The Wedding Biz - Behind the Scenes of the Wedding Business

Joining Andy today is a good friend of his, Lauryn Prattes of Lauryn Prattes Events. Lauryn is one of the top planners in the country as per Martha Stewart Weddings' assessment, and she has also been recognized by numerous other publications as being one of the top planners in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Andy is not only a friend of Lauryn's but has also worked with her and her team, so he can speak to their high level of professionalism, commitment, and creativity! Lauryn and Andy chat about a vast array of topics in this episode of The Wedding Biz, including how Lauryn got started in this industry and eventually started her own business, how she tends to run her business, how she came to discover her personal style, her usual process with her clients, how she handles destination weddings, her philosophy around pricing, how she went about building an impressive social media following, how she finds a balance between her personal life and her professional life, and so much more! Andy really enjoyed his conversation with Lauryn in this episode and hopes that you will enjoy tuning in and listening to it! He encourages you to share this interview with three good friends who might also enjoy it. He would also be grateful if you were to leave a review of the podcast wherever you listen to it as it helps people find it! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [1:20] – We learn that today's guest is Lauryn Prattes of Lauryn Prattes Events. [2:43] – Lauryn reflects on her childhood and how her love for fashion and creativity started. [4:33] – Lauryn reveals that her internship after college was with the bridal market. [6:45] – Lauryn talks about her time working with The Bridal Bar. [8:32] – We discover whether or not going out on her own and starting her own business was scary for Lauryn. [10:20] – We learn that Lauryn at first worked in retail so that she could afford to turn down potential clients that didn't mesh with her vision. [11:44] – Lauryn discusses textures and details and what they mean to her. [13:52] – Lauryn delineates her procedural process with bringing clients on board. [16:48] – There are, Lauryn argues, trends in the wedding industry just like there are fashion trends. [19:29] – Lauryn explains the logistics of planning a destination wedding. [22:48] – Lauryn talks about language barriers in other countries. [23:56] – We learn about some of Lauryn's biggest challenges, such as road closures, and how she overcame them. [25:45] – Lauryn comments on how she balances the artistic side of what she does with the artistic side of it. [27:58] – Lauryn enthuses over the importance of social media and what benefits it has for her. [30:25] – We hear about how Lauryn approaches her pricing strategy. [32:45] – Lauryn asserts that there is always the possibility of being replaced in her industry which is why relevance is crucial. [34:24] – Lauryn discloses what her biggest struggle currently is. [35:35] – Lauryn admits that she has a tough time balancing her business life with her personal life. [39:16] – Andy reveals where we can find Lauryn online. Find Lauryn: Lauryn's Website Lauryn's Instagram Page Lauryn's Facebook Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & PartySlate.

Having had celebrity clients such as Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian, Lil Wayne, Nicole Kidman, and Demi Moore, this episode's returning guest has enjoyed quite the career so far. Colin Cowie has also had many corporate clients such as Dom Pérignon, Warner Brothers, CBS, Whitney Museum of American Art, Architectural Digest, and so many more! Colin is also a published author, having written books such as Dinner After Dark: Sexy, Sumptuous Supper Soirees, Colin Cowie Chic: The Guide to Life as It Should Be, and Colin Cowie Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas for Every Moment of Your Celebration. Colin, as he discusses with Andy in this episode, is all about making sure that he delivers the ultimate experience for his clients. Colin and Andy also talk about Colin's new book, The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn't Know They Wanted, which is Colin's eleventh published book! Colin discusses luxury and what it means in any business – that it is about customer service and not just the product that you are selling. He discusses how to ascertain what customers want so that you can provide it to them before they even realize what they want. We also hear Colin talk about the importance of not only having good relationships with your clients but also with the employees of your company, how important that protocol and consistency are to him, how to get customers to keep coming back to you, and so much more! Andy has known Colin for nearly two decades and is so impressed with everything that he has accomplished. He always has such a blast with Colin, when he has him on the podcast, and is grateful for his time. Andy encourages you to go back and listen to his previous episodes with Colin and to also check out his new book The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn't Know They Wanted. Please share this interview with at least three good friends who might also enjoy it, and leave a top review of the podcast wherever you listen! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:44] – Andy reveals that Colin Cowie is today's guest! [3:03] – Colin explains why he decided to write his new book The Gold Standard. [5:59] – Colin expounds upon his belief that customer service is the new luxury. [7:05] – We learn how to deliver to customers what they didn't realize they wanted. [9:36] – Colin gives examples of how to build relationships with clients. [10:58] – Colin affirms that you need to make sure that your employees have an emotional connection with you. [13:30] – Andy enthuses over how the COVID-19 pandemic gave us opportunities to reform company culture. [14:07] – Colin emphasizes how crucial teamwork and communication are. [17:29] – Andy and Colin agree that creating and owning your brand is important. [20:13] – We are persuaded of the importance of including everyone in meetings, even receptionists. [22:58] – Colin asserts how important protocols are to him. [25:52] – We discover that Colin is always updating protocols based on new things that are learned. [27:36] – Colin gives an example of great customer service provided by a pilot. [30:35] – We learn how we can get customers to keep coming back to us. [33:02] – Colin provides insight on failure and both its inevitability and its importance. [34:20] – Colin reveals what about the future excites him. [36:34] – Andy shares where online we can find Colin. RESOURCES Colin Cowie – Dinner After Dark: Sexy, Sumptuous Supper SoireesColin Cowie – Colin Cowie Chic: The Guide to Life as It Should BeColin Cowie – Colin Cowie Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas for Every Moment of Your CelebrationColin Cowie - The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn't Know They WantedThe Wedding Biz - Episode 128 REVISIT: Colin Cowie: Part 1 Creating Groundbreaking Luxury ExperiencesThe Wedding Biz - Episode 135 Colin Cowie: Part 2 Creating Groundbreaking Luxury ExperiencesThe Wedding Biz - Episode 267 A Conversation With: Colin CowieRyan Holiday – The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph Find Colin: Colin's WebsiteColin's Instagram PageColin Cowie Lifestyle - Instagram PageColin Cowie Lifestyle - Facebook PageColin's Twitter Page Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. 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Andy chats today with Jack Ezon, C.E.O. and managing partner of EMBARK Beyond! EMBARK Beyond is a luxury lifestyle partnership that specializes in bespoke travel experiences, and they have the ability to access royal palaces, private homes, luxury yachts, global landmarks, and so much more! Negotiating hotel, air, and other components related to travel, EMBARK Beyond acts as a full concierge service in order to develop the perfect itinerary! Jack talks about some of the things that he and his company have been asked to do – some of them being pretty colorful and illegal in certain countries – and reveals where his wanderlust originates. He also reflects on how he started as an attorney in commercial financing but knew that he wanted to be a travel agent, especially since he hated being a lawyer and didn't like the corporate world. Jack also discusses failure and having to overcome fear and take measured risks in order to grow, and he enthusiastically touches upon the concept of loyalty and what it means to him in regards to the relationship between his company and his clients. He offers some really touching examples of times that EMBARK Beyond did truly wonderful things for its clients, and he affirms how important it is to him to protect his brand both personally and professionally. Andy and Jack also have a conversation about the COVID-19 pandemic and crises in general, and Jack reflects on the struggle of having been at the front of a travel company in the midst of a pandemic, revealing how he overcame the crisis and came out stronger than ever. This conversation with Jack Ezon made for such a fun interview for Andy, especially with Jack being so open and willing to discuss just about anything and everything! He encourages you to share this interview with three good friends who might also enjoy it! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:44] – Today's interview is with Jack Ezon of EMBARK Beyond. [2:10] – Jack explains his willingness to do anything as long as it's legal and ethical. [3:21] – Jack reveals where his passion for travel comes from. [5:31] – Jack reflects on how the transition between careers went for him. [7:27] – We discover how Jack personally dealt with such a major loss of money when he was younger. [10:25] – Jack talks about 9/11 having ended an opportunity for him but having led to other opportunities. [11:53] – We learn how and why Jack started EMBARK Beyond. [13:27] – Jack explains how EMBARK Beyond takes risks and doesn't fear failure. [15:23] – Failures, Jack emphasizes, are opportunities to grow. [16:13] – Jack gives an example of a failure from his past that he overcame and explains how he overcame it. [20:30] – Jack discusses the standards of his company's philosophy. [22:33] – Jack details a specific example of an emotionally meaningful situation that they created for a client. [24:56] – Jack argues that building loyalty is about connecting to your clients and listening to them. [26:08] – We hear about further examples of meaningful trips that EMBARK Beyond planned. [27:52] – The most stressful part of Jack's job, he reveals, is maintaining his reputation. [29:08] – We discover how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Jack and EMBARK Beyond. [31:46] – Jack discusses his favorite travel destination and what excites him most about the future. [33:58] – Andy reveals where to find Jack online. RESOURCES Ryan Holiday - The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph Find Jack: EMBARK Beyond – Website EMBARK Beyond - Instagram Page EMBARK Beyond - Facebook Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment.

When we think about wedding and event floral designs, our imagination is often limited to bouquets and centerpieces. Today, I am talking to one of the premier event designers in the world. She sees flowers and foliage as a way to create lasting memories of events your guests will never forget. Mindy Rice, of Mindy Rice Design, is a native Californian with a creative lineage. Growing up, Mindy was taught how to think like a designer. Never feeling confined by the "rules" wedding floral arrangements like to follow, Mindy seemed to fall into the wedding business after designing events for the corporate world. What makes Mindy unique is how she encourages her clients to step into their most daring self. She turns dreams into reality—no Pinterest board copy-cat ideas here! Today, Mindy is going to walk us through her process, from the exciting ideation stages to actually executing her most memorable pieces. She will share stories of how she has transformed a simple barn into a Redwood wonderland. Mindy will describe her favorite pieces, and how she uses color and perspective to transform any event space. Mindy's goal is to create unique elements for each event that guests will really remember. She is not afraid to take a risk because she knows the risky pieces will always pay off. Every bloom and bough is placed thoughtfully so that guests will feel something long after the last toast and dance. "Everybody has two personalities—who they really are, and who they dare themselves to be." ~Mindy Rice Today is not just about flowers and spectacle! Mindy and I will chat about what it means to own our own business, and how we can successfully balance our creative endeavors with family life. The event design business sometimes feels as though it could take over everything! Mindy embraces the life she's been given and chooses jobs that will both fulfill her creatively and best support her family. Mindy is inspiring in so many ways, and I know she is going to transform the way you've always thought about flowers. Expect the unexpected when Mindy is around! Show Highlights: Mindy's family has always been creative, and she uses that history to infuse design into her floral arrangements. Mindy's first job was raising show rabbits! High school wasn't Mindy's thing, so she quickly entered design school. Hear all about some of Mindy's less successful design ventures. Experience the amazing transformation of a simple barn into an enchanted wonderland. Mindy explains her process of working with a client to translate their dreams into a perfect event. Mindy wants her clients to be free to choose what they love, and dare to be a little different from the Pinterest trends. Build client trust through visuals and pictures. Mindy designs using color and proportion. Hear the inspiring story about how Mindy made her passion into a business. We discuss the common pitfalls of creative business owners: delegating to a team. Mindy is still learning the balance between family life and operating her business. Mindy and I share our favorite moments in this life we live and the business we love. Connect with Mindy: Mindy Rice Design [Website] Mindy Rice Design [Instagram] Mindy Rice Design [Pinterest]

Andy hopes that you will tune in to this episode of The Wedding Biz as he talks with Sunna Yassin and Mollie Jones-Hennes of Bash Please. Named top planners by Brides, Harper's BAZAAR, and Martha Stewart Weddings, they are a full service creative event production company with studios out of Los Angeles and San Francisco. They are here to talk about what it takes to create an enjoyable and successful partnership, their social media strategy, their pricing philosophy, how they manage the business side of things, and so much more! Sunna and Mollie reveal how they came together as partners, explaining that it happened very organically. They touch upon how they handle the business and financial side of the business in addition to the creative side as well as how they maintain balance between work and their personal lives, emphasizing the importance of finding time for self-care. They also discuss how they feel about virtual meetings and how they stay relevant in an industry that is always changing. The industry changes every six months or so, and Sunna and Mollie credit their relevance with the unique way that they interact with their current clients, resulting in word-of-mouth. Andy had a great time talking with Sunna and Mollie of Bash Please and encourages you to share this interview with three good friends who might get something out of it too! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:44] – Today's guests are Sunna Yassin and Mollie Jones-Hennes of Bash Please. [1:50] – We learn about the pivotal moment in Sunna's life that veered her toward her current career. [3:08] – Mollie reflects on her childhood and college years and how they affected her career path. [4:50] – Discover how Sunna and Mollie formed their partnership. [7:03] – Sunna reflects on whether or not there was any trepidation about partnering. [8:52] – Mollie reveals that she more so handles the business side of things whereas Sunna handles the more creative side of things. [10:12] – We learn how Mollie felt when she made the transition into partnership with Sunna. [11:54] – We learn what makes Mollie's and Sunna's partnership unique. [13:20] – For the most part, as they elaborate upon, both Mollie and Sunna are present at meetings with clients. [15:10] – Sunna and Mollie talk about how they feel about virtual meetings. [19:20] – Sunna and Mollie describe an upcoming event as an example of what they normally do. [22:23] – Andy shifts the conversation toward the business side of things. [23:09] – We learn that the experience that both Sunna and Mollie had prior to their partnership ended up being invaluable to it. [24:37] – Mollie and Sunna touch upon what aspect of the job is the most challenging and stressful. [26:48] – We discover Mollie's and Sunna's pricing philosophy. [28:17] – Sunna and Mollie explain how they stay relevant in an industry that is always changing. [31:08] – Mollie and Sunna elaborate upon their social media strategy and how they remain successful on social media. [33:04] – We receive some advice regarding partnering. [35:42] – Andy reveals how to find Sunna and Mollie online. Find Sunna and Mollie: Bash Please - Website Bash Please - Instagram Page Bash Please - Facebook Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & PartySlate.

When you think of experiencing personalized and experiential destination weddings, you most likely need to be thinking of Harlan and Kara, The Travel Siblings. This duo has been designing private and intimate events and luxury travel experiences around the globe for years through their affiliation with the Elite Division of Travel Leaders - Tzell Travel Group and were recently recognized by Conde Nast as the "Best Agents for Destination Weddings". The pair found their love for travel when Harlan was working as a traveling opera singer as a young teen. He would often bring his younger sister Kara on a few getaways in between tours. There, they both fell in love with the art of luxurious travel, fine dining, and unique global experiences. These moments informed and influenced the pair's business of offering unforgettable luxury travel experiences uniquely catered to their clients whom wish to wed at a magical destinations. Today, Andy, Harlan, and Kara share a fun and lively talk about how the sibling's upbringing shaped their passions and careers, and how they manage to work together creatively and professionally. The three also chat about how they create experiences out of each destination, some of their favorite and most wild honeymoon and wedding stories to date, and what the best part of their job really is to them. This luxurious and decadent episode will have you ready to book your own destination wedding with the one and only Harlan and Kara. Listen to their full episode right here. Links The Travel Siblings The Travel Siblings [Facebook] The Travel Siblings [Twitter] The Travel Siblings [Instagram] The Registry at Bloomingdales Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

Listen in to Andy's conversation with Dave Calzaretta, the founder and president of Magnificent Events & Entertainment! Magnificent Events & Entertainment was founded in 2000 and has since established an impeccable reputation out of Chicago, Illinois (and also now Scottsdale, Arizona), and it is considered an international booking and event expert company. Dave always had a love for music, especially after fostering a unique friendship with The Temptations at a young age, but he majored in accounting because he was told that he should choose something practical. He reveals how he landed the career that he now has in the events and wedding market, however, and reveals what it was like to make the jump from the corporate world to a career in music and events. Motivated by a fear of missing out, Dave explains, he became an entrepreneur because he didn't want a 9-5 office job but instead wanted to live a more whimsical lifestyle. He discusses negotiation and how it's about gathering what's important on both sides of a transaction. He also reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected his career and his business over the last year or so. Andy has been wanting to have Dave on the show for a while and appreciates his connection and friendship with Dave. He's so happy to have had this chance to talk with him on the show! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [1:12] – Andy reveals that this episode's interviewee is Dave Calzaretta, founder and president of Magnificent Events & Entertainment. [2:31] – Dave reflects on a time at fourteen years old when his father took him to see The Temptations. [5:08] – Dave talks about how he majored in accounting despite his love for music. [7:50] – Dave explains what it was like to make the leap from the corporate world to the music world. [9:25] – Having an accounting degree, Dave shares, made him comfortable with the gap between careers. [11:33] – We discover how Dave balances business and art. [14:07] – Dave looks back at the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected his career. [16:43] – We learn how Dave's career doesn't have a shelf life anymore and he can continue to do this into his sixties. [18:06] – Dave talks about his office in Chicago and how he manages it post-pandemic. [21:08] – Dave describes his family situation. [23:50] – The biggest challenge that the industry faces, Dave asserts, is the waves of people who value price over quality. [27:01] – Andy expounds upon the challenge of explaining why you're worth your price to prospective clients. [28:26] – We hear Dave reflect on how difficult it is to reach prospective clients via video. [31:49] – Dave discusses negotiation and how a lot of musicians don't recognize their own value. [34:21] – Dave shares his thoughts about current emerging trends and talents. [38:21] – Andy reveals where Dave can be found online. RESOURCES Andy's Top 10 Event Luminary Tips For Dealing With Stress Dua Lipa - "Levitating" Kylie Minogue - "Magic" Find Dave: Magnificent Events - Website Magnificent Events - Facebook Page Magnificent.Events - Instagram Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & PartySlate.

Michelle Rago has always had wanderlust flowing through her veins. It's what has inspired her to build her massively successful career as a wedding and event destination producer and expert. She's now one of the most sought-after destination event planners in the world, in large part because of her vision, relationship building skills, and meticulous attention to every possible detail. Her love for travel and experiencing new cultures came from a study abroad trip in Greece when she was just 15. Ever since, she's been exploring new ways to bring stunning events and weddings to the most inspiring and beautiful locations around the globe. Today, Andy and Michelle chat about the steps she took to growing her passions and her business, and some of the major epiphanies and milestones she realized along the way. The pair also dive into how she untangles the vastly intricate puzzles of destination weddings, her process of making an event come to fruition, and some of her favorite and most satisfying events to date. This week's episode taps into the idea that following what your heart desires can truly lead to a career full of personal and professional achievements. Check out the full episode now. Links Michelle Rago [Michelle Rago Destinations] Michelle Rago [Instagram] Michelle Rago [Facebook] Michelle Rago [Twitter]

Join Andy in this episode as he chats with Julie Novack, C.E.O. and co-founder of PartySlate, a photo-rich website (that, in fact, just recently hit a million photos) where leading event professionals share their work, build their brand, and drive leads. Before founding Party Slate, Julie held executive positions at top-tier digital agencies such as Razorfish, Vibes, and Agency.com. With over twenty years of digital marketing experience, Julie has helped some of the biggest brands in the world. Longtime listeners of The Wedding Biz may actually remember Julie having been on the show before as she has been on a number of occasions such as in episode 121. Julie is here in this episode to talk about how to optimize your digital footprint. She discusses how to do that with your website, blog, social media, backlinks (which she describes as very similar to PR), third-party platforms, etc. She talks about what she calls a homepage handshake and why it is so crucial on your website since no one should have to do a whole lot of investigating to find out what you actually do, and she comments on blogs and how they can help you build authority. Julie also encourages listeners to spend at least one hour making their LinkedIn profiles represent them and their companies and to be sure to have at least 500 contacts on LinkedIn. In closing, Julie puts particular emphasis on the importance of networking and building strong online connections with other people and with other companies. Only so much of Julie's vast knowledge on this subject can be shared in twenty minutes, but this is such a fantastic summary and overview, and Andy strongly encourages listeners to not only go back and listen to this episode a second time to take notes but to also go back and listen to Julie's earlier episodes of The Wedding Biz, especially episode 121. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode, and if you can think of at least three good friends who would benefit from listening, share it with them! Andy would also appreciate a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast and for you to go back and listen to some of the interviews in his back catalogue, especially if you're a new listener having just recently come on board! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:43] – Andy reveals that this episode's guest is Julie Novack, C.E.O. and co-founder of PartySlate. [2:12] – Julie starts by talking about how to improve your digital presence via websites. [3:46] – Julie presents the possibility that about 80% of websites miss what she calls the homepage handshake. [5:03] – Julie offers her general opinion on blogs. [5:40] – We are provided with an example of how a blog entry could be helpful. [7:10] – Julie touches upon the importance of marketing yourself on social media, especially Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. [8:53] – Julie addresses the difference in importance between having a personal profile and a business profile on LinkedIn. [9:35] – We are strongly encouraged to occasionally post content on LinkedIn and are told why. [10:36] – Julie encourages us to have at least 500 contacts on LinkedIn. [13:00] – Julie explains the difference between content SEO and technical SEO. [14:32] – We learn what backlinks are and why they are important. [16:08] – With third-party platforms, Julie explains that they tend to be polarizing and why. [19:08] – Julie sums up by encouraging us to think about our online connections and how they can help us. [22:23] – Andy gives Party Slate's contact information. RESOURCES The Wedding Biz - Episode 121 Julie Novack: PartySlate & Building A Venture-Capital Backed Business Find Julie: [email protected] PartySlate – Website PartySlate - Instagram Page PartySlate - Facebook Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & PartySlate.

NSBWEP stands for the National Society of Black Wedding and Event Professionals and was created in the summer of 2019. Since the inception of the association, they now have over 135+ Black-owned businesses that represent the industry from the East Coast to the West Coast to include the Caribbean. Membership is based on each business owner passing mandatory credentials and having an exemplary business performance. By the end of 2022, the association is on track to include 300+ businesses! NSBWEP serves as a foundation for its members to build hope, opportunity, community, and more while creating change makers to thrive in this dynamic environment! In this episode of the podcast, Andy chats with Tara Melvin (founder and Creative Director of Perfect Planning Events and founder and President of NSBWEP), Brian Green (Chief Event Architect and creative visionary of By Brian Green LLC and Chairman of the Board of NSBWEP), and Marc Wilson (founder and creative director of The Style Marc and Vice President and founding member of NSBWEP). Tara – who has been in the wedding and events planning industry for nearly two decades - reveals that the NSBWEP arose out of the racial turmoil that we saw last year in 2020 such as the renewed wave of the Black Lives Matter movement and the death of George Floyd. She talks about the fact that the percentage of Black wedding event professionals being represented tends to be less than 1%, which made her want to create a space for more representation. Marc, who has been in the business for twenty-five years, personally felt that lack of representation in the industry which has made community so important to him in this organization. Tara, Brian, and Marc also talk about the educational programs that they have put in place and share the organization's goals in the future, such as how they want to expand their influence from twenty-three states to forty states and to Canada and even Europe. Andy is so excited about what NSBWEP is doing and respects and admires their mission so much. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode, and if you can think of at least three good friends who would benefit from listening to the podcast, share it with them! Andy would also appreciate a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:56] – Andy announces the guests of this episode – Tara Melvin, Brian Green, and Marc Wilson of NSBWEP. [2:53] – Tara explains how the NSBWEP came about. [5:21] – Tara reflects on how she had to give a lot of strategic thought to who she would bring on to help her bring about NSBWEP. [6:32] – Brian reveals that NSBWEP is still the only wedding and events planning organization with the mission statement of representing Black wedding and event professionals. [7:25] – Marc touches upon community and how important it is to him. [9:15] – Tara shares some of NSBWEP's biggest accomplishments. [12:11] – We learn more about NSBWEP's mission and initiatives in place for the future. [13:02] – We hear about some of the industry icons that are allied with NSBWEP. [14:09] – Tara asserts that NSBWEP is for all Black wedding and event professionals regardless of how big or small their businesses are or where their businesses are located. [16:38] – We discover how we can learn more about and/or become members of NSBWEP. [18:06] – Andy offers more specifics about how to find NSBWEP online. RESOURCES Perfect Planning Events - Website By Brian Green LLC - WebsiteThe Style Marc - Website Find NSBWEP: NSBWEP - WebsiteNSBWEP - Instagram PageNSBWEP - LinkedIn ProfileNSBWEP - Facebook PageNSBWEP - Twitter Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & PartySlate.

This episode features Ceci Johnson of Ceci New York. We have the privilege to listen to how Ceci built her business from the ground up. Ceci of New York is an artist and designer of not only invitations and stationery but art and branding materials as well. Ceci tells stories of her client's life in her design of invitations and stationery, and about being in the business of happiness. Show Highlights: A little on Ceci's background growing up Some lessons Ceci learned from her father How Ceci works hard on maintaining and projecting such a positive perspective How she got into the bridal industry Ceci moving to New York from California Her first jobs and invitations she created How Ceci gets inspired for each client Some stories of clients Ceci has worked with Save the Dates are your first impression Establishing partnerships with other companies Ceci's philosophy on pricing Giving alternate solutions/choices The business aspect of the company Systems that are critical in Ceci's company Ceci's brand consultation and design for other people Common mistakes she finds with others on their branding and design Quotes Ceci lives by and loves Some of the biggest tips she gives in this industry How Ceci defines success Resources: Instagram: @weddingbizshow The Stylish Bride with Julie Sabatino Instagram: @cecinewyork and @cecijohnson Ceci New York Website

Andy's friend Meryl Snow of Snowstorm Solutions returns in this episode of the podcast for a great conversation about selling strategies! Meryl is very well known in the event wedding catering space as the co-founder of Philly-based special event and catering industry Feastivities Events along with its subsidiaries OffShoots Decor and Philadelphia's Picnic Company. A consultant, trainer, speaker, event producer, and designer, Meryl runs Think Tank workshops and travels around the United States training event professionals on sales related strategies. Meryl is here today to discuss selling strategies we can all use, especially now that we are finally returning to business nearing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. She enthuses over the importance of personal connection and relationships in today's market especially with the influence of the pandemic. She strongly emphasizes how crucial it is for salespeople to ask probing and open-ended questions of prospective clients so that they know and understand who they are and what they truly want. She also discusses at length the difference between features and benefits and how benefits will vary customer to customer. Andy strongly encourages listeners to go back and listen to episodes 164 and 172 of The Wedding Biz to hear Meryl's previous guest spots on the podcast. He really appreciates the time that Meryl spent on this conversation with him because all of us in the industry can benefit from her insight and tips. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode, and if you can think of at least three good friends who would benefit from listening to the podcast, share it with them! Andy would also appreciate a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:43] – We discover that Meryl Snow is returning as a guest in this episode of the podcast. [2:01] – Meryl and Andy discuss selling strategies and how they have changed, such as how people need to sell themselves before selling their products. [3:45] – Meryl stresses the importance of personal connection. [5:51] – Successful sellers, Meryl asserts, know how to ask the right kind of questions. [7:28] – Meryl reveals a couple of examples of questions that would be good to ask. [10:11] – Meryl warns us about a question that we shouldn't ask and explains why. [11:19] – Meryl addresses price and how she determines whether or not her price is someone's dealbreaker. [14:07] – Meryl discloses how she goes about determining whether or not a prospective client can afford her services. [16:06] – We discover that Meryl tries to get the client's influencer into a meeting along with the client, and we learn why. [19:00] – Meryl explains and exemplifies the difference between features and benefits. [20:15] – Meryl shares a story that gives an example of benefits. [22:14] – Meryl gives another example of benefits from a scene from a movie. [25:35] – Andy and Meryl talk about selling virtually and the importance of body language. [28:21] – Andy reveals where we can find Meryl online. RESOURCES The Wedding Biz - Episode 164 MERYL SNOW: Maximizing Sales, Consulting, And Feastivities EventsThe Wedding Biz - Episode 172 MERYL SNOW: Part 2 Setting Yourself Apart In Life And Business. Find Meryl:Meryl's WebsiteSnowStorm Solutions - Facebook PageMeryl's Facebook PageMeryl's Instagram PageFeastivities Events - WebsiteOffShoots Decor - WebsitePhiladelphia's Picnic Company - Website On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment.

To Ron Ben-Israel, a cake is far more than a cake. It's equal to a performance. And if anyone knows about performance, it's surprisingly the master of couture celebration cakes. After graduating college with a Fine Arts degree, Ron saw the world through two distinct lenses: the Israeli military, and a ballet company he joined after serving in his early 20's. He traveled around the world, performing with two companies over nearly 15 years before finding himself in New York City and wanting to make a career transition. This is where he began to discover his talent for baking. From never having baked a professional cake to founding Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, Ron shares the path and experiences that got him there. His practical and disciplined approach to growth illustrates the level of passion, dedication, and humble learning that successful pastry chefs possess. About Ron Ben-Israel Ron Ben-Israel is a renowned pastry chef originally from Israel and currently based in New York. Ron is the founder of Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, where he and his team create delectable cakes for luxury events. From 2011-2013 hosted a Food Network show Sweet Genius, and was also a judge on the network's reality competition series, Cake Wars. His specialty and wedding creations are consistently featured in national periodicals, including Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides Magazine and New York Magazine and are also prominently highlighted in books. Show Highlights: The two characteristics innate in Ron that make him a successful pastry chef How Ron's education in fine art made for an inspirational platform for his career Ron shares how he came to love ballet while he was serving in the Israeli military Where Ron was when he first began designing artisanal cakes How Ron acquired professional pastry chef mentors The importance of learning how to develop new skills in person The benefits of making new mistakes The two necessities that you should prove when managing your business The difference between being an artist and providing a creative service Ron shares about his experience being on two Food Network TV series Ron gives tips on how to truly experience cakes, understand and describe flavors Links Mentioned in the Show: https://www.weddingcakes.com/ www.asthecaketurns.com Connect with Ron: Instagram: @rbicakes Facebook Twitter https://www.youtube.com/user/RonBenIsraelCakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NVfxmUo2iM

Andy chats with two guests in this episode of The Wedding Biz, both of whom have been featured on the podcast multiple times in the past. Laurie Arons is a planner and designer of Laurie Arons Special Events and has been featured in numerous magazine publications and has been listed in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the top worldwide planners. Her clientele is made up of trendsetters such as Sophia Coppola, Vanessa Getty, and Christy Turlington as well as prominent business moguls like Gary Friedman, Frank Caufield, and Eddie DeBartolo. Laurie has also created and runs a very successful wedding planner master class. Also joining Andy is Jose Villa, a fine art photographer who is considered by many to be the top event photographer in the world. He has been published in numerous magazines and was named one of the top wedding photographers by Martha Stewart Weddings, Harper's Bazaar, Style Me Pretty, and Vogue. He was also named one of the top ten photographers in the world by American Photo Magazine and was named one of the most influential photographers of the decade. Jose, in addition, runs workshops and authored the book Fine Art Wedding Photography. Laurie and Jose have been working together for nearly a decade, and they each elaborate upon what it's like working with the other. Laurie describes her business as live theatre only not with actors, a feeling which gives her butterflies because she puts a lot of thought into it. They also discuss at length how they address unexpected obstacles such as challenging weather, what's important to them as far as the guest experience is concerned, what they look for in a good venue, and what they are seeing happening currently in their business now that we are (hopefully) nearing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Andy had such a fun time talking to Laurie and Jose again – especially at the same time – and encourages you to go back and listen to their previous episodes of the podcast by going to The Wedding Biz's website and typing in their names in the search bar. Be sure to also subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode, and if you can think of at least three good friends who would benefit from listening to the podcast, share it with them! Andy would also appreciate a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [1:42] – Andy reveals this episode's two guests – Jose Villa and Laurie Arons – and gives their credentials. [3:44] – Jose reveals that location and communication are some of the key elements for a successful collaboration with a designer. [4:36] – We learn that Laurie considers a lot of photography experience as well as commitment to be very important when working with a photographer. [6:13] – Laurie and Jose talk about their collaborative process together, and Jose reflects on the stressful aspects of his job. [9:12] – Laurie explains how she tries to keep Jose as informed of details as possible. [12:03] – Laurie reflects a little on the difficulty of obstacles such as the bride wanting her hair redone and how that negatively impacts a set schedule. [13:46] – We hear examples of how weather can negatively impact events. [16:52] – Laurie and Jose share what's important to them in relation to the guest experience. [18:24] – Laurie and Jose describe a very long wooden pathway that Laurie was involved in making for a particular client. [20:30] – Laurie discusses venues and what makes a good venue for her. [23:25] – From a photographer's perspective, Jose expounds upon what makes a good venue for him. [25:47] – Jose talks about the importance of a venue eliciting a certain mood. [27:16] – Jose and Laurie reveal what they are currently seeing in the business now that we are approaching the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. [29:29] – Andy explains how to go about finding Laurie and Jose on previous episodes of the podcast. RESOURCES The Wedding Biz - "Top 10 Event Luminary Tips for Dealing with Stress"Laurie's Previous Guest Spots on The Wedding Biz Jose's Previous Guest Spots on The Wedding BizJose Villa – Fine Art Wedding Photography: How to Capture Images with Style for the Modern Bride Find Laurie: Laurie Arons Special Events - Website Laurie Arons Special Events' Facebook Page Laurie's Instagram Page Laurie's Twitter Page Find Jose: Jose's Website Jose's Blog Jose's Facebook Page Jose's Instagram Page

Southern charm and Tara Guérard are synonymous with each other. Add weddings to the mix, and you've got one of the most highly respected wedding designers in the business. Tara's business, Tara Guérard Soirée, began 20 years ago when she discovered her love for design, creativity, and of course, planning parties! Her design aesthetic and passion for her work has led her to being a top tier designer with offices in Charleston, South Carolina and New York City. Tara is also the owner of The Lettered Olive, a company that focuses on designing immaculate one-of-a-kind wedding invitations, save the dates, and more, has also published two books with a third on the way, and is a mother of 3 young children. She wears a lot of hats, and to no surprise, wears them all very well! Andy and Tara dive into how she got started in her career and how much has changed in the industry since she started her business. The two also chat about how she brings clients her southern flair, what it's like raising three children under ten while also running a business, and Tara's popular YouTube channel Tara Guérard's Life's a Party. The full interview is available now, only on The Wedding Biz! Links Tara Guerard Soiree The Lettered Olive Tara Guerard [Instagram] Tara Guerard [Facebook] Tara Guerard [Pinterest] Life's a Party [YouTube channel]

Andy hopes that you will join him in this episode as he chats with Tim Chi, the CEO of The Knot Worldwide which provides leading wedding marketplaces personalized wedding websites, planning tools, and registry services with its brands in multiple countries across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Knot Worldwide also includes lifestyle brands and this is actually Tim's second time joining Andy on the podcast, previously having been on episode 147 which Andy highly recommends that you go back and give a listen. Andy and Tim talk about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it impacted Tim both personally and professionally (as well as the wedding planning industry in general). Tim shares that he deeply misses in-person human connection and what negative consequences have come out of that being removed from the equation, such as many professional relationships becoming more transactional rather than personable. From that, he explains the importance of relationships maintaining cordiality and how he goes about doing that. The pandemic and shutdown has been a very challenging period of adjustment not only for couples who had been planning large weddings for 2020 and into 2021 but also for wedding planning professionals like Tim and his team. Morale was down for a lot of people (humanity in general, in fact), and Tim describes how, as a leader, he worked to boost morale and keep it up, emphasizing the importance of staying in regular communication and holding on to the reminder that the struggle was temporary – that weddings would eventually pick back up again. He also stresses the importance of practicing empathy and giving others grace, patience, and understanding. Andy had such a blast talking to Tim again and strongly encourages you to, once again, go back and listen to the first episode in which Tim was featured as it was a wonderful and insightful conversation about Tim's background. Be sure to check out Tim and The Knot Worldwide online, and also be sure, if you aren't already subscribed, to subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:34] – Returning guest Tim Chi, C.E.O. of The Knot Worldwide is revealed to be this episode's guest. [1:50] – Tim reflects back on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected him personally. [2:46] – Tim shares what the plans are for reopening his doors in the near future. [3:59] – Tim provides general reflections on how the pandemic has impacted his industry. [5:30] – We learn how Tim has run a global company during a pandemic. [7:56] – Andy and Tim discuss company culture and how Tim kept morale up during the shutdown. [10:30] – Tim and Andy talk about how Tim maintained effective leadership during the shutdown and how important holding onto cordiality is. [13:25] – Tim discusses what he is seeing as far as weddings in the near future are concerned. [15:50] – We learn what The Knot Worldwide has planned for the future. [17:06] – Andy shares where online we can find Tim and The Knot Worldwide. RESOURCES The Wedding Biz Podcast - Episode 147: TIM CHI, CEO, The Knot Worldwide: Combining Technology and Trends to Innovate the Wedding Industry Find Tim: The Knot Worldwide - WebsiteThe Knot RegistryThe Knot Worldwide - LinkedIn ProfileThe Knot Worldwide - Instagram Page The Knot Worldwide - Twitter Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment.

How do you truly entertain without boundaries? Just ask event designer, producer, and planner Jes Gordon. Designing and planning events that are constantly pushing creative and innovative limits is what she does best. From getting inspired by her clients and their families to seeing what's on the streets of cities and incorporating that into her work, she's got no short supply of amazing ideas. Though Jes technically started her career in the design world working in a floral shop at the tender age of 13, she hit it out of the park big-time at 19, where her innate ability to design and produce fabulous events became apparent. After a few serendipitous turning points in her life, she started her own business Proper Fun, which encapsulates what Jes' style and process is all about. Today, Jes and Andy delve into how the wedding industry has changed, and how there can still be a balance of professionalism and personality if you do it right. She shares what her most and least favorite events to produce are, why she deems herself an event producer rather than just a designer, and how her upbringing shaped her path to becoming a world-renowned event creator. Jes' interview brings her splash of personality and vivid inspiration to listeners, showing that there's always something new to create and be inspired by every single day. Check out the full episode right here. Links Jes Gordon [properFUN] Jes Gordon [Instagram] Jes Gordon [Facebook] Jes Gordon [Twitter]

Tune in to this episode of the podcast as Andy interviews Kristy Rice – artist, author, stylist, and founder of Momental Designs. Kristy's hand-painted events, stationary, and other work has been credited in People Magazine, Good Morning America, Inside Weddings and Brides Magazines, Vanity Fair, Martha Stewart Weddings, along with countless blogs. Kristy's work has also crossed into fine art and lifestyle markets with licensing and the development of branded product lines for the top arts and crafts stores nationwide. She is also the author of nine titles (most of which are about watercoloring and finding joy in art), with her tenth title about to be released (and an eleventh one currently being dreamed up!), and we talk about the process of writing books. She also talks about working on Sean Parker's wedding and Jessica Simpsons's wedding. We talk about the difficult aspects of what she does, and we also discuss building structure and process within a highly artistic brand, building a team, and licensing branded product lines. Kristy reveals that her love and passion for art began at a very young age when she was only about six years old and found herself copying Garfield cartoons. She was later the art nerd in school and ended up getting a college degree in Art Education. She shares how Momental Designs ended up being born and where it has progressed over time, and she even digs into how she balances her time between being an artist, an events planner, a writer and illustrator, and a mother! Andy had such a fun time talking to and getting to know Kristy and encourages you to reach out to her and her business online. It would also be helpful if you share the podcast with a few friends and/or family members who might find it interesting as well as leave a good review of the podcast! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:53] – Andy reveals the guest of this episode of the podcast – artist, author, and stylist Kristy Rice. [2:32] – Kristy reveals when her passion for art began. [4:39] – We learn how Kristy made the transition from retail management to events planning. [6:23] – Kristy talks about making the leap to entrepreneurship. [8:30] – Kristy describes what her career entails. [9:14] – Kristy shares how she would describe her personal artwork style. [10:05] – Kristy walks us through her typical process after first meeting a client. [12:53] – Kristy talks about sometimes having to guide clients and help them express themselves regarding what they want artistically. [14:18] – We learn how Kristy's process of working with clients is an immersive one. [15:08] – Kristy describes what it was like to help plan Sean Parker's wedding. [17:04] – Kristy reflects upon working on Jessica Simpson's wedding. [20:16] – We discover what the most difficult aspect of Kristy's job is. [22:38] – Kristy reveals how she builds structure around her artistic brand. [25:21] – Kristy discusses the process of building a team. [27:18] – We learn how Kristy fell into the licensing aspect of her business. [29:09] – We discover how to appoint an art rep. [30:43] – Andy and Kristy enthuse over Kristy's career as a writer, focusing on her upcoming tenth book. [32:20] – Kristy details how she finds time to write books on top of everything else that she does. [34:15] – Kristy discusses how she has done a lot of teaching over time. [36:00] – Kristy addresses how she balances being a parent while also being an entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of being fully present with her children when she is with them. [39:04] – Andy shares where online we can find Kristy. RESOURCES The Hand Painted Moment - Momental Designs (YouTube)Flowers on Flowers on Flowers Epic Watercolor Wedding Invitation (YouTube)Watercolor Wedding Invitations in Action (YouTube)Architectural Inspired Pattern Wedding Invitation (YouTube) Find Kristy: Kristy's Website Momental Designs - Website Kristy's TikTok Page Momental Designs - Instagram Page Kristy's Amazon Author Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & Party

In today's conversation, Andy talks with Ashfer Biju, the executive chef and food and beverage director at the iconic The Pierre, A Taj Hotel in New York City, responsible for all things culinary. To Ashfer, however, he's more than his official job title; he's a self-proclaimed "crafter of perishable art." After growing up in a small fishing town in India, Ashfer discovered his passion for food as a child and was driven to share his love with others ever since. With his entire family working in the restaurant industry in some fashion, Ashfer quickly dove into the hospitality industry and helped launch a vegetarian restaurant in India when he was only 18. He studied hospitality and pursued a degree at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California. Soon after, Ashfer traveled to open restaurants around the world, from Berkeley to Mauritius and the Maldives. By 2009, when he had already opened numerous hotels and restaurants, the time for Ashfer to move to New York City had come. Not surprisingly, Manhattan ended up being far more than the mere short-term piece of a working travel circuit as he'd expected; Ashfer found his calling in what he considers one of the three "maximum food cities" of New York, London, and Hong Kong. Extending beyond his current work at The Pierre, Ashfer and Andy delve into the "extreme form of art" that is food, the importance of food's personalization in weddings, why food is an experience at heart, and even why turmeric is "the next kale." After their conversation, Andy had the opportunity to experience Ashfer's food firsthand through a tasting at Perrine in The Pierre. Read about his experience below the links. Links Instagram Twitter Pinterest The Pierre, A Taj Hotel Foods That Heal by Bernard Jensen A Life in Balance by Kathleen Hall Babette's Feast (IMDB) (Trailer) "Following the interview, Ashfer was kind enough to offer me a multi-course tasting in The Pierre's onsite restaurant, Perrine. The setting, it provided, was a perfect location for such a culinary endeavor. I proceeded to be served seven different dishes and I had to fight hard not to consume every drop and morsel in order to save room for it all! Each dish was presented beautifully, as shown in the pics, and I had to take a moment with each one just to take in the visual aspect."

Join Andy in this episode as he chats with Brett Culp, an acclaimed filmmaker and social entrepreneur, having written, directed, produced, and edited the documentaries Legends of the Knight (2013) and Look to the Sky (2017). Brett is also a keynote speaker and is the personal cinematographer for Hollywood stars, music icons, authors, athletes, and royal families. This is his third time being on the podcast, and he joins Andy this time to talk about what it might be looking like to return to normal (whatever normal might even mean) life as we seem to finally be approaching the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brett discusses how exhausting it was to have to reevaluate our lives after the pandemic broke out. He also makes a prediction as to what our greatest challenge will likely be coming out of the pandemic entirely and how he hopes that people will act upon the lessons that they learned about themselves and the world around them. One of the greatest challenges, after all, even for the most optimistic of us, is enduring something negative and taking something positive away from it, but all of us doing so is how we will come out of this pandemic stronger than we were before! Andy always has a great time chatting with Brett, especially since it always seems to just so happen to take place during a profound time. If you enjoy the episode, reach out to at least three good friends who might also enjoy and benefit from it! We would also be grateful if you were to leave a good review of the podcast! (Also, be sure to check out a list of Brett's credits over on his IMDb page!) Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:49] – Andy reveals this episode's guest – Brett Culp, acclaimed filmmaker and social entrepreneur. [2:31] – Brett discusses the spiritual and physical exhaustion that many people felt following the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic. [4:10] – Brett predicts that one of the biggest challenges that we will face coming out of the pandemic is getting back to the excitement of living. [5:23] – Andy explains how his life has changed since getting vaccinated. [8:00] – Brett discusses how people are going to have to adjust to being around a large number of people again. [9:38] – Brett reflects on how his life has changed since the pandemic broke out and the irony of how his speeches becoming virtual has made him busier. [11:31] – Brett shares the biggest lessons that he has learned over the last year and how those lessons have changed him. [13:38] – Andy provides feedback on Brett's reflections, giving his own insight on the lessons that he himself has learned. [17:03] – Andy and Brett shift the conversation toward how personal life has changed in addition to professional life. [20:15] – Brett believes that when the world starts to return to a state of normalcy, our thought process will be similar to that of grieving. [22:20] – Even the most hopeful of us, Brett posits, have lost some of our hope and optimism. [25:28] – Andy discusses how professionals are saying that we might not reach herd immunity anytime soon and further explains the fog that he feels right now. [28:04] – Andy emphasizes how important it is for us to be present no matter what that present looks like. [30:22] – Brett reveals that his work has served as a distraction for him from insecurities and difficulties. [33:15] – Brett questions whether or not the end of the pandemic will cause us to regress back toward old patterns. [34:58] – Brett reflects on how it's difficult – even for optimistic people – to see the good in difficult situations. [37:35] – Andy shares where we can find Brett online. RESOURCES The Wedding Biz Podcast – Episode 119: BRETT CULP: Obstacle or Opportunity The Wedding Biz Podcast – Episode 237: BRETT CULP: Realigning Your Heart & Soul During the Pandemic Find Brett: Brett's Website Brett's IMDb Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

Join Andy as he chats with Renee Dalo! Renee, who has been referred to as "the no-nonsense Mary Poppins of Wedding Planning," is the founder of Moxie Bright Events, a boutique wedding planning company, and she also offers educational resources for event professionals and even hosts her own podcast, Talk with Renee Dalo! Listen in as Andy and Renee discuss all things Clubhouse and how to market your business on it. Unlike other social media apps such as Twitter and Instagram, there doesn't seem to be a tight restriction on how many characters or words that you can include in your bio on Clubhouse, so Renee strongly suggests taking advantage of that! She encourages listeners to include everything that they want people to know about them in their bios, and both Renee and Andy share examples of times when that paid off either for themselves or for someone whose services that they themselves purchased after coming across their profiles on Clubhouse. At the end of the day, however, using Clubhouse directly to hard sell yourself and push your products and your services isn't really Clubhouse's endgame, and it isn't the general vibe that Clubhouse gives off. That's one of the reasons why what's in your bio is important. It's also why, as Renee advises, it's important to have both a landing page that is specific to Clubhouse and an email marketing list. Renee and Andy also share their experiences of having been a little nervous and anxious when first using Clubhouse, an odd feeling for both of them given that neither really suffered from stage fright prior to getting on Clubhouse. Renee gives advice, however, on how to combat that anxiety if you're a new user. She, for example, reveals that you can actually create a closed room and use that closed room just to practice. The bottom line is that if, like Andy was at first, you're skeptical about using Clubhouse because you feel like you don't need yet another social media app, then you really should reconsider. Although it still has a little ways to go since it's still a relatively new app, Clubhouse is not just another social media app and has such a unique experience to offer, as both Andy and Renee enthusiastically offer examples of. Be sure to check out Renee and what she offers online, and please share this episode with friends who might be interested! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [0:52] – Andy introduces this episode's guest, Renee Dalo, the founder of Moxie Bright Events, and provides some of her credentials. [2:23] – Renee stresses the importance of being detailed and extensive with your bio on Clubhouse. [4:40] – Renee encourages people to have a landing page that is specific to Clubhouse. [6:52] – Renee argues that everyone should have an email marketing list. [8:40] – Renee believes that some people on Clubhouse are making the mistake of providing information that is too broad and too general to attract couples. [11:21] – Andy and Renee discuss how there tends to be a strange anxiety for new users on Clubhouse. [14:01] – Renee reveals that you can create a closed room on Clubhouse so that you can practice and combat your nerves and anxiety. [14:42] – Renee discusses how people can take Clubhouse topics and translate what they learn into actual revenue. [16:10] – We are instructed that we shouldn't try too hard to sell our services directly on Clubhouse because that doesn't mesh with Clubhouse's overall vibe. [19:42] – Andy describes his activity and presence on Clubhouse. RESOURCES The Wedding Biz Podcast - Episode 348: JEN VAZQUEZ AND MORGAN CHILDS – Getting Familiar with ClubhouseThe Wedding Biz Podcast - Episode 349: DANA BOWLING – Finding Your Voice on Clubhouse and Being a Great ModeratorClubhouse Find Renee: Moxie Bright Events - Website Renee's Website Renee's Instagram Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

Tune in to this episode of the podcast as Andy talks with Christina Matteucci, executive director of David Beahm Experiences! Christina has actually been on the podcast before in episodes 188, 307, 346, and 214. And she joins Andy in this episode to discuss how everything that we do in business has an element of performance involved and how we can best understand and use performance when dealing with clients and giving presentations. The main focus of Andy's and Christina's conversation is the importance of using storytelling – especially storytelling that employs effective imagery – when engaging in a sales pitch, corresponding with clients, and with public speaking. Storytelling is an interwoven part of what it means to be human because we love to both tell and hear stories. Stories draw us in, and, in fact, Christina even recommends starting a sales pitch with a story even if the story isn't relevant to what you're selling or proposing! Christina talks about what techniques that she has learned as far as storytelling and preparation are concerned, techniques that she learned having been a student of Storytelling School. She stresses the importance of understanding who your client is and that your performance might be different depending on the demographics of your audience. She and Andy also reflect on current times and how the need for meeting virtually via tools such as Zoom has been on the rise. They discuss how to make use of the techniques upon which Christina elaborates when meeting virtually and how meeting virtually differs from meeting in person. Performing and telling stories is not a skill with which we are all born, nor is it something that we all necessarily enjoy. Some of us are not predisposed to it, but, as Christina assures us, it's not rocket science! You can seek help and advice and can learn. Christina says more than once that it's important to prepare rather than plan, and she and Andy also talk about how important that it is to not only prepare practically but to also be well rested and hydrated! Andy hopes that you will enjoy listening to his chat with Christina Matteucci as much as he enjoyed chatting with her. She offers a wealth of helpful information and tips from which listeners can definitely benefit! If you enjoy the episode, reach out to at least three really good friends who might also enjoy and benefit from it, and also be sure to leave a review! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [2:03] – Andy announces the guest of this episode - Christina Matteucci, executive director of David Beahm Experiences. [3:09] – Andy posits the idea that there is a level of performance involved in business situations, and Christina clarifies that the performance is authentic. [4:50] – Christina emphasizes how important imagery and storytelling are for her when she prepares a presentation. [7:14] – Christina recounts a couple of the storytelling techniques that she has learned. [9:40] – Christina shares that she learned that she should start a sales pitch with a story. [12:10] – We learn what Christina does to prepare for a sales pitch. [14:23] – Christina discusses how she also considers choreography when she prepares for a speech, using her TED Talk as an example of when that was important. [16:40] – It's very important, as Christina advises, to listen to hear rather than listen to respond. [18:00] – Christina also emphasizes the importance of making use of your team if you have a team and make use of your team members' strengths. [19:44] – Christina and Andy have a conversation about how we should make someone aware if they have a verbal tic. [23:20] – Andy shifts the conversation toward an example from his own experience of how it took time for him and his team to figure their chemistry out. [25:55] – Christina enthuses over how fun it is to enter a room before she begins a speech on stage and how she uses music to hype herself up. [27:52] – Christina offers a concrete example of why the way that you enter a room is so important. [29:05] – Christina provides some tips on how to engage an audience virtually using tools such as Zoom. [31:19] – Christina and Andy talk about how with a virtual meeting, it can be difficult to make eye contact because of the positioning of the camera. [33:40] – Christina recommends talking points over scripts. [36:35] – Just one sentence, Christina proposes, can drop you into a pitch on Zoom

A hallmark of a world-class event designer like Matthew Robbins is to be able to gently lead clients from what they say they want to an event that represents the best of who they are. In our conversation, Matthew generously shares his process for creating events that resonate, and how he connects with clients to make that happen. We also talk about balancing work and personal lives, which gets especially interesting (and rewarding!) when your professional and life partner is the same person. Matthew Robbins Design is a luxury event planning firm with a focus on design and production for weddings and special events. For over 15 years they've produced events all over the world, from intimate dinner parties to weekend-long celebrations. Their hallmark is creating collaborative experiences, where they listen closely to clients and share in the creative process. Via sister company RobbinsOtoya, Matthew and his team focus on our destination events with a special connection to Central and South America, the Caribbean and Mexico, in addition to having created destination events in countries such as Italy, France, Guatemala, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, Colombia, Mexico, and Japan. Links Matthew Robbins Design [Pinterest, Twitter] Matthew Robbins' Inspired Weddings: Designing Your Big Day with Favorite Objects and Family Treasures [Amazon] Sweet Paul magazine [Instagram] "Evento & Cocina: Style Perfection From Cartagena" [Evento Y Cocina on Facebook] RobbinsOtoya design and destination event planning

Listen as Andy interviews Lauren Dickens, founder and lead designer with Elle Audrey, a luxury planning and design company based out of New York City. Although she loved parties when she was a child because she always enjoyed the ones that her grandmother hosted, Lauren didn't go into the wedding planning business until well into her adulthood after hosting a friend's baby shower. Hosting events then became a hobby until it finally became an entrepreneurial career. Lauren is unique in that she doesn't like cookie cutter methods. She has a unique and personalized brand that has become her signature. In fact, she always wants to go all out and be very creative but sometimes can't take it as far as she would like because of budget constraints. She also has to find a balance between business and creativity which she does, in part, with business partners and personal assistants. She has managed to find these balances and does so successfully, as Elle Audrey is nothing if not successful! The jump from the corporate world to a world of entrepreneurship can often be a scary one, and it most certainly was for Lauren. She took a leap of faith by leaving a job where she was earning a definite income and hoping that she could make it as an entrepreneur, but it definitely paid off for her! She offers advice to people looking to go down a similar path as hers and/or people who already are on that path but are looking to take it to the next level, suggesting that people today not do what she did and take that leap of faith because of the times that we currently live in. She also encourages entrepreneurs to not take on every single prospective client because you and the client need to be good matches for each other. She says to not focus too much energy on your Instagram page and to scale your business, and she, finally, enthusiastically recommends raising your prices once every year or two. Andy said that he had a blast interviewing Lauren in this episode and hopes that you will enjoy listening to his conversation with her! Please be sure to share this episode with at least three friends who you think would enjoy it and/or benefit from it. We would also very much appreciate a review and hope that you will join us next time on The Wedding Biz. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute! Time Stamps [1:48] – Andy reveals this episode's guest, Lauren Dickens, to us and provides us with some of her credentials. [2:35] – Lauren explains why she views weddings as transformative, both for people getting married and for her as a planner. [5:08] – Lauren reveals that she loved parties when she was young. [7:54] – Lauren admits that it was very difficult at first to make that leap into entrepreneurship and recommends that people not do what she did in current times. [8:47] – Lauren describes what makes her brand unique and personalized. [10:10] – Lauren and Andy discuss how important that it is for planners and clients to be good fits for each other. [12:03] – We learn what the planning process tends to be like for Lauren and her clients. [13:25] – Lauren details a specific example of a wedding that she planned and how it was planned. [14:11] – Lauren discloses what she struggles with most often – matching her creativity with a budget. [18:05] – Lauren gives an example of a challenge that she once faced and how she overcame it. [21:27] – We discover how a client ended up suing Lauren and how it was resolved. [22:54] – Andy shares a story of a difficult time that he had working with another planner. [24:51] – Lauren expounds upon how she balances business with creativity. [26:53] – Lauren describes her pricing method and how she charges a flat fee. [28:14] – Lauren enthuses over how much she hates social media even though she is very successful on her social media platforms such as Instagram. [29:50] – Lauren offers us some helpful tips if we are looking to take planning and designing to the next level. [32:36] – Lauren asserts that looking at online guides as to how the planning process should go is setting unrealistic expectations and explains why. [33:38] – We learn that Lauren considers scaling your business to be a measure of success. RESOURCES Find Lauren: Elle Audrey - WebsiteElle Audrey's Facebook PageElle Audrey's Instagram Page On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club, "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The

Aleya Harris is the owner of Flourish Marketing & The Social Media Pantry. With 13+ years of marketing experience, she helps business owners get more clients. I actually met her on Clubhouse, while listening to a room the was moderating, and was very impressed by her knowledge. Today, we discuss how to create an effective brand story. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: For as little as $6 per month, or $0.75 per episode, are you willing to support the industry insights Andy brings on his podcast? If you are so inspired: contribute. Become a Patron! RESOURCES Find Aleya: Flourish Marketing Co. The Social Media Pantry On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club, "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment www.KushnerEntertainment.com

"I believe this job is the practice of love." Listen as Andy and his guest, Dewi Kurniadi, have a truly inspirational conversation about creating and running her business, her personal journey before making the leap into being an entrepreneur, what it took to make a major geographical move, dealing with immense challenges, and forging her own path, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Dewi is the Founder of Sweet Bloom Cakes, an extremely popular and successful Sydney-based boutique studio offering custom-designed handcrafted cakes, confections, and personalized event experiences. Listen as Dewi shares where she gets the inspiration for her cake designs and when she knew it was time to go full time with Sweet Bloom Cakes. She talks about rebelling against her parents and what they wanted her to do versus following her dreams. Dewi discusses her process and how she learned to build a team that could support her and help grow her business. She shares a story about when a client wanted her to design a cake with doves in it for her grandfather and other challenges she has had to face and overcome. Dewi also shares some tips and advice for any cake designers who want to take their businesses to the next level and how she balances the business and creative sides of her company. When she needs to recharge, Dewi likes to window shop for inspiration and find new textures to use on her cake designs. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [02:17] Welcome to the show, Dewi! [02:45] Dewi shares where she gets the inspiration for the design of her cakes. [04:53] Dewi discusses when the passion for cake design became a reality. [06:44] What did you want to do when you were young? [07:28] Dewi speaks about rebelling against what her parents wanted her to do. [08:31] Dewi talks about her background and when she took the leap into entrepreneurship. [11:41] She shares that the transition to working Sweet Bloom Cakes full time was a long journey. [13:08] Do you ever feel you are struggling to reach a level you haven't reached yet? [14:22] Dewi discusses how she learned to build a team that could support her. [19:01] She shares her process of talking to her clients and taking that information to design their wedding cakes. [21:59] Dewi speaks about a client that wanted her to incorporate doves into their wedding cake. [24:05] Have you had any major challenges with events that you have had to overcome? [26:10] Dewi talks about the business side of her company and how she handles it. [28:28] She shares how her family feels about where her career has taken her and moving to Australia. [30:56] Dew discusses some tips and advice for a cake designer that wants to go to the next level. [32:56] Window shopping is what Dewi does when she needs to recharge. [34:27] Thank you for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Dewi: Sweet Bloom Cakes @sweetbloomcakes Instagram | Facebook On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club, "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

Today's guest co-host, for The Next Level, is Sean Low. Sean's consulting firm, The Business of Being Creative is focused on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. Sean's client list includes the who's who of the wedding industry and design community. Check out Sean's podcast, on The Wedding Biz Network, The Business Of Being Creative at https://theweddingbiznetwork.com/portfolio-posts/the-business-of-being-creative/. We are discussing Holly Chapple's interview, from last Monday. She is a popular event and floral designer who is the owner and President of Holly Chapple Flowers. She not only executes beautiful weddings and events but also operates Hope Flower Farm out of Loudoun County, Virginia, a flower farm and key floral source for her design work and the base camp for in-person education. Holly also leads a collective of designers from all over the world Via Chaple Designers. Her floral work has been published in numerous publications including Martha Stewart, Southern Living, Brides, Southern Weddings, Elegant Bride, and Weddings Unveiled.

"Because the vision, ideas, and concepts that I come up with are new and leading in the industry I'm going places others haven't yet been, and that's been amazing." Listen as Andy and his guest, Holly Chapple, discuss how Holly is more of a big vision person and how she implements those visions. We talk about her virtual teachings, her latest favorite design aesthetic, her process with clients, how she handles her social media, and how she balances raising a large family with being an entrepreneur, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Holly is a popular event and floral designer who is the owner and President of Holly Chapple Flowers. She not only executes beautiful weddings and events but also operates Hope Flower Farm out of Loudoun County, Virginia, a flower farm and key floral source for her design work and the base camp for in-person education. Holly also leads a collective of designers from all over the world Via Chaple Designers. Her floral work has been published in numerous publications including Martha Stewart, Southern Living, Brides, Southern Weddings, Elegant Bride, and Weddings Unveiled. Listen as Holly shares her journey from a floral designer to teacher and speaker and why she created Hope Flower Farm. Holly discusses how she handles the business side of her company and her focus on providing an environment for her team to become leaders in their own individual departments. Holly talks about her own patented product line of vases and armatures that help people design flowers, how she grew other aspects of her business this past year, and the community her son created on Facebook called The Greenhouse. Holly also believes that there will be complications post-Covid and she wants people in the industry to have a lot of grace with themselves. Holly speaks about her process, her very large social media following, how often they post content, and what she believes gives them the edge and keeps them coming. She knows one thing she does right is manage the Instagram page for Holly Chapple and personally answers every DM she gets. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [02:19] Welcome to the show, Holly! [02:46] Holly believes she would not have been exposed to flowers if her parents hadn't owned a garden center. [04:07] She shares being exposed by her parents to her first floral design job at the Washington International Horse Show. [06:44] Holly speaks about her journey from a designer to a teacher and the purchase of Hope Floral Farm. [08:17] Holly discusses bringing in ringers and letting them stay at their bed-and-breakfast at the farm. [10:23] How do you look at the business side of your company with all that you've done? [12:51] Holly wants to provide an environment for her team to become leaders in their own individual departments. [15:26] "I've always been great at knowing what is wanted, needed, and will sell." [16:16] Holly talks about the knowledge and information that Sean Low gave her years ago that has made her company what it is. [18:16] Do you feel anxiety or fear with the pressure and responsibility you have with all the things you have going on? [20:29] Holly talks about growing other aspects of her company over the last year. [22:27] Holly speaks about the community her son Alex created called The Greenhouse. [23:50] Holly has her own patented product line of vases and armatures that help you design flowers. [27:19] What are some of your favorite design aesthetics, and what stands out to you? [29:23] Holly believes there will be lots of complications post-pandemic, so have a lot of grace with yourself. [30:57] Holly speaks about two weddings she has coming up in the next few weeks with total redesigns and venue changes. [32:22] What is your process to determine what the client wants, and how do you mix that with your design to embody who they are? [35:30] Holly shares she had the best clients on the books last year that rescheduled to this year. [36:55] Holly discusses what she believes has allowed her to get to the number of followers she has on Instagram. [38:27] Holly personally answers every DM that comes across on her Holly Chappel Design Instagram page. [40:32] Holly talks about how she has balanced having seven children while being an entrepreneur. [42:01] The biggest challenge Holly believes working parents have is knowing where their kids are, and since she is home-based, she is lucky

David Beahm, world-class wedding designer and planner, known for his inventive work and trademark lavish flower creations, has designed countless weddings for society, high profile and discerning clients, including Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, as well as a host of celebrity and Fortune 500 corporate events. In this episode, we learn a lot about David and how got there from here—his early days as a teacher, his deep background in music and musical theater, and the leaps of faith that enabled little and big synchronicities alike. Links: David Beahm Experiences David Beahm Experiences [Instagram] David Beahm [Instagram]

"Keep doing what you are doing, but work extremely hard at it. You have to work from the heart." Listen as Andy and his guests, Arun Bablani, discuss at what age his interest in event planning became clear and his decision to make it his career. They also talk about what motivated him to start his own company, his courage and his belief that anything worth having doesn't come easy, and when he began to specializ in South Asian weddings, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Arun is the founder of Vivaah Weddings, a premier wedding planning, and management company operating globally for destination weddings with offices in the UAE. They specialize in South Asian weddings in the form of Indian, Pakistani, Srilankan, and Bangladeshi weddings. Vivaah Weddings was rated the best wedding planning and management company in the Middle East by Brides Awards 2020, the Best Wedding Planner 2020 global wedding category at the International Wedding Awards, Best Wedding Planners 2020 Best Wedding Concept and Destinations wedding category at the Belief Weddings Awards, and the prestigious WOW Awards Middle East 2019 under the category of Wedding Celebrations of the Year. Listen as Arun shares what he believes has to align in order to have a successful business, when he decided to specialize in South Asian weddings, and what he feels sets him apart from other planners who produce and manage South Asian weddings. Arun talks about a wedding he planned and designed at Disneyland Paris and all the intricacies that went into the event. Arun shares how he integrates the creative side of his company with the business side, the most difficult aspect of what he does, and how he stays relevant with the constant change in technology. Arun talks about some weddings he has designed with unique challenges, from creating level ground out of a mountain to designing a full-on wedding for six people with no holds barred. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [01:46] Welcome to the show, Arun! [02:23] Arun shares the age he became interested in event planning and when he decided this was what he wanted to do as a career. [05:04] How long ago did you start your own company? [06:58] Arun shares what he believes are the biggest things that have to align to become successful. [08:16] He had no experience with South Asian weddings, but a friend asked him to plan his wedding, which led him to specialize in South Asian weddings. [10:50] What sets you apart from other planners that produce and manage South Asian weddings? [13:00] Arun discusses his process from the first meeting with the client through to the event. [15:36] Managing families along with the bride and groom are his forte. [17:17] Arun shares an example of a wedding he did at Disneyland Paris and how he managed all the different moving pieces. [22:47] Do you see many interracial marriages and does it make it more complex to plan and design? [25:10] Arun speaks about how he integrates his company's creative side with the business side. [28:07] With the pandemic he had to lay people off, but since weddings have started back up, he believes he will be able to get fully staffed again soon. [29:04] What is the most difficult aspect of what you do? [31:45] Arun discusses staying relevant to the constant change of technology we are all facing. [33:27] Arun shares some examples of weddings he designed that were challenging. [35:41] Arun speaks about another fun instance he had with a Dubai wedding for six people where cost was not an issue. [38:36] Arun gives one piece of advice he would give a young planner that would like to reach the level he is at. [40:04] Thank you for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Arun: Vivaah Weddings @weddingsbyvivaah Instagram | Facebook | Vimeo Videos Jas & Roma Prerna & Shaun Varun & Anisha (Disneyland Paris) On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club, "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

I met Dana on Clubhouse and was really impressed by the ease and style with which she conducts herself as a moderator and speaker in various rooms. She is completely comfortable in her skin and exudes an inviting confidence. Dana Bowling is a business and motivational coach helping women gain confidence, take action, and show up & stand out on Instagram and Clubhouse. As a former Casting Director in LA, Dana has discovered talent for Disney, Nickelodeon, ABC, MTV, FOX and more. A mom to two young energetic boys, she truly understands what it's like to build a business and show up consistently while balancing #momlife. Her energy & vulnerability are contagious and you can always trust Dana to keep things real, making her the best biz bestie you'll ever have. She is the host of the AMP It Up Podcast where she inspires women with tangible, actionable advice on how to show up, stand out, and start their businesses. On Instagram @thisisdanabowling, you can find her coming in hot with Instagram & Reels tips and giving you daily motivation to succeed in both life and business. And when she's not on Instagram, she is moderating on Clubhouse where she has gained over 5k followers in two months sharing advice and tips. RESOURCES Find Dana: Instagram Clubhouse: DanaBowling Dana Bowling On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club, "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

What do you know about Clubhouse? Listen as Andy and his guests, Jen Vazquez and Morgan Childs, discuss the basics of Clubhouse, what it is, why we should care about it and how we can best use it for our businesses, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Jen is a Marketing Strategist specializing in Pinterest and a destination wedding and branding photographer. Morgan founded Moana Events and Bella Destination Events and then created another element by adding Modern Elopement. Morgan has been called the elopement expert by Destination I Do Magazine. Listen as Jen and Morgan share how they view Clubhouse, the rooms and clubs inside, and more. They also compare Clubhouse to other platforms. And they share how Clubhouse can be used in the event industry to grow businesses. Since there is no DM feature on Clubhouse, you must link it to your Instagram account to get the full benefits of the platform. Andy, Jen, and Morgan discuss how important your profile on Clubhouse is and share some tips on the best way to create it to reach the most people. A great tip is to use the same profile picture in Clubhouse that you use on Instagram, so when someone clicks over, they can see that they are in the right place. Jen and Morgan both talk about what they see happening in the future with Clubhouse and invite you to contact them if you would like to find out more about it. They both believe you should get in now, reserve your username, and check out the rooms and clubs that might interest you. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [02:28] Welcome to the show, Jen and Morgan! [03:21] Jen says that to her Clubhouse is like a podcast live, but you can ask questions. [04:07] Morgan describes it as an audio app where you can enter a room and participate in conversation with other people. [06:37] When you come to Clubhouse and first go into the rooms, it can feel a little overwhelming because of the different ways it is being used. [08:00] Clubhouse sees a weekly average usage of about 6 million people. [10:35] Andy shares that Clubhouse is now his favorite platform. [11:46] Jen speaks about what she believes makes Clubhouse different from any other social media platform. [13:10] Morgan talks about who in the wedding and event industry benefits from using Clubhouse. [14:10] Jen feels like it's an "add-on" rather than an "instead of" in-person event, and believes that post-Covid, it will keep growing. [16:02] How can we in the event industry use Clubhouse to grow our businesses? [18:56] Jen says to approach it from a building the relationship standpoint and keep it personal and authentic. [19:55] Morgan shares that Clubhouse does not have any DM features; you have to link it to your Instagram account. [21:27] Jen discusses the difference between Clubs and Rooms in Clubhouse. [23:08] Jen shares about the large wedding club she is involved in called The Wedding Pros Club. [24:16] Morgan started the Elopement Wedding Pro Club. [24:36] Andy's club is The Wedding Biz. [26:26] Jen talks about starting your own club and still being involved with other people's clubs as well. [29:35] Morgan discusses the importance of creating your Clubhouse profile and shares some tips on making it more appealing. [31:45] Andy shares that the first three lines of your profile are what most people see. [32:29] You can only change your user name once. [35:05] Another helpful tip is to use your profile image on your Instagram, so when they click, they can tell they are in the right spot. [35:51] Jen shares what she believes will happen with Clubhouse in the future. [37:09] Morgan talks about the opportunities she sees in the future for Clubhouse. [39:54] Jen is hearing a lot of talk by event producers about making Clubhouse an extension of an event for people who can't get to actual events. [41:49] Dive in and start by listening in a room that has personal interest for you. [42:30] Jen invites any and all listeners to contact her or Morgan if you are interested in learning more about Clubhouse. [43:35] Morgan says to go on and search for Clubs that might interest you. [46:22] Thank you both for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Morgan: Modern Elopement Moana Bella Morgan Childs Episode 310 on The Wedding Biz @morganmchilds Instagram Clubhouse Find Jen: Jen Vazquez Photography Jen Vazquez Marketing Strategist @jenvazquezphotography Facebook | Twitter @jenvazquezcoach Facebook | Instagram Clubhouse On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club, "The Wedding Biz" to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy. Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by PartySlate - the first website designed specifically for event prof

Matt is an award-winning photographer who has gained a world-class reputation for his exquisite documentary style photography. He is considered the Royal Photographer for his work with the Cambridges. Matt also helps change-makers make a difference and shoots on behalf of Ocean Culture Life, a global community of storytellers, photographers, filmmakers, and environmentalists whose lives have been shaped by the sea. Andy and Matt talk about how the experience of the pandemic has helped them to seek out what's really meaningful, for each of them, and to explore how they will reset themselves as life begins to come back to what it will be post-Covid.

"We've all just lived a year of uncertainty." Listen as Andy, and his roundtable guests Rishi Patel the CEO of HMR Designs, Carrie Goldberg the Travel and Weddings Director at Harper's Bazaar, Christina Matteucci the Executive Director of David Beahm Destinations, and Augusta Cole primary Planner and Designer with Augusta Cole Weddings and Events discuss what they have learned from going through the Covid pandemic and how it's changed them personally and with their businesses. They also talk about how they have applied what they've learned and what events might look like post-Covid, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Christina shares how the pandemic affected her personally, what she learned from it and how much stronger she feels. Carrie speaks about all that she has learned. Augusta talks about the changes she went through including the relocation of her business, and Rishi discusses the silver linings he found as a product of the pandemic. Listen as Rishi speaks about what he thinks will be different in events post-pandemic. Christina hopes the pandemic makes people rethink what is important when planning and designing a wedding and that event professionals will give themselves grace instead of perfectionism. Carrie believes that imperfection is the new perfection and the vision will be more authentic to the bride. And Augusta talks about the rules that were broken in 2020 and how the typical functions of an event had to be rewritten. It looks like things might be more normal around summertime and definitely by the fall. Listen to hear what each guest is looking forward to! Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [03:03] Welcome back to the show, Rishi, Carrie, Christina, and Augusta! [03:40] Christina shares how the pandemic affected her personally and what she has learned from it. [05:35] Christina, do you feel you are stronger after coming through this event? [06:30] Carrie speaks about what she has learned from the experience. [08:31] Augusta discusses what she learned and the changes she went through last year. [10:26] Rishi talks about the silver linings as a product of the pandemic, the time it gave him back personally, and the toll it took professionally. [13:37] Empathy, patience, and smarts are three keywords for 2020. [15:20] Carrie says that creatives thrive in structure and it's nice to see what happens when creatives are put in a box. [18:10] Christina talks about getting off the hamster wheel and taking time to reimagine and restructure the experience they are giving to their clients. [20:03] The pandemic opened a new door for Christina to coach other people in the industry. [22:32] Rishi shares what he thinks will look different in events post-pandemic. [23:55] Christina believes that event professionals are perfectionists, and she hopes the pandemic is making people rethink what is important when planning events. [25:32] Carrie says imperfection is the new perfection and the vision will be more authentic to the bride. [26:54] Augusta talks about the rules being broken and the typical functions of an event being rewritten. [29:26] Andy shares that he and his fiance are having a destination wedding where they live in Maryland so people can connect more. [31:46] Augusta is inspired and ready to get back to normal, but she doesn't want to forget what she has learned. [32:19] Carrie is excited to put everything she has learned over the past year into practice. [32:55] Rishi is wary of saying when getting back to normal will happen, but he is ready to travel again with his family. [34:11] Christina hasn't seen her mother in over a year, and she can't wait to go home and spend tender moments with family. [36:08] Thank you all for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Rishi: HMR Designs Rishi Patel Episode 143 on The Wedding Biz @hmrdesigns Instagram | LinkedIn | Pinterest Find Carrie: Carrie Goldberg Carrie Goldberg Episode 186 on The Wedding Biz Carrie Goldberg Episode 285 on The Wedding Biz Email @carrielauren Instagram | Twitter @harperbazaarus Instagram Harper's Bazaar Find Christina: Christina Matteucci Episode 188 on The Wedding Biz Christina on David Beahm's Website @TeucciMama Instagram @christina_matteucci LinkedIn Find Augusta: Augusta Cole @augustacole Instagram | Twitter Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @thewe

Today's episode with various members of the LEC, which stands for Live Event Coalition, in order to discuss the mission of the organization, what's in the latest relief bill, what is being worked on for the upcoming May recovery bill, what the organization advocates for, and how we can support it. Guests include: Dwayne Thomas - Chairperson for Government Affairs, Live Events Coalition and President Live Events Industry of Oregon and his company is Greenlight Creative. John Garberson - Creative Director of Backstage and President of the AZ Chapter of the Live Event Coalition. Kelsey Morgan Rausch - Handles marketing for the AZ chapter of the LEC and is co-owner of Honeybee Events. -Check out site of the LEC and of our guests: LEC can be found at liveeventscoalition.org Dwayne Thomas's company is Greenlight Creative, which you can find at greenlight-creative.com John Garberson's company is Creative Backstage which you can find at creativebackstage.com Kelsey Rausch's is Honeybee EVents found at myhoneybeeevent.com

Listen as Andy and his guests, Tara Fay and Bruce Russell, discuss how they have handled the past year both personally and professionally, what they see happening in 2021, and the new online business they launched, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Tara is the owner of Tara Fay Events, based in Dublin, Ireland. She has produced some of the most high-profile events and weddings in Ireland, Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean. Tara has won several event industry awards, was previously voted Ireland's Premier Wedding Planner by Social and Personal Magazine, and is a sought-after speaker at wedding events and lectures students on wedding and event planning. Tara was the co-star of RTE Ireland's TV production of My Big Day: Home or Away, along with Bruce Russell. Bruce is the owner and managing director of By Bruce Russell, based in London. He is a planner, designer and coordinates wedding parties and other events around the globe. He was awarded Best Wedding Planner by Belle International Bridal Awards and has been featured in numerous International Publications. His TV appearances include his co-star role with Tara in RTE Ireland's production of My Big Day: Home or Away. Bruce and Tara discuss what they learned through the pandemic about themselves and their businesses and the changes they hope to carry over post-pandemic. They share the new business they started and why they took the year to refine their offering to make sure it was the best it could be before launching it. They also speak about the time they took to give back to the industry and give couples advice and tips on planning their dream wedding. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [03:13] Welcome back to the show, Tara and Bruce! [04:02] Bruce shares how they are doing personally after this last year of the pandemic. [05:43] Tara speaks about learning a lot about herself during the past year and that she has to stay busy. [08:45] Bruce discusses where he is in his business right now and how the future looks. [11:11] Tara talks about being open and honest with her clients and letting them know she would be by their side. [14:03] Did either of you pivot or transition anything in your businesses? [15:39] Tara shares what she will do differently as we advance post-pandemic. [17:50] Bruce talks about refining the new business they had been discussing. [19:15] They wanted to remain positive and give back to the industry. [20:06] Tara discusses what she believes will happen in the industry in the future. [21:08] Bruce speaks about what is happening with their TV show, Bruce and Tara live, and the other things they have in the works. [22:34] Tara shares the series of videos, books, and templates for couples with checklists to help them plan their weddings. [24:49] Thank you both for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Tara: Tara Fay Tara Fay episode 226 on The Wedding Biz @tarafayevents Twitter | Facebook | Instagram YouTube Find Bruce: Bruce Russell Bruce Russell episode 224 on The Wedding Biz @bybrucerussell Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest YouTube Find Tara & Bruce Together: Bruce and Tara Live @bruceandtaralive Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

"Light creates the environment, the environment creates the mood, and the mood creates the experience." - Bentley Meeker Today's guest co-host, to discuss Bentley Meeker's interview from Monday, is Sean Low. Sean's consulting firm, The Business of Being Creative is focused on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. Sean's client list includes the who's who of the wedding industry and design community. And Sean has a podcast on The Wedding Biz Network, called The Business of Being Creative as well as a wonderful blog at thebusinessofbeingcreative.com Bentley is a New York City-based contemporary artist and lighting designer. He is the President of his own company Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging Inc., specializing in lighting, audio-video staging, and rigging. A brief listing of his notable clients includes White House State Dinners, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Claudia Schiffer, Eddie Murphy, Heidi Klum, Martha Stewart, and the Sex in the City cast. Some musical acts he's worked with include Beyonce, Jay Z, Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, and many more.

"Light creates the environment, the environment creates the mood, and the mood creates the experience." Listen as Andy and his guest Bentley Meeker have a discussion about light that Andy guarantees you have never heard before, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Bentley is a New York City-based contemporary artist and lighting designer. He is the President of his own company Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging Inc., specializing in lighting, audio-video staging, and rigging. A brief listing of his notable clients includes White House State Dinners, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Claudia Schiffer, Eddie Murphy, Heidi Klum, Martha Stewart, and the Sex in the City cast. Some musical acts he's worked with include Beyonce, Jay Z, Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, and many more. Bentley shares why he is trying to get people to realize how underutilized light is in life and shares the different types of light available and what he prefers to work with. Bentley speaks about the kinds of lighting he has in his home and why and why he will never put someone under LED or fluorescent lights. Bentley discusses his cardinal rule that if anyone is going to be sitting in a space for more than twenty minutes, he will always use incandescent light. Bentley believes that light affects us on the physiological and spiritual level, and the lighting in the room affects the day a person is having and how they feel. Listen as Bentley speaks about the relationship between lighting and audio and why they decided to start doing video. Bentley also shares his journey from getting kicked out of high school at age fourteen to where he is today and everything that happened to him along the way. Bentley says that his vision going forward is to find an effective way to get this conversation about light into the public discourse in a uniform way. He believes that light is the very essence of who we are and that it has its own language. Bentley is kicking around the idea of writing a book but isn't sure what that looks like right now. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [02:42] Welcome to the show, Bentley! [03:02] Bentley shares they are trying to get people to realize how underutilized light is in life. [05:22] Bentley discusses the different light types and how people look at the most economic lighting, not the best-looking ones. [07:56] Bentley speaks about how light has affected us since the beginning of time. [09:40] Bentley shares different light on the spectrum. [10:46] You don't connect to fluorescent light the way you connect to fire light and day light. [12:53] Bentley talks about the light in his house and why he has it that way. [14:00] Bentley shares going to Burning Man and being asked to design the Temple's lighting, which is the highlight of the festivities every year. [15:46] People react differently to the different types of light they see. [17:43] Bentley talks about why he will put no one in LED light. [18:44] His cardinal rule is that if anyone is going to be sitting in a space for more than twenty minutes, they will use incandescent light because they will feel better. [19:35] Bentley says that light affects us at the physiological and spiritual levels. [19:58] What is your process for events you design lighting for? [22:23] Bentley talks about all the stuff they do on the fly during an event. [23:15] Bentley discusses the relationship between lighting and audio. [24:30] They got into video because they didn't have control over the ambient light reflecting from screens and LED screens. [27:03] Bentley shares working with celebrities at concerts, in conjunction with events. [30:21] Bentley speaks about being kicked out of high school when he was fourteen and his journey from there. [33:45] He went into a theatre to collect his thoughts and found a job with their lighting techs. [35:20] One of his earliest jobs was at the Palladium nightclub where Andy Warhol was directing. [37:05] What is the hardest part of what you do? [39:25] Bentley believes that the very essence of who we are is light. [42:10] Bentley shares examples of how he believes light affects people. [45:00] Lighting is its own language. [46:08] Bentley discusses his vision for going forward as finding an effective way to get this conversation about light into the public discourse in a uniform way. [49:02] Bentley talks about writing a book to get his wo

Richard is the CEO of McQueens Flowers, the internationally renowned luxury floral design brand and flower school. Founded in London's east end in 2001 with customers in Mexico, the United States, Japan, France, Korea, Kuwait, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain, and Australia. They have provided flowers for Vanity Fair's Oscars afterparty for the last twenty-five years and were the floral design partner for the All England Lawn Tennis Club's Wimbledon Champions Ball and the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards. Kurt Macher is our guest co-host and is the General Manager of the absolutely stunning Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London.

"The power of flowers to lift our spirits shouldn't be underestimated." Listen as Andy and his guest Richard Eagleton discuss the power of flowers, social prescribing, and how he feels that mental health and well-being will be the greatest human global challenge arising from the pandemic, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Richard is the CEO of McQueens Flowers, the internationally renowned luxury floral design brand and flower school. Founded in London's east end in 2001 with customers in Mexico, the United States, Japan, France, Korea, Kuwait, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain, and Australia. They have provided flowers for Vanity Fair's Oscars afterparty for the last twenty-five years and were the floral design partner for the All England Lawn Tennis Club's Wimbledon Champions Ball and the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards. Listen, as Richard shares when he discovered his passion for flowers and his journey to McQueens. He discusses their flower school and how he handles being creative and working the business simultaneously. When Richard asked his team what they saw as McQueens vision, they responded to be the best flower business in the world to work for. Richard strives to make that happen every day. Richard talks about what they did during the pandemic to make their online store profitable; he believes when you have falling or zero sales, it's an opportunity for improving margins. He discusses what he sees happening in the event industry post- Covid. When asked for his advice at the beginning of the lockdown in the UK, Richard said be kind because it costs nothing and will always come back, keep an eye on the horizon because the bumpy road to get there is easier to travel if you know where you are heading and third, just worry about the things you can change and stop worrying about the things you can't. Do you need some tips on handling stress during this crazy year? Andy has put together a list of the top ten tips for dealing with stress, which he has compiled from interviews with icons of the wedding and event industry. If you would like a copy, go to www.theweddingbiz.com/toptips. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [03:06] Welcome to the show, Richard! [04:41] Richard speaks about his quote on the power of flowers.. [08:34] When did you discover your passion for flowers? [10:03] Richard speaks about his journey to McQueens. [13:25] Richard discusses their flower school and what they teach. [17:38] Richard talks about how he handles the business and creative sides of the business. [20:14] Their vision is to be the best flower business in the world to work for. [23:15] Andy discusses the response he got from his team when they were asked what the vision should be. [24:06] Richard wants everyone to feel invested in the business, and he believes you need to have brilliant people around you. [25:19] He's learned that their customers trust them to be creative and trust that they will do what they say they will do. [26:38] Richard tells a story about taking flowers to a meeting at the Carlyle Hotel. [27:55] Andy shares some quotes that Richard made at the beginning of the pandemic. [28:33] Richard says you should never let a crisis go to waste. [30:05] Richard talks about taking the business apart and putting it back together because they had the time and opportunity. [31:08] Richard speaks about their online business and how they made it brilliant. [33:13] Richard discusses what he meant by how falling and zero sales are an opportunity for improving margins. [35:58] What will the event industry be like post covid? [38:15] Richard shares his thoughts on social distancing. [38:39] Thank you for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Richard: McQueens McQueens Flowers Journal interview with US wedding planner Rebecca Gardner A Midsummer Wedding @mcqueensflowers Instagram | Facebook Videos Behind the scenes with McQueen Events team Winter Wedding at Claridge's December 2019 Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment www.KushnerEntertainment.com

Andy welcomes Lauren Dickens to the show as his guest co-host for today's episode. Lauren is the Founder and lead planner and designer with Elle Audrey, a luxury planning and design company based in NYC and their tag line is "distinctively designed with you in mind." Lisa is the CEO and Creative Director of Papered Wonders. As stationers, they design, create and produce exquisite wedding stationery that represents the love and passion shared by the couple. All of their designs are unique and share a piece of the love story unfolding during the time leading up to the wedding. Papered Wonders is also a custom design and print studio, and Lisa also assists other business owners in crafting their best look on paper and other collateral.

"Imagine your dreams on paper, imagine being able to embody true passion in stationery." Listen as Andy and his guest Lisa Zachery discuss the meaning behind this quote, her passion for stationery, her belief that invitations set the tone for the event you are having, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Lisa is the CEO and Creative Director of Papered Wonders. As stationers, they design, create and produce exquisite wedding stationery that represents the love and passion shared by the couple. All of their designs are unique and share a piece of the love story unfolding during the time leading up to the wedding. Papered Wonders is also a custom design and print studio, and Lisa also assists other business owners in crafting their best look on paper and other collateral. Listen as Lisa shares her process for designing invitations that showcase the couple's love, how they use favors to imbed the wedding memory into each guest's hearts and what inspires her to pick the right font, graphics, color, etc. Lisa also helps other creatives rebrand their businesses because she believes that branding is ever-evolving, and as a company grows, its story changes. Lisa discusses needing more diversity in the industry and the need for more women in power everywhere. She gives advice on what to look for when finding a wedding planner and someone to design wedding invitations because they all need to work together to create the best experience for the couple. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [01:54] Welcome to the show, Lisa! [02:25] Lisa shares what inspired the quote, "Imagine your dreams on paper, imagine being able to embody true passion in stationery." [04:55] Lisa discusses her transition from her corporate job to owning her own business. [06:25] Why she specializes in the wedding industry. [08:24] Lisa speaks about the process they use to design invitations that showcase the couple's love. [10:43] Lisa shares how they use favors to imbed the wedding memory into the heart of each guest. [12:00] What inspires you to pick the right font, colors, graphics, etc.? [13:53] Lisa discusses how they help other creatives rebrand their businesses. [16:10] Brands are always evolving because as companies grow, their stories change. [18:28] What topics do you talk about when you are asked to speak at conferences? [20:40] Lisa discusses diversity and the need for more women in power. [23:03] Did you know that Engage is recognized as one of the most well-attended conferences in the wedding industry? [26:46] Lisa shares her view on what couples should look for when finding someone to do their wedding invitations. [29:28] Lisa gives some things to look for when looking for a planner for your wedding. [31:06] Lisa talks about shirts in her shop that say Black Event Professionals Matter and the challenge to build teams with more diversity. [32:53] Thank you for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Lisa: Papered Wonders @paperedwonders Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest @paperedwondersinc Facebook Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by PartySlate - the first website designed specifically for event professionals and venues! Mentioned: Simon T. Bailey Episode 46 on The Wedding Biz Simon T. Bailey Episode 272 on The Wedding Biz Rebecca Grinnals & Katheryn Arce Episode 1 on The Wedding Biz

Andy welcomes Sean Low back to the show. Sean is the owner of the consulting firm The Business of Being Creative, which focuses on providing practical advice to those in the business of being creative. He also has a podcast on The Wedding Biz Network called The Business of Being Creative. Listen as they discuss Ira Levy, the Creative Director of Levy NYC Design & Production, a full-service design and production company focused on lighting, sound, and video for events, architecture, and what he calls architainment. Ira has been the lighting designer for such event luminaries as Preston Bailey and Colin Cowie. Past clients include Martha Stewart Weddings, Dolce Gabbana, and the American Museum of Natural History. boosts#toggleFormOnEscOrEnter" data-boosts-adding-class="boosts--adding" data-boosts-deleting-class="boost--deleting">

"Light starts in the ceiling and ends in the floor, and there is nothing in between." Listen as Andy and his guest Ira Levy discuss his journey from pre-med to concerts, lighting design, and entertainment, why he uses the term architainment, his process when working with clients, designers, and planners, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Ira is the Creative Director of Levy NYC Design & Production, a full-service design and production company focused on lighting, sound, and video for events, architecture, and what he calls architainment. He has also been the lighting designer for such event industry luminaries as Preston Bailey and Colin Cowie. Past clients include Martha Stewart Weddings, Dolce Gabbana, and the American Museum of Natural History. "It's not the turning of the screw; it's knowing which screw to turn." Ira believes that the mood you create with lighting is part of the experience. Ira shares mixing entertainment and architecture to create architainment, which happens when light touches inanimate material. Listen as Ira speaks about the need for event industry professionals to allow more time before an event so that lighting designers can work their creative magic. Ira also shares what he still hopes to accomplish and what he is looking forward to. Do you need some tips on handling stress during this crazy year? Andy has put together a list of the top ten tips for dealing with stress, which he has compiled from interviews with icons of the wedding and event industry. If you would like a copy, go to www.theweddingbiz.com/toptips. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [01:30] Welcome to the show, Ira! [02:15] Ira shares his background and when he left pre-med for concerts, nightclubs, and lighting. [04:40] Ira discusses getting involved with a company that did the moving lights. [05:50] Ira speaks about producing rave shows in the late 80s. [07:11] Preston Bailey was someone who helped Ira's career take off. [08:10] What is your overall philosophy concerning design? [09:28] Ira believes that the mood you create with lighting is part of the experience. [10:37] Ira works the dimmer, and he says that can make the entire event. [11:42] "It's not the turning of the screw; it's knowing which screw to turn." [12:39] During an event, are you in contact with the designer, or are you on your own? [13:28] Ira shares his process and who he works with most: clients, designers, or planners. [15:45] Ira describes a project he did with Preston Bailey and how he created the event's lighting design elements. [17:35] Ira speaks about the biggest challenges he faces when doing the lighting. [20:16] Were you asked to do anything special for LeBron James' wedding? [22:29] Ira discusses doing the lighting he calls architainment. [24:41] How far do you dig into the brand when creating designs for companies? [26:08] Ira shares his view on technology and where he sees it going in the future. [28:36] There is a lot of technical equipment out there, but few people know how to use it. [30:25] Ira believes that time is so important. It takes time to make it look good. [32:52] Ira shares some things he thinks event industry professionals need to consider when working with lighting designers. [34:04] What do you still want to accomplish? What are you looking forward to? [35:46] Thank you for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Ira: Levy NYC Video Reels @levynyc LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Mentioned: Preston Bailey Episode 66 on The Wedding Biz Preston Bailey Episode 88 on The Wedding Biz Preston Bailey Episode 265 on The Wedding Biz Preston Bailey Episode 321 on The Wedding Biz Colin Cowie Episode 128 on The Wedding Biz Colin Cowie Episode 135 on The Wedding Biz Colin Cowie Episode 267 on The Wedding Biz LeRoy Bennett Episode 35 on The Music Makers

"Music is a force and power tool for our well being." Valerie Romanoff, founder of Starlight Music, is Andy's guest on the show today. Valerie was on episode 24 of The Wedding Biz back in October 2017 and has had quite a pivot since. So, Andy wanted to have her on the show to catch up and find out what she has been doing. Listen as Valerie shares why she uses the terms "still," "chill," and "thrill" when discussing the different segments of life, how the vibrations of music can shift energy, and what she does that is so unique and different when putting on a performance. Valerie also talks about having performers who do more than just show up; performers who are aware and more intentional about their performance. Valerie discusses what she likes to talk about when she coaches her band leaders and why to her every moment, every night is different, and it's not just a show; it's an interactive collaboration with everyone who is there. Valerie believes a home run when you have everyone on the dance floor and in a certain state of mind. Valerie believes we should all look at the gifts this time off has given us instead of focusing on the negatives. She discusses events' potential to have more meaning and awareness once people can get out and enjoy them again, and where she thinks the industry will go once this pandemic is over. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [01:45] Welcome back to the show, Valerie! [02:35] Valerie shares the pivot she has had in her business. [03:31] "Parties are like a microcosm of life." [05:17] Valerie discusses how she believes the vibrations of music can shift energy. [08:02] What are you doing that is so unique and different when putting on a performance? [11:04] Valerie speaks about having the band show up and be more aware and intentional. [13:46] Valerie discusses what she likes to talk about when coaching band leaders. [14:31] "Every moment and every night is different because it's not just a show, it's an interactive collaboration with everyone that is there." [18:31] Valerie speaks about event professionals and how their identities are so wrapped up in what they do. [19:53] Valerie believes we should all be looking at the gifts during time. [21:15] Valerie talks about having time to collaborate with friends and the creative ways you can be creative. [22:47] Valerie discusses the potential of events having more meaning because of increased awareness. [24:39] Where do you think parties will go once we are out of this pandemic? [26:29] Why being able to play outside moved Valerie to tears. [27:23] Thank you for listening to the show! RESOURCES Find Valerie: Valerie Romanoff Music Starlight Music Valerie Romanoff Episode 24 on The Wedding Biz @valerieromanoff Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

This is a revisit of Andy's popular interview of David Tutera from May of 2018 with a new introduction. Show Highlights: David's unexpected childhood upbringing that heavily influences his outlook on life David shares how to avoid burnout in a fast-moving industry Why strategically re-inventing yourself in your career is crucial David's short college experience and his first post-college business How old David was when he planned his first wedding What David thought most wedding planners were missing when he started his event planning business The challenges of starting a new wedding planning business The two pivotal years that put David's business on the map His experiences on television, including the launch of his first series David shares his two biggest fears, and how he uses them to find empowerment The process David takes with his clients to create custom events Some of David's favorite weddings of all time (including his own!) About David's product line How David has seen the wedding/event industry change over the past 30 years

Andy welcomes Laurie Arons back to The Next Level. Laurie is with Laurie Arons Special Events. She has been featured in numerous magazine publications and was listed in Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the top planners worldwide. Listen as they discuss how Erich got his start in photography and how important he feels it is to keep his passion for the art without getting lost in the business side, plus much more. Erich McVey is a wedding, portrait, and editorial film photographer with a love for medium format cameras, natural light, and incredible scenery. Erich was named by Harpers Bazaar, Brides, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the world's best wedding photographers and twice selected as film Photographer of the Year. Listen as Laurie gives her insights into Erich's preference of shooting with film instead of digital, how she loves the look of film and only works with such photographers for her events. Laurie talks about how she gets butterflies before an event because it's so intense and there is so much on the line. Laurie also discusses what she looks for when hiring a photographer, for her events, and why she loves Erich's style and the way he shoots photographs. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: For as little as $6 per month, or $0.75 per episode, are you willing to support the industry insights Andy brings on his podcast? If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [00:59] Welcome back to the show, Laurie! [03:24] Laurie shares how she was able to balance her creative and business sides. [04:35] Laurie gives her insights into Erich's preference for shooting film instead of digital. [05:48] Laurie talks about loving film's look and has always sought film photographers throughout her career. [06:48] Laurie discusses Erich's style and the way he shoots. [10:07] Laurie shares that she still gets butterflies when they approach the ceremony part of the event. [12:14] Laurie says that It's so intense, it's live, and there is so much on the line. [13:45] Laurie speaks about what she looks for when choosing a photographer for a client. [15:56] Thank you so much for being on the show! This Week's Guest Co-Host, Laurie Arons - Laurie Arons Special Events Laurie's email Laurie on Vimeo Laurie@lauriearons Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest @lauriearonsevents Facebook Laurie Arons Episode 290 on The Wedding Biz Laurie Arons Episode 139 on The Wedding Biz Find Erich: Erich McVey @erichmcvey Instagram | Pinterest Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment www.KushnerEntertainment.com

"What I strive to do for every couple I shoot is to deliver variety, quality, and consistency throughout." Listen as Andy and his guest Erich McVey discuss a variety of topics, including how he got started in photography and what he means by combining documentary and fine art styles when he shoots weddings plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Erich is a wedding, portrait, and editorial film photographer with a love for medium format cameras, natural light, and incredible scenery. Erich was named by Harpers Bazaar, Brides, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the world's best wedding photographers and twice selected as film Photographer of the Year. Listen as Erich discusses controlling variables to position couples to give them a moment and not let the business and repetition kill his zest for creating unique imagery. Erich also shares what drew him to film over digital and why he believes he can live in the camera when he shoots with film instead of dealing with the distraction of digital. Erich believes that lighting is a photographer's best friend. Using light is probably the most enjoyable aspect of being a photographer and is a major way to distinguish photographers from one another. Erich says that he loves the fact that this gets to be his job and that it's totally interpretive. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [02:22] Welcome to the show, Erich! [03:26] Erich shares how his mom got him an interview to shoot an ad campaign before he ever even had a camera. [05:17] Erich speaks about traveling the country for his first job, shooting at different locations for the company, and how the person they paired him up with eventually became his wife. [08:02] Erich believes his parents were an enormous influence on him becoming a photographer. [09:15] He shot a family friend's wedding, and his career started from word of mouth. [12:01] Erich describes what he means by combining documentary and fine art style. [14:48] Erich tells every couple he talks to, whether or not they hire him, to look at full wedding galleries from wedding photographers. [16:12] Erich discusses how he goes about putting couples in a position to have a moment. [18:52] Having the headspace to roll with and address the variables as they come is very important. [20:08] Erich believes you can lose your zest and artistry to create unique imagery when business and repetition kill the soul. [24:13] Why did you choose film over digital? [26:39] Once Erich determined how he wanted his photography to look, he reached out to Jose Villa and signed up for his workshop. [28:32] Erich talks about why he likes the look of film over digital. [30:08] Erich lives in the camera when he shoots film instead of the disruption of using digital. [31:28] How do you think about framing and composition? [33:18] Erich believes that light is a photographer's best friend, and there is a learning curve when you go from digital to film. [35:40] "Utilizing light is probably the most fun aspect of being a photographer and the way that maybe even distinguishes photographers the most from one another." [38:53] What still challenges you and gives you anxiety? [40:28] Erich loves that this is his job and that he can take a wedding in many directions, which he says is terrifying, but it keeps him motivated. [42:36] Erich discusses the online photography course he and his wife put together. [45:23] What is the latest equipment that you are using? [46:08] Thank you for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Erich: Erich McVey @erichmcvey Instagram | Pinterest Erich's online course if i made Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment www.KushnerEntertainment.com Mentioned: Jose Villa Episode 49 on The Wedding Biz Jose Villa Episode 228 on The Wedding Biz Jose Villa Episode 235 on The Wedding Biz

Andy welcomes Phil Van Nostrand back to The Next Level. Phil is based out of New York and Los Angeles. Phil photographs weddings, commercial, and lifestyle projects and is an expert at capturing bright cinematic lifestyle imagery. Listen as they discuss Josh Spiegel, the Creative Director and President of Birch Event Design, a high-end decor, production, and floral company. Phil speaks about a support group of industry professionals that Josh is a part of during the shutdown and how he himself created his own network of people to reach out to. Phil also talks about the challenge Josh had to create something different for each event while planning daily weddings within the same group of individuals. Phil discusses how Josh used social media to garner business during the pandemic while staying safe by doing smaller events, having the host testing each guest, and social distancing. Phil agrees with Josh that the smaller events will carry over because people see the beauty in creating an experience for their guests and being able to connect on a deeper level. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: For as little as $6 per month, or $0.75 per episode, are you willing to support the industry insights Andy brings on his podcast? If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [01:12] Welcome back to the show, Phil! [02:08] Phil shares that he has traveled at least once a month since the pandemic. [04:59] Phil discusses the support group that Josh is a part of that has helped him stay connected and grounded during the pandemic. [05:49] Phil says that he created his own support network during the shutdown. [07:04] Phil speaks about the challenge Josh had to make each wedding different when working with the same group of people for every event. [09:35] Phil discusses the events that Josh got from social media during the pandemic. [11:35] Phil shares his theory on people's beliefs. [13:32] Phil agrees with Josh on creating a more special experience when you have smaller events. [15:10] Phil thinks that more intimate weddings are less about showing off and more about the meaning. [15:42] Phil discusses what he thinks the industry will be like post-pandemic. [17:08] Thank you so much for being on the show! This Week's Guest Co-Host, Phil Van Nostrand - Photographer based out of New York and Los Angeles PhillipVN Phillip Van Nostrand Photography Phil Van Nostrand Episode 109 on The Wedding Biz Phil Van Nostrand Episode 260 on The Wedding Biz @phillipvnweddings Facebook | Instagram @phillipvnphoto Facebook | Instagram Find Josh: Birch Event Design @bircheventdesign Instagram | Facebook Birch Event Design Videos Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by PartySlate - the first website designed specifically for event professionals and venues!

On this episode of The Wedding Biz Andy is talking to Josh Spiegel, the Creative Director and President of Birch Event Design, a high-end decor, production, and floral company located out of the New York City area. Josh has had a lot of business during the pandemic and shares the story of how he is accomplishing that feat. Josh also talks sincerely about many issues, especially how he is dealing with things now and how he feels the event industry might be different once it fully comes back. Josh also shares how he got into the event industry and the challenge of creating different designs for the same group of people, sometimes every day. Josh talks about how he failed and learned in the early years of his business and how his business has thrived over the years. Listen as Josh discusses his process from the first contact with a client through the event and what he did during the pandemic that has kept him and his team busy. Josh is also very open about the deep depression he fell into in the early months of the pandemic and what brought him out and gave him focus as the crisis continued. Josh speaks about social media and how he uses it to grow his business and what he believes will change in the event industry post-pandemic. He also shares what he has learned during COVID that he believes will carry over and what the hardest part of the past year has been. Andy wraps up the interview by asking Josh how he defines success. Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don't forget about Sean Low's podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network. SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ Become a patron and support Andy and the show: If you are so inspired: contribute. Show Highlights: [02:55] Welcome to the show, Josh! [03:33] Josh shares how he got into the event industry. [05:31] Most of Josh's business has been large events with Orthodox Jews. [08:56] Because he worked with the same group of people all the time, it was very challenging to come up with something new for each event. [10:36] How did you put together a tight business that has lasted all these years? [12:53] Josh discusses his process from the first contact with the client through the actual event. [14:47] Josh speaks about how talking to clients through zoom calls was less fun and disconnected at first. [18:27] Josh shares the deep depression he went into at the beginning of the pandemic because his identity was so wrapped up in his company. [21:21] Were you able to thrive again even before the work started coming back in? [23:27] Josh speaks about the measures he took to keep his company going. [24:40] Josh tells the story of creating backyard weddings for clients during the pandemic. [27:06] Josh discusses designing events during the pandemic and how they stay safe. [29:28] Josh shares how he priced these events and how he explained it to the clients. [31:15] Do you believe that the event industry will change post-pandemic? [33:22] Josh speaks about how he uses social media to get business and show people they are attainable. [35:58] Josh shares what the hardest part of this past year has been. [37:28] Success now is being able to put food on the table for those you care about and the feeling of validation through this crazy time. [39:25] Thank you for being on the show! RESOURCES Find Josh: Birch Event Design @bircheventdesign Instagram | Facebook Birch Event Design Videos Follow The Wedding Biz on Social: The Wedding Biz The Wedding Biz on Instagram: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz on Facebook: @theweddingbiz The Wedding Biz Network The Music Makers Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here. Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by PartySlate - the first website designed specifically for event professionals and venues! Mentioned: Phil Van Nostrand Episode 109 on The Wedding Biz Phil Van Nostrand Episode 260 on The Wedding Biz