In March, my friends Jenny from Princess Turned Mom and Justine from Little Dove Blog and I co-hosted our second annual Magical Media Retreat in Anaheim, California! The Magical Media Retreat is a conference for newer bloggers, content creators, and or small shop owners to network with each other and enrich their education in the digital space. In addition to multiple team building activities, cocktail hours, and fun meals, we also spend a day talking about various topics like how to start a blog, how to monetize on various social platforms, and how to pitch to brands!
The retreat this year was longer and bigger compared to last year, spanning two evenings over an entire weekend, and with even more attendees than last year! We like to keep our numbers low so it’s an intimate experience and so we really have the opportunity to connect and cultivate friendships, but we were happy to see it grow! Plus, we were excited to see a handful of attendees come two years in a row! Women from all over the country came to the retreat, as far as Pennsylvania and New Jersey! Maybe you are curious about the retreat and are thinking of coming next year? If so, sit back and relax while you read all about our magical weekend! We hope to see you next year!
The Venue
This year, the Magical Media Retreat was held at the lovely Hilton Anaheim. I have stayed at this prominent Anaheim hotel many times over the years, but it had been a long time, and I had never been there for a business trip with girlfriends! The hotel couldn’t have been more perfect for the occasion and they couldn’t have been more accommodating! Every little detail was thought out and executed and the staff couldn’t have been more lovely and helpful.
The hotel is perfectly located in the heart of Anaheim and was the perfect place for our retreat. To learn more about the hotel itself, please read my full review blog here. In this blog, I want to highlight the Welcome Reception and the Conference itself, both hosted at the Hilton Anaheim.
To learn more about the Hilton Anaheim, I wrote an entire blog post about the hotel here!
The Welcome Reception
Once everyone checked into the hotel, we hosted a Welcome Reception in the Vista Lounge on the 14th Floor, for all of our guests! We ate, drank, and socialized with a gorgeous view of Disneyland parks in the background! We even did a team building exercise, an ice breaker of sorts, where we got to know each other on a better, and more fun level, too!
The Hilton Anaheim provided the space, the decorations, the food, and the drinks for the evening. And let me tell you, it all was incredible! The Chef even came out to say hello and also made us some extra complimentary dishes just for our group! My favorites were the shrimp and grits and the scallops!
The Conference
The next day, we had our conference in one of the Hilton’s ballrooms, The Avalon Room. I have never seen a more beautifully decorated space. We spent the day having speakers, Q&A, and a beautiful brunch, provided by the Hilton, and sponsored by Get Away Today. Our Keynote Speaker, Amber Mamian from Global Munchkins, started our day off talking about her experience in the digital space and how she is values based when it comes to running her business.
Then Justine, Jenny, and I took turns speaking about the things we are passionate about: blogging, pitching brands, and how to monetize on various platforms! We also had representatives from our title sponsors speak about their companies! It was a full day of education and inspiration!
The Girl’s Night Out
Saturday night was definitely a highlight of the retreat! I mean, who doesn’t love a really fun girl’s night out? We were graciously picked up by a Ride ART bus and taken to Downtown Disney.
We first had appetizers and fountain drinks at Splitsville Anaheim while we played a few games of bowling! The bowling was sponsored by Splitsville and the food was sponsored by June Care. After we were done, we walked around a little and then watched the Disneyland fireworks from the Esplanade!
The Sponsors
We couldn’t have pulled this weekend off without our amazing sponsors and our wonderful photographer!
Captivating By Amanda
I cannot say enough good things about Amanda and her work. Not only is she one of the kindest human beings you will ever meet, she also is a phenomenal photographer! One of my favorite parts about our conference is having new professional headshots taken by Amanda to use online, in media kits, etc. She takes dozens upon dozens of photos of each attendee and then edits her favorite ones for each and every person!
June Care
I love everything June Care has to offer and was thrilled that they were a retreat sponsor this year. June Care is a platform that connects parents who need childcare with qualified host parents who can care for their kids. They fully vet and background check every host, set up meet and greets and handle all back-end payments and scheduling. Their site allows you to easily browse childcare hosts in your area and sort by distance, schedules or hourly rates. And if you need care last-minute, after hours or on weekends, June Care can help with that too! Nicole, the company’s marketing manager, came to talk to us about how to start and grow your own company! You can learn more about them on my podcast here!
Get Away Today
If you are a theme park fan and you haven’t heard of Get Away Today, you must pay attention to this part of my blog! Trust me, it’s for your own good!!! Get Away Today is a travel company that offers exclusive discounts for theme park tickets, hotels and so much more. A prominent person at the company, Kim, came to talk to all of us about how affiliate marketing works and the benefits of it for a content creator. Get Away Today was also our brunch sponsor! Use this link to get started in your vacation planning – and use the code DRKIM for an additional discount!
Splitsville Anaheim
If you’ve been to Downtown Disney, chances are you’ve been to Splitsville Anaheim, or at least have seen it from the outside! It’s a prominent place to go to on a date, with your family, or on a girl’s night out! This definitely wasn’t my first time at the venue and it certainly won’t be the last! It is such a fun place to go for food, drinks, and of course, bowling! The venue hosted our bowling for the evening, providing us with 3 private lanes and shoes! We had the best time and I ended up getting the highest score at the end of the night! We also had shared appetizers and fountain drinks while we were there, sponsored by June Care! It definitely was a team building night to remember!
Ride ART Bus
Transportation to and from the hotel to Downtown Disney was graciously provided by the Anaheim Regional Transportation (aka: ART). They provided us with our own special private bus to take roundtrip to and from the hotel. The bus was clean and efficient! Many hotels in the area provide transportation to the Disneyland parks for a very low cost, so double check your hotel to see if you can get on an ART bus to save the money and hassle of parking in one of the structures! And ART bus doesn’t just go to Disneyland parks, but also other places in the area like Buena Park, Angel Stadium, and the Honda Center! I have used ART buses for many Anaheim occasions and highly recommend it!
Pink Desert
I can’t say enough great things about Pink Desert! This was my first time being exposed to their brand and my first time working with them. They are based in Las Vegas, but ship all across the country! They gifted each host two outfits to wear to the retreat and then gave each attendee a gift card to shop on their own! I loved both of my dresses so much, I ended up buying a skirt on my own after the event, which I get tons of compliments on! (I just wish it was still in stock so I could link it for you!). The two dresses I chose for the event include the Bridgerton dress in Sea Foam and the Tiered Ruffle Midi dress in Lavender Haze!
Ruby Jade/Lily Jade
I have been a huge admiring fan of Lily Jade bags for almost a decade now so I was absolutely thrilled when they signed on as a sponsor for the retreat and I finally was able to pick out a bag for myself! I love large bags with a lot of pockets, so Lily Jade bags are my favorite, but they now have a sister company called Ruby Jade, with smaller, handheld purses with an entirely different flare!
My new vegan Lily Jade Caroline bag is gorgeous and has all the right pockets in all the right places! Plus I love a bag that can be a classic tote, thrown over my shoulder, and a backpack (which the straps impressively and completely disappear when they are zipped up in the back)! I had so much trouble deciding on what color to get but I ultimately picked the Stone and Gold color. If you’re a new mom and need a classic and luxurious faux leather diaper bag this is it…and if you are more seasoned mom like me but still need organized room for all the things as well as a professional looking business bag for travel, this is also it!! And speaking of travel, this new design also has a luggage sleeve on the back to easily fits over your carryon to make travel more efficient!!
Ruby Jade elevates fashion for any occasion and I love this new heart-shaped Ruby Jade London bag! I love this Stone color but it also comes in Blush too! Here are some features:
- Made from premium vegan leather
- Easy to wipe clean
- Matte gold hardware and zippers
- Adjustable or Removable crossbody strap
Here is something else I love about this brand directly from their website: “Ruby” is from one of our favorite proverbs and speaks of Wisdom. “She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.” (Proverbs 3:15). And “Jade” is one of the strongest stones in the world. Our desire is that “Ruby Jade” would remind you of the wisdom and strength God makes available to us when we ask. Our prayer is that we would all grow in both as a community! So beautiful!!!!
Ruby Jade was started by two sisters, the daughters of the founders of Lily Jade and I am so excited to support them on this entrepreneurial journey!!
Feel strong, chic, bold, stylish, and beautiful and shop the entire collection now!
Tubby Todd
I have worked with Tubby Todd for many years now. I love the shop owner and have always been a big fan of their products! They gifted each host and attendee some of their most popular products including their All Over Ointment and their Everyday Lotion! Their products are known for moms and children who want less toxic ingredients and those with more sensitive skin. They have a baby/toddler line and even a sunscreen line as well!
Erin Condren
I have also worked with Erin Condren for many years. They are one of my favorite companies to work with and I adore all of their products! Not only do their Life Planners keep me organized, they have a variety of other products that elevate my work space and make it colorful and fun! For the event, each host and attendee were given a planner, a journal, and a pen!
Marsquest
This was my first time being exposed to Marsquest sunglasses, and boy am I happy! Since the retreat, I wear the sunglasses all of the time and get tons of compliments on them. They fit really well and are really good quality! Here is a direct link to the ones I was gifted for the event! They have Men’s, Women’s, and Kid’s sunglasses, so there is something for the whole family!
Walli Cases
I can’t tell you how obsessed I am with my new Walli phone case!!! Not only is it thick and sturdy, it is also beautiful and functional! The quality of the case is top notch, there is a place to put your driver’s license and a debit card, and a loop for you to hold it better as well! All of the attendees received a phone case. The one I picked out is called “Summer Garden” and I love the pattern! Here re some of the case features!
– Comfortable finger loop that can be used with either hand
– Wallet pouch that is designed to fit 2 cards (as it breaks in, more cards can be added)
– Adjustable kickstand to prop up your phone
– Vegan leather material
– Shock-absorbing inner pad
Twirl in Pink
I adore this shop owner and her shop!! It was my first time woking with Twirl in Pink, but I bet it won’t be my last! With feminine and delicate jewelry in mind, she makes the most beautiful pieces for moms, daughters, sisters, and friends! And she came up with a genius idea for you to wear earrings without a backing!! Not only did everyone get a pair, we also received a custom initial necklace!
These Minimal spiral hoop earrings will stay on your ears.
– easily slide through your ears
– create a two-piercing look
– no worry about losing earring backs
– you can nap or sleep with them
– easily put it on and forget about it
Details:
- MATERIAL: 925 Sterling silver
- Plating: Gold and Silver
- Size: Inner diameter 9 mm
- Hypoallergenic
- Elegant Hammered Detail
No earring backs. Hug your earrings comfortably and you can wear them all day long.
Olive & Emma Co
These super cute glass cups from Olive & Emma were one of the favorite gifts everyone received! They are delicate and simple but oh so stylish! I hadn’t heard of this small shop before the retreat, but I am so glad I know about it now! She also has some other cute items in her shop, so make sure to check it out!!
Lesser Than Evil Snacks
This was my first time trying Lesser Than Evil snacks. The popcorn they gave us to snack on at the retreat is delicious! They specifically provided our entire group with their Organic Himalayan Pink Salt popcorn! It’s only made with 3 ingredients: organic popcorn, extra-virgin coconut oil, and Himalayan pink salt. They have plenty of other snacks as well and I can’t wait to try more!!
If you are interested in attending the Magical Media Retreat in 2024, make sure you are following me, Justine, and Jenny on Instagram so you don’t miss out on our announcements!!!
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