Casablanca Bridal Newsletter: Spring 2017

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QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER SPRING 2017 ISSUE

NEW FALL 2017 COLLECTIONS Happy February to our Casablanca Bridal family! While it is hard to believe that the Fall 2017 season is upon us, we are preparing to launch into next month’s market season. While it will be here before we know it, in the meantime, see below for the story behind our latest gowns as well as our market appearances and booth numbers, and the incentives you can take advantage of by coming to visit us at market. “ H I D D E N O AS I S ”

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For Fall 2017, escape off the beaten path and wander with us to an exciting new destination – Hidden Oasis, the Fall 2017 Casablanca Bridal Collection. The 21 gowns in this collection provide a journey through the modern zeitgeist: that current bohemian ease that pervades fashion and lifestyle sensibility these days.

Yet the carefree spirit does not overwhelm what Casablanca Bridal does best: traditionally romantic, beautifully detailed wedding gowns.

In the Hidden Oasis collection, the integrity of the brand’s legacy remains intact, simply given a modern update. Photographed at a one of a kind location in Venice, California, Fall 2017 highlights the laid-back, organically California roots from which the brand hails.

“ S O M E T H I N G B LU E ”

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“Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” – it is a time-honored wedding day custom to incorporate. Built on the history of the Casablanca Bridal legacy, the brand’s newest line, Beloved by Casablanca Bridal, borrows inspiration from the individual, artistic nature of this concept with the Something Blue collection for Fall 2017.

A new set of 16 beautiful wedding gowns, many of which with matching veils, has been beautifully handcrafted by the company’s privately owned factory. It is a collection for whimsical dreamers and creative spirits, unafraid of applying a modern interpretation to a traditional ritual.

CASABLANCA MARKET DATES Many gowns from each collection include matching veils, and for the first time this season, Beloved by Casablanca Bridal has been photographed on a classic fit model as is typically done with Casablanca Bridal. The Fall 2017 Collections will be on display at the following trade show events:

T H E LO N D O N B R I D AL S H O W MA R C H 5 T H - 7 T H , B O OT H E 1 1 / 1 5 N AT I O N AL B R I D AL M A R K E T C H I CAG O MA R C H 19 T H - 21 S T , B O OT H 3 5 0 9 3 / 3 5 0 9 4 T H E O N E B R I D AL M A R K E T D AL L AS MA R C H 2 5 T H - 27 T H , 1 4 6 82- W TC V O W N E W W O R L D O F B R I D AL AT L AN TA AP R I L 4 T H - AP R I L 6 T H , 1 2- W 1 22 E U R O P EAN B R I D AL WE E K AP R I L 2 1 S T - 23 R D , S TAN D 7 5 N E W Y O R K I NT E R N AT I O N AL B R I D AL WE E K AP R I L 2 2 N D - 24 T H , B O OT H 1 5 6 & 25 6

All minimum stock orders will receive a complimentary veil package, and all orders that select one gown over the minimum will receive a complimentary gown. There will also be additional accessory package options with discounted pricing available for purchase.

In order to place your appointment to visit us at market, please call 714-758-8888, or email info@casablancabridal.com.

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PRECUT GOWNS BEING ADDED TO ATS

As of December 2016, we optimized our online ordering platform so that it is much easier to navigate our available to sell inventory, or ATS. We celebrated with a big 25% off sale on ATS inventory during the month of January, which helped clear way for a fresh push of new precut gowns! With an estimated delivery of mid-February, we are looking to have a fully stocked inventory of the following gowns in popular size ranges: 1975, 1995, 2169, 2205, 2229

NEW SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES AVAILABLE

As Casablanca Bridal grows and expands its Marketing & Social Media departments, we are pleased to be able to now offer one-on-one consultations with stores to help them get their social media up and running more effectively, and coach them on best practices to better utilize the social media content we send out every week. If you would like to set an appointment time for your store, please email marketing@casablancabridal.com. After a recent consultation, one store testified, “You did an awesome job educating us in the use of social media and internet trends. It was very beneficial. Thank you!” Do not miss out on your chance to learn more as well!

CASABLANCA VEIL DELIVERY TIME Did you know that Casablanca Bridal is able to offer 6 week delivery on veils? In order to best service our customers, we provide a speedy turnaround on our high quality, matching veils, making it easy for you to help outfit and accessorize brides for their big day. Don’t miss out on the chance to receive a free F17 veil package by placing a qualifying F17 stock order at market.

TRUNK SHOW CHANGES

Please note that effective November 1st, 2016, Casablanca Bridal has updated the policy and protocol for our Bridal Showcases (recall that Bridal Showcase is the Casablanca name for a trunk show). These changes include: • Fee change from $350 to $450, due at time of booking.

• Showcase sets will now ship 3-day, ensuring dresses arrive the Thursday before your event.

• Shipping labels will be sent via email the Friday before your event.

• Fall 2017 showcase bookings will open up February 1st, 2017, and first shows can be scheduled beginning the weekend after New York Market (April 29th).

C HAN G E I N I N C E N T I VE S , E F F E C T I VE 1/1/17:

• Retailers may offer a 10% discount on MSRP and may be applied at retailer’s discretion. The 10% discount will no longer apply to the wholesale price of the gown.

• Complimentary rush (up to $80) for special orders, to be applied at retailer’s discretion.

• $25 gift card incentive for all gowns sold during the showcase weekend, ONLY if the show is attended by their sales representative or a corporate member.

I N C R EAS E D M A R K E T I N G E F F O R T S , E F F E C T I VE 1/1/17:

• Showcase added to respective brand’s website, Casablanca Bridal Facebook event listings and WeddingWire event listings.

• Month-of e-blast to national bridal leads.

• USB with video content.

For further questions, or to schedule your Casablanca Bridal showcase, please reach out to our Trunk Show and Gown on Loan Coordinator, Stephanie, at stephaniec@casablancabridal. com or at 714-224-1605.

BRIDES Magazine 20th anniversary As announced on December 9th, 2016, we are partnering with BRIDES Magazine in an exciting Q1 initiative. Between the program launch in December, through March 15th, 2017, any customer who tries on a Casablanca Bridal gown will be entered to win a free dress, along with a photoshoot at the BRIDES Magazine headquarters in New York. The store from which the winning gown is awarded will get a shout-out in the magazine. We have received some questions in regards to this campaign, and thought we would take the opportunity to spell it out a little further before it ends on 3/15/17.

How did this come about?

The program was structured specifically with our retailers in mind. Our primary goal was to drive Casablanca-interested brides into stores during the busiest time of year, when we are already awarding $25 Dealer Dividends to our consultants for their hard work, in order to make it that much more profitable for everyone. We are hoping the phraseology “try on a Casablanca” sticks with brides as more newly engaged women read the magazine throughout the year and see how the contest and our 20th Anniversary unfolds in each new issue of the magazine.

How can a “try-on program” and a closed sale co-exist?

Based on legal restrictions, we were not able to force purchase as means of entering the competition.

This is true of any competition, and why you always hear “no purchase necessary” in the rules and details. However, our primary concern with BRIDES Magazine presented us with the idea was how retailers could still close the sale. Therefore, we have arranged the prize so that it can be retroactively applied – in other words, if a bride falls in love with the Casablanca Bridal she tries on, and wants to purchase it on the spot, we say go right ahead and encourage this!

What if this brings undesirable traffic into my stores from girls who aren’t serious about purchasing a wedding dress?

In order to prevent this from happening, the contest can be entered simply by using the CASATURNS20 code online, as the fine print states that “no purchase necessary, nor must entrant visit a store location.” This was designed to weed out anyone who was not serious about purchasing a wedding gown. However, it is important to keep in mind that the BRIDES demographic profile is an affluent female of a responsible median age or 34 years old. 75% of readers are more likely to have a great deal of knowledge about style than the average consumer, and 82% of friends/family often ask for their advice on style (meaning that this could later bring in referral prospects for a store that provides the BRIDES reader with a good experience). For the most part, this aligns with exactly the type of traffic that you would want to visit your store location.

How do I participate?

We invite all stores to join the conversation throughout the year by using the hashtag #CasaTurns20.

You can also encourage entrants to visit your store by visiting our asset manager and weekly social media emails to find promotional posts related to the BRIDES Magazine contest.

What if I run out of cards to hand out with the entry code?

Please contact info@casablancabridal.com to request more entry code cards. We can also provide a digital file should you like to print more or digitally provide it to your customers. The code is the same across the board – CASATURNS20 – so you can also verbally offer it to brides.

CASABLANCA BRIDAL Road Trip

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Based on our recent customer satisfaction survey conducted via email, there was an overwhelming request for furthered Casablanca Bridal training, including topics such as customization, in-store selling assistance and marketing/social media. To help our corporate staff provide this personalized training, we are hitting the road in a series of mini-bridal market shows called the Casablanca Bridal Road Show program.

Sales and marketing staff from Casablanca Bridal will host personalized, local events in cities near you. Accounts will have appointment times to place their orders for the season one-on-one while seeing the gowns in a runway format, as well as the opportunity to branch off into break-out sessions to receive more personalized training and support. For stores unable to make it to larger trade show events, this is a great chance to interact with our new line in person, take advantage of our market trade programs and learn how to better sell our product in your store. Swag bags, refreshments, promotional materials and other giveaways will add excitement to the event.

February 2017 is the pilot of the Casablanca Road Shows, with sessions coming to Orange County, San Francisco and Seattle. Following success on the west coast, plans are in place for the rest of the United States. For more information, please reach out to danielle@ casablancabridal.com, or call 714-224-1609.

2017 UK Wedding Awards Best Bridal C o l l e c t i o n N o m i n at i o n !

Casablanca Bridal is thrilled to announce that we have been nominated by the UK wedding media as a finalist for the 2017 UK Wedding Awards, for the category of Best Bridal Collection! The United Kingdom is a relatively newer market for us, so to be receiving acclaim at this time is exciting. The resulting brand awareness that it provides trickles down to all markets, not just our international markets, as more and more brides seek out awardwinning Casablanca Bridal. If you have not already voted for us, we would love your support.

You can visit www.hitched.co.uk/awards/vote.

VOTE FOR US!

casablanca certified & DEALER DIVIDENDS Beginning January 1st, all bridal consultants who completed the Casablanca Certified training program were eligible to receive $25 for every gown sold between January and March! We currently have over 1,375 certified consultants earning rewards for their expert dedication to our brand! We encourage all stores to continue to certify their consultants. Certification will be mandatory for further perks down the line, as the training program builds incrementally. For assistance on how to become Casablanca Certified, please reach out to Ashley at info@casablancabridal.com, or call 714-224-1626.

SPRING 2017 TOP BOOKED Wondering what is currently trending across each of our three lines? Here are the Top 7 Booked Styles to date for the 2017 Spring Season.

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1. 2276 AMBROSIA 2276V 2. 2269 PLUMERIA 3. 2282 HYDRANGEA

4. 2267 MORNING GLORY 2267V 5. 2277 HIBISCUS 6. 2273 POPPY 7. 2286 IVY 2286V

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SPRING 2017 TOP BOOKED 1

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1. BL219 SWEET BL219V 2. BL232 DELIGHT BL232V 3. BL222 ROSY BL222V

4. BL221 AFFECTION 5. BL218 HARMONY 6. BL217 PATIENCE 7. BL229 INTRIGUE

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SPRING 2017 TOP BOOKED 1

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1. C113 EVANGELINE 2. C121 NICOLETTE 3. C124 ANASTASIA

4. C117 NATALIA 5. C115 ELODIE 6. C123 CHARLOTTE 7. C119 AURELIA

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BEST SELLERS 1

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1. STYLE 1975 2. STYLE 2205 3. STYLE 2072

4. STYLE 1827 5. STYLE 2201 6. STYLE 2229 7. STYLE 2169

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BEST SELLERS 8

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8. STYLE 2215 9. STYLE 2228 10. STYLE 2077

11. STYLE 2232 12. STYLE 2163 13. STYLE 2210 14. STYLE 2004

GLOBAL EXPANSION 2016 marked the start of Casablanca Bridal’s ambitious new global expansion plan, as the brand brought on sales representatives for the UK, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Following a year of exciting demand at international trade shows, 2017 will see even further expansion.

The company has plans for an international customer service and distribution center, and has established partnerships which will mean presence in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium and more.

CELEBRATE FOREVER W I T H CAS A B L AN CA B R I D AL

Mr. Kevin and Ms. Gloria Lu of Casablanca Bridal took their passion for marriage and unconditional love beyond wedding gowns in the development of their faith- based, nonprofit organization, Celebrate Forever. Celebrate Forever believes that individual change leads to improved relationships, healthier families and stronger communities. One way the organization reminds of this mission is by adopting the symbol of pointing to one’s nose in an admission that “it starts from me, change me first,” when it comes to change.

Recently, the organization had the pleasure of hosting comedian Kerri Pomarolli, a Hollywood celebrity who has been seen on ABC, NBC, Comedy Central and more, entertaining listeners through her morale boosting, comedic yet inspirational messages. Community members attended the performance, encouraged to bring friends or significant others for an evening of laughter, snacks and companionship.

These events are hosted quarterly.

Celebrateforever.org | 855.644.LOVE

J o i n T h e C o n v e r s at i o n !

Be sure to submit your #CasablancaBride photos to marketing@casablancabridal.com so that we can feature you and your brides across our various social platforms!

Follow, tag and mention us for additional social media coverage of your store location.

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B E LO VE D B Y CASAB L AN CA B R I DAL BELOVEDBYCASA

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C A S A B L A N C A B R I D A L’ S H O L I D A Y S P I R I T The end of 2016 was a lively time for the Casablanca Bridal corporate staff.

This began with a pumpkin carving and costume contest for Halloween in October, including prizes for scariest and most creative costumes. The young parents amongst the staff were grateful for an early close so that they could take time to trick-or-treat with their little ones. Thanksgiving season saw an all-staff dinner at an upscale Japanese restaurant in Orange County, along with a food drive for local charities. During December, staff participated in a spirit week with holiday themed dress-up opportunities and snacks to be shared.

There was also a toy drive for local charities, a company holiday breakfast and day of play at Knott’s Berry Farm, and an office secret Santa exchange.

Meet The Team: New to casablanca bridal As Casablanca Bridal grows and expands, we are excited to welcome some new faces to our team. To help you put a name to the face, we introduce these individuals below. They share with us their title, start date and their favorite wedding bouquet flower.

ASHLEY ROHUS

STEPHANIE CENDEJAS

DEANNA PAULSEN

JUAN SILVA

Junior Sales Associate

Gown on Loan & Bridal Showcase

Social Media Coordinator

Warehouse Manager

November 21st, 2016

Coordinator

January 20th, 2017

November 7th, 2016

“White Ranunculus”

October 17th, 2016

“Lilies”

“Carnations”

“Pink Peonies”

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH Each month, the Casablanca Bridal staff nominates a coworker who they feel has gone above and beyond to support their department and the company overall. The winning employee is announced at an all-staff meeting, then presented with a prize and a front row parking spot.

Here are our Casablanca Bridal Employee of the Month winners for the last quarter, along with their title, length of time with the company, and favorite wedding bouquet flower.

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

HELEN PRECIADO

SAMANTHA SMALLWOOD

RANDI BREGGREN

Customer Service Specialist

Customer Service Specialist

Lead Allocator

10 months

2 Years

2 years

“Fuchsia Magellanica”

“Stargazer Lilies”

“Lilacs”

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES For assistance with customer service, please contact 800-531-6494 or email info@casablancabridal.com. For assistance with our Social Media Program, to submit Real Bride photos, or for other social media and marketing inquiries, please reach out to marketing@casablancabridal.com, or 714-224-1601. For assistance with placing orders or collection information, please email at orders@casablancabridal.com or contact your local sales representative:

ADDRE SS B OO K

C O R P O R AT E O F F I C E

National Sales Manager Kari Loftin Office: 714.224.1607 Email: kari@casablancabridal.com International Sales Coordinator Danielle Camacho Office: 714.224.1609 Email: danielle@casablancabridal.com N E W E N G L AN D

Northern NY, ME, VT, MA, NH, RI Pat Shanahan Cell: 315.767.0101 Email: pfs63@yahoo.com N O R T H EAS T

Southern NY, CT, DE, MD, NJ, Eastern PA David Baslow Cell: 818.292.3496 Email: bazz2dabone@aol.com S O U T H EAS T

VA, WVA, TN, GA, NC, SC, FL, MS, AL Bill Stryker & Lisa Stryker Office: 240.469.4175 Emails: ultrastyk@yahoo.com lisadeu65@yahoo.com

N O R T H E R N S O U T H WE S T

Northern TX, OK, KS, MO, NM Gary Coffman Cell: 972.342.9449 Email: garycoffman@gmail.com S O U T H E R N S O U T H WE S T

Southern TX, AR, LA, MS Ron Calk Cell: 832.945.0047 Email: casablanca.ron@gmail.com P AC I F I C N O R T H WE S T

NV, WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, AK Jolee Johnson Cell: 626.808.7247 Email: Jolee.johnson@gmail.com WE S T C O AS T

CA, UT, CO, AZ, HI Luke Tasky Cell: 626.602.6845 Email: Lrtasky@aol.com U K , I R E L AN D , S C OT L AN D & WAL E S

Andy & Denise Burgess-Farrant Office: 044 1237 470111 Email: enquiries@casablancabridal.co.uk WE S T E R N E U R O P E D I S T R I B U T I O N

EAS T E R N M I D WE S T

Western PA, OH, IN, MI, KY Pete Skalba Cell: 440.864.7252 Email: peteskalba@gmail.com WE S T E R N M I D WE S T

IL, NE, WI, MN, ND, SD, IA Alan Powell Cell: 610.703.0182 Email: apssalesllc@gmail.com

Danny Bierman Office: 0031 297 263150 Email: danny@dnbinterfashion.nl CAN AD I AN D I S T R I B U T I O N

Anna Decorso Cell: 647.748.2244 Email: Anna@ageangroup.com M I D D L E EAS T

Harry Kaprielian Cell: 514.578.0946 Email: hk@canadextrading.com

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