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Beth Bernstein

Owner & Event Director

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A proud Jersey Girl and Midwest transplant, Beth spent nearly a decade working at Chicago’s top advertising agencies, followed by several years producing events for non-profit organizations. After a fundraising gala in 2009, Beth was approached to plan her first wedding and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Beth is known for her ability to get things done with grace, style, and a bit of an East Coast edge. She wins over the most discerning of clients and quickly builds trust and rapport with everyone involved in the planning process. 

 

Trusted and respected by her clients, Beth is also known as a leader and a highly sought-after speaker within the wedding industry. Just three years after starting Beth Bernstein Events, Beth received Wish Upon a Wedding’s “Shining Star” Award in 2012. She currently serves on the board of directors of WIPA (Wedding International Professionals Association) and is a member of the Allied Council of NSBWEP (National Society of Black Wedding + Event Professionals).

 

When she’s not reviewing timelines or designing the perfect tabletop, you’ll find Beth guzzling coffee, shopping, riding a bike that goes nowhere at SoulCycle, volunteering, screaming her head off at her son’s hockey games, or visiting her daughter at college. Beth resides in Chicago with her husband of 24 years.

Engage22NOLA1734b small

A proud Jersey Girl and Midwest transplant, Beth spent nearly a decade working at Chicago’s top advertising agencies, followed by several years producing events for non-profit organizations. After one of these fundraising galas in 2009, Beth was approached to plan her first wedding and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Beth is known for her ability to get things done with grace, style, and a bit of an East Coast edge. She wins over the most discerning of clients and quickly builds trust and rapport with everyone involved in the planning process. 

 

Trusted and respected by her clients, Beth is also known as a leader and a highly sought-after speaker within the wedding industry. Just three years after starting Beth Bernstein Events, Beth received Wish Upon a Wedding’s “Shining Star” Award in 2012. She currently serves on the board of directors of WIPA (Wedding International Professionals Association) and is a member of the Allied Council of NSBWEP (National Society of Black Wedding + Event Professionals).

 

When she’s not reviewing timelines or designing the perfect tabletop, you’ll find Beth guzzling coffee, shopping, riding a bike that goes nowhere at SoulCycle, volunteering, screaming her head off at her son’s hockey games, or visiting her daughter at college. Beth resides in Chicago with her husband of 24 years.

A  Note  from  Beth

When I entered the wedding industry in 2009, I chose “Sine Qua Non Events” as my company name. “Sine Qua Non” is Latin for “essential or indispensable ingredient” which I thought was cool, and because I liked the letter “Q” as a design element. I quickly became “SQN Events” since no one could pronounce Sine Qua Non.

 

I intentionally did not name my company after myself because I did not want people to immediately associate the business with my Jewish identity. As we all know, antisemitism has been on the rise in this country for the past several years. In the Fall of 2022, I told my Instagram followers the why behind “SQN” and how I purposely didn’t name my company after myself because I was afraid of what people would think of me when only seeing my name.

 

I received dozens of messages from people telling me that they were surprised, saddened, and apologetic that I felt that way. I then relayed the story to my therapist who said, “Well, why not do it now?” Something clicked. Why NOT do it now? After 14 years in the industry and building (what I think is) a strong brand, I also realized that people either referred to SQN either incorrectly (I have been called “Sequin Events” more times than I can count) or said “Beth Bernstein” instead of my company name when sending referrals my way. So, I said yes. It was time to take the leap and reclaim my name. MY name.

 

With the support of my husband, my incredible accountability group (that’s really an inadequate name for what these women mean to me –  they’re my chosen family), a few other close friends, and the amazing Kristi Drago-Price of Editor’s Edge, I worked on transitioning SQN Events to Beth Bernstein Events and this is where we are today.

 

Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey in this crazy industry that I love so much for the past 14 years. I can’t wait for you all to come along in this next chapter.

When I entered the wedding industry in 2009, I chose “Sine Qua Non Events” as my company name. “Sine Qua Non” is Latin for “essential or indispensable ingredient” which I thought was cool, and because I liked the letter “Q” as a design element. I quickly became “SQN Events” since no one could pronounce Sine Qua Non.

 

I intentionally did not name my company after myself because I did not want people to immediately associate the business with my Jewish identity. As we all know, antisemitism has been on the rise in this country for the past several years. In the Fall of 2022, I told my Instagram followers the why behind “SQN” and how I purposely didn’t name my company after myself because I was afraid of what people would think of me when only seeing my name.

 

I received dozens of messages from people telling me that they were surprised, saddened, and apologetic that I felt that way. I then relayed the story to my therapist who said, “Well, why not do it now?” Something clicked. Why NOT do it now? After 14 years in the industry and building (what I think is) a strong brand, I also realized that people either referred to SQN either incorrectly (I have been called “Sequin Events” more times than I can count) or said “Beth Bernstein” instead of my company name when sending referrals my way. So, I said yes. It was time to take the leap and reclaim my name. MY name.

 

With the support of my husband, my incredible accountability group (that’s really an inadequate name for what these women mean to me –  they’re my chosen family), a few other close friends, and the amazing Kristi Drago-Price of Editor’s Edge, I worked on transitioning SQN Events to Beth Bernstein Events and this is where we are today.

 

Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey in this crazy industry that I love so much for the past 14 years. I can’t wait for you all to come along in this next chapter.

Photo: Dennis Kwan