How excited are we that TWO of our BEB business partners were nominated through Bradley University's Smith Career Center for COOL INTERNSHIPS!  Bradley students had the opportunity to work with Nellie Photography and So Chic Events and then thought the experiences were cool enough to be nominated for such a great award!

If these young ladies had such a good time working FOR these companies, imagine how much fun you could have working WITH them!  Enjoy!

(If you're a business looking for an intern - contact BEB and we can tell you how to find talented interns.  If you're a BU student looking for an internship - contact BEB so we can put you in touch with some incredible opportunities.  Email sara@behindeverybride.com)

Here's what Caroline had to say about Nellie Photography:

Photo Op
Caroline Karpowicz
Photography & Graphic Design
Internship Period: Jan - Aug 2010

My internship with Nellie Photography has, so far, been an amazing experience that I am very grateful to have. Obtaining real world experience and creative job training is priceless. I get to work with clients in Nellie's studio and go out on photo shoots with children, families, and weddings throughout the Peoria area.

In terms of perks, I get to use very sophisticated camera and computer equipment, which as a student, I wouldn't be able to afford. Also, I have been able to use some really nice updated software.

Along with the photo shoots I also help Nellie behind the scenes in her studio/office. I design layouts and spreads for coffee table books. I help edit and proof images after shoots and I design collages for customers and for her studio. This internship has given me many opportunities that in the classroom I could never really experience. The knowledge of working face to face with clients, placing orders, building a website and blog, and overall owning your own business are just a few of the experiences I have been able to witness and be a part of.

And here's what Kati and Katy had to say about So Chic Events:

So Chic and the Katies
Katy Smithy and Kati Harvey
Organizational Communication
Internship Period: Sept 2008 - April 2010

At our internship with So Chic Events, an event management company, we spent our weekends either dressed up in 70's costumes for a gala or calming a bride before she walked down the aisle. Through 'cool projects' we received the opportunity to work on logistics, decor, and execution for a multitude of different events.

In 2008, we began our internship with a start-up event planning company. The business was still in the initial stage of development. Our first tasks were helping create Web site content, marketing materials, and even the brand as a whole. The founder and owner, Sara O'Shea, allowed us to be truly involved of every part of the process. She put her confidence and trust in our abilities and helped us grow to be young professionals in the field.

At events we learned first hand about crisis management when a guest fell and chipped her tooth, or when a bridesmaid ruined her dress by attempting to iron it, or when the pastor was 45 minutes late to the ceremony. At the same time we had the pleasure of sending newly weds off in a hot air balloon or helping a groom hide a surprise present from his bride (a horse).

On the day of events, we were not just interns, we truly apart of the team. It came to the point where clients began to reference our company as So Chic and the Katies. The knowledge that we have gained from these events was far beyond anything we could have learned in a classroom. To say that this was a 'cool internship' doesn't even begin to describe our experience with So Chic.