How Conference Branding has Elevated the Be Sage Experience

As a brand designer, one of the greatest honors of my life has been branding for the Be Sage conferences. If you’ve never heard of the Be Sage Conference, it is a three-day experience for everyone in the wedding industry to come together, learn, and level up your business. It is one of the most highly sought-after wedding industry events, and for good reason. I speak from personal experience when I say that it can transform not just your business, but your life.

What makes Be Sage truly extraordinary isn’t just the caliber of education, but the community. The people who attend this conference are warm, generous, and deeply committed to helping each other grow. You walk in not knowing anyone and leave with connections that feel like lifelong friendships. There’s no ego, no gatekeeping. Just a collective desire to share wisdom and support one another.

Every single part of the experience is intentional. From the speaker lineup to the venue design, every detail is curated to restore, challenge, and inspire. It’s not just about business strategy (though you’ll get plenty of that). It’s about taking a breath, refilling your creative cup, and remembering why you started this journey in the first place. The design I create for Be Sage isn’t just visual, it’s meant to reflect that energy: grounded, smart, beautiful, and full of heart. It’s branding that holds space for big ideas, new beginnings, and a whole lot of magic. This is why I was so deeply honored to handle their conference branding over the last few years!

Tropical conference branding for the Be Sage conference in San Miguel de Allende in 2024

What is Conference Branding?

Conference branding is the idea of creating a specific aesthetic for a a conference and its location. Be Sage is a phenomenal example of conference branding because each year, the conference is hosted in a new city and built around a fresh theme, and it’s my job to translate that into a cohesive visual identity that guests feel the moment they walk through the door. We differentiate each year from the previous one by choosing a color palette, creating patterns, and ensuring the event is immersive and memorable. Conference branding sets the tone for the event. But it’s not just about looking pretty. It’s about creating an immersive world. Just like a wedding invitation hints at what your guests can expect, branding for a conference immerses your guests in the experience.

Long family-style tables for a conference in San Miguel de Allende

Conference Branding for Be Sage Over the Years

Branding for a conference like Be Sage presents a particular challenge. Since it is the go-to conference for the events industry, there is a certain level of expectation. And beyond that, Michelle Loretta (the creator of Be Sage Consulting and the Be Sage Conference) has created something very special with the Be Sage Conference. It’s not just an educational event, but a space for event industry pros to truly connect, be vulnerable, and build lasting relationships. So, of course, I want the branding to encapsulate all of that and more. I have been the brand designer for the Be Sage conference for eight years, and every year I want to improve on the design.

I begin with the theme for each year. Michelle picks a word or phrase that inspires the event, and together, we design a mood board and color palette that encapsulates the experience. Then, I create stationery like invitations, menus, and itineraries. But none of the stationery is as cool as the workbooks. Be Sage is known for creating workbooks that help attendees develop what they’ve learned at the conference. Each speaker submits a worksheet on their topic, and we compile all of the information into a workbook that guests can take home and use to challenge themselves. Over the years, the workbooks have become more and more sophisticated and are now a much-anticipated part of the conference!

While I could drone on and on about each conference over the last eight years, I’m just going to highlight a few. I want to show you how conference branding can truly elevate your event and create an unforgettable experience for your attendees!

A tropical-inspired backdrop for a conference stage

Hand-carved wooden maracas tied with name tags as a seating chart for a conference

Be Sage 2017 in Hilton Head Island

2017 was my first year working with Be Sage. The theme was “Collaboration,” and all of our stationery reflected that. While I love where we started, I think you’ll agree that our conference branding a seriously improved over the years!

A stationery flat lay for the Be Sage conference in 2017

Be Sage 2020 in Austin, Texas

In 2020, just a few months before the COVID-19 outbreak, we met in Austin, Texas. Because Austin is such an interesting, vibrant city, the theme was “Curiosity.” The branding leaned into bright colors and bold motifs, inspiring questions and conversation.

Seating cards for an event industry conference in 2020

Be Sage 2023 in Sonoma, California

The 2023 Be Sage Conference in Sonoma, California, was the first conference post-pandemic. We wanted to bask in the togetherness, and the theme was all about learning, thinking, and dancing together. Michelle wanted the conference to feel sexy, and thankfully, she shares my sense of humor, so we made a “Fifty Shades of Beige” color palette. This perfectly tied in the wooden textures of barrels and corks that were plentiful at our winery venue!

Over the last few years, I’ve also had the opportunity to rethink and redesign the name tags. While they were always creative, they didn’t always feel cohesive with the rest of the design. Now, they’re fully aligned with the branding, and are often items that attendees love to keep after! It’s a small detail that makes a big difference. When even your name tag feels intentional, you know you’re in the right room.

Welcome cards designed with beige conference branding in mind

A workbook designed for the Be Sage conference in Sonoma, California

Be Sage 2024 in San Miguel de Allende

In 2024, we convened in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. This was the first year we officially branded the conference, and it’s one of my all-time favorite branding projects ever. We fully embraced the location, creating experiences rooted in Mexico’s rich culture. Our goal with this conference was to create an event Frida Kahlo would attend.

A welcome sign for the Be Sage conference in Mexico

The welcome lobby of a hotel in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico

Table numbers with pink and tropical conference branding

Be Sage 2025 in Rivera Maya

This past Be Sage Conference was extra special, as it was Be Sage’s 15th anniversary! We met in Mexico once again, but this time, in Riviera Maya. We create a jungle-themed event, hanging out hand-carved maracas as part of the seating chart, embracing bold florals, and creating immersive events for the attendees. Signature marks tied the experience together from start to finish. Engraved wooden name tags, custom patterns on the guidebooks, and laser-cut menu cards at the final evening event all echoed the larger visual language of the conference. The result was cohesive, elevated, and full of energy, exactly the kind of experience a milestone year like this deserved.

Jungle-themed conference branding papers and a welcome sign

A gift bag for the Be Sage conference in 2024 with flowers and champagne

A seating chart with hand-carved wooden maracas for the Be Sage conference in 2025

What to Consider When Investing in Conference Branding

The key to any branding—but especially conference branding—is consistency. If you want to create a truly immersive event, every touchpoint needs to have a consistent look and feel. Even though the themes for the Be Sage Conference have changed over the years, we have maintained a consistent level of service so our attendees know what to expect. They trust us, which allows everyone to have a more rewarding experience.

Guests listening to an expert speaker at a conference in Sonoma, California

Conference Branding Expert, At Your Service

I think it’s safe to say I know a thing or two about creating a memorable event. So if you have a conference coming up and are looking for a way to truly elevate the experience, consider working with an experienced conference brand designer. Creating consistent touchpoints, immersive experiences, and customized paper goods is kinda my whole thing. Explore my branding services and reach out to learn how I can help elevate your next event!

“Claudia has been the brand designer for Be Sage Conference since 2017, and I’m continuously impressed by her talent and artistry. Every year, we present a fresh new look, and she seamlessly puts all of our design components together in a truly beautiful way. Everything she produces is top-notch. Her systems are flawless, never missing a deadline, and organized at every step. Claudia is a gem.” —Michelle Loretta, Be Sage Consulting