Karen Wilson
Email karen@candoweddings.com

Karen Wilson is the founder of CANDO Weddings. She has a 20-year background in art and design with a degree in interior design. She began her career as a commercial designer and space planner in South Florida and earned her Allied ASID designer designation in 1991. An accomplished graphic artist and painter, Karen creates original art in a variety of mediums that encompass home décor, fine wedding stationary and photography. Her extensive knowledge of space planning, organizational skill and keen sense of aesthetics blend beautifully to create signature weddings. During each planning process, she originates and designs accurate floor plans with drawn-to-scale layouts that allow clients to visualize their event and provide exact specifications for vendors. Karen’s boundless energy and impressive work ethic make her a determined force in the industry. Artistic and unconventional, she believes “CANDO Weddings is not just a business but an outward display of my passion for creative expression. I look forward to making an artistic difference in the lives of my clients.”

Mary Alice Collins
Email maryalice@candoweddings.com

Mary Alice Collins has been an established free-lance writer since 1978. Her features on fashion, food, travel and luxury living have appeared in The New York Times, Sarasota magazine, Naples Gulfshore Life and Sarasota Herald-Tribune. She has over twenty years of convention experience in venues including The Ritz Carlton Naples and Lake Las Vegas; the Grand Floridian at Disney World; Bellagio and the Southampton Princess in Bermuda. Her events have run the gamut from private wine tastings to lavish affairs with guest lists topping 900. Signature celebrations include an exclusive VIP dinner party at Picasso, staged pirate invasion with pyrotechnics and a fairy tale formal “White Ball” featuring Cinderella’s own glass carriage and coachman. Creative and articulate, Mary Alice has an eye for detail and the ability to remain focused. She has happily discovered that “perfectionism does have its place.”