Event Schedule
Speaker Schedule
The Conference: Education about marriage: legal, family, and social issues + presentations on wedding trends and customs in the same-sex framework. Featuring guest speakers from the wedding industry, Hold Me Tight Asheville, Blue Ridge Pride Leadership, and Buncombe County Registrar of Deeds.
Conference Speakers
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Melissa Thomas is the owner, lead designer and botanical visionary at flora. She has had a strong love of nature since she was a small child and as she grew, her interests always returned to flowers. She's been in and out of the floral design business for 20 plus years. She has studied multiple mediums over the years and have always come back to floristry. Melissa believes that surrounding oneself with the beauty that botanicals provide increases quality of life. This concept is the cornerstone of her business which was established in 2008. Flora is designed to be a collective. They provide botanical design for special events and for everyday living.
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Rev. DiAnna Ritola is an Interfaith Minister who has been joyfully officiating weddings for 5 years. She welcomes people of all faith paths (including those who identify as Spiritual But Not Religious) and all partnership configurations into the deep waters of commitment. DiAnna has been a Relationship and Intimacy counselor for 8 years for couples and individuals who are seeking to deepen their relationships with themselves and with others.
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Kiersa Holy is the founder of Events by Kiersa, an award-winning wedding and event planning company in it's 8th year of business. Located in Asheville, NC, she and her team serve the greater Western NC area and beyond. A planner by nature, Kiersa is driven by a passion for bringing people together in celebration. She lives and conducts business with an open mind and an abundance of creative expression, and she is known by hundreds of past clients as an attentive listener who radiates order and sense amidst chaos. Her love of forging connection inspires her to seek out the perfect vendors for each client – a talent which yields a customized, perfect reflection of the hosts – almost as if they had planned it all themselves! Learn more about Kiersa and her team at asheville-events.com.
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Holly Berry is in her tenth year as owner/operator of Brahma Ridge Farm & Event Center in Candler NC. Brahma Ridge is an outdoor event camp with modern on-site lodging and is nestled beautifully in the mountains outside Asheville. As director of all wedding and event activities, Holly manages company staff, oversees property upkeep, and ensures that all brides’ plans and wishes are carried out in detail.
Holly has a true entrepreneurial spirit with 7 years’ experience of ownership in a festival food vending business, a natural products sales firm for 18 years, and a full service salon for 5 years. Now Holly brings live music, dance and spa services to Brahma Ridge. Service in the community is very important to Holly. She is engaged in a variety of civic support including organizing the painting of a neighbor’s house, volunteering with the Right Start program working with young Moms and their new babies, and answering phones for the Domestic Violence Hotline. Holly also spends her downtime enjoying time with her eight grandchildren.
Holly has a true entrepreneurial spirit with 7 years’ experience of ownership in a festival food vending business, a natural products sales firm for 18 years, and a full service salon for 5 years. Now Holly brings live music, dance and spa services to Brahma Ridge. Service in the community is very important to Holly. She is engaged in a variety of civic support including organizing the painting of a neighbor’s house, volunteering with the Right Start program working with young Moms and their new babies, and answering phones for the Domestic Violence Hotline. Holly also spends her downtime enjoying time with her eight grandchildren.
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Elli Schmeltekopf, LPC has been a counselor for over twelve years. Her partner, David Bate, MD has been a family physician for over thirty years. Both have studied extensively in the fields of trauma resolution, attachment, and pre- and peri-natal influences. They believe that as couples and families are more secure with each other, individuals have a strong base from which to heal, grow and do their life's work.
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Yvonne Cook-Riley is truly a pioneer of the Transgender movement. She worked with advocacy organizations in the early 1990s to incorporate the word “transgender” and its associated concepts, and that effort took off into the “transgender movement” that we see today.
She became involved with others in what we would now call the transgender community in 1981 and started organizing support groups in 1983. In 1985, Yvonne became active with the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE) and served that organization in numerous capacities, including Director of Operations, Treasurer, and a Member of their Board of Directors. She appeared on dozens of television talk shows, over 200 talk radio shows in the late 1980’s and 90’s and made eight appearances on behalf of IFGE at the American Psychiatric Association’s national conferences. Yvonne helped in the establishment of other conferences in the U.S., such as Southern Comfort, Texas Tea Party, California Dreaming, and Be All. Also, she has been involved in numerous other trans-related organizations, including Blue Ridge Pride, Kindred Spirits, and Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA).
She became involved with others in what we would now call the transgender community in 1981 and started organizing support groups in 1983. In 1985, Yvonne became active with the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE) and served that organization in numerous capacities, including Director of Operations, Treasurer, and a Member of their Board of Directors. She appeared on dozens of television talk shows, over 200 talk radio shows in the late 1980’s and 90’s and made eight appearances on behalf of IFGE at the American Psychiatric Association’s national conferences. Yvonne helped in the establishment of other conferences in the U.S., such as Southern Comfort, Texas Tea Party, California Dreaming, and Be All. Also, she has been involved in numerous other trans-related organizations, including Blue Ridge Pride, Kindred Spirits, and Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA).
Amanda Watkins, MS, LPCA, is a seasoned and effective group facilitator. Amanda has over 10 years of experience facilitating workshops, group meetings, and family groups. She specializes in helping high-conflict groups have meaningful and productive meetings.
Amanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in private practice in Asheville. She assists individuals and couples to successfully and compassionately navigate the challenges of life transitions. In addition, she provides family mediation services for a variety of family conflicts, including separation and divorce, creating co-parenting plans, and eldercare issues.
Amanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in private practice in Asheville. She assists individuals and couples to successfully and compassionately navigate the challenges of life transitions. In addition, she provides family mediation services for a variety of family conflicts, including separation and divorce, creating co-parenting plans, and eldercare issues.
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Drew Reisinger is the Register of Deeds of Buncombe County and has championed fair treatment, equality, and civil rights throughout his career. Drew graduated from Appalachian State University, and resides in West Asheville with his wife Katie.
During Drew's first first two years in office, he was stuck enforcing the discriminatory laws of North Carolina that refuse same-sex couples the right to a marriage license. The discrepancy between North Carolina’s Amendment One and the US Supreme Court decisions of 2013 allowed Drew the opportunity to again speak out for equality. On October 15, 2013 the Campaign for Southern Equality organized over 10 same-sex couples to apply for marriage licenses in Buncombe County. Drew became the first Register of Deeds in the South to accept their applications, citing his concern for the disparity between the North Carolina and United States Constitutions. Then on Friday, October 10th, 2014, Judge Max Cogburn struck down Amendment One. On that historic night Drew kept his office open late to give the first same-sex couples in the state of North Carolina their marriage license. |
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Alfred Kalahati is a financial consultant and educator located in Asheville, NC and has lectured on financial and investment topics in the US and Canada. He is the Past President of the Board of Directors for the Blue Ridge Pride Center. Previously he served as a Board Member for Cantaria-the Asheville Gay Men's Choir. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the NC Fireman's Relief Fund in Buncombe County. Mr. Kalahati has earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia and a Master of Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University. In addition, He has completed a Certificate in Not-For Profit Manangement at Georgia State University.
Email: aloha@konaretirement.com Twitter: @konaretirementAlfred / Finance |
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Jacob Ehrmann is the principal attorney at Ehrmann Law Office, PA.
Jacob received his undergraduate degree in 1995 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated with honors in Public Policy Analysis with an emphasis on race and gender issues. Jacob then received his J.D. from the UNC School of Law in 1999. In 2000, Jacob began his legal career at Pisgah Legal Services, where he primarily represented victims of domestic violence. Jacob has been in private practice since 2004 and is a NC Board Certified Specialist in Family Law. He is also a Certified Mediator for Family Financial Cases. Jacob is active in the North Carolina Bar Association and lives in Asheville, North Carolina. |
Fran Noel is an accountant at Carter, P.C. and the owner of Dickey’s Barbecue of Asheville. She is passionate about LGBT rights and is a lead organizer of the LGBT Wedding Conference and Expo.
www.facebook.com/DickeysAsheville
www.facebook.com/DickeysAsheville
The Expo: Showcase a variety of LGBT friendly event and wedding industry vendors. WNC is a welcoming place and we want to ensure couples within the community know who they can turn to for assistance with their wedding planning needs.
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Vendors
DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville-Biltmore Oh, Henry Events Grove House / Scandals Olivette Venue Corner Kitchen Dining Innovations Events by Kiersa Hold Me Tight Asheville Flowers by Larry Heartistree Studios Heaven's Cloud Event Center Catawba Brewery Well's Fargo Bank Brahma Ridge Event Center Biltmore Bridal French Broad Chocolate Lounge Leap for Cake Hand and Stone Spa Sheville.org Belk USA Officiants Asheville Radio Group Sponsors Jaguar / Landrover of Asheville First Bank WLOS Dining Innovations DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville-Biltmore Oh, Henry Events Edible Arrangements Heartistree Studios Masterpiece Ice Sculptures Flowers By Larry Blue Bend Photography Michael David Entertainment Fancy Farm House Swannanoa Flower Shop |
Vendors
The Millroom Edible Arrangements Bed Bath and Beyond Original Brooks Masterpiece Ice Sculptures Blue Bend Photography JCM Photography Jessica Merithew Photography Jewels That Dance First Congregational UCC Travinia Italian Kitchen Food Experience Dickey's Barbecue Jesus People of Asheville Fancy Farm House Southern Wine / Absolute Vodka Food Experience Jewels That Dance OMG Entertainment Kathryn Rae Photography and Videography Merrimon Chiropractic |
The Community: With so many amazing event vendors and so much to celebrate in one place, it makes sense to have a big party. We've still got work to do, but we've come a long way. Celebrate the day by witnessing the beginning of Erin and Mary's journey as they join together in marriage . Then celebrate with champagne and dancing.
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