedding authority, so to be recognized is incredibly validating,” said Michelle Schultz of Willow House Beauty in New York City. “Our industry consists of so many wonderful, talented folks, so we are grateful to be seen in this light!”

“It means so much to be nominated and selected by our peers and industry leaders for this honor, because they are the ones who keep our business flourishing,” said Justine Broughal of Together Events in New York City. ”There are so many incredible, creative people in the wedding industry, and we feel humbled to be recognized among these talented and thoughtful businesses and individuals.”

“I am beaming with pride that we've grown our small business to the point where The Knot, this mammoth of a wedding resource, recognizes our efforts and wants to share them with their incredible audience of engaged couples,” said Tammy L. Noel of TableMade in Atlanta. “Furthermore, it validates that who we are and what we are doing adds value to the events industry and deserves a place within it.”

"We are thrilled to be a part of The Knot Ones to Watch and join a community of talented and diverse wedding vendors,” said Michele Harvey and Osiris Rojas of Modern Love Productions in Miami. “The Knot Ones to Watch highlights changemakers in various aspects of the wedding industry, and we are excited to be included for our wedding videography work and our commitment to inclusion and representation."

For more information about The Knot Ones to Watch and this year’s honorees, visit here or pick up a copy of The Knot Magazine Summer issue, on newsstands nationwide starting on April 30, 2024.

About The Knot Ones to Watch

The Knot Ones to Watch honorees were selected by a nine-person committee made up of six editors at The Knot and three respected industry experts, plus further vetting through reviews by industry peers the honorees have worked with. The committee evaluated businesses based on their skills and expertise, identifying those who approach their field in an authentic, innovative and creative manner. Businesses were required to have operated for fewer than eight years in the wedding industry.

About The Knot

The Knot is a leading wedding Vendor Marketplace that connects couples with more than 200,000 local wedding professionals and offers a comprehensive suite of planning tools that includes personalized wedding websites, invitations and registry services that make planning easier to help couples enjoy the experience. The most trusted authority on wedding planning, The Knot reaches a majority of engaged couples in the US through TheKnot.com; a leading wedding planning app with the most 5-star reviews on iOS and Android, The Knot Wedding Planner; The Knot national wedding magazine; and The Knot book series. Since its inception, The Knot has inspired approximately 25 million couples to plan a wedding that’s authentic to them. Visit The Knot online at TheKnot.com and follow on social media: @TheKnot on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest and Threads and Facebook.com/TheKnot.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240430341179/en/