IR

To answer the questions…I would prefer it be restricted to stepmoms, wine tasting is always good and so is shopping for the the fun things. Breakout sessions and guest speakers are always helpful also.

2) How organized would you like this weekend to be? loosely organized activities and a good dose of down time

3) How much cash would you be willing to pony up for this event? We’d work to get a discounted block rate at a downtown hotel for attendees. Enough to be in a good hotel, have some memorable meals, and throw in a spa treatment or two

4) What would be the best month for you to attend? Early, mid or late summer 2008? Not June, otherwise flexible

5) Which of the following would you like (or not like) included in your weekend getaway?

Cocktail Reception Yep
Opening night speaker Notreally
Group dining experience But of course!
Morning coffee talk Ditto!
Spa treatment Ditto!
Makeup advice Nah
Trunk show Nah
One organized event (live music, shopping trip, winery tour, karaoke) Yep - winery tour or kareoke after a long dinner cold be fun…
Shower basket-O-gifts (duh) Not really…..

What else?

6) Prefer stepmom restricted

7) How likely are you to attend this event? Pretty darn likely if the dates work out.

IR

1) To meet other like-minded souls and to connect. OH the joy of not feeling ALONE in this unusual role!

2) Loosely organized would be great.

3) Hmmm….yeah I’m not sure. As low-cost as possible would be great.

4) Well, I’m a wedding photographer, and Summer is my busiest time of the year, so for me, the best time would be late June/early July or maybe early August.

5) I would love EVERYTHING! :)

6) I would love an event that is open to other stepmom sympathizers. No children, though. A time to get away from the kids for a while would be crucial.

7) Incredibly likely, provided it happens during a time when I have no weddings!

Thanks so much for offering to set up an event like this! It sounds SO FUN!!!!!

Jenny
Grise Photography

Coming soon.

Again, so happy to see so many of you interested and I am looking forward to meeting you all this summer!

IR

1) What would be your number one reason for attending this event?
To meet other stepmoms that I can connect with. Sometimes, being a stepmom is just downright difficult, and it would be wonderful to meet the ladies all over the net that give and receive support on a daily basis.

2) How organized would you like this weekend to be? (minute-by-minute plans, loosely organized activities, super casual)
I would prefer loosely organized or minute-by-minute.

3) How much cash would you be willing to pony up for this event?
This one is tough. I’d have to think about it, and talk to my husband.

4) What would be the best month for you to attend? Early, mid or late summer 2008?
Beginning or middle of month is best of me.

5) Which of the following would you like (or not like) included in your weekend getaway?

Opening night speaker
Group dining experience
Morning coffee talk
Spa treatment
Makeup advice
Trunk show
One organized event (live music, shopping trip, winery tour, karaoke)
Shower basket-O-gifts (duh)

All of the above!!!

6) Would you prefer an event that is stepmom restricted or open to friends and family (excluding husbands and kids) who are stepmom sympathizers?
Step mom restricted, please.

7) How likely are you to attend this event?
I would love to! My fears would be the finances, and being around women I don’t know.

2) Loosely organized.

3) $400-700

4) late summer 2008?

5) Cocktail Reception
Opening night speaker
Group dining experience
Morning coffee talk
Spa treatment
One organized event (live music, shopping trip, winery tour, karaoke)

6) Would you prefer an event that is stepmom restricted or open to friends and family (excluding husbands and kids) who are stepmom sympathizers?

7) How likely are you to attend this event?

:-)

Spread the word in Austin…

IR

As for answers:
1. Meeting other stepmoms, without a doubt. I have lots of friends who are moms, but none who are steps, and the experience is so unique and complicated. I wanna talk!

2. Loosely organized. A speaker (lunchtime speaker, perhaps?) would be good, but I’m looking more for connecting than anything else.

3. Not sure. Since I’m local, I’m imagining spending on meals, to chip in for space, etc. You might also see if local stepmoms would be willing to host visiting steps to help defray travel costs.

4. Late summer, though it’s true (as Yolanda said) that Austin is unbearably hot at that time. It’d be a shame to show off our fair city in its worst light.

5. Here are some Austin ideas — cocktail reception followed by two-stepping at the Broken Spoke. A day at The Crossings, where we could share meals, lounge by the pool, and those who are interested could splurge on spa treatments. I don’t need things like makeup or trunk shows and am more inclined toward casual mix and mingle events with some rabble rousing (the Spoke!) and pampering mixed in.

6. I’m most interested in stepmoms only, though if there are real “sympathizers,” that’s fine too. For example, I’ve got friends who aren’t stepparents, but grew up as stepchildren. Their perspectives have been really useful for me…

7. As long as I’m in town, I’ll be there.

Hooray!

wait, isn’t it like, HOT in texas in the summer? what about an extended weekend getaway in the snow? like snowboarding/skiing/sledding/spiked hot cocoa? i’m just suggesting…

1) meeting other stepmoms.
2) loosely organized activities.
3) no more than a grand?
4) name a date and i’ll be there. except not this year.
5) Which of the following would you like (or not like) included in your weekend getaway?
6) i love “stepmom sympathizers”!! definitely keep them on the list.
7) quite likely. next year.

Cocktail Reception–check
Opening night speaker
Group dining experience
Morning coffee talk–check
Spa treatment–check
One organized event –winery–check
Shower basket-O-gifts–check

Be in touch.

So glad you are all into this!

4) What would be the best month for you to attend? Early, mid or late summer 2008?
Late summer!
5) Which of the following would you like (or not like) included in your weekend getaway?
Cocktail Reception
Opening night speaker
Group dining experience
Morning coffee talk
Spa treatment
Makeup advice
Trunk show
One organized event (live music, shopping trip, winery tour, karaoke)
Shower basket-O-gifts (duh)
What else?
All of that sounds superb!
6) Would you prefer an event that is stepmom restricted or open to friends and family (excluding husbands and kids) who are stepmom sympathizers?

Stepmom restricted PLEASE!
7) How likely are you to attend this event?

LIKELY!

1) To meet other stepmoms and fave bloggers

2) loosely organized/casual

3) I don’t know how much money, but less than 1K i would imagine.

4) mid/late summer

5) Which of the following would you like (or not like) included in your weekend getaway?
Cocktail Reception - definitely
Opening night speaker - from the organizers only
Group dining experience - fun
Morning coffee talk - yes
Spa treatment - maybe but not a must
Makeup advice - maybe but not a must
Trunk show - maybe but not a must
One organized event (live music, shopping trip, winery tour, karaoke) yes, yes, yes.
Shower basket-O-gifts (duh) - duh

6) Would you prefer an event that is stepmom restricted or open to friends and family (excluding husbands and kids) who are stepmom sympathizers? stepmoms only

7) How likely are you to attend this event? if the time is right, very likely

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

I do have one thing that I would really like to do—-I’ve never been to the Alamo, and I can’t get that close and not go!!!!

1.) I’d like to meet other stepmom bloggers I’ve been getting to know online in person.
2.) Loosely organized would be good.
3.) Around the price of what BlogHer costs would be good — somewhere in the $500 - $650 range for basic activities and hotel (not including airfare). I’d rather spend less money and go with less fancy digs, myself.
4.) Not during BlogHer is the best time for me so far this summer. Other than that, I’m pretty flexible.
5.) I like the idea of cocktails and group dining experiences. That sounds really fun. I’m mostly interested in getting to know the other attendees, so I don’t really care about hearing a speaker. I wouldn’t be very interested in make up lessons or spa treatments or trunk shows. I WOULD be interested in a cowboy boot shopping trip, since we’ll be in Texas, and what better place to find good boots? Other than that though, I’m more interested in food-related getting to know each other experiences than in beauty-related ones. What about a hike or a walk or a visit to a local monument or nature preserve or a little Austin sight seeing?
6.) How about women only?
7.) I’m very likely to come, but money is a factor. If it ends up being in my price range and it’s not during BlogHer I’m almost 100 percent sure I can be there. I really want to come!

Spread the word to your blogger base. Let’s get as many women interested as possible. That’s the first step.

1. To meet some of the other stepmom bloggers face to face.

2. I would prefer something on the casual side, but wouldn’t mind a speaker or two.

3. I don’t know how much I can spend. Cost is definitely a factor and Austin is definitely not within driving distance of my home.

4. Anytime after the second week in June (when school gets out) would be best for me.

5. I’m good with whatever is organized.

Please let me know if I can help. I don’t know what it is I can do that you haven’t already covered, but I’m up for it!

1) To meet other stepmother who would help me feel like I’m not alone. No one has ever faltered from having too many friends.

2) Loosely organized would be nice; a few break outs (total workshop-speak) on when the ex is a pain in the butt versus when the ex is friendly; dealing with stepmotherhood and pregnancy; legal issues (you could probably get sponsors actually).

3) Total cost? probably around $1500-$2000 including air and hotels

4) If we’re talking Austin, any time in the spring or late fall would be divine.

5) All of the ones you mention; maybe a wine tasting?

6) My husband is dying to go to Austin just the two of us; I don’t know if the ex would be too thrilled if we mentioned we were going to a stepmom weekend.

7) If you build it, I’ll come.

by the way, I’d love to help in any way I can. I’m a digital editor by trade so if there’s anything I can help do that requires writing, digital marketing, etc. let me know!